Review for NeuroVoider. Game for PC, Steam, Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Linux and Nintendo Switch, the video game was released on 31/08/2016 The version for Nintendo Switch came out on 07/09/2017 The version for PlayStation 4 came out on 14/03/2017 The version for Xbox One came out on 17/03/2017
In recent years, with the enormous success of indie titles, the genre of roguelikes has become particularly famous and loved. The Binding of Isaac predominates among all, followed by other masterpieces such as Rogue Legacy or Enter the Gungeon, but there are countless other titles, more or less interesting, just waiting to be discovered.
NeuroVoider is a very special roguelike, officially released in March but only now on the Nintendo Switch eShop. This is the version we tested, taking a look at both the game on TV and trying it on a laptop.
A brain ready to fire
As soon as we start we will find ourselves customizing a character very similar to a self-propelled brain. We will be able to decide which class to entrust to him between Dash, Rampage and Fortress, respectively an agile class, an offensive and a defensive class, each with its own peculiarities and an exclusive special move. The choice will then go on one of 27 different skills, which turn out to be almost all niche apart from the healing ones, and at that point we will be able to get to the heart of the game.
Like many others of its kind, NeuroVoider is a shooter with top view and “double-stick” controls: in practice our character moves using the left stick, while the right one is used to aim at enemies. The back buttons are used to use the class skill and the one chosen to create the character, while the triggers to shoot with the two weapons in our possession. It may all appear extremely simple, and indeed, at least on paper, it is. However, among a multitude of enemies all with different attack patterns and an exaggerated amount of loot and possible weapons to equip, one really gets the impression that every game is completely different from the past ones.
The title is divided into sixteen different levels, among which we will meet 4 lethal bosses chosen randomly. The battles are frantic, full of bullets everywhere, and will test our ability to manage the hordes, however not all that glitters is gold. Each level has the exact same purpose (to destroy a certain number of reactors hidden in the stage), and the places we will move in change purely in aesthetic terms without giving anything to the gameplay. This tends to show NeuroVoider's Achilles' heel, which tends to get tedious over time.
PixelArt to share
The Nintendo Switch version shines particularly compared to the others, thanks to the possibility of taking the game away from home. The reason for this "thumbs up" is the fact that NeuroVoider it gives its best when played in multiplayer. The difficulty does not increase particularly, and with the combined forces of multiple players it is possible to focus on the extermination of enemies without that sense of anxiety due to the fact that, when alone, a single moment of distraction could lead to death. Too bad it is only possible to play with friends locally, since NeuroVoider does not include an online mode.
Graphically it is very simplistic, with a PixelArt that does not give anything more than many other productions and that probably pales in front of the slightly more famous titles. The soundtrack, on the other hand, is of the highest level and will never fail to thrill us with electronic music that we will end up humming inexorably.
NeuroVoider is a futuristic roguelike, which allows a great customization of your character and is extremely fun to play especially with friends. Despite the great potential that Nintendo Switch allows in this area, in the long run it can become tedious due to a certain repetitiveness in the missions present in each single level. Since The Binding of Isaac Afterbirth + has just been released on Nintendo Switch, we can only recommend NeuroVoider compared to it to those who prefer to spend in a modest way.
► NeuroVoider is an Action-indie-Roguelike-RPG type game developed by Flying Oak Games and published by Playdius Plug In Digital for PC, Steam, Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Linux and Nintendo Switch, the game was released on 31/08/2016 The version for Nintendo Switch came out on 07/09/2017 The version for PlayStation 4 came out on 14/03/2017 The version for Xbox One came out on 17/03/2017
