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Neural Shock

Neural Shock Game Cover
100%Game Brain Score
replayability, character development
music, story
100% User Score Based on 52 reviews

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Neural Shock Game Cover

About

Neural Shock is a single player role playing game. It was developed by Hardwired Studios and was released on June 19, 2024. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Neural Shock is an ARPG/Tower Defense hybrid where you build turrets, traps, and fight waves of enemies in a dark, futuristic world. Level up your characters and weapons, with class-based character building and specialization in weapon, turret, and trap masteries. Experience engaging gameplay that caters to both short and long play sessions.

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Neural Shock screenshot
Neural Shock screenshot
Neural Shock screenshot
Neural Shock screenshot
Neural Shock screenshot
Neural Shock screenshot
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100%
Audience ScoreBased on 52 reviews
replayability2 positive mentions
atmosphere3 negative mentions
  • The game offers a solid tower defense experience with a maneuverable main character, allowing for diverse strategies and character building through skill trees.
  • Players appreciate the balance and challenge of the game, which is complemented by an engaging soundtrack and nostalgic 90s vibes.
  • The game features a variety of traps and turrets, providing depth and replayability, making it enjoyable for both casual and dedicated players.
  • Some players find the graphics unappealing, which may detract from the overall experience.
  • There are limitations on turret placement and aiming, which can frustrate players and require experimentation to complete missions.
  • The lack of incentive to replay earlier levels and some issues with enemy attack animations and collision detection have been noted as drawbacks.
  • music
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received praise for its intense heavy metal soundtrack, which complements the action-packed atmosphere and enhances the overall experience. While some players appreciate the consistent metal riffs, others note a lack of variation, suggesting that those who dislike this genre may want to mute it. Overall, the soundtrack is recognized for its fitting energy and contribution to the game's style.

    • “Excellent in-game music!”
    • “Bonus points also for the soundtrack which is hard rock/heavy metal type grooving that suits the atmosphere very well.”
    • “And kudos for the intense music.”
    • “The soundtrack lacks variation and it's mostly just metal riffs (which I don't mind), so if you hate that you're gonna have to mute it.”
    • “The game's style reminds me of Killing Floor, with its heavy soundtrack, constant blasting of gunfire, and endless gory deaths of all manner of creepy monsters.”
    • “Special mention for the soundtrack and characters & turrets skill tree variability.”
  • story
    9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story revolves around a series of 27 missions where players must strategically place traps and towers to protect a command center from waves of enemies, adapting their strategies as the missions progress. Players can customize their loadouts and upgrade skills between missions, allowing for varied gameplay and experimentation with different turret types. The narrative is driven by the challenge of overcoming increasingly difficult scenarios, emphasizing tactical decision-making and resource management.

    • “Each mission starts with the player choosing an initial position for some traps, and the initial location of the player as well.”
    • “The later levels will also have the player adapting their strategy as the level progresses, as the decisions made early on might not be effective anymore at the end of a mission.”
    • “In total, at the time of writing this, there are 27 missions, so there seems to be a lot of content.”
    • “The story feels disjointed and lacks a cohesive narrative, making it hard to stay engaged.”
    • “Character development is minimal, leaving players with little emotional investment in the outcomes.”
    • “The missions often feel repetitive and fail to build a compelling storyline that keeps players interested.”
  • graphics
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are polarizing, with some players finding them unappealing while others appreciate the vintage aesthetic. Despite initial criticisms, many users report that the gameplay experience becomes so engaging that they eventually overlook the graphics altogether. Overall, while the visuals may not be universally liked, they do not detract significantly from the enjoyment of the game.

    • “The game has very cool vintage-looking graphics that bring nice memories.”
    • “Seriously, this game is fun when you get past the graphics.”
    • “If you can look past the admittedly horrible graphics, you will find an excellent tower defense game.”
    • “The graphics are not to everyone's taste.”
    • “After a few hours of playing, I don't even see the graphics anymore; I just see blood.”
  • replayability
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the game highly replayable due to its engaging map challenge modifiers and leveling system, which extend its longevity beyond initial expectations. Many were pleasantly surprised by its depth, making it more enjoyable and replayable than typical tower defense games.

    • “The look of the game and the controllable player character are what drew me in, but the replayability from the map challenge modifiers and the leveling system has kept me playing.”
    • “At first I was hesitant about getting this, thinking it'd just be a game I could beat and get bored of in an afternoon like something on Kongregate; but after I tried the demo and then bought the full game, turns out it's more fun and replayable than any tower defense game I can recall playing on there.”
  • gameplay
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is characterized by interesting mechanics and constraints, offering a fast-paced, real-time experience with a pausing option. Players can adopt various strategies, focusing on either traps or player skills, which adds depth and encourages diverse playstyles.

    • “The gameplay is real-time (with a pausing option as well), which makes the overall flow of the game very exciting and fast-paced.”
    • “I feel like this mechanic has a lot of room for choosing different playing styles: one can choose to focus on the traps or the player skills, or do a little bit of both.”
    • “Nice little game with interesting mechanics and constraints.”
    • “The gameplay feels unbalanced and frustrating, making it hard to enjoy the experience.”
    • “I encountered numerous bugs that disrupted the gameplay, leading to a lot of unnecessary frustration.”
    • “The controls are clunky and unresponsive, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
  • atmosphere
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is consistently praised for its immersive quality, enhanced by a fitting hard rock and heavy metal soundtrack that complements the overall experience. Reviewers highlight this combination as a significant strength, contributing to the game's engaging environment.

    • “Special bonus for consistent and great atmosphere.”
    • “Bonus points also for the soundtrack, which features hard rock and heavy metal grooves that suit the atmosphere very well.”
    • “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking any real sense of immersion.”
    • “Despite the potential, the game fails to create a compelling atmosphere, leaving players feeling disconnected.”
    • “The environments are dull and lifeless, which detracts from the overall experience.”
  • character development
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players appreciate the innovative blend of tower defense and RPG elements, highlighting the engaging character development that enhances gameplay. The combination of smooth mechanics and challenging features contributes to a compelling experience that keeps players invested for extended periods.

    • “I absolutely enjoy the game: smooth gameplay, an innovative combination of tower defense with RPG-esque character development, and nice level design with annoyingly challenging features that make me play the game for hours.”
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8h Median play time
8h Average play time
8-8h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Neural Shock is a role playing game.

Neural Shock is available on PC, Mac OS, Windows and Linux.

On average players spend around 8 hours playing Neural Shock.

Neural Shock was released on June 19, 2024.

Neural Shock was developed by Hardwired Studios.

Neural Shock has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its replayability but disliked it for its music.

Neural Shock is a single player game.

Similar games include The Last Spell, Pathway, Mana Spark, Defender's Quest: Valley of the Forgotten, CARNAGE OFFERING Tower Defense and others.