Following on from Veewo’s 2020 original, Neon Abyss 2 is an evolution of the rogue-like gameplay that I fell in love with. Described as a “cybermyth” world, equating to lots of neon and extraordinary bosses with the names of Greek gods, you’ll dive to the depths of the titular Abyss in a run and gun expedition to take out a slew of bosses and beasties with a seemingly infinite selection of over-the-top weaponry.
Every run feels unique as you are able to choose from 11 characters or “Agents”, each offering a different load-out experience as you dole out death in the depths. Some have more health, others start with a double jump or multiple weapons. Combine this with the standard easy/normal/hard difficulty options and you have a game that can easily be tailored to your exact requirements with a minimal amount of fuss.
Homing lasers? Glittery fireworks? A flaming katana? If these sound like your kinda thing then Neon Abyss 2 has exactly the mindset you’ll love. Weapons can be bought from shops or found throughout the abyss but it’s not just a binary choice of this or that. Don’t like the new weapon but have an excess of cash, then buy it and break it down into weapons experience to buff your current beau, each extra level offering even more excessive firepower to your death machine of choice.
The same idea can be applied to artefacts you’ll discover that will aid you throughout your multiple runs. Extract extra points toward your overall stats or keep the artefact as is and gain its boon to keep you alive. It’s all up to you and, with just a little bit of thought, you’ll soon put together the ideal build for your playstyle. It’s super satisfying and means that every attempt to blast your way through the abyss has the opportunity to turn the odds in your favour.
With mini-games to unlock, new weapons by the truckload, a tree of added gameplay features to work through and more, there’s plenty to keep you coming back for more. That’s not even accounting for the risk/reward of adding buffs or debuffs to your run, further tailoring the experience for ultimate player satisfaction.
The 2D pixel art looks lush with big, bold sprites that change according to your equipment at the time. Enemies hide their more murderous nature behind cute exteriors, be it cuddly looking bears with deadly laser eyes or adorable pink flying blob things that are intent on chomping you into tiny pieces. Explosions and particle effects fill the screen as you blast from room to room, an eye-gasm only moments away at any given point.
Bosses too look absolutely gorgeous, whether it’s a collection of homicidal paintings or an e-sports commentator with a penchant for handing out a severe case of death. They’re a spectacle to behold and a joy to conquer, each putting your trigger finger and reactions to the test. Even on repeat encounters, each will offer a slightly different challenge as they pull from a pool of extra powers, each spinning roulette-like before your eyes before equipping said bad guy with yet another way to blast you out of existence.
The seemingly biggest addition from the original title is co-op gameplay, allowing you and a like-minded pal to blast through the abyss together. Personally, I prefer a solo run as a screen literally full of projectiles and explosions is a bit much for my aging brain but that’s not to say that this isn’t an excellent new way to play should you be inclined as such.
A cracking rogue-like shooter that builds on the solid foundation of the previous game, Neon Abyss 2 offers countless hours of frantic fun. With unlocks and upgrades being offered even in the face of failure, it’s a platform shooter that knows how to respect your time. Synergize yourself with this one and you’re sure to come out smiling.
