Neo Cab

About

Neo Cab is a narrative-driven, emotional survival game set in a futuristic city with driver/passenger interactions shaping the story. As the last human driver for an app called Neo Cab, you must balance your personal life and the mysterious events around you, all while trying to find your missing friend. Your choices and conversations matter, as they impact your relationship with passengers and the overall outcome of your story.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

83%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,648 reviews

story442 positive mentions

grinding20 negative mentions

Great writing and engaging story with interesting characters.
Beautiful visuals and atmospheric soundtrack that enhance the experience.
Unique emotional mechanics that influence dialogue choices, adding depth to interactions.

Limited replayability due to the short length and linear nature of the main plot.
Frustrating dialogue options that are often locked based on the protagonist's emotional state.
Some characters, particularly the main character's friend, are unlikable and detract from the overall experience.

story
1,069 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
55%
3%
The story of "Neo Cab" is a blend of immersive character-driven narratives and a broader plot centered on friendship and societal issues in a dystopian future. While many players appreciate the engaging mini-arcs of the passengers and the atmospheric setting, some express frustration over the limited player agency and a main storyline that feels predictable and underdeveloped. Overall, the game is praised for its unique storytelling approach, though it leaves some players wanting more depth and meaningful choices.
- “The story is really immersive and perfect to chill.”
- “I wasn't expecting much when I bought it, I thought I'd like the game's vibes and the world, but the story was surprisingly very gripping.”
- “At its core, under the cyberpunk neon tint, Neo Cab is a story of friendship and about those flaky friends who use and abuse you, and it tells its story quite well.”
- “However, the broader personal narrative for the protagonist and the limited options we have at expressing our own agency within the story left me frustrated.”
- “Maybe it was my decisions throughout the game that caused my character to become everyone's doormat, but the story resolved in a way where I never had the chance to stand up for myself, no matter how much I wanted to, and that left a bitter taste in my mouth.”
- “But the main plot of searching for your friend and uncovering what on earth she got involved in fell rather short in my opinion.”
graphics
278 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
40%
1%
The graphics of the game have received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many praising the beautiful, colorful art style that effectively captures a neo-futuristic and cyberpunk aesthetic. While some players noted that the environments can feel sparse or basic, the character designs and animations are often highlighted as standout features. Overall, the visuals are considered a significant strength of the game, enhancing the storytelling experience despite some critiques regarding technical limitations.
- “The graphics are beautiful, especially for something made in Unity.”
- “In fact, the visuals are probably its biggest strength.”
- “The whole art style is very colorful, pleasing, and in great style, fitting that neo-future aesthetic the game is going for.”
- “The graphics and music are nothing to write home about - some of the models of people just look 'off' and facial expressions often look a bit alien.”
- “While the graphics are minimal (characters are well designed, but the city itself is disappointingly never more than a blur), the real strength of the game is its writing.”
- “At some points the framerate just drops even though the game doesn't look graphically demanding.”
gameplay
276 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
70%
7%
The gameplay of "Neo Cab" is primarily dialogue-driven, blending visual novel elements with light management mechanics, such as managing finances and emotional states. While some players appreciate the unique emotional mechanics that influence dialogue choices, others find the gameplay simplistic and frustrating due to limited options and a short runtime of around four hours. Overall, the experience is characterized by engaging character interactions, but the lack of dynamic gameplay elements may not appeal to everyone.
- “So in a sense, Neo Cab is a hybrid of a visual novel story and management gameplay which involves serving customers, making enough money to get by, and making sure your star rating stays high.”
- “The gameplay isn't complicated really and all you need to keep track of are your money and your rating.”
- “The way choices affect emotions and in turn emotions affect future choices adds a unique factor into gameplay where empathy is key to success.”
- “The gameplay is very barebones and the story ends before it even gets going.”
- “Unfortunately, I absolutely hate the gameplay.”
- “The stakes are low and the gameplay just isn't compelling.”
music
265 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
32%
6%
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, often described as chill, ambient, and fitting well with the cyberpunk aesthetic. While many players appreciate the synthwave and electro influences, some note that the soundtrack can become repetitive over time. Overall, the combination of beautiful visuals and a captivating soundtrack enhances the storytelling experience, making it a highlight for many players.
- “The music is chill yet melancholy in a way that suits the nighttime ambiance.”
- “The soundtrack is the highlight of this game where you drive around a city as a taxi driver, picking up all kinds of people and talking to them.”
- “The atmosphere is wonderful, with visual aesthetics and perfect music combining to very vibrantly evoke a noirish, emotional mood.”
- “This game also has no voice acting, not as choice-based as it appears, and the soundtrack becomes repetitive.”
- “The drawbacks, for me, are mainly the repetitive soundtrack, and the lack of choice.”
- “Annoyances - the music tracks are all too short and the looping of it gets very repetitive.”
emotional
231 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
1%
The emotional aspect of the game is a central theme, exploring complex relationships and emotional manipulation through a unique gameplay mechanic that ties the protagonist's emotional state to dialogue options. Players often find the emotional journey compelling, with many expressing that it evokes genuine feelings and reflections on real-world issues like emotional abuse and the gig economy. However, some reviewers note frustrations with the limitations imposed by the emotional state system, which can restrict player agency and lead to a sense of cognitive dissonance.
- “It's pretty, it's interesting, it's emotional and it's a must play in my book.”
- “An emotional roller coaster of a game that touches on topics of emotional abuse and gaslighting in a way I haven't seen a lot of games do well!”
- “The game also has a kind of therapeutically cathartic value to it as you gain proficiency in managing your own and others' emotions. The story is written with amazingly brilliant emotional intelligence by the developers, making the dialogue intelligent and fun for such a short and limited gameplay.”
- “The story was dull and failed to evoke any emotional response.”
- “I found the narrative to be uninteresting and lacking depth.”
- “The plot was uninspired, leaving me feeling disconnected and unengaged.”
atmosphere
95 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
79%
18%
3%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive cyberpunk aesthetic, complemented by a captivating soundtrack and visually appealing graphics. Players appreciate the emotional depth and character development, although some note that the writing and storyline could be improved. Overall, the atmosphere effectively creates a chill, engaging experience that resonates with the themes of the game.
- “It really nails the futuristic atmosphere, and the story holds it up just as well!”
- “With a cyberpunk aesthetic, atmospheric soundtrack, and deliberate social commentary, Neo Cab makes for a savored experience.”
- “The atmosphere is wonderful, with visual aesthetics and perfect music combining to very vibrantly evoke a noirish, emotional mood.”
- “The real selling point is the neon-drenched, cyberpunk atmosphere that encourages you to just sink into it (though this game doesn't do that nearly as well as VA-11 Hall-A).”
- “The animated graphics were well done; the 3D world itself is a little empty and samey, but it's basically just something nice to spice up the visual novel portion, so I wasn't that bothered.”
- “I, however, missed voiceover a lot; I personally think it would boost the atmosphere of this game.”
replayability
85 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
56%
4%
The game offers a solid degree of replayability, primarily due to its diverse cast of characters and branching dialogue options, allowing players to experience different interactions and outcomes across multiple playthroughs. However, some players feel that the differences in outcomes can be minor, which may limit the incentive to replay for those satisfied with their initial experience. Overall, while many appreciate the replay value, some express a desire for a more streamlined narrative or features like dialogue skipping to enhance the experience.
- “The game has a good amount of replayability; I've played three times just to have involved conversations with all the passengers, and the meat of it comes in how you survive on the bit of money you can make through fares.”
- “Neo Cab has a simple but engaging art style, and replay value that allows you to experience entirely different events.”
- “Though it only takes a few hours to finish, there is a wide enough variety of different passengers you could pick up and different choices you could make to give it significant replay value.”
- “While there are branching dialog options, for the most part the resulting differences are too minor to provide much replay value, so you'll probably have a better experience if you can get enough out of your first playthrough to not need a second one.”
- “Limited replayability due to how the game is structured and the lack of save files.”
- “This may add replay value, but I don't really want to restart now and have to play through the plot again, just to meet more of the characters and get through more conversations.”
humor
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by witty and engaging dialogue that often elicits genuine laughter, showcasing a diverse cast of quirky characters who navigate a dark yet relatable world. Players appreciate the clever writing that balances humor with deeper themes, creating memorable interactions that feel both original and surprising. Overall, the comedic elements enhance the gameplay experience, making it fun and chill while avoiding common pitfalls of cliché writing.
- “The minute-to-minute dialogue is interesting and some of the characters are hilarious.”
- “It's a depressing world that is far too reminiscent of our real world... but there is a quirky cast of people to pick up and some of the conversations are legitimately funny enough that I laughed out loud.”
- “Honestly, I was surprised by how it avoided the common pitfalls of woke writing (disclaimer: nothing wrong with being woke), how original all the characters felt (and how often they managed to surprise me), how genuinely funny the jokes sounded.”
grinding
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, particularly due to slow text messaging and repetitive dialogue that detracts from character engagement. The lack of a fast-forward option during replays further exacerbates the frustration, leading to a sense of disinterest in the characters and their interactions. Overall, the grinding experience is compared unfavorably to more engaging titles, leaving players yearning for a more streamlined narrative.
- “For example, the text messaging dialogue between Lina and Savy was beyond tedious as I was forced to wait for her to slowly type her responses back to you, especially when I was forced to load back at certain points and replay just to finish certain achievements.”
- “This game grew tedious quickly and by the end, I didn't give a damn about either character.”
- “An extensive and, in my opinion, both tedious and childish argument that drags on for quite a bit as you zig-zag between different dialogue options as the conversation switches back and forth between personal insults and viable options on how to solve problems.”
character development
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
78%
22%
Overall, the character development in the game is praised for its unique and aesthetically pleasing cyberpunk designs, particularly for characters like Lina and Liam. While the artwork and world-building are considered impressive given the game's limitations, some reviewers feel that the depth of character development is lacking, especially in the absence of voice acting. The aesthetic appeal is noted, but there are concerns that it may become repetitive over time.
- “The world building and character development is a marvel given the constraints of the game, to include a lack of voice acting.”
- “The pros: gorgeous artwork and interesting neo-futurist character design.”
- “Always a fan of good art and character development.”
optimization
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
30%
10%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players noting significant performance issues, particularly in its port from mobile, which affects gameplay and smoothness. While there are moments of style and overall decent performance, bugs and a lack of fluidity detract from the experience.
- “Pretty tippidy toppidy nice... I like it... has style... a bit buggy at some moments but overall runs smoothly... would be neat if there was like a 'free ride' moment where you can finish up conversations with all the people, I guess.”
- “The main story can also end in different ways depending on your actions and your performance in an argumentative 'boss battle' toward the end.”
- “For some reason, the game doesn't run smoothly.”
- “Horribly optimized port of a mobile game (Apple Arcade) which barely works and doesn't even really have any gameplay in it at all.”
stability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game's stability is generally positive, with users noting that it runs smoothly despite experiencing some minor bugs and glitches. However, there are reports of freezing issues when quitting the game, which detracts from the overall experience.
- “There were a few glitches in the middle of the game.”
- “It freezes every time I quit the game!”
- “A bit buggy at some moments, but overall runs smoothly.”