Neon White, the preview
Neon White
Neon White is defined by its author, Ben Esposito, a "speedrunning FPS" based on single player, therefore a first person shooter designed to offer a fast and frenetic experience, close to the philosophy of speedrun, but with a strong stylistic characterization particular and interesting.In the game we will take on the role of White, a hitman from hell who is charged with eliminating the horde of demons that have invaded heaven. The reward for those who complete this mission is particularly palatable: to save one's soul and reserve a place in the kingdom of heaven for eternity. More Neons aim for the prize: who can get it?
Let's find out in our preview of Neon White.
Gameplay
Neon White, a quick combat sequence on the stage. Beyond the peculiar setting, it is the gameplay of Neon White that really makes the difference and strongly characterizes the game. As written at the beginning, we are faced with a speedrunning FPS and this means that we will have to try to complete the stages as quickly as possible, testing them several times until we find the perfect sequence to eliminate all the enemies and arrive at the finish in the lap. of a handful of seconds.To regulate our actions there will be the Soul Cards, which we can use to perform certain types of attacks, for example with the sword or with various firearms, or discard for obtain a significant speed boost, perform double jumps or powerful sprints forward: essential maneuvers to quickly reach the platform we aimed at.
Neon White, a dating sim style section. Conquering the best trophies at the end of the stage will allow us to unlock new missions within the same level, in particular those related to the collection of collectibles. These are special objects hidden in certain points of the map, which we can only reach using the cards in the best possible way and in this case taking all the time necessary to succeed in the enterprise.
The interesting thing is that we can give these away objects to other characters to improve our bond with them and try our hand at a sort of dating sim with multiple implications. Both on the narrative front, as we will be able to relive old memories and reach a different ending at the end of the campaign; both on the structural one, unlocking exploratory sections within hidden environments.
Technical realization
The assumptions of Neon White are quite clear: coming out this fall on PC and Nintendo Switch, the title will focus on speed and performance, putting aside polygonal complexity and effects in some way, especially on the Japanese hybrid console. The focus will therefore be entirely on the fast gameplay conceived by Ben Esposito.That said, the stylistic solutions found by the development team appear captivating: the design of the characters, with their demonic masks that conceal a normal human face, revealed in the sequences linked to their memories; the essentiality of the paradisiacal settings, with their white buildings that stand out among the clouds; and finally the vocation as hero shooter to Overwatch, always appreciable.
Neon White stands as an original and captivating title, which mixes FPS elements, speedrunning, card battler and hero shooter atmospheres to deliver an experience that promises to be hectic and fun. The peculiar card-based gameplay, to be used to obtain new weapons or to be discarded to perform special movements, seems to create the conditions for a product with multiple interpretations, fast but also replayable and enriched with a fascinating outline.
