Neon Abyss - Lovable Rogues Pack Review Summary

Saya's katana boosts mobility and makes her extremely fun and cute and handsome, while the affordable game and DLC add replayability and content, though melee combat feels too risky.

Saya katana boosts mobility: Saya's katana upward slash acts as an extra jump, allowing players to reach higher places and items early game. This mobility is often compared to a double jump and is a key reason players enjoy her.

Saya extremely fun to play: Many players find Saya really fun to play, often citing her mobility and melee combat. She is described as the most enjoyable character among those played so far.

Saya cute and handsome design: Reviewers describe Saya as cute and very handsome, and she looks better than other characters. The anime girl character is extremely good, and her cyberpunk style with neon hair and JK uniform is loved.

Game worth buying affordable: The game is absolutely worth buying and very affordable, with a reasonable price for what you get. The base game is brilliant and the quality is not a low-quality knockoff.

DLC adds replayability and content: The DLC adds enough content to feel like playing two games, increasing replayability and keeping players engaged. Unlocking all characters is motivating, and local co-op is fun.

Melee combat too risky: Players report that using Saya's katana past floor 5 is too dangerous, as they often get hurt and the melee bonuses do not apply to the katana, making pure melee builds non-viable. The katana's only advantage is climbing to high places.

Amir is item-dependent: Reviewers find Amir awkward and not interesting because his effectiveness relies heavily on specific items, such as the blue Cosmic Matrix, whose appearance timing is unpredictable. His perk that applies to all characters is seen as silly when new.

DLC monetization criticized: Players express frustration that paid DLC characters like Saya and Amir are not included in the base game despite its price, and that the DLC lacks incentives beyond aesthetics. Some feel the DLC is a cash grab.

Game-breaking bugs: Players encounter severe bugs: after obtaining the Sacred Flame Heart and dying in the floor 6 challenge room, re-entering and killing all enemies leaves the door unopened with no exit, forcing a restart and loss of progress. Another bug causes the player to respawn at the crystal and become stuck, unable to move.

Saya's art inconsistent: Several reviewers complain that Saya's in-game portrait and character model are ugly or poorly drawn compared to the illustration. The PC version's character art is also considered worse than the mobile version's.

Saya uses katana: Saya wields a katana as her primary weapon, and it can also be swapped or used as a knife.

Saya's extra jump: Saya's katana provides an upward slash or strike that gives extra height, effectively acting as a double jump.

Multiple playable characters: The game features multiple playable characters with distinct abilities, including Saya and Amir.

DLC adds Saya and Amir: The DLC introduces two new playable characters, Saya and Amir, who bring unique mechanics to the game.

Melee and ranged combat: Players can use both melee and ranged options, with melee requiring timing and ranged accessible to all.

Game freezes on final level: Players report the game freezing during the final level, with only the mouse cursor remaining responsive. This blocks completion of the game entirely.

DLC is worth buying: Multiple clusters explicitly state the DLC is worth the purchase, with some saying it is worth it regardless of other factors. This is a strong positive endorsement repeated across reviews.

Saya makes DLC worthwhile: Clusters highlight that Saya is fun to play, is the main reason to get the DLC, and her mobility adds value. Buying the DLC for Saya is highly recommended.

Characters justify purchase: Both characters are considered worth it, and the DLC is not expensive. This reinforces the value proposition of the character additions.

DLC suits veteran players: The DLC is recommended for players with many hours of play, suggesting it caters to experienced users. This indicates a target audience for the content.

Appeals to pixel art fans: Fans of pixel art and dungeon crawler modes will find the DLC strongly recommended. This highlights the aesthetic and genre appeal of the expansion.

Community fair range: $1.99 - $4.99.

Pixel Dungeon Content Seeker: Clears dungeon runs, experiments with melee builds, and seeks more item and attribute options. Motivation: To extend post-clear dungeon content and keep playing through DLC and build variety. Stance: buy.

Mobility-Focused DLC Newcomer: Uses dash-heavy movement and experiments with DLC character and item interactions. Motivation: To enjoy Saya's mobility and discover how items work with Amir. Stance: buy.

Monetization: The reviews focus on paid character DLC, especially the Alter DLC and Saya, with mild preference for free DLC. However, reviewers explicitly state that the DLC characters are not pay-to-win and mention other available characters. There is no direct evidence of real-money gacha, loot boxes, currency obfuscation, battle passes, paid convenience, or an in-game cash shop. The monetization appears limited to traditional paid DLC.

Paid DLC characters available: Multiple reviewers note that the game offers paid DLC that adds new characters, with the Defector character pack specifically mentioned.

Compared to Katana Zero: Several reviewers compare the game to Katana Zero, mentioning copied slashing animations, similar attack styles, and Saya as a true sequel.

Supports domestic game development: Reviewers mention the game is a Chinese domestic title and bought it to support local single-player development, including one who purchased the official version after trying a pirated copy.

DLC priced affordably: Reviewers describe the DLC as reasonably priced and not expensive.

Bundle purchase issues: The game is sold as a bundle, and one reviewer notes that refunding the bundle only refunded the base game.