Neon Abyss - Alter Ego Review Summary

Unique characters and radical alters make the satisfying shooting and good value shine, though poor balance and DLC without new characters hold it back.

Alters change abilities radically: Alternate skins are not just cosmetic; they change character colors, sprites, and grant different abilities. Some alters even gain powerful passives like R-6's.

Unique skills per character: Each character has distinct skills and abilities, enhancing variety. New skills like Matt's neon shadow add invincibility but prevent shooting.

Satisfying shooting and gameplay: The shooting mechanics are satisfying, and the overall arcade-style gameplay is fun and relaxing. Exploring and finding items adds to the satisfaction.

Good value for price: The DLC offers good value for its price, especially when obtained for free during its first week. It is considered really good and acceptable even when free.

DLC doubles character roster: The DLC roughly doubles the total number of characters, including those from other DLC packs. This significantly expands the playable roster.

DLC adds no new characters: The DLC does not introduce new characters, only new skins and skills, and much of its content is seen as belonging in the base game.

DLC auto-unlocks all characters: The DLC grants immediate access to all characters, bypassing the medal investment required in the base game, which players feel is pay-to-win and undermines progression.

Flame Squad DLC unusable: Multiple reports state that the Flame Squad cannot be used after purchase, and Amir's Flame Squad form skill does nothing when activated.

Purchased content inaccessible: Players report that purchased characters or content appear grayed out or cannot be used, including skills not working and the DLC failing to load.

Alts overpowered or underpowered: Some alternate characters are considered too strong (e.g., R-6's skin grants extra shields, Wade's alt is a straight upgrade), while others like Anna and Matt feel like stat downgrades.

Alter skins grant new skills: Each DLC skin comes with a new skill or ability that players must learn, changing how the character plays. This includes both active and passive abilities tied to the skin.

Character-specific alter abilities: Several characters have unique alter abilities: Amir's Flame Squad form fuses weapons, James's alter combines guns, Matt's neon shadow grants temporary invincibility, Anna's alter provides an extra item choice after boss kills, and Saya gains invincibility frames on kills.

Character switching via Q key: Players can switch between character forms or ego abilities by pressing the Q key, both in the character selection screen and during gameplay.

Gameplay includes shooting, fishing, and gold: The game features shooting as a core element, fishing as a prominent activity, and gold coins as currency. It is an arcade-style game with exploration and item discovery.

Alter skins change abilities and stats: The alternate skins modify character abilities and stats rather than being purely cosmetic. For example, some alters replace hearts with shields or change special abilities.

Worth it for existing fans: Several reviewers recommend the DLC if you have already played the other characters or are a fan of the game. It is seen as a worthwhile investment for those already invested in the base game.

Price concerns: One reviewer explicitly states it is not worth buying at that price. Another implies it is only worth it because it is free, highlighting value issues.

Buy last or in bundle: Some suggest getting this DLC after the others or waiting for a bundle if you missed the free offer. This indicates it is not a priority purchase on its own.

Hold for Zack skill change: A player will only buy once Zack's skill is changed, indicating dissatisfaction with the current skill design.

Free DLC for first week: Several reviewers note the DLC was free during its first launch week, and some mention it was free to everyone during that period.

DLC adds character alters: The DLC provides alternate versions of regular characters that change up the gameplay.

Game was obtained for free: Reviewers mention the base game was free to obtain.

Binding of Isaac comparison: The alter ego unlock system is compared to tainted characters in The Binding of Isaac, and character designs show obvious borrowing from that game.

Nearly doubles character count: The DLC nearly doubles the character count, including DLC characters.