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Genre: Arcade/Action

Format: Download

Developer: Mondo Robot

Publisher: Freeverse

System Requirements: Mac OS X v10.4, G4 or Intel processor, 512MB RAM, 32MB VRAM, 500MB hard drive space

Review Computer: 2GHz 20" Intel Core Duo iMac, 1GB RAM, 256MB ATI Radeon X1600

Network Feature: No

Processor Compatibility: Universal

Price: $24.95

ESRB Rating: N/A

Availability: Out now

Demo: Download full demo (95.2MB)

Let me make one thing clear straight away; the "tango" in this title isn't so much about dancing. Not in this game will you see Marie Osmond, one of those Saved By the Bell boys or any former football players fighting for relevance. The "neon" part is accurate, but for "tango," think of those military movies where fighter pilots shout out phrases such as, "Whiskey tango foxtrot!" In fact, that may be a good phrase to learn when playing this game, just be careful you don't say it around your parents if they have a military background.

Rather, Neon Tango is about flying around and blowing stuff up. Plenty of stuff. Wave after wave of stuff you may or may not be able to identify, but that you know needs to be blown up because it's there. You pilot a lone cybership flying through...something. I don't think the location is actually identified, but it could very well be above the Game Grid in the movie Tron. I wouldn't have been surprised to see a couple Light Cycles whiz by below or have Bruce Boxleitner throw a frisbee at my head.

This is because Neon Tango is neon. It glows. Think of those old vector-based arcade games such as Asteroids and Battlezone, only in hyper-color, if such a term exists. And with more action. And prettier explosions. And insane boss battles.

Actually, for the sake of timelier references, we'll say that Neon Tango plays like a cross between Freeverse's own Wingnuts 2 and Ambrosia Software's SketchFighter 4000 Alpha. The SketchFighter comparison is perhaps more accurate, though, for a couple reasons. Both games place you in confined mazes you must navigate in order to get to and destroy your enemies. In SketchFighter, you were exploring some sort of cave with the intention of actually reaching an end. In Neon Tango, the walls are there for obstruction only, not to guide you down a certain path. You'll be flying back and forth through them countless teams in an effort to clear out the level.

The other similarity stems from their distinctive visual styles. SketchFighter was developed to look like a doodle brought to life on a pad of paper. Neon Tango, on the other hand, tosses conventional graphics aside and replaces them with stark, bright colors against a contrasting black background. There's no point in describing it further, as you can get more from the screen captures in this review. I will point out, though, that the game is easier to look at in action than it is in a compressed screen capture, as movement helps the important elements stand out. You can view a clip of the game in action at Freeverse's website to see what I mean.

The wild visuals and confined environments aside, the game plays and feels just like Wingnuts 2 (it's based on the same core technology). If you've spent any time at all in that game, you'll recognize the similarities in how your ship flies, how it feels to collide with other ships, how you approach boss battles, etc. Yet, this isn't a simple rehash under a new skin. The strategies are completely different, focusing instead on the use of power-ups, your method of attacking the numerous enemies, and on using the environment to your advantage. For instance, some walls can only be penetrated from one side, while your lasers can pass through. On others, the lasers ricochet. Hiding behind the walls can be beneficial...for a while, anyway. In games such as this, it's never a good idea to stay in one area for long. Similarly, I was having trouble with a particular boss until I began warping in and out of nearby wormholes to take a quick shot or two then duck back in before the boss could turn on me and unleash its attacks.

As with nearly all games of this type, destroying certain enemies will release power-ups that you can collect and use against the stronger enemies or those that come in high numbers. Knowing when and how to use the power-ups is essential for victory, especially against the bosses. I also heavily recommend the use of a gamepad. You can play with the keyboard, of course, but it'll be difficult to get the precise control you need to get deep into the game. Although the initial set-up was a bit jumbled with my Logitech RumblePad, Neon Tango was much more fun once I got off the keyboard.

What's most impressive about Neon Tango is that if you throw aside the fantastic visuals, you've still got a great game. It's lovingly 100% unabashed arcade action, making it great for either short bursts of play between other computer projects or for prolonged gaming sessions. And because the levels are much more confined than in Wingnuts 2, the game feels more urgent; there's little time wasted flying across large expanses to get to more enemies...and no bombs to worry about dropping.

In Neon Tango, Freeverse has released probably their most intense action game to date, even rivalling Kill Monty. What's lacking in multiplayer capabilities is made up for in 50 levels and three gameplay modes of pure arcade/action fun. I think I still prefer Wingnuts 2, as the sense of humor and loose story offer something beyond the actual gameplay. But if you find that such things just kill your adrenaline buzz, then Neon Tango is just what you need.

And hey, get good enough, and you can post your scores online to see how you compare with Marie Osmond and Emmitt Smith.