PlayStation has unveiled an arcade-style brawler titled Neon Inferno, and the metropolis of 2055 is calling for assistance. The official announcement got out through social networks, where a hype-filled trailer was released, and the game was presented in the trailer along with its astonishingly bright neon graphics and over-the-top action—craziness was offered to the players right away. The past of beat ’em ups is no more—what we have now is an absolute riot of a retro-inspired game that has snagged the entire gaming community’s attention with excitement and, of course, a little bit of drama as well.
What exactly Neon Inferno is, you would ask? From the trailer and the public’s reactions, it can be interpreted as a run-and-gun arcade adventure that takes you to a futuristic cyberpunk world where everything glows and probably is trying to knock you out. The setting is nothing short of disorder, and one player described it as “pure retro chaos inviting you to get your gear on.” That is more or less the general viewpoint—like somebody grabbed Streets of Rage, cranked up the neon to eleven, and placed it in a post-apocalyptic metropolis. And, to be honest, we are all for that.
The response from the gamer community has been mainly very favorable. A gamer by the name of Vu Anh shouted out that “the graphics are fire” and that the neon style is vivid, which seems to be a common opinion. Another gamer, Gro3, was already asking about points, and he wrote “my kind of mayhem. what’s the high score to beat?” That is the arcade spirit right there—always after that next big number. And TrulyEikonic told that they had more fun with the demo than they had expected, and they added it to their wish list immediately. Sometimes those surprise hits just sneak up on you.
Controversy is, however, part of the package with gaming announcements. A user called DrMario64 gave a jab at the game saying “Take your woke shit and piss off,” which… that is something. This created a mini-debate in the thread, where Jim was saying “Oh no a game with a woman in it!? Only 50% of the planet is one of those. How woke!” It is a classic gaming discourse that is always there. One player, ArtbyAo1, was sorry that there would be no online co-op, which was the reason why the game was a “no buy” for them. Fair enough—co-op features can be a hit or miss with these kinds of games for certain players.
Retro references are coming out of everywhere. T Mafianie was not slow to ask if it was “An upgraded streets of rage,” which is indeed very flattering sounding. CyberTokyo even said that it reminds them a little of Huntdown, and they are already playing it on their Retroid device, even sharing the snapshots of the action. That’s dedication. Kingscrown too commented, “I love arcade style games, i.e., scott pilgrim,” which, yeah, that makes sense—both have the pixel-perfect brawler energy that just hits differently.
Besides the graphics, the game is receiving some… odd feedback too. One account, streetcredgta, felt that the announcement was a wonderful chance to advertise modded GTA V accounts, which is… quite a choice. And CallBotCrypto humorously said, “2055 looks stressful already, I’m still trying to survive Monday,” which sums it up. But the general sentiment still points that Neon Inferno is, indeed, a nostalgic ride spiced up with modernity.
The game is getting its share of love for the euphoria of surpassing old-school gaming techniques and going over fancy neon aesthetics. The trailer teases the audience with a new world of luminous colors, great animations, and that classic arcade feeling which makes you want to drop a virtual quarter. GoldenDragonXll simply said “Love the booba!” which, uh, indicates that character design is… quite evident. And oludarelordgod was pleased with the arcade settings, calling it “nice nice.” The simplest things are sometimes the best.
Oh, wait—what was I saying? Oh, the release. So, Neon Inferno is already out and the players are coming in hordes. Jim___92 couldn’t keep his excitement about the physical copy and remarked that it “looks incredible,” so the collectors are hoping that it comes soon. The fact that it is available right now means no waiting, no pre-order hassle—just the raw, unfiltered madness at your disposal.
It is quite clear that Neon Inferno is squeezing the nostalgia trip as much as possible while at the same time trying to be inventive. The mix of retro-style gameplay and a cyberpunk milieu is a very good place for anybody who has been dying to hit the arcade machine. With mixed reactions—ranging from hype to concerns about PlayStation and Xbox releases—the gaming landscape continues to evolve.
