Neon Inferno (Switch) Review
Release Date: November 20, 2025
Publisher/Developer: Retroware/Zenovia Interactive, LLC
Platform: Nintendo Switch (Reviewed on Switch 2), Steam, PlayStation 5, Xbox One/Series
Price: $19.99, physical edition on Limited Run Games for $34.99
Neon Inferno comes from that beautiful alternate reality where side scrolling gameplay with sprite artwork continued to dominate instead of moving to polygonal models. Absolutely oozing with charm, Neon Inferno looks like the best Sega Genesis game you ever played combined with modern lighting and special effects. It’s a twist on side scrollers akin to Contra or Metal Slug, with a bit of Wild Guns mixed in. This means gameplay is mixed between a 2-D plane with plenty of baddies looking to take you down and enemies in the fore and background shooting at you as well. You have free motion when fighting people on your field, but can hold the shoulder button to pop up a crosshair and shoot at the antagonists in the background. You’re locked in place when shooting off field, so it’s a constant balance of finding time to attack the right area whilst dodging bullets and melee from those right next to you.
The game places you in the shoes of one of two members of the Family—a crime syndicate in 2055 New York. Players can choose either Angelo Morano or Mariana Vitti, or team up for two-player action. Players have powerful weapons at their disposal, but can also do a quick melee attack to deflect enemy bullets, which make a beeline for the nearest off-plane enemy. In the midst of crazy bullet-hell fire, it feels really good to slap a stream of bullets meant for you into a drone, causing it to crash to the ground whilst continuing to fire away at the endless swarm of baddies coming after you.
In between levels, you can use gold found to visit a shop and get higher powered weaponry, but they have limited ammunition and do not have additional drops mid level. It might make it easier to get through the initial area, but the fact that it can and will run out means that if you are struggling with a particular boss it may be hard to get that extra firepower to his front door. The game also defaults to hard mode. This may be fine for many players, but it is good to know you can crank it down if you absolutely must; you just can’t do that mid-save and will have to start from the beginning if you ever want to change your challenge level.
The presentation is what puts this game over the top. Despite struggles with weapon management, the environment and characters made me want to come back for more. Neon Inferno has that gritty futuristic vibe that the late 80’s/early 90’s thought that 2055 would be like. Let’s face it: 30 years from now we won’t have the neon-drenched cities and futuristic cowboy mafia punk aesthetic. Graphics are smooth, sprites are well designed, and the occasional variety level like motorbike chases add to the flair and overall presentation. I’m a physical game collector, and I can say that even though we got a copy for review digitally, I can genuinely say that it’s not out of the possibility that I would consider a physical copy at the higher price point. The game’s simply fun, and a love letter to the old shoot-em-ups of the arcade with just enough tweaks to make you want to come back for more.
Pros:
-Traditional sidescrolling mechanics with a unique depth of field design to keep things fresh
-Amazing graphical style evokes classic sprites whilst adding modern flair
Cons:
-You don’t get very many chances to try a variety of weaponry and must get a new weapon each level
-Sometimes it felt like checkpoints were a little too far apart
Special thanks to Retroware/Zenovia Interactive, LLC for providing a code for review!