“Dust & Neon,” developed by David Marquardt Studios and published by Rogue Games, emerged onto the gaming scene in February of this year for the Switch and PC platforms. Now with its release on PlayStation I finally got around to have this game transport me into a post-apocalyptic wild west, where you play as an expendable but cool looking gunslinger on a quest destined to be filled with endless gunfire. The game’s core lies in its twin-stick roguelite mechanics, which quickly reminded me of another western-themed title “Weird West” that I previously reviewed (feel free to check out my review HERE). Twin stick shooter games aren’t generally my cup of tea, but every once in a while, it will scratch a very specific itch that will get me addicted for a period of time. Does this title get me back into that sort of addiction? Not quite, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t have an awful time playing it.
Immersed in a world transformed by apocalyptic turmoil, the game boasts a unique and stylish cell-shaded art design. While its graphics may lack intricate details, the game compensates with an art style that quickly captures attention and stands out. The game’s array of weaponry is nothing short of impressive, offering nearly two thousand unique revolvers, shotguns, and rifles. This diversity in the gameplay keeps the repetitive shooting nature of the game dynamic and engaging by always continually adapting to new weapons to an extent. Each gun comes with distinct reload animations, speaking of the reload system, it’s kind of a cool unique feature which diverges from the norm. Upon reloading, the gun appears in a first-person view, revealing the gunslinger manually reloading the firearm. This innovative choice not only heightens awareness of the rounds in the chamber but also lets you appreciate the cool design of each weapon you pick up and I just thought it was something cool and different that I haven’t seen in a game before.
Furthermore, the game efficiently categorizes each firearm with its own score, which streamlined the decision-making process for myself on if this new weapon is better than the one I’m already carrying. Detailed statistics, encompassing damage, critical ability, accuracy, handling, and ammo capacity, are also there if you’re the type of player who makes more informed choices. The twin-stick mechanics within “Dust & Neon” exhibit exceptional smoothness and fluidity, since I can be rather picky with this genre; this was a factor that certainly wasn’t an issue. The mechanics seamlessly merge with the gameplay, contributing to the overall fun factor. Complementing the weaponry are a myriad of temporary tonics, enhancing and altering players’ abilities. The in-game loot boxes peppered throughout the levels are a dice roll offering weapons, upgrades, and currency, which would make any fan of the “looter-shooter” happy.
A notable aspect is the inclusion of a permadeath system, where the demise of the gunslinger results in their permanent departure. Nonetheless, the game cleverly incorporates a mechanism whereby the mad scientist responsible for your creation prepares a prototype clone, enabling the continuation of the journey where the previous gunslinger left off. As you progress through “Dust & Neon,” you’ll encounter an impressive selection of 24 skills that significantly alter the gameplay dynamics. So that’s all well and good, but despite the vast array of weaponry and skills, the core gameplay can only do so much for me and there will be many times where the feeling of repetition was beginning to engross me. While the loot-based progression is typically captivating, this particular implementation didn’t resonate as strongly with me as I was hoping. The game’s expansive world occasionally falls into patterns, leading to a sense of monotony as similar assets frequently populate the screen and that cool cell-shaded style slowly begins to look less impressive.
The plot, though whimsical and secondary to the game’s aesthetic, does add to the charm and it’s clear that the game doesn’t take itself too seriously, which adds to the overall fun. I also need to bring up the boss battles real fast, they are a highlight of “Dust & Neon,” boast creative designs that are just tough enough to give you the sense of accomplishment once they’re taken down. The difficulty, while challenging, remains fair and balanced, making this game a pretty choice as an accessible entry point for gamers new to the roguelite genre, or twin stick shooters for that matter. In essence, “Dust & Neon” does a lot right and some things not as much, but the experience set against a post-apocalyptic wild west backdrop was a decent time spent. Just do your research and see if this is something you’d like to play before investing in it.
7/10
Check out the Dust & Neon Review:
Related: Nick Navarro Reviews
Gaming since I was given an original Nintendo as a kid. I love great storytelling and unique ingenuity. When both collide in a single game, I'm a happy gamer. Twitter/IG @NickNavarro87
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