Recent reviews by Cadaverus

Warning: I worked on this game!

In the pursuit of full transparency, I am the composer and sound designer for Neon the Ninja, and have put many hours into testing and playing the game, in its many forms, throughout its development. That being said, I am reviewing the game based on its current state upon early access release, with as little bias as I can muster.

Neon is a game that hearkens back to an era when every jump, attack, and user input mattered, and progression was skills-based, meaning you had to work on something to get further in the game. You couldn't just absent-mindedly drift through the game without breaking a sweat or furrowing your brow - you had to die a few times, learn a few things along the way, and ultimately, improve your game. Neon is a return to a style of game that involves trying, failing, and testing your limits to clear stages and beat bosses. There is no instant gratification here. If you try to mindlessly force your way through, frustration will set in; you will have to change up your gameplan and improve to get further.

I would say that Neon is a boss-heavy game, in that the levels are designed in such a way to get you ready to face each boss (the true stars of the show), teaching you the mechanics needed and honing your skills so that you can stack up to each boss battle. Every second of every level is tightly designed and planned with this in mind, and that's what makes Neon stand out - VERY tight level design. Nothing is arbitrary, nothing is "just there". Strategy is put into the player's hand, as the order in which you tackle each stage and boss is left up to you - something that actually matters, as the rewards you get for each boss can drastically change your progression through each level. I think this creates massive potential for the speedrunning scene.

Gameplay mechanics aside, Neon the Ninja has personality - a fully-voiced titular character brimming with sardonic humor and sass, a soundtrack that I am personally very proud of, and hand-drawn animation that gives the world the feeling of a 90s cartoon come to life. One thing that shouldn't go overlooked is the fantastic writing and humor that is injected into this game - a sarcastic and satirical look at the world's most parody-ready figures of wealth, power, and authority explored through the stages, enemies, and bosses spread throughout the game, as well as Neon's quips and one-liners, which are brilliantly written and voiced.

All that being said, the game has a ways to go before completion. We are now in early access, but there's a lot to add to the game (namely, half the stages and bosses), and I imagine a lot will change and evolve as development continues. I think Neon has some rough spots, namely in the way of "quality of life" stuff like loading screens and basic stuff like that, but I think this game has huge potential, and I have no doubt it will definitely reach that potential.

If you are a fan of retro platformers in all of their harrowing, brutal glory, I highly recommend Neon the Ninja. The skill and strategy involved goes beyond a typical modern platforming experience, and, at least in my experience, truly tests your limits. In the end, however, whether you succeed or fail falls directly in your hands - the player. This game is challenging, but highly rewarding, both from a mechanical and aesthetic standpoint.

Get it while it's hot!