NeuroVoider Review for Nintendo Switch
There are two types of games. First group try to bring something fresh to a particular genre and modify schemes that have been known for years. Other one stay close to proven solutions to serve players exactly what they can expect in the genre. NeuroVoider is the safe option. Authors focused on the pleasure of shooting and the effectiveness of the skirmishes with hordes of enemy forces. What can you expect from NeuroVoider on Nintendo Switch. Let’s dive in as we review the game.
Brain on the warpath
The production of the Flying Oak Games studio takes us to a futuristic sci-fi world. Organic beings are in almost extinct. Instead, there are armed and deadly robots that look to kill everything in sight. Who are we? This is what the title doesn’t particularly explain. In the short introduction we only see some brain released from the laboratory, which then jumps to one of the robots placed in safe distance to start his explosive crusade towards the titular main bad guy.
The lack of any storyline can be seen as a flaw in the production, but I’m not going to criticize NeuroVoider for something that should only be in the game in my opinion. The authors made a different design decision and it’s appropriate to respect it. Let’s focus on the other aspects of this roguelike and its overall design.
There are three machines at the disposal of the players, which differ quite significantly in their features. There is the attack-oriented Rampage, the defensive-focused Fortress and the fast Dash. Each of them has its own special skill and slightly different attributes. This translates into a different style of play, forcing specific behaviors in confrontations with advancing hordes of enemies. While Fortess, with its high endurance, can resist dozens of projectiles hitting it for quite a long time, Dash should definitely avoid hits and aim for a quick end to each clash. This makes it easier to match the machine to your preferred style of play.
Progress that you can feel
What drives the fun in NeuroVoider is the sense of constant progress. The successive levels are relatively small and take little time to complete. In between we have the opportunity to check out the parts we’ve collected, install new components in our robot and choose two weapons for the next map from the vast arsenal of available tools of murder. Our machine consists of five freely modifiable sections – cockpit, body, drive and the aforementioned weapons. Every now and then we can play home-grown constructor and improve our mechanical beast, whether with the help of collected parts, or through investing in upgrades to those we already have. The progress here is noticeable and satisfying.
A lot of excitement is especially in the selection of weapons. The developers had some fun with the design, so we have many types of cannons, launchers, grenade launchers or flame throwers. Each weapon is different from another in some way. It can be a noticeable detail, like a different firing mode or bullet spitting rate, but also a minor difference in shooting power described numerically in the stats of a given gun.
RPG smash
Once we’re satisfied and ready to fight, we head to the battlefield, where there’s a lot going on. NeuroVoider has an eye-pleasing graphic design. The pixel-art looks solid, although it could use a little more variety in the scenery. All too soon, the randomly generated maps start to look twinned to each other the next time we visit an abandoned subway station or laboratory. The game makes up for it in the audio realm, however. The juicy sounds of gunshots and explosions are massively satisfying. Dan Terminus’ soundtrack, which plays during exploration, gets the adrenaline pumping. It definitely fits in with the dark, mysterious atmosphere of the areas to come.
NeuroVoider is a typical roguelike, in which a pinch of solutions known from RPGs have been added, including a simple to understand, but giving great possibilities idea of the development of our robot. The authors made sure that the game is equally attractive to people with different skills and approaches to play. The player can choose from three levels of difficulty. Those who want to shoot for pleasure will easily find themselves here, as well as experts in the genre who demand a challenge.
There is nothing revolutionary here, but there is solid craftsmanship presenting quality where it should be. Shooting is fun, there’s a satisfying feeling of progression and enough variety to make replays make sense. It’s a roguelike seasoned with a standout music and sound effects that’s a pleasant way to spend an evening. It’s also worth keeping in mind for one more reason. It is an option not only for single-players, but also for fans of multiplayer play. Up to four players can indulge in carefree demolition together in NeuroVoider. This is a very nice offer worth thinking over if have some friends longing for oldchool cooperation multiplayer.
Is it worth buying? Yes, it offers enough content and satisfaction to keep you engaged for few evenings.
