Neon City Riders Demo

Modern games strive to provide players with insane levels of realism, which is obviously a good thing, but it may not be the perfect solution to every problem. Hence, sometimes an arcade video game is the best way to kick back and have some fun, especially if the mechanics are fun and challenging. Beat ‘em ups are not as common as they used to be, but every now and again a lonely title hits the market.

Neon City Riders is a top-down action game in which you play the role of a brave man trying to bring peace to a city devastated by gang violence. The gameplay mechanics are as classic as they can get in the genre, given the fact that you have to fight enemies and avoid various traps in a fast-paced manner. However, the game is clearly designed with some modern concepts in mind as well.

The story is pretty interesting as well, even if it’s obviously not meant to blow you out of the water. In short, everything takes place in a metropolis taken over by gang violence, and you have to somehow end it all by yourself. To do that, you have to find the leaders of every gang and defeat them, which should make everyone peaceful enough to disband the gangs.

The combat is fairly straightforward, but it’s definitely challenging and fun, especially since you have to learn your opponent’s moves in order to dodge the incoming blows. However, the environments are incredibly difficult to navigate as well, given the fact that they are full of traps, lasers and puzzles. Good coordination and a lot of patience are required to get past certain sections, so make sure you are ready to deal with a bit of frustration.

Lastly, the retro graphics fit really well with the overall feel of the game, even if the levels appear to be a bit barren at the moment. The animations are decent, on the other hand, and the colorful special effects make their presence known most of the time. The controls are smooth and responsive as well, especially since you can also use a gamepad to get the most out of your character.

It’s always nice to see a polished retro game in development, and Neon City Riders has all the makings of a great action game. However, it still needs some work in the gameplay and graphics department, and you can help the developers by participating in the Kickstarter campaign.