We’ve been hotly anticipating the release of Neon Inferno since we first previewed it back in February 2025. Since then, developer Zenovia Interactive and publisher Retroware have pushed the release back to November 20th, 2025, but it has been worth the wait. We’ve been blasting through the Steam version, but console ports to Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox will also be available. Neon Inferno is set in New York of the future, where corruption amongst the police and politicians, as well as local criminal gangs, is rife. You take on the role of an assassin helping a local crime family seize more power.
Fans of cyberpunk settings, especially movies such as Blade Runner, will instantly fall in love with the neon-soaked aesthetics and heavy paranoia of this dystopian world. Neon Inferno doesn’t have many good guys; everyone in the story is scrambling for their own gains, and you just need to take down your employer’s competition. With that backdrop, each level is its own set piece, a chance to take down a rival gang boss in a showdown. There is a mix of gangsters, police, and other enemies that try to thwart your way to the level’s main villain. Each boss is unique, with different attack patterns and styles that shine through the brilliant presentation and gameplay.
After every boss, there is a chance to visit a shop that has some basic upgrades as well as a few extra weapons. But don’t be fooled, while these additional firearms and gadgets help with the enemy onslaught, none will stop the need for precision arcade play that requires practice and patience. Neon Inferno is a tough game. We started on the standard mode but struggled at first, so we switched to the nocie mode, which is a little easier but still challenging. Switching to this mode allowed us to get used to the controls and gameplay mechanics, and it wasn’t long before we were finally finishing a level.
The satisfaction from taking down the tough bosses, many of which have multiple phases, was brilliant. Neon Inferno pulls no punches, and many deaths occurred during our playthrough. Even some of the midway sub-boss fights took a few goes as we learned the attack patterns and how to avoid or deflect attacks. It’s a thrill ride from one minute to the next, and the way the levels are broken down into run ‘n’ gun, then jumping on a motorcycle for an on-rails set piece or some platforming action is excellently executed. This is a fantastic arcade romp with just enough story, upgrades, and replayability to keep anyone satisfied.
In regards to the actual gameplay, most of the action in Neon Inferno is running from left to right, shooting bad guys. Most come from the sides, but some appear in the background or foreground, which requires you to switch between planes when shooting. This mix-up in shooting styles keeps levels fresh and adds a layer of complexity as well as strategy. The action is further varied by the parry ability that allows you to deflect back green bullets and attacks from enemies. You can either just tap the parry button to send the attack back from where it originated, or hold the button to enter a Matrix-style bullet-time mode and direct the shot where you want.
Beyond the attack move set, you can perform a double jump and interact with scenery such as ropes and platforms that help you get around the level. As mentioned earlier, there are occasions when you jump on a motorcycle or other form of vehicle, and these become a great chase scene with enemies coming from everywhere. This also has a cool mechanic where you can zip in and out of the foreground to avoid oncoming traffic or other obstacles. It was also during these moments that some of the best sub-bosses appeared in Neon Inferno. A memorable one was a giant metal dragon that whisked around, dive-bombing on us while we scrambled to get shots off when we could.
We can’t speak highly enough of the tight, fun gameplay in Neon Inferno, but another standout feature is the amazing presentation. The cyberpunk dystopian setting has been beautifully realized with jaw-dropping 32-bit style pixel art that is simply breathtaking in places. Some of the characters really stand out, and it’s clear that time and thought have gone into every part of the game, with cutscenes featuring large pixel art that pops off the screen. Neon Inferno is a gorgeous game that has been crafted with exquisite skill and attention to detail that really needs to be seen to be believed. This is one of the greatest-looking pixel art titles we’ve ever played.
Then there is the soundtrack, a grim mix of melancholic tunes that capture the desperate nature of society and the vicelike grip crime has on the city. Overall, Neon Inferno looks, sounds, and plays great. The fantastic cyberpunk setting mixed with an intriguing story and unique gameplay elements, as well as the seat-of-your-pants action, just adds up to a classic game. Then we need to consider the other difficulty modes and arcade modes that will require hours of practice to finish. Plus, the fact that each level has a star rating, and we never got beyond gaining two or three stars in our playthrough. Neon Inferno was well worth the wait, and arcade gamers will be thrilled to play this.
