Dominic Camelli 
**Disclaimer: I did not complete the game. After an update my save data went missing. Not sure if this is a widespread issue, but, I was far enough along to give the game a proper review. **
Tales of the Neon Sea is a beautiful point and click game with a neon-cyberpunk aesthetic, that evokes imagery of Asimov and other science-fiction writers. Geeks rejoice, this pixelated love letter to all things sci-fi is available now on steam. Is it worth checking out? Is a robot capable of murder? Are you willing to find out?
The Visuals
Perhaps the most notable thing about this game is the color pallet and art style they chose. Pixel art has been gaining popularity in the past few years and this take adds cyberpunk styling in a world that feels lived in. If the worlds of I, Robot and Blade Runner fused with a neon purple color scheme – that’s the game world.
The Gameplay
It is your standard point and click adventure but with puzzles built-in frequently to change up the gameplay. These puzzles range from easy enough to do without looking for clues, to writing down the clues and translating them to other things. Without getting into much detail, you switch perspectives throughout the game to solve different puzzles. This is neat, but it gets tedious at times, whilst being difficult to navigate at others. Even as you investigate crime scenes you cannot escape puzzles. It’s sometimes straight out of 2009’s Sherlock Holmes movie as you discover the truth.
The Music
The music they chose fits the world in which it exists extremely well. There is music that feels right at home in the bar, whilst other scores fit the feel of the scene perfectly whether it be a sombre moment or one of intensity.
The Story
(See Disclaimer) The setup they give is really interesting and makes you want to play more. They don’t tell you anything about the main character directly and it’s up to the player to piece together not only his story, but what is going on in the world. It really pulls you in the hope that you’ll get answers as time goes on.
Conclusion
This game brings a lot of appealing elements into an interesting experience. If there are stability updates in the future to prevent data loss, the game would surely benefit. There are a lot of Easter eggs throughout, even at the beginning, with likely more to follow, giving geeks a much-needed treat. Overall, this is a great game worth it’s price tag. It’s not perfect feeling slow and tedious at points throughout but, if you’re looking for a nice game to finish in an evening, this is for you.
