Neon Inferno Review – Welcome to the Family

    A city beyond salvation is just waiting to be cleansed with Zenovia Interactive and Retroware’s 2D run-and-gun/gallery shooter bonanza Neon Inferno.

    The development team previously struck gold with Steel Assault – does lightning strike twice with this release?

    Neon Inferno Review

    Set in the new year of 2055, Neon Inferno follows the civic duty of Family members Angelo Morano and Mariana Vitti as they blast away at anything – and everything – that stands in their way in an NYC gone wrong.

    Double jumps, a dodge with i-Frames, and a melee move that comes in clutch all proudly showcase Neon Inferno’s tight control scheme.

    No need to make it a solo affair, however (unless you want to) – Neon Inferno’s two-player couch co-op proves to be twice as nice as one shares the love/nogoodniks.

    Those Yakuza members, corrupt NYPD, and epic rooftop bouts against giant mechs with freakin’ laser beams never stood a chance.

    Even if they do have multiple phases…

    Besides, Neon Inferno’s massive explosions and endless screams of defeat never get old amidst its speedy pace. One can also hit up GunSlingers to cop weapons and gear before meeting with the Don to make one’s play style truly their own.

    While quick glances of Neon Inferno might proudly showcase its 2D run-and-gun roots, that only proves to be half the battle.

    Sure, Neon Inferno’s hyper-detailed 32-bit stylings certainly channel genre greats like Contra and Metal Slug – a true badge of honor!

    Whether one is jumping between hovering cars in a frantic auto-scrolling scramble, blasting through the smoke of a happening rave, or deflecting bullets via its “Bullet Time” mechanic (remember: green is good!), Neon Inferno is old-school cool.

    However, Neon Inferno spices things up with gallery shooter elements that have players firing into the background as well – see below for an example against the deadly Dynamo (a miniboss if you can believe it)…

    For those that grew up in the Wild West of Wild Guns, Neon Inferno takes Natsume’s formula and blesses its cyberpunk world with this added mechanic.

    While Neon Inferno’s gallery shooter elements lock players into terra firma and add some complexity to proceedings, those that learn this refreshing mechanic are handsomely rewarded high end-of-stage rankings.

    Want to flex even more?

    Also challenging the greats, Neon Inferno lets players test their might with its Arcade Mode. Available from the offset (no quarters needed!), do be warned that one’s death is truly the end.

    Too daunting of a proposal?

    Don’t sweat it – Neon Inferno also features multiple difficulty levels (in Novice, Medium, and Hard flavors), alongside a Replay Mode that lets players perfect their craft. 

    All about that one credit clear and bragging rights, after all…

    Arcade legends who cut their teeth on run-and-gun greats shouldn’t hesitate to join the Family for Neon Inferno’s new-school, old-school thrills.

    Neon Inferno Review

    Reviewed On: PC (A digital code was provided)
    Release Date: November 20, 2025
    Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch
    Developer: Zenovia Interactive
    Publisher: Retroware

    Aggregate Scores: Metacritic / CriticDB / OpenCritic

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