If you’ve gotten thrills out of action roguelikes like The Binding of Isaac and Enter the Gungeon, you might want to do yourself a favour and check out Neon Abyss. Veewo Games’ new bullet-heavy platformer, Neon Abyss is one of those indie games where each run lets you watch weird mechanics bounce off each other as you look and hope for the killer synergy that will carry you through to the end.
You’re a member of the Grim Squad, recruited by Hades himself to eliminate the so called New Gods, and your journey starts in a neon-drenched nightclub. Once you start a run, you’ll be platforming around procedurally-generated levels, starting on a quest to take out the ‘Managers,’ boss characters you’ll have to complete a series of levels to find.
It’s the journey to them that’s compelling though, because you’re picking up a mix of unique weapons (think of Enter the Gungeon here) and items that alter the way the game’s rules work or buff your damage. You’ll also periodically find eggs that float in a little conga line behind you, sometimes hatching to reveal a little friend who will tag along and help in some strange way.
Here’s the trailer to give you a sense of the mood. It’s colourful, it sounds great, and there are countless ways to customise your characters.
Neon Abyss is out now on GOG and Steam, and you can try the demo there. But if you’re a Xbox Game Pass for PC subscriber, the game’s included – you can download it right now and start playing. If you decide to buy, you’ll get two extra characters thrown in as a bonus.
Come for the bumpin’ soundtrack, stay for the complex mechanics – it’s win-win.