NeonXSZ
- February 21, 2016
- Intravenous Software
- 8h median play time
Get on Steam"NeonXSZ is a single-player, open-world, science fiction mouse-look twitch shooter with striking visuals and a challenging, unforgiving environment. It features intense combat that rewards precision and speed with keyboard and mouse controls, while lack of a tutorial or hand-holding mechanisms, makes the game an intense learning experience. Get ready for lots of grinding to navigate and survive in this bewildering and hostile world."
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- The game features engaging twitch mechanics and a unique 6DOF flying experience, reminiscent of classic shooters like Descent.
- There is a rich variety of loot and RPG elements that enhance the gameplay, allowing for extensive customization of ships and weapons.
- The graphics are visually appealing, with a vibrant aesthetic that adds to the overall enjoyment of the game.
- The lack of a tutorial and confusing item management system can make it difficult for new players to understand the game mechanics.
- Combat can feel unbalanced, with enemies being overly tanky and the weapons lacking satisfying feedback, leading to a less engaging experience.
- The game world can feel repetitive and empty, with limited objectives and environments, which may lead to boredom over time.
- gameplay37 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 76 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is characterized by its engaging mechanics, reminiscent of classic titles like Descent, featuring tight controls and a compelling core loop that combines shooting and RPG elements. While some players appreciate the depth and variety offered through upgrades and environments, others criticize the repetitiveness of objectives and lack of clear mechanics, suggesting that the game may not fully utilize its open-world potential. Overall, it appeals to fans of old-school FPS and action RPGs, providing a fun and fast-paced experience, albeit with some design flaws.
“Cos there is not even one space shooter with twitch mechanics/aiming, this is such a gem.”
“From a gameplay perspective: the combat feels tight, responsive, and impactful.”
“It is absolutely packed with gameplay and player choice, is highly polished and very configurable, both in terms of game settings and aesthetics.”
“Unfortunately, the gameplay and design is a bit too abstract to engage.”
“In the short time I spent with it, the combat was unengaging, the main gameplay loop is based on repetitive objectives, the level design did not truly take advantage of all three axes, and the upgrade/progression system seems uninteresting and tediously granular.”
“The core gameplay, the combat, just isn't satisfying, lacks tightness or feedback, and movement is a mess that can’t make up its mind.”
- story17 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally perceived as minimal and lacking depth, with players noting a frustrating absence of clear narrative elements, dialogue, and character development. While some appreciate the focus on gameplay mechanics and combat over storytelling, many feel that the missions are repetitive and template-like, leading to a sense of aimlessness. Overall, the experience is more about engaging in action and loot collection than following a compelling plot.
“Also a cool, enticing story wrapping this world.”
“The various missions you take on will lead you across the entire map, leading you to sometimes choose between a quick ship or a hearty ship.”
“I normally don't get into games that don't have much storyline and are more or less team deathmatch vs. the computer; however, this game's pace mixed with a rather competitive AI makes it a very enjoyable experience.”
“The story has less depth than most free mobile MMOs, with the only dialogue being your ship's audio warnings and some variant of 'nice' when you get a kill streak.”
“There's no plot beyond you trying to escape, which feels like the opposite message a game would want to convey.”
“There is no backstory, dialogue, or NPCs to speak of.”
- graphics13 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 23 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are highly praised for their clean, customizable visuals that evoke a Tron-like aesthetic, featuring strong depth effects and vibrant high-contrast colors. Players appreciate the smooth performance, even on lower-end hardware, and the overall graphical quality is described as impressive, contributing to a polished and immersive experience. The ability to adjust graphics settings further enhances the appeal, making it accessible to a wide range of players.
“The graphics are clean and nice, and there's a very cool strong distance blur effect that makes everything feel like it has real depth to it.”
“Nice bright high-contrast visuals pay homage to Tron and are highly customizable.”
“Improve sound and visuals.”
“When I turned up my MSAA to max, checked all the graphics options, increased the light slider from 4 to 5, and decreased the render distance from 4000 to 3500, my GTX 670 seemed to not even need to run at its stock clock speed, but that's because my 3770K CPU was technically maxed out.”
“The graphical quality of the environment and the effects is astounding and makes this EA game totally feel like a AAA title.”
- grinding10 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that grinding in the game is a mixed experience; while some players find it tedious and repetitive, others appreciate the addictive nature of the grind for loot and progression. The combat and objectives can feel unengaging, but for fans of space simulators, the grind can be rewarding and enjoyable, offering endless gameplay opportunities. Overall, the game is described as having a grindy progression system that may appeal to those who enjoy such mechanics.
“On the other hand, the majority of that time is spent wandering a giant, very simple map doing odd jobs and level grinding.”
“In the short time I spent with it, the combat was unengaging, the main gameplay loop is based on repetitive objectives, the level design did not truly take advantage of all three axes, and the upgrade/progression system seems uninteresting and tediously granular.”
“Progression is grindy, and it's about as 'on rails' as you can get in a sandbox.”
- music7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its energetic and electronic style, perfectly complementing the vibrant visuals and gameplay. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack's ability to enhance the overall experience, making it a key element for fans of neon aesthetics and immersive environments. The combination of rocking music and addictive RPG elements creates a captivating atmosphere that players find hard to resist.
“The visuals are sweet, the music is good.”
“If you like descent style gameplay, with neon colors and a soundtrack to match, then don't pass on this gem.”
“The RPG and customization elements are crazy addictive, and the alien atmosphere and soundtrack are perfect.”
“The music feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“While the visuals are stunning, the soundtrack doesn't match the intensity of the gameplay.”
“The electronic music is forgettable and doesn't enhance the overall experience.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -300 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The optimization of the interactive cockpit is highly praised for its thoughtful design, effectively conveying a wealth of information without feeling cluttered, setting a standard that other flight simulators could aspire to.
“With every hour I played, I came to appreciate more and more the incredible care and skill with which the interactive cockpit has been designed, conveying a huge amount of information without it ever feeling cluttered. I wish flight simulator cockpits were optimized like this!”
“The game suffers from severe optimization issues, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering during gameplay.”
“Despite the interesting mechanics, the lack of proper optimization makes it nearly unplayable on lower-end systems.”
“I was disappointed to find that the game is poorly optimized, resulting in long loading times and crashes.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive alien environment and captivating soundtrack, which enhance the addictive RPG and customization elements.
“The RPG and customization elements are incredibly addictive, and the alien atmosphere combined with the soundtrack creates a perfect immersive experience.”
