Neon Chrome

 PC
User Score
7.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 28 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 28
  3. Negative: 4 out of 28

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  1. Sjalka
    Oct 24, 2017
    7
    To start - i usually do not like twin stick shooters or shooters that rely on independent movement and firing of weapons. I prefer the diablo style connected movement/facing and fighting. That is mostly because i am very bad at controllers - and prefer mouse/keyboard.

    So i have played this game with mouse and keyboard of course. - and despite being suspicious of its game mechanics ... i    To start - i usually do not like twin stick shooters or shooters that rely on independent movement and firing of weapons. I prefer the diablo style connected movement/facing and fighting. That is mostly because i am very bad at controllers - and prefer mouse/keyboard.

    So i have played this game with mouse and keyboard of course. - and despite being suspicious of its game mechanics ... i really like it. It is very solid - the procedual generation does not create terribly random levels - but still enough variety.

    Weapons have a good "feel" about them - in terms of power, impact and damage - but there could have been a little more impact feedback when hitting someone.

    There is a good number of unlockables - could be more though - maybe at least twice as many. ... and the persistant upgrading feels good.

    The weak part of this game is - in my opinion ... the visuals. While not "bad" - they are not really great either. The "Blade Runner" colours of neon purple/iceblue with a lot of dark fits - but it is especially this darkness that obscures vital obstacles on the map every now and then. Crates blocking movement in total darkness, doors that are very hard to see - and no gamma option makes this game a bit frustrating sometimes. The detail level is also a bit lackluster - but i guess this is intentional as a throwback to earlier computer times.

    Enemy variety and visuals are good - it is fairly easy to recognize enemy types - while the AI itself is... lacking. Enemies do not seek active cover - they usually just charge in or stick to a certain distance and strafe a little.

    All in all - this is a good game that is surprising fun to play - and has this "just one more floor" addiction about it. Death is fair and generally the players fault and not some unfair situation (for the most part) Environmental destruction is great fun and tactically very useful.
    Speed, combat and feeling all fits - if only the visuals were a bit nicer. In my opinion - this game is well above average but not quite "there" yet.    … Expand
  2. karmasleeper
    May 11, 2016
    9
    Excellent top down shooter with rogue-lite RPG elements in the form of stats, character classes, abilities, and cybernetic enhancements (passive upgrades and buffs). Everything comes together in this game. The classes feel sufficiently varied, the weapon variety is good, enemy types are diverse and progressively more lethal, boss battles are good, and the synergy between class, weapon,Excellent top down shooter with rogue-lite RPG elements in the form of stats, character classes, abilities, and cybernetic enhancements (passive upgrades and buffs). Everything comes together in this game. The classes feel sufficiently varied, the weapon variety is good, enemy types are diverse and progressively more lethal, boss battles are good, and the synergy between class, weapon, abilities, and upgrades leaves ample room for variation and experimentation.

    The premise is to work through the levels to eventually face the Overseer. Your character assumes control of human proxies via a control chair at your safe house. After you (more accurately, your proxy) dies, you wake up to spend the money you collected on stat upgrades before plugging back in for another slog. This is a fantastic way to keep the pace going in a game where death is really just a new beginning. No loading screens, no complicated menus, just sit down and get to killing. Levels are divided into sections each with its own boss battle to cap it off. Once you finish a boss battle for the first time, you "unlock" that section meaning next time you start the game, you can choose to begin at section 3 rather than section 1, for example. This makes looking for unlocks and secrets specific to a particular section of the game much easier.

    Levels are procedural with small variations between chapters. Ultimately, the environments get samey. You loot cash from slain enemies which, once you die and are forced to start over, can be used to upgrade your base stats like weapon damage or ability slots. At this "base" of sorts, you can also track your progress in discovering weapons, abilities, etc.

    The gameplay is fantastic and simple without being shallow. Each class requires a different approach and upgrade/weapon considerations. There are slower, tankier types, stealthy assassin types, and everything in between. The hacker can open locked containers and has a defense drone, the "techie" has an energy shield, and the assassin is undetectable in dark areas. In each level, there is usually at least one upgrade station where you can select a passive buff for your character. Pair the assassin with the upgrade that makes you invisible when standing still and you're virtually a ghost in every level. Discovering little synergies and complementary upgrades is a thrill.

    One critique would be that you really have to love the gameplay formula for it to have staying power. I can see people getting turned off by the short initial grind to unlock some useful abilities that work well together or improve some base stats a little to be more survivable. Level design, while procedural, only varies between chapter. Slogging through 4 or 5 levels in one chapter with very similar layouts gets tiresome. Visually, the game is blocky but has a good aesthetic. I found the tracer effect on enemy projectiles to sometimes clutter and obscure the screen enough to the point that it was difficult to keep track of character movement because of how bright they are in relation to the other textures.

    The game is a must own. Neon Chrome is an amazing example of a simple game with just enough variation between runs to keep the wow factor alive and to keep you thinking about new ways to approach the experience.    … Expand
  3. Habbala
    May 13, 2016
    10
    The gameplay is solid, and there always seems to be something new and exciting behind the next corner. You can actually shoot enemies through the walls! Also, Love the soundtrack! Would demolish John Spartan again.
  4. iseeall
    Jul 21, 2016
    8
    A improvement of Crimsonland (it was a great top-down 2D shooter game back in 2006 or so) from the same developer. With tons of stuff added: several classes, randomly generated dungeon-like levels, RPG-like improvements to characters. It's difficult and addictive.

    Good: - very nice music - classes play differently, weapons are also pretty different - varied enemies, some even have    A improvement of Crimsonland (it was a great top-down 2D shooter game back in 2006 or so) from the same developer. With tons of stuff added: several classes, randomly generated dungeon-like levels, RPG-like improvements to characters. It's difficult and addictive.

    Good:
    - very nice music
    - classes play differently, weapons are also pretty different
    - varied enemies, some even have shields
    - levels are decently varied

    So-so:
    - some may complain about the dated graphics yet I found them just ok, especially for an indie game

    Bad:
    - the WASD control of character movement works surprisingly clumsly in the environment of thin corridors littered with furniture and other objects. I found myself frequently stumbling upon stuff because it's pretty hard to simultaneously keep track of where the mouse (scope) is and where the character is. This problem didn't exist in Crimsonland because there levels were open and the character could move freely across the screen.

    I can't really say if this game is better than the original Crimsonland or not. It's more RPG-like and less action-oriented. I like both, and will play both, depending on what I like more at the moment.    … Expand
  5. fernando8biondi
    Dec 19, 2019
    8
    This addictive game is so good

    Good surprise, with a style reminiscent of Hotline Miami, finishing several times, and still want more.
  6. plotter
    Jun 2, 2016
    9
    A very good blend of twin-stick top-down shooting and roguelite elements. The game is not easy, but on the other hand you get stronger after each death so it balances out. Very nice work.
  7. plumsmuggler
    Dec 21, 2016
    9
    Fantastic rogue-like top down shooter. I am a big fan of twin stick games and this is one of the best. One of the few games that as soon as I finished it I wanted to play through new game+ mode. Very challenging but rewarding with its progression system, something few rogue-likes get right in my opinion.

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
74

Mixed or average reviews - based on 10 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 10
  3. Negative: 1 out of 10
  1. GamingTrend
    Sep 24, 2016
    75
    Neon Chrome makes good use of the cyberpunk setting, but remains light on story. While the grind is real, the game shows real promise in couch cooperative play. If twin-stick shooters are your thing, you could do much worse than Neon Chrome.
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  2. DarkStation
    Jul 18, 2016
    90
    As long as you can look past a few design flaws and don’t mind slightly dated graphics, Neon Chrome is a game for anyone who wants strategy and destruction in a single package.
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  3. Riot Pixels
    Jul 12, 2016
    73
    Neon Chrome has a handful of bizarre shortcomings, which is surprising since this is the game from the makers of Crimsonland. Nevertheless, just like Leap of Fate, it brings new ideas to its stagnating genre.
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