Neon the Ninja is a 2D, punk rock, anti-everything-corrupt-in-the-world, action/ stealth game that tasks the player with a hit-list of the eight most vile leaders in the world. Slash your way through everything that moves; dive into neon signs for camouflage; or maybe do a little bit of both (who would we be to judge...that's Neon's job) in this Quentin Tarantino-vs.-Saturday-morning-cartoon take on video games. Things are going to get much, much brighter with Neon around.
GAMEPLAY
A Mega Man-style boss select screen lets players choose the order they'll take down the bosses, making each playthrough of the game unique.
Want to dethrone The King (Elvis-impersonating boss) before downsizing Big Kim (corrupt dictator boss)? Go for it! Or would you rather hand ATM (financial adviser/rapper boss) his final withdrawal before facing anyone else? Ok! The choice is yours, as long as every bad guy dies.
The order you take down the bosses decides the order you gain new upgrades! Stab, cut, punch, slap, throw, confuse, and generally discomfort your enemies with a wide array of unlockable items.
ARTSTYLE
Everything in Neon the Ninja is drawn by hand. This means every movement Neon makes is animated from a series of individual drawings, not Flash or any other animation shortcuts. The character artstyle is best described as "Saturday morning cartoon meets SNES mascot platformer concept art." That is, every enemy, NPC, and version of Neon is designed to be unique, visually memorable, and oozing with personality.
EVIL BOSSES
After literally slicing her way to the top, The Geisha Assassin is now the leader (and chief executioner) of the Yakuza. Her true identity is unknown, as she never removes her mask, but some say only a blood-stained skull lies behind it. Although her name and face may never be discovered, her brutal business dealings are well known all over the world. And she plans to keep it that way.
It's no secret that when a new Pope is elected, he receives the holy abilities of levitation and pyrokinesis. What the Church doesn't want you to know is that they sometimes choose the wrong candidate. How does one know a bad leader is in place? Sometimes it's a series of disastrous meetings with the press or pronounced drops in church attendance. Other times, however, it's the pile of burned bodies sitting outside of the commander's office.
Hero-villains are born, not made. Such is the case for Big Kim, who exited his mother's vaginal canal with a triumphant cry of "Seize all who oppose us!" Yes, Supreme Leader Big Kim is the world's youngest head of state – and he behaves like it. But come on, the guy is loved all over the world, and he has the pictures to prove it. Whether shooting hoops with forgotten (and reportedly banished) NBA nitwit Dick Dickman, or having dinner with a hologram of Adolf Hitler, Kim is certainly a man of the people. And, oh yeah, he has nuclear weapons, lots of guns, and no conscience.
ATM, a rapper from the ATL, has sold over 10 million units of his debut album, "Advi$er." Its singles, including "Liquid Assets" and "Private Placement," are mainstream hits not only because of their memorable beats and instrumentation, but also their solid financial advice. Though generous in his willingness to share information on the best investment opportunities, critics have begun to question the companies ATM supports. They want to know why all of these companies manufacture futuristic weaponry, and more importantly, why the CEOs keep "disappearing."
The Recluse is a former American business magnate, investor, programmer, inventor, and philanthropist. He is the founder and original CEO of SwagSoft®, the world's largest personal-computer software company. Perhaps the weight of these accomplishments and responsibilities became too much for him, as he eventually became obsessed with what he called the "inevitable Mayan Apocalypse that would destroy us all and maybe, just maybe, bring us face to face with the Mayan god of death." No one has seen or heard from him since he rocketed out of a SwagSoft® board meeting with the company's only prototype of its multi-billion dollar jetpack.
Neo-Cleo is many things. She's a combat specialist, roboticist, and daughter of the world's most revered archaeologist, Sir Eugene Cleopatra. Indeed, she has a considerable claim to fame. Despite being influenced by her father, Neo-Cleo disagrees with the old man on one minor issue: She believes true power can only be obtained through the unholy union of science, technology, and the occult. In a quest to prove herself right, she's enclosed herself in a heavily fortified Egyptian pyramid where she eagerly pursues the secret to world domination.
Not content with being heir to the most powerful drug trafficking family in Eastern Europe, "The King" decided he'd rather become the world's most powerful Elvis impersonator. Thus, he grew his sideburns to a suitable length and moved his clandestine operation to the only city capable of truly appreciating his Presleyian abilities: Las Vegas. In addition to adoring the King's spirited renditions of Elvis' hits, the city fell equally in love with his high-quality cocaine. And neither his show nor his blow are going away any time soon, as every detective assigned to investigate the King for drug trafficking has turned up dead. Or maybe you could say, "all shook up."
Ready to give the DEMO a try? All you need is a PC and a gamepad!