A little while ago, I took a look back at NAM-1975, a game in the surprisingly short-lived subgenre of cabal shooters that still hits just as hard as it did back in 1990. Unfortunately, the total number of cabal shooters released since then can barely be counted on two hands. It’s a shame. Modern technology would’ve really allowed for a more thorough exploration of the subgenre’s biggest appeal: the constant back-and-forth of combat between the foreground and background.
Thankfully, someone saw said potential and opted to toss their hat in the ring. Developed by Zenovia Interactive and published by Retroware, Neon Inferno not only looks fantastic, but it also successfully blends traditional side-scrolling action with a fresh dose of cabal shooting for a new generation, along with a few other bells and whistles. Though the game’s demo originally debuted back at the beginning of the year, I figured the Steam Next Fest would be a great opportunity to highlight Neon Inferno ahead of its full release this Fall.
Cabal Shooters Are Back (And More)
New York City circa 2055 isn’t doing so good. Now a grueling cyberpunk nightmare, the city is caught in the crossfire of both the assertive NYPD and the callous Yakuza, with gunfire, explosions, and busted electronics lining just about every street corner. But this is where you come in. Working for the mysterious crime syndicate known only as the Family, you’re tasked with eliminating key targets from all warring factions to please your shadowy employers.
The demo gives you access to the entire first stage, and it certainly makes a strong first impression. You’re able to pick between two characters — Angelo Morano or Mariana Vitti — before you’re immediately dropped into the action, gradually easing you into the game’s mechanics before quickly cranking things up by the time the first boss arrives. At a glance, it’s typical sidescrolling shooter fare. You run to the right, jump over and duck under stuff, and shoot anything that moves. Er, almost everything. Civilians are something to keep an eye out for, and you’ll be tracked for every single one you inadvertently take out.
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But things quickly get interesting. On top of firing at everything in the foreground, you can also swap to shooting at things in the background at any time. There’s no separation here. You’ll have to keep your eyes and ears peeled for stuff jumping out at you and stuff existing on the same plane as you. Namely, bullets.
In addition to your gun, you also have a sword that does more than just sword things. You’ll quickly notice that enemy projectiles come in two different varieties: green and not green. Any projectile that isn’t green has to be avoided at all costs, else you’ll take a hit. Take too many hits, and you’re dead. However, green projectiles can actually be reflected with your sword back at your foes. Oh, and it can be done in any direction. Simply hold the melee button down as you’re reflecting a projectile, and you can both change its intended direction as well as point it into the foreground or background, complete with the addition of bullet time to boot. It’s a neat way to shake up what would’ve otherwise been yet another retro throwback, though its presentation would’ve certainly helped elevate it otherwise.
Neon Inferno is slick, if anything. Its sprites are downright gorgeous; its utilization of a faux CRT display adds some chunky authenticity to its neon-soaked visuals. A surprising amount of detail is present in its animations, particle effects, and even its UI elements and backgrounds, which really sell the kind of densely packed dystopia that the deep future is made out to be. While I did feel at points it was a little too much in terms of visual noise, I’m sure a balance will be struck when it comes time to the game’s full release.
But how does Neon Inferno play? Great, actually. The game wears its arcade sensibilities on its sleeves as it presents you with a handful of different difficulty settings, specifically highlighting the coveted one-credit-clear difficulty that demands a single deathless run. If that’s too much of a tall order, you can also bump things down — I opted for Hard, which is as difficult, albeit with some occasional checkpoints here and there. From there, you’ll blast your way through a park, zoom across a highway while taking out thugs on motorcycles, and finally go toe to toe with both a heavily-armored military vehicle and its crazed, missile launcher-wielding occupant. That is, until things take an unexpected turn.
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It was a great taste of what’s to come. Enemy patterns aren’t obnoxiously overbearing, but they’re deliberately placed in such a way to demand your utmost attention and reflexes. The enemies in the background also throw an interesting wrench into your approach. They’re not so much a distraction as they are an additional element to keep tabs on, even justifying the game’s use of bullet time in some ways whenever you need some extra breathing room. The boss did give me some trouble, but I was ultimately able to clear the first phase after a handful of attempts and the second phase on my first go-around. There’s even a brief vehicle section that shakes up the game’s controls even more than usual, demanding that you dodge civilians and barricades while shooting up helicopters and opposing Yakuza members.
Should You Play Neon Inferno?
So far, Neon Inferno is an excellent example of a classic genre given a modern sheen, along with some interesting ideas of its own to give it some fun personality. But after playing the demo, I felt a very specific desire more than I felt for any of the other demos I tried out during Steam Next Fest — I wanted more. Seeing the demo close out only after one stage filled me with a genuine disappointment, the same kind that I felt after being rained out as a kid. I wanted to do a full run of the game right then and there. But it’s just not possible, just like how I can’t play four square when there’s a bona fide monsoon raging outside.
I want Neon Inferno to be good. I really do. I had a blast with the very brief time I spent playing it, and while it’s important to keep things in perspective when it comes to prospective purchases, I can’t help but be optimistic about Neon Inferno‘s future. Will it be for everyone? Not necessarily. Will it scratch an itch that cabal shooter fans have been feeling for literal decades? I’d like to think so. The promise of additional weapon types and even upgrades in the full release can only make things even better.
Neon Inferno is currently slated to release on Steam on October 2, 2025.
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