Neon Inferno Review (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch & PC)

Some retro-inspired games play things too safe, sticking so closely to the classics that they forget to add anything new. Others push so hard for a modern touch that they lose the charm of what made those old games so beloved in the first place. Neon Inferno somehow does the one thing that’s surprisingly rare: it hits the middle perfectly. It’s energetic, stylish, smooth to play, and clearly built by people who adore the retro run-and-gun era but also understand what modern players want.

From the opening minutes, it’s obvious you’re stepping into something familiar but not recycled. The game wastes no time throwing you into the chaos. Within a few stages, the mix of action styles and the quick pacing tell you everything about its adventure. And in a world where shorter, focused games often get overshadowed, let’s find out from this review if Neon Inferno stands out. 

A Cyberpunk Built for Action

Neon Inferno takes place in a dystopian New York City in 2055, but it isn’t the kind of setting that begs you to slow down and admire lore. Instead, it feels like the perfect playground for bullets, explosions, and fast movement. You play as one of two assassins working for a crime syndicate called “the family.” Surprisingly, the game keeps it at that. Missions are less about story beats and more about blasting through rival factions, rogue robots, military police, and everything else the city throws at you.

The nice thing is that even though the story is simple, the world actually feels alive. Neon signs glow in the background, sparks fly from broken signs, and traffic drones zip by overhead. 

Overall, the city looks grimy in a stylish kind of way. It channels a bit of that Saturday-night-cyberpunk-movie vibe without trying to reinvent anything. You’re not here to analyze politics or decode lore documents; you’re here to shoot and slice through futuristic streets. 

The two main characters, Angelo Morano and Mariana BT, lean into the classic charm. They’re not deep, emotional protagonists with hours of cutscenes, but they have style and attitude. The game gives them enough flair to feel distinct without overwhelming you with dialogue. It’s very old-school that way: character is expressed more through animations, weapons, and the way they move than through lengthy explanations.

Hybrid Gameplay

The biggest hook Neon Inferno offers is its hybrid gameplay. It mixes traditional side-scrolling run-and-gun action. Think Contra or Metal Slug, with a Cabal-style gallery shooting system where you stay in place and aim at enemies across the screen. Most games that attempt this kind of mix end up feeling clunky or split in two, but Neon Inferno makes it feel like one unified style. You’re constantly swapping between the two modes, sometimes naturally and sometimes because the stage demands it.

During sidescrolling sections, players dodge incoming fire, sliding into cover, jumping between platforms, and shooting while moving. During gallery-style sections, the emphasis shifts to aiming, timing, and positioning. The cool thing is that you never feel like you’re being yanked out of the action, the transitions are smooth, and every stage flows with a perfect rhythm. Notably, some levels push you heavily toward one style, while others flip back and forth several times.

The game also uses depth in a way that keeps combat visually interesting. Enemies show up in the foreground, midground, and background. Sounds tricky for an attack, right? Surprisingly, players can attack all layers depending on their weapons and timing. Bullet Time is another fun tool. When activated, you can slow things down and deflect shots back at enemies. It feels a bit like a stylish parry move and can turn chaotic fights into these satisfying moments where you redirect a whole wave of projectiles. And then you have the vehicle sequences, quick, flashy chases where you’re blasting enemies while soaring through the city on bikes or other machines. 

The Challenge

The game strikes a perfect balance when it comes to challenge and replayability.  Enemies attack in patterns that make sense, and although the screen can fill up with bullets, drones, and hazards, everything is readable. Of course, you might die a few times on trickier screens or boss phases, but it never feels cheap.

Later stages definitely pick up the pace. Some sections throw you into full bullet-pattern chaos where your eyes have to track multiple layers of enemy fire. But because the controls are responsive and the dodge options feel fair, these moments come across as exciting instead of overwhelming.

Additionally, the game’s checkpoint system deserves credit. You’re rarely forced to replay long stretches after dying, and restarts are quick. This matters a lot for an arcade-inspired game; momentum is everything, and Neon Inferno keeps it going without dragging you back through repetitive sections.

Different difficulty modes actually affect enemy patterns, not just damage numbers. Lower settings reduce chaos and slow down certain behaviors, while higher settings crank everything up. That gives the game a nice level of replayability for players who want to tighten their skills or chase high scores.

Speaking of replayability, there’s also an arcade mode where you’re challenged to clear the entire game on one credit. That’s a great nod to its inspirations and perfect for players who love mastering patterns. And if you have a friend around, the local co-op turns the game into pure chaos in the best way.

Modern Retro Art

One thing Neon Inferno absolutely nails is its visual style. It’s not pixel art, but it still captures that retro foundation through bold shapes, crisp silhouettes, and exaggerated action. The whole thing looks like a polished 2D arcade game made with today’s animation techniques. Neon lights glow in layers, particle effects spark across the screen, and enemy designs pop without blending together.

The backgrounds do a lot of heavy lifting. The parallax scrolling gives levels real depth, making the cyberpunk city feel massive even though you’re always in 2D space. Whether you’re running across rooftops, battling inside a crowded nightclub, or fighting your way through an opera house, every location feels amazing. 

Animations are clean, expressive, and easy to read. Enemies telegraph attacks clearly, and bosses go through multi-phase transformations that feel dramatic without breaking the retro vibe. 

You also get these fun little touches, like switching between foreground and background platforms, or watching sparks trail across the scene during big explosions. Everything has a crispness that keeps the action satisfying. This is noticeable especially when the screen gets busy.

Sound and Music

Even with strong visuals and gameplay, Neon Inferno’s audio work deserves just as much praise. The soundtrack is full of retro-inspired synth tracks, electronic beats, and atmospheric pieces that match each environment. Some stages feel like they’ve been lifted straight from an 80s cyberpunk film, while others shift toward edgier, more energetic beats.

One standout moment is the opera house level. Instead of the usual background music, you get an actual operatic performance overlaying the fight. It’s a surprisingly effective twist, and it adds this almost theatrical flair to the chaos unfolding on screen.

Sound effects carry that punchy arcade crunch. Shots fire with satisfying impact, explosions rumble nicely, and enemies burst with just enough punch. Similarly, the characters’ grunts, weapon reloads, and even the little environmental sounds add to the layers of immersion. There’s also some perfect sound mixing, like echoes when you’re in indoor areas, that gives different locations their own feel without being overly dramatic.

Nothing in the audio department stands out as weak or rushed. It’s clear the developers understood how important sound is to a game that leans heavily on fast, reactive combat. 

Verdict

Neon Inferno is not trying to compete with giant AAA shooters or big cinematic blockbusters. Instead, it’s focused, energetic, stylish, and packed with satisfying action from start to finish. The three-hour runtime feels just right for this genre, long enough to deliver variety and challenge without dragging its feet.

Of course, that focus comes with a few rough edges. The story is simple to the point of feeling thin. Unfortunately, the game doesn’t always give its best ideas enough breathing room. A couple of stages feel more like visual showpieces than meaningful gameplay, and the difficulty spikes can be abrupt, especially on higher settings. A little more enemy variety and tighter checkpoint placement would have helped smooth out those moments.

Still, the game never pretends to be something it’s not. The bosses are memorable, the pacing is on point, and the hybrid combat system, mixing run-and-gun blasting with over-the-shoulder moments, feels surprisingly natural once it clicks. On the other hand, the presentation carries a ton of personality, and for $20, the level of polish is honestly impressive.

If you grew up on Contra, Metal Slug, Wild Guns, or any of those classic twitchy shooters, Neon Inferno feels like a gift. It nails the nostalgia, and its modern touches give it enough freshness to stand out. In a world where so many shooter games chase bigger, longer, and “more,” Neon Inferno keeps things sharp, punchy, and full of style. And even with its minor flaws, that clarity of vision is precisely why it stands out.