Solo developer David Marquardt and Rogue Games have just launched their roguelite twin-stick shooter, Dust & Neon for PC and Nintendo Switch. Aiming to bring players a fun action roguelite and a new concept of a wild-west setting, this title seems to be reaching for an ambitious spotlight. If you are a fan of twin-stick shooters then you are in the right place. So, how does this roguelite, twin-stick, looter shooter hold up?

Story

A mad scientist has figured out a way to clone one of the toughest gunslingers in history, you! Replacing some of your missing limbs with robot tech, the futuristic wild west now has a gunslinging robotic hybrid hero to save it from the evil A.I. menace. Mankind is nearly completely wiped out and it's up to you to stop this cyber apocalypse.

This is a fun concept but I wish it was executed with more story content. In this game, what it lacks in an actual plot, it provides in its setting. Although levels are vibrant and enjoyable to explore, characters have few lines if any, and the story is as basic as they come. It’s clear this game is all about the guns, so If you are looking for a full-fledged narrative, this ain't it chief.

Gameplay

Dust & Neon delivers twin-stick shooting action with a birdseye view of the landscape. The gunplay feels great allowing for a dynamic reload in the middle of battle. Players have to manually reload each bullet by tapping a button/key and have to ensure they time their reloads right. I really enjoyed this feature and felt it added much-needed depth to the mindless shooting. Also, the game takes into account the various attributes that each weapon offers. The game boasts over 2,000 different weapons that can be looted and it makes sense since each gun has different stats. Whether it's high in damage or accuracy, or maybe it has a special ability to electrocute enemies. Either way, there is definitely an element of wonder, each time a mission loads up. You never know what you might find in the next loot chest.

This roguelite emphasizes upgrades in order to help you progress through the game at an easier pace. The world is divided into 4 main areas where you can take on various missions for cash, cores, and experience. Of course, part of the adventure is also the random loot you will find along the way. Every level consists of chests that harbor cash, ammo, health, or weapons. There are only 3 weapon types in the game consisting of the revolver, shotgun, and rifle. Although the revolver is a great all-arounder, the shotgun does pack the most punch up close. The rifle allows for more distant shots but honestly, I found myself mostly blazing through levels just using the revolver for the majority of my runs.

Mission types are recycled throughout the 4 main areas and consist of sabotaging the enemy base by destroying their power, taking out all enemies, and scavenging for items. Missions play out fairly quickly and some can easily be completed in under 5 minutes if you rush through them. This game feels well-suited for mobile players, so if you are planning on getting it for the Switch or playing it on the Steam Deck, you are in luck. It has the perfect setup for bite-sized missions while on the go.

The mission selections do feel a bit repetitive after a few hours into the game which can make for a stale experience. I did find myself growing tired of the same mission types being recycled in different areas. Luckily, the levels do have a bit of randomly generated spice to them. Levels felt similar but never identical. Enemies would spawn in different locations, buildings would be laid out in different areas, and pickups were always different. This was the main thing keeping the game from feeling like a constant rinse and repeat, but just barely.

Bosses in this game are meant to be beaten repeatedly. Doing so offers unlockables for your base and it is encouraged to take on the bosses multiple times. Death penalizes the player by risking all cash and cores currently found on the level. The thing is, cash and cores are stored at the main base after every successful mission so there is no risk of losing your entire stash. The biggest risk is losing all of your weapons, which is truly the game changer. If you found an exceptional weapon with high damage and electric discharge, unfortunately, it will be lost upon death. The game does give you a bit of relief in the form of a buyback feature. You are able to upgrade your base to allow you to buy back the weapons you lose when you die. This is where your cash reserves come into play but it's important to note that these weapons are not cheap.

As you progress, you can choose to continue upgrading this feature to allow you to buy back your revolver, shotgun, and rifle with the cores you have gathered on your missions. You can also use the cores to discount the cost of the weapon buyback system. I found myself using this system the most, even though the game does have a weapon shop that randomizes the stock after every mission. But the risk ends there, and the player can continue to progress through the game’s 4 main areas and fight the various bosses. Death doe not feel like a true “punishment” and is more of an annoyance.

The game does provide you with a randomized weapon when you spawn, at first it's a basic revolver. But you can upgrade the main base to allow a random shotgun and rifle to spawn as well as increase the chance of a seemingly rare weapon to start you off on your fresh life.

Along with the weapon store, you can also purchase Tonics that will give you various buffs to help tackle the evil robotic menace. The buffs can be anything from faster reload speeds, increased damage while taking cover, and increased health just to name a few. The tonics are not cheap so I found myself using them for the Harder missions and boss battles. They are a one-time use so make sure to use them only when necessary.

Audio and Visual

Dust & Neon’s soundtrack does not have much variety but it does get the vibe down right. A good mix of that wild west feel along with some electronic rock suits the game. But listening to the same track over and over again became tiresome, especially since most missions are completed quite quickly. Sound effects for weapons and random robotic noises all seem fitting to the lore but unfortunately, there is no voice acting in this title.

As for performance, the game is well-optimized for PC and I never experienced a frame drop or even a graphical glitch. The aesthetic of the game has a super-infused look of bright vibrant greens, oranges, and reds. I enjoy the cartoony look of the game but I did find myself having a tough time distinguishing chests in some areas since the chests blend into the background making it easy to miss. This did not feel intentional and was more of a hindrance. 

Replayability

The biggest draw to come back to Dust & Neon for me would be the various randomized weapons that can be found while playing. Some players will want to upgrade their gunslinger’s skills and their base to the max and run through the game’s bosses again. I don’t find much appeal in retreading the same levels and missions with a stronger loadout, knowing it's the same missions I’ve been playing for the last 12 hours. This seems like more of a grind than a challenge. If there was more variety here, I would be more willing to replay the campaign with my decked-out gunslinger.

What It Could Have Done Better

This game needs more variety of missions. Most roguelites do have the player retread through the same levels upon death, but Dust & Neon requires it throughout its entire campaign. Bosses aren’t reachable until you rank up your gunslinger to a certain level, requiring you to grind previous levels and complete the same missions you have already done. I get that the appeal is supposed to be in the varied loot and the semi-procedurally generated level design, but it doesn’t feel like enough has changed to keep me coming back.

Verdict 

Dust & Neon gives twin-stick shooter fans a fun ride. I had a good time with the game mindlessly shooting the apocalyptic robotic menace, allowing for some intense gunfights when the difficulty would ramp up, but it did get repetitive quickly. I suppose it’s a tough task for a roguelite to accomplish but some titles have done so beautifully. Dust & Neon will provide the fun factor in the midst of battle but don’t expect endless hours of replayability.

Dust & Neon is available now for Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam and EGS.