Tales of the Neon Sea

Tales of the Neon Sea is a gorgeous point and click puzzle game that suffers from having too many puzzles, and not enough characterisation and storytelling.

79%Game Brain Score

story, graphics

grinding, character development

86% User Score Based on 726 reviews

Critic Score 60%Based on 3 reviews

Platforms

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About

Tales of the Neon Sea is a single player arcade role playing game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Thermite Games and was released on November 14, 2018. It received neutral reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

"Tales of the Neon Sea" is a cyberpunk-noir point-and-click adventure game set in a dystopian future. Players take on the role of a private investigator, solving cases involving advanced technology, artificial intelligence, and a divided society. The game features stunning hand-drawn 2D graphics and a thrilling, immersive storyline.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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86%

Audience ScoreBased on 726 reviews

story277 positive mentions

grinding19 negative mentions

Stunning pixel art and vibrant visuals that create an immersive cyberpunk atmosphere.
Engaging story with interesting characters and a mix of humor and darker themes.
Variety of puzzles that are mostly enjoyable and not overly difficult, providing a good balance.

Some puzzles can be tedious and frustrating, especially towards the end of the game.
The English translation contains numerous grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, detracting from the experience.
The game ends on a cliffhanger, leaving many plot points unresolved and potentially disappointing for players.

story
597 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
51%
3%
The story of "Tales of the Neon Sea" is a captivating blend of cyberpunk and noir, featuring a retired detective navigating a richly detailed world filled with crime and mystery. While many players found the narrative engaging and atmospheric, some noted that it occasionally fell into cliché territory and left certain plot points unresolved, hinting at a potential sequel. Overall, the storytelling is complemented by strong character development and a unique setting, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of narrative-driven games.
- “The characters and story were another highlight, unique, expressive, and full of personality, and they gave the game a warmth that balanced the cyberpunk setting beautifully.”
- “The story’s noir-inspired tone is both atmospheric and engaging, keeping players hooked with twists that explore themes of identity, morality, and the consequences of technological advancement.”
- “Tales of the Neon Sea is a captivating cyberpunk-themed pixel art adventure that masterfully blends noir storytelling with puzzle-solving and exploration.”
- “The story itself was also flat, which is such a shame given how much it had going for it.”
- “The writing lacks depth and maturity to carry the overarching cyberpunk private detective storyline, let alone the world-building of a cyborg and robot discriminatory society or the politics behind it.”
- “The plot rushes into weird tangents near the end and tends to forget what the game originally was about.”
graphics
260 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
42%
3%
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning pixel art style, vibrant colors, and immersive cyberpunk aesthetic, which many players found to be the standout feature. The detailed environments and character designs contribute to a captivating atmosphere, although some critiques noted inconsistencies in character art and a clash with the overall tone. Overall, the visuals are described as beautiful and engaging, enhancing the storytelling and gameplay experience.
- “One of the game’s most striking features is its pixel art style, which combines retro aesthetics with meticulous attention to detail.”
- “The graphics are absolutely gorgeous.”
- “The game immediately hooks you in with its gorgeous visuals and hand-crafted pixel art, creating a vibrant cyberpunk world teeming with life at every corner, just waiting to be explored.”
- “The graphics just gorgeous, it represents some impressive cyberpunk-esque feel, made it so immersive to explore.”
- “They chose to use obsolete retro pixel 'art' as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
- “It doesn't take long to detect the developer wasn't capable of doing video game graphics properly and used 1990's 'art' as a weak copout in the hopes it would cover their inadequacies (it doesn't).”
gameplay
152 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
70%
7%
The gameplay in "Tales of the Neon Sea" is a blend of exploration and puzzle-solving, featuring intuitive mechanics and a variety of engaging challenges that appeal to fans of classic point-and-click adventures. While the pixel art and atmospheric soundtrack enhance the experience, some players find the gameplay slow-paced and occasionally repetitive, with certain puzzles lacking clarity. Overall, the game offers a compelling narrative and unique mechanics, though it may not fully satisfy those seeking a more dynamic or varied gameplay experience.
- “The pixel art is detailed and atmospheric, the soundtrack fits the noir tone perfectly, and the investigation gameplay feels intuitive and rewarding.”
- “With its richly detailed environments, engaging narrative, and clever gameplay mechanics, Tales of the Neon Sea offers an experience that appeals to fans of classic point-and-click adventures as well as lovers of futuristic storytelling.”
- “The core gameplay is the usual point-and-click investigative adventure, and the puzzles are solid - there is a good variety to them with very little repetition, and in terms of difficulty they are challenging enough without being too obnoxious or arbitrary.”
- “Gameplay feels really slow at times.”
- “The gameplay is plagued by repetitive mechanics and some puzzles suffer from a bad translation from Chinese into English.”
- “Overall the game is not for me - I can't bring myself to finish the story because I lack the attachment to the characters or have any vested interest in the 'mystery' caused by a lackluster story, slow, wonky gameplay mechanics.”
music
121 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
36%
2%
The music in "Tales of the Neon Sea" has received widespread acclaim for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, effectively complementing the game's detailed pixel art and cyberpunk aesthetic. Reviewers noted that the soundtrack enhances the emotional depth of the gameplay, with a mix of calming and intense tracks that fit the noir tone. While some found the music occasionally repetitive, the overall consensus is that it significantly contributes to the game's engaging atmosphere and storytelling.
- “The music added a calming yet immersive backdrop, making the world feel alive and emotionally textured.”
- “The soundtrack complements the visual design perfectly, featuring synth-heavy tracks that reinforce the cyberpunk vibe and underscore moments of tension and reflection.”
- “The pixel art is gorgeous, the music and atmosphere are perfect, and the detective work and puzzles can be genuinely fun at times.”
- “The soundtrack is negligible.”
- “There are no voiceovers whatsoever and the in-game music is a bit dull.”
- “The sound effects are really annoying, like constantly meowing cats that are way too loud, which leads me to turn the sound off and looping mini soundtracks, mostly the same soundtrack for almost every area, that are just bad.”
atmosphere
76 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
72%
24%
4%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunning pixel art, vibrant neon visuals, and immersive soundtrack that perfectly complements the noir and cyberpunk themes. Players appreciate the rich world-building and engaging storytelling, which create a charming and memorable experience, although some feel that the puzzles occasionally overshadow the atmospheric elements. Overall, the game successfully evokes a captivating ambiance that draws players into its unique setting, making it a standout feature despite some narrative and gameplay criticisms.
- “From the moment I stepped into its vibrant neon-soaked world, I was pulled in by a wholesome and atmospheric charm that stayed with me throughout the adventure.”
- “The city feels alive through vibrant neon signs, rainy streets, and richly animated backgrounds that create a moody yet beautiful atmosphere.”
- “The pixel art style masterfully captures the cyberpunk atmosphere and elevates the game's overall aesthetics.”
- “The creepy atmosphere and the creepy villain made this game a worthwhile experience.”
- “The story is idiotic but does not get in the way of the atmosphere and dialogue.”
- “In the last chapter(s), the designers suddenly decided it was a good idea to let Rex die all the time, which is somewhat annoying as it destroys the relaxed atmosphere of the first 80% or so.”
humor
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is a blend of clever writing and quirky character interactions, often juxtaposed with serious themes, creating a unique atmosphere that balances lightheartedness with darker undertones. Players appreciate the well-placed comedic moments, engaging dialogue, and the absurdity of certain scenarios, although some critiques mention issues with translation and character depth. Overall, the humor enhances the experience, making it enjoyable for fans of point-and-click adventures.
- “The serious story is interspersed with humorous interludes to lighten the atmosphere, while the dystopia presents quite a human face on the level of ordinary human and interspecies relations.”
- “The characters are well written, the humor is well done and well placed, and I became quite attached to the main cast of the game throughout my playthrough.”
- “The story and characters are cute, the pixel graphics are gorgeous, and the game has a great sense of humor.”
grinding
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that while the game features enjoyable puzzles and a captivating aesthetic, it suffers from significant grinding elements, particularly in the form of tedious item scavenger hunts and backtracking. Many players found certain segments, especially towards the end, to be monotonous and frustrating, with some puzzles requiring excessive trial and error. Overall, the game balances its engaging narrative with moments of tedium, making it a mixed experience for players.
- “Instead I'm stuck doing an endless series of tedious chores.”
- “Unfortunately, the cybermysteries involve a lot of tedious item scavenger hunting and the occasional puzzle, and the scavenger hunting involves a lot of pacing around locations trying to find items to take that will make other items available to be picked up, so there's a bunch of backtracking and it wore me out.”
- “But towards the end, the puzzles just start to become almost absurdly tedious and monotonous; at one point I was stuck at a particular puzzle which spanned an entire section of the game for nearly 2 hours, not because it was hard but just because it required constant backtracking and trial and error.”
emotional
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game's vibrant world and calming music create an emotionally immersive experience, enhancing engagement and focus. While character sprites effectively convey emotion, some reviewers feel the storyline lacks depth and emotional stakes, particularly in its murder mystery elements. Overall, the game successfully evokes a sense of charm and absorption, despite some narrative shortcomings.
- “From the moment I stepped into its vibrant, neon-soaked world, I was pulled in by a wholesome and atmospheric charm that stayed with me throughout the adventure.”
- “The music added a calming yet immersive backdrop, making the world feel alive and emotionally textured.”
- “Character sprites are expressive despite the pixel limitations, contributing to the narrative’s emotional weight and the immersion of the player.”
character development
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Character development in the game is highlighted by its engaging point-and-click gameplay and vibrant pixel art, which creates a rich atmosphere filled with pop culture references. However, some players noted a lack of variety in female character designs, with many sharing similar facial features, which detracted from the overall character diversity. Despite these concerns, the detailed environments and strong animations contribute positively to the game's character portrayal.
- “Something about the pixel art style, the vibrant shade of neon pink that pervades the cityscape, the character designs and the animations - the game's graphics scratched an itch I never knew I had.”
- “Then about 2/3 of the game are point and click with light puzzles, lots of character development, fun places to explore in the city.”
- “First of all the pixel graphics and comic-like character designs are gorgeous, the soundtrack is very nice, the game is full of goofy pop culture references which altogether create a great atmosphere.”
- “The design for a lot of women had the same face, which kind of bothered me, especially when other character designs were so strong and had variety.”
- “The game has lush pixel graphics with a lot of detail put into the environments and characters, though I'm not sure if the aesthetic choices for a lot of the character designs match the tone of the game.”
- “There are a few caveats... in the form of repeating women with the same exact face shape or repeating robot character designs.”
replayability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
Overall, the game's replayability is limited, with most players finding little incentive to replay beyond a couple of runs primarily for the art and lore. While some elements, like collecting lore pieces, offer a slight reason to revisit, the lack of meaningful story choices and the linear nature of the gameplay significantly diminish its replay value.
- “Having many pieces of lore to collect and view adds potential replayability as you can explore to find all of them.”
- “I powered through a second and a third time because of how much I liked the art.”
- “I wouldn't say this game is exactly replayable beyond one or two runs, but I powered through a second and a third time because of how much I liked the art.”
- “As is the downside of games like these, there's basically no replay value except experiencing the story again.”
- “It was okay for what it was, but it's an on-rails modern puzzle adventure game which leaves it without any real story choices besides some side lore and no replayability.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is notably poor, with numerous bugs and glitches that detract from the overall experience. Players have reported issues with puzzle implementation and subpar mouse controls, leading to a frustrating gameplay experience despite the game's potential.
- “Holy shit, this game is just one big clusterfuck, from puzzles that make no sense, sometimes broken or just not implemented well within the game, to bugs and glitches which just ruin the experience.”
- “The mouse controls are subpar and even buggy.”
- “It's a good game, but there are still some glitches happening here and there.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game excels in optimization, delivering a visually stunning "neon" atmosphere while maintaining stable performance and smooth gameplay. Reviewers highlight its professional polish and overall reliability.
- “Outstanding in rendering the 'neon' atmosphere in addition to very stable game performance and art presentations.”
- “The game runs smoothly and is professionally polished.”
- “Performance and stability are top-notch.”

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60%Critics’ scoreBased on 3 critic reviews

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10h Median play time

10h Average play time

6-10h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Tales of the Neon Sea is a arcade role playing game with science fiction theme.

Tales of the Neon Sea is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, iPhone and others.

On average players spend around 10 hours playing Tales of the Neon Sea.

Tales of the Neon Sea was released on November 14, 2018.

Tales of the Neon Sea was developed by Thermite Games.

Tales of the Neon Sea has received neutral reviews from players and neutral reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

Tales of the Neon Sea is a single player game.

Similar games include Call of the Sea, Lacuna, STASIS: BONE TOTEM, Deliver Us The Moon, Truberbrook / Trüberbrook and others.

Tales of the Neon Sea

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