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- Rogue Games
- Rogue Games
- Rogue Games
- Rogue Games
Dust & Neon
Released On: Feb 16, 2023
63
7.6
Where to Buy
Where to Buy
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 7 Critic Reviews
63
29% Positive
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
71% Mixed
5 Reviews
5 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 7 Critic Reviews
63
29% Positive
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
71% Mixed
5 Reviews
5 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Dust & Neon is fast, exciting, and often challenging. There are a ton of weapons to constantly compare and equip, enabling variety when it comes to the playstyle. The rogue side of the game does not offer a ton of depth but has plenty of reasons to try again when death comes for the cowboy. The game’s universe is a little too conservative and does not embrace the potential weirdness of the cowboy and robots mix. Boss battles can also sometimes feel unfair. But I like Dust & Neon combat and players who want solid twin-stick shooter action should give it a look.
Dust & Neon provides some engaging twin-stick firefights across its fifteen-minute missions. Between the taut pace and tight play, this is an above-average action-roguelike mainly undermined by above-average pricing.
In theory, Dust and Neon was made for a gamer like me. And I do like the art, the premise, and the style of action. Some aspects don’t quite feel fleshed out, like the mission designs, the narrative, and the range of weapons. Then there’s the reload mechanic, which I found more annoying than innovative. Dust and Neon isn’t a bad game, and fans of twin-stick shooters, Westerns, roguelikes, and looter-shooters should all find a little fun hunting outlaw robots. Unfortunately, its pleasures are just a bit too shallow and brief.
Dust & Neon has all of the tools and gunslinging gameplay needed to offer up a good time, but it’s hindered by a lack of story or characters to be invested in, bad AI on occasions and a structure that just ends up dragging things out for too long. There’s still fun to be had here in successfully beating enemies to the punch with it comes to being the quicker draw, and maybe those who are more patient will find something to truly enjoy, but for those looking for a good twin-stick shooter, roguelike, or both, there are many better options out there.
A tragic case of wasted potential, Dust & Neon renders its formidable run-and-gun mechanics powerless with repetitive missions, trivial upgrades, and a nonsensical difficulty curve. The simple satisfaction of blasting anything that moves might keep some players happy for a while, but ultimately this one would be hard to recommend at even a quarter of its current asking price.
Among other roguelikes, I can't say that Dust & Neon stands out in any way, as it relies on its charming theme and aesthetics while unfortunately never being particularly entertaining to actually play.
Much like the rest of the game, Dust & Neon’s bosses pretend that they’re interesting, but are absent of charm or character. Then there are the final bosses who require an arbitrary number of level-ups to reach, forcing players to chew through repetitive missions and farm XP, a task which only brings the game’s flaws more readily to the surface. In its finest moments, Dust & Neon presents serviceable roguelite gameplay with responsive controls, but there are better options available with way less meaningless grind required.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 7 User Ratings
7.6
43% Positive
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
57% Mixed
4 Ratings
4 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 7 User Ratings
7.6
43% Positive
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
57% Mixed
4 Ratings
4 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
There are no user reviews yet. Be the first to add a review.
Summary Dust & Neon pits a single cowboy against an army of robots in this fast-paced, roguelite action twin-stick shooter, set in a futuristic Wild West.
Platforms:
- PC
- Nintendo Switch
- PlayStation 5
- Xbox Series X
Initial Release Date: Feb 16, 2023
Developer:
- Rogue Games
Publisher: Rogue Games
Genres:
