Neon Drive
- May 12, 2016
- Fraoula
- 2h median play time
Get on SteamNeon Drive is a rhythm-based racing game with a retro synthwave aesthetic. Players must navigate through six levels of challenging obstacle courses, keeping the beat to stay in sync and avoid crashing. Featuring a Tron-inspired art style and a pulse-pounding soundtrack, Neon Drive offers a fresh take on the racing genre with its unique blend of rhythm and reflexes.
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Mac OS
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PC
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Playstation 4
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Reviews
- Stunning visuals and a fantastic 80s-inspired soundtrack that perfectly captures the retro aesthetic.
- Challenging gameplay that requires skill and memorization, providing a rewarding experience upon completion.
- Unique level designs that introduce different mechanics and perspectives, keeping the gameplay fresh and engaging.
- Frustrating difficulty spikes, especially in later levels, which can lead to repetitive gameplay and trial-and-error frustration.
- Limited content with only 7 levels, making the game feel short and lacking in replayability beyond achieving high scores.
- Controls can feel unresponsive at times, particularly during sections that require quick reflexes and precise movements.
- music523 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The music in "Neon Drive" is widely praised for its vibrant 80s synthwave aesthetic, with many players highlighting the soundtrack as a standout feature that enhances the overall experience. While the visuals and music create an engaging atmosphere, some players feel that the gameplay often fails to sync well with the music, leading to frustration during challenging levels. Despite this, the soundtrack is considered worth the price, with many recommending it even for standalone listening.
“The soundtrack is simply amazing, well-synced to the motion of your car too.”
“The music is great - I have the soundtrack in my Spotify library and listen to it from time to time.”
“The soundtrack is fantastic, every level has a track to fit the vibe and it really adds to the game overall.”
“Honestly, I'd recommend just buying the soundtrack instead of the game.”
“The major flaw I'm getting at is that for some stages, during the second half, it turns from a rhythm game that actually follows the rhythm of the music to an arbitrary...random muscle memory game that has so much nothing to do with the music that you can actually mute it and it doesn't change a damn thing.”
“The music can be a little off with the rhythm of the gameplay, the game itself is quite short, and the hit detection can be a bit inconsistent at times, overall I give this game an 8.5/10.”
- graphics284 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning retro aesthetic, vibrant colors, and immersive 80s synthwave style, which many players find visually captivating and reminiscent of classic arcade games. However, several reviews note that the fast-paced gameplay often detracts from the ability to fully appreciate these visuals, as players are more focused on avoiding obstacles than enjoying the art. Overall, while the graphics and soundtrack are highlighted as standout features, they are sometimes overshadowed by gameplay frustrations.
“The visuals are stunning, the music is great, yet the gameplay lacks any sense of consistency.”
“The retro-futuristic aesthetic is absolutely mesmerizing, and the neon-lit cityscapes and ocean roads are a feast for the eyes.”
“The graphics are beautiful, especially in 1440p; the music is intense and the game keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time!”
“I was expecting some kind of uber-gfx better than GTA 6 graphics, but these graphics had jaggies on them.”
“It's a shame that the gameplay doesn't match the visuals or the music.”
“Great in theory, pretty game with good graphics and a great soundtrack but terrible game.”
- gameplay153 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Neon Drive" receives mixed reviews, with many praising its stylish visuals and engaging soundtrack but criticizing the gameplay for being shallow, frustrating, and overly simplistic. While some players find the rhythm-based mechanics challenging and satisfying, others feel that the repetitive nature and inconsistent mechanics detract from the overall experience, making it less enjoyable. Overall, the game is seen as visually appealing but lacking in depth and variety, leading to a gameplay experience that can feel tedious and unfulfilling.
“This is a cool game...great soundtrack and creative gameplay with enough variation to keep you playing and not get bored with it.”
“The gameplay is incredibly challenging, but also incredibly satisfying once you master it.”
“Beautiful neon landscapes, excellent 80's inspired synthwave soundtrack, challenging but rewarding gameplay.”
“Unfortunately, this is a perfect example of a game where graphics are not everything, because the gameplay itself becomes very frustrating and tiring already from the 2nd level.”
“The gameplay unfortunately is much of the time something you have to suffer through to see what happens next.”
“It's a shame that the gameplay doesn't match the visuals or the music.”
- replayability16 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate the unique level designs and varying difficulty settings that encourage repeated play, others find the limited content and reliance on only a few controls diminish long-term engagement. Many reviews highlight that the game can be enjoyable for a few hours, particularly for fans of rhythm and arcade genres, but ultimately, it may not offer enough depth for sustained replayability.
“You'll only be using 2 keys for all the levels, and each level has something inherently unique to it, giving them all their own distinct personality and nice replayability.”
“A great simple arcade game with a fair bit of replayability (different difficulty of levels, etc.). The music and level design are slightly different for each level, but have a consistent feel throughout the game.”
“You might think the game is not very big with only 7 levels, but the replayability and fun come from trying to beat all levels on all difficulty modes.”
“Limited content and replayability.”
“It's pretty devoid of content and replay value, but you'll have some fun with it for a few hours.”
“In terms of game length and replayability, Neon Drive does not have much to offer.”
- story10 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game features minimal to no narrative, with many players noting that it lacks a traditional story or plot, making it suitable for those seeking a straightforward gaming experience. While some levels are unique and enjoyable, the absence of a cohesive storyline is not seen as a drawback, as the gameplay itself is engaging and creative. Overall, the focus is more on gameplay mechanics than on storytelling.
“Gameplay is tight and very creative, playing into the plot perfectly.”
“If you just want a simple and basic game without anything around it like plot or an official story or any special requirements to progress, then this is for you.”
“Although the game has no story, each one of the game's song levels is unique and enjoyable.”
“There is no story presented, there are no locked stages, it just throws you in and expects you to swim, and if you don't, you'll have a fun time trying.”
- grinding7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be frustrating and tedious, particularly due to the overwhelming difficulty and repetitive nature of early levels. The constant need for memorization and the punishing design choices detract from the enjoyment of the game's music and visuals, leading to a disappointing experience overall. Many feel that the grind hinders their ability to appreciate the more engaging parts of the gameplay.
“Everything one-shots you, so get used to playing the same tedious intro until the awkward bit gets you over and over again.”
“The game pretends to be a rhythm game, then rubs it in your face with frustrating, anti-intuitive patterns you can't beat without constant memorization and grinding.”
“The end result is not only tedious but disappointing, as it prohibits the player from ever really soaking in the cool visuals and enjoying the music.”
- atmosphere7 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its fantastic design and immersive 80s vibe, complemented by a captivating soundtrack. Each level offers a unique atmosphere and gimmick, ensuring a dynamic and engaging experience. Overall, players find the combination of visuals and music to be a standout feature that enhances gameplay.
“Fantastic atmosphere and soundtrack... but man is it hard!”
“I love the atmosphere of the 80's in this one!”
“Every level has its own design, atmosphere, and gimmick that keeps things from becoming boring!”
- optimization6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is praised for its impressive graphics and smooth performance, even on older hardware like a 2011 MacBook, maintaining a solid 60 frames per second. However, some players experienced minor issues, such as stuttering effects during restarts, and there are expectations for even better performance given the game's high production values.
“Graphics are insane and the game is well optimized.”
“It looks beautiful, runs smoothly, and is the first game to get me on the edge of my seat in a while!”
“One thing that caught me off guard was the game's ability to play at a smooth 60 frames even on my 2011 MacBook, which has proven to struggle with most modern games. However, Neon’s graphical settings increase performance without reducing the visual style to any degree.”
“The stuttering effect when you restart is a cool effect but not exactly helpful to the player, which adds slightly to the problem.”
“I expected better performance for a game like this.”
“One thing that caught me off guard was the game's ability to play at a smooth 60 frames even on my 2011 MacBook, which has proven to struggle with most modern games, but Neon’s graphical settings increase performance without reducing the visual style to any degree.”
- humor5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is largely tied to its 80s vaporwave aesthetic, which many players find amusing and entertaining. Users report experiencing genuine laughter during gameplay, particularly when achieving good runs, despite the game's rhythm mechanics being less accurate. Overall, the combination of nostalgic visuals and engaging music contributes to a lighthearted and funny gaming experience.
“So it's not very accurate as a rhythm game, but if you are in love with the 80s vaporwave, play it; it will be funny.”
“Funny enough, I thought insane was too easy at first, then I got past level 1... lol.”
“I was actually laughing out loud on occasion when I managed to get a good run.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express mixed emotions about the game, noting frustration with its obstacles but also experiencing a sense of satisfaction and achievement from overcoming challenges. While some feel the game's value is questionable at full price, a discounted purchase can lead to a more positive emotional response.
“But the success I've reached made me feel amazing.”
- stability3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Overall, the game runs smoothly with stylish visuals and music, though it occasionally experiences rare freezes when returning to checkpoints. However, players have reported issues with hit registration, particularly in certain stages like the hovercar segment.
“The visuals and music have a lot of style, and it runs great.”
“The game maintains a smooth performance even during intense action sequences.”
“I appreciate how stable the game is; I haven't experienced any crashes or major bugs.”
“It sometimes (only rarely) freezes when the player is returned to a checkpoint.”
“Hit registration is buggy, especially in stages like the hovercar one.”
