Can Axel put a spin on this cyberpunk noir outing?
The dual Viridis, separated between the luxurious Bright City and the dangerous Blind City, where inequality reigns until you, Axel McCoin, an idealistic detective, start a revolution. Year 2053, the world as we know it came to an end in a war lost in time. Now, only inequality remains, in the form of Viridis, the great city that encompasses the dangerous Blind City and the luxurious Bright City. Axel McCoin, once a police detective, will become the key piece to unmask a whole plot of corruption and power that plagues the unstable peace of Viridis. Experience the stories of the city and its inhabitants, accompanying Axel in his mission to overthrow the established order and demolish the foundations of this corrupt society.
Neon Blood is a 2.5D pixel adventure set in a corrupt cyberpunk world. You play as Axel McCoin, a mysterious detective character with forgotten memories and a habit to a drug that has messed up his cybernetic enhancements. A killer is going around taking out specific members and you’ll need to work to figure out just what their motive is and track them down.
It’s a decent premise and even though it’s not the deepest of plots, it does enough to get your through to the end. That is, if you can get through some clunky traversal mechanics and a poor combat system that feels like it could have been so much better than it is. It reminds me an old school adventure on the NES or something, but it doesn’t feel quite as rewarding as I would have hoped.
It’s a shame because there’s a good game to be found here, it’s just let down by these issues. It also looks the part with its 2.5D visuals that make the cyberpunk cities look great. It’s also frustrating because I didn’t come across any glitches or any performance issues, so it’s really just the combat and getting around the cities that hold it back.
The Verdict
Neon Blood has some good ideas, a decent plot and nice visuals, but doesn’t stick the landing on the basic mechanics of getting around and the combat is unrewarding. There’s potential here, but it just feels like it never quite reaches it.