NEON STRUCT
- May 20, 2015
- Minor Key Games
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam"Neon Struct" is a first-person stealth game where you play as a spy uncovering a conspiracy. Use hacking, stealth, and social engineering to evade security and achieve your objectives. Set in a cyberpunk-inspired world, the game features a variety of environments and challenges that will test your espionage skills.
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Reviews
- Engaging and captivating story that draws players in, reminiscent of classic stealth games like Thief and Deus Ex.
- Creative gameplay mechanics that emphasize stealth, exploration, and non-linearity, allowing for multiple approaches to objectives.
- Stylish minimalist graphics and an excellent synthwave soundtrack that enhance the overall atmosphere of the game.
- AI can be simplistic and predictable, often failing to react realistically to player actions, which can diminish the challenge.
- The game is relatively short, with some players feeling it lacks depth and replayability after completing it.
- Sound design issues, such as inconsistent audio cues and a lack of ambient sounds during missions, can detract from immersion.
- story388 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of "Neon Struct" is a captivating yet familiar cyberpunk narrative centered around themes of espionage and government surveillance, reminiscent of classics like "Deus Ex." While some players found the plot predictable and the dialogue lacking depth, many appreciated its engaging twists and the way player choices subtly influenced outcomes. Overall, the game offers a solid, if not groundbreaking, storyline that complements its stealth gameplay and atmospheric design.
“While the game is short, the story itself is captivating and the gameplay shows the dev's creativity.”
“The story, while nothing original, is well written enough that it keeps you interested, even if the early plot twist you can see coming a mile away, especially if you've played Deus Ex.”
“Neon Struct is a love letter to the golden age of stealth, with a plot that plays off today's concerns about privacy and government spying.”
“Really, the plot is boilerplate sci-fi tropes and is not all that engaging.”
“The best event is actually spoiled in the description above, with Jillian's betrayal; after that, the story meanders along with a couple of other decent moments, but I never felt there was any real tension in the story.”
“The story starts like a secret agent cliché, with you being betrayed by your agency and you are on your own from that point on to clear your name and uncover some super secret stuff that is highly topical in this day and age.”
- gameplay284 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Neon Struct" is heavily inspired by the classic stealth mechanics of the "Thief" series, offering a minimalist yet engaging experience focused on sneaking and exploration. While the mechanics are straightforward and can become repetitive, the game compensates with a captivating story and a unique atmosphere, making it enjoyable for fans of stealth games, particularly those who appreciate a retro aesthetic. However, some players may find the AI and sound design lacking, which can detract from the overall experience.
“The gameplay has a lot of mechanics to offer, a variety of levels with some nice maps and a pretty decent story.”
“Sneaking around to discover the secrets of the world around you is rather enjoyable and there are plenty of tense moments in the gameplay.”
“The neon-charged 80s retro-futuristic aesthetic is done to great effect, music suits nicely, and the gameplay is engaging and rewarding as a thief-light in the best ways.”
“However, don't go into this thinking you'll have mechanics that are up to par with Thief.”
“I admit that at some point the gameplay gets kinda repetitive.”
“The gameplay sucks, it's slow and repetitive.”
- graphics256 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Neon Struct" are characterized by a minimalist, low-poly aesthetic that some players find charming, while others view it as overly simplistic and lacking detail. The game employs a neon-lit, cyberpunk style that resonates with its themes, but many reviewers note that the visuals can detract from immersion and atmosphere. Overall, while the graphics may not be polished, they are often seen as fitting for the game's indie roots and engaging gameplay, with a unique charm that appeals to fans of the genre.
“This game has a unique, low-poly art style mixed with beautiful neon lights.”
“The graphics are minimalist without being retro or bad.”
“The smooth, minimalist and neon look to the graphics is very striking, and the featureless faces of the NPCs is unnerving and reminiscent of the themes of the story.”
“The lo-fi environments, while a respectable design choice, aren't detailed enough to sell the 'cyberpunk' aesthetic, making the game look like Minecraft with film grain and a neon haze, and yes I know that's a tired criticism of indie games from the 2010s, but damn, it's true.”
“However, the overly minimalist graphics approach hurts the atmosphere overall.”
“The basic graphics while doing the job, also harm the diversity of environments, with different cities around the world really all looking quite plain and similar.”
- music232 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its excellent synth-heavy soundtrack, which complements the minimalist cyberpunk aesthetic and enhances the overall atmosphere. While many players appreciate the unique approach of having music primarily in interstitial areas rather than during missions, some feel that the lack of ambient music during gameplay can create a hollow experience. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, with many recommending it as a key reason to engage with the game.
“Killer aesthetic and soundtrack round out the package and make it hard to not recommend.”
“The soundtrack is excellent and helps to set the mood and atmosphere of the game world.”
“The music is awesome; this is pretty much the only good part of the game.”
“The other impressive innovation of Neon Struct is the initially baffling choice to not put background music into most of the missions.”
“My main criticism would be that there is no ambient music during the missions.”
“Music: indifferent at its best and annoying at its worst, especially the combat song.”
- atmosphere70 mentions
- 51 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive cyberpunk aesthetic, reminiscent of classics like *Deus Ex* and *Thief*, despite its minimalist graphics. Reviewers appreciate the effective use of music and sound to enhance the experience, although some note that the lack of voiced dialogues and limited ambient sounds detract from the overall immersion. Overall, the atmosphere is described as captivating and integral to the game's storytelling and gameplay, making it a standout feature for players who enjoy atmospheric experiences.
“The game manages, despite its simple graphics, to create a believable world and an immense atmosphere.”
“On top of that, the atmosphere of Neon Struct is undeniably palpable, with a steadfast dedication on the developer's part to a barren neon and concrete aesthetic that so pointedly gives face to the overgrown surveillance state of the modern world, coupled with a fantastic soundtrack by electronic duo The Home Conversion that just oozes synth, dissent, and wonder.”
“I feel this game deserves your time and money, for the story, for the gameplay, for the atmosphere, for the questions it asks the player about the world around them, and for the questions it asks the player about themselves.”
“As another reviewer commented: it's (boiled-down) Thief without any of the atmosphere.”
“However, the overly minimalist graphics approach hurts the atmosphere overall.”
“Limited ambient sounds sort of take away from the atmosphere.”
- replayability12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game offers some replayability through different character outcomes and endings, but it lacks the instant-replayability and charm found in similar titles like *Eldritch* and *Thief*. While players can experiment with different playstyles, such as being stealthier or faster, the overall experience is relatively short (4-5 hours), leading some to question its value for repeated playthroughs.
“Took me about 4 hours to beat and does have some replayability, with different outcomes for characters you meet along the way, and definitely a different ending to explore.”
“The game might be a tiny bit expensive for what is ultimately a 4-5 hour game, but I expect I'll get some decent replay value from it.”
“It does have replayability somewhat when you can try to be more stealthy or faster.”
“It doesn't have the instant replayability of Eldritch or the charm of Thief, leaving it as a pale shadow of the games it draws inspiration from.”
“I tried to test the replay value, to which I found none because I already knew what I was doing.”
“Took me about 4 hours to beat and does have some replayability, I want to say, with different outcomes for characters you meet along the way, and definitely a different ending to explore.”
- humor6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is derived from its absurd stealth mechanics, where players can be alarmingly close to guards without being detected, creating a comedic contrast. Additionally, the cartoonish elements, such as the eye logo on punching bags, add a whimsical touch, though the overall primitive graphics and simplistic AI contribute to a sense of unintentional hilarity.
“For some reason, I've found the eye logo being printed on punching bags in a black site prison facility positively hilarious, in a cartoony villain type of way.”
“I found it hilarious that you can be 1ft away from someone and they don't notice you sometimes, but it works well enough.”
“The stealth system is hilariously easy to exploit and the AI is near non-existent.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find that while the level design in Neon Struct is excellent, the game can become repetitive and tedious during extended play sessions. The inclusion of minigames for actions like hacking and lockpicking is particularly criticized, as they add unnecessary monotony to frequently required tasks. Overall, the game is best enjoyed in short bursts to avoid the grind.
“Neon Struct overall is a fun game to play, yet sometimes repetitive and it does get boring and tedious if played for a long time, but is a great little stealth game to enjoy in short bursts!”
“Minigames for hacking and lockpicking are, once again, an awful idea -- if I need to take an action frequently, do not make me play the same tedious minigame.”
“The grinding aspect of the game can become monotonous, making it hard to stay engaged for extended periods.”
- emotional6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game's overall vibe, which leaves a lasting impression. However, the lack of realistic character models hinders deeper emotional investment, and some feel that the antagonist and climax do not deliver the necessary emotional impact.
“The amazing vibe this game made me feel won't die for a long while, I love it to bits.”
- stability6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game exhibits some stability issues, including noticeable glitches and recurring microfreezes that can disrupt gameplay, particularly during the hacking minigame. While the graphics are generally appealing, these technical hiccups detract from the overall experience.
“I got some microfreezes for a fraction of a second every now and again, which was annoying, especially in the hacking minigame, which is just breakout (and quite fun for a hacking minigame for once to actually be a game, something fun to play, rather than a precision or memory challenge).”
“Curiously, these freezes were not random; sometimes when reloading, I got the same freeze in the same part of the area.”
“The game offers some nice graphics, although there are some ugly glitches here and there.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The reviews do not provide relevant information regarding the game's optimization, focusing instead on a comparison to a performance by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds in "Wings of Desire." Therefore, no insights on optimization can be derived from the provided texts.
