Neo Cab Reviews

Neo Cab is a captivating exploration of a cyberpunk city, not including the pretty visuals and ambient synth soundtrack. However, its satellite stories gripped me and the core narrative feels like a detour.

Ridesharing and caring.

Neo Cab takes a dark, cynical look at a near future dominated by one megacorporation. For as bleak as it is, there's a level of catharsis to be found in its narrative, which mostly unfolds in the backseat of the protagonist's car.

One of my favorite things about indie games is the amount of diversity and variety between titles and genres. Naturally, certain themes may overlap a bit from time to time, but for the most part, this is the realm in which developers can truly express themselves artistically. That being said, I am a bit surprised that 2019 has graced us not one, but two interactive, investigative taxi-themed titles. The first is Night Call from MonkeyMoon, which is a noire crime drama set in Paris. Despite i...

Lina's week-long adventure is a brief but intense adventure in technology, human nature, and all the ways those two can intersect. Where it lacks in length, it makes up for with compelling deeper stories about people.

Neo Cab has something subtler to say than many Cyberpunk tales I’ve played in recent years. Its particular style looks a lot like ‘Neon Punk’; the same themes of social struggle, but a little less grunge and a little more – you guessed it – neon. In fact, in an interview with Rock Paper Shotgun, creative director Patrick Ewing described it more as “Nowpunk”. The city of Los Ojos is fictional, yet it would fit right in the world we know, allowing for a couple of decades of techno...

One of the best narrative-based games of the year, that tackles a number of contemporary issues in an original and entertaining manner and whose main fault is merely a lack of budget.

Neo Cab paints a picture of the not-so-far future.

The game’s art style is absolutely gorgeous; there’s a distinct Blade Runner kind of futuristic vibe to everything. The colours are vibrant, and both the city of Los Ojos and the characters themselves are doused in neon hues. Dialogue is realistic, intriguing and very engaging. There’s no voice acting which is a shame; it did become a little inconvenient when I couldn’t look away for even one second for fear of missing something.

In one ride I watched a drunk Capra executive be duped into donating for a fake charitable foundation. I asked how much he was donating, and he said "Why? You going to match it?" I'd given the same guy a ride a few nights before, and he'd thrown up in my cab and pretended he hadn't. Gave me a one star rating. So I didn't say anything else.

Neo Cab is a delightful experience that sometimes trips over itself due to certain design choices. Make sure to check out the demo before purchasing.

And ultimately, I think playing Neo Cab takes a mood. When you’re tired after a long day and can’t bring yourself to deal with anything more challenging or more involved, Neo Cab will be there. It isn’t going to amaze you with ornate animations or deep gameplay, but it might calm you down. It’ll get you to think about life and society, and it’ll take you on a bizarre trip through a futuristic town and the fragile psychological state of its denizens. Be prepared, though, for a game that is entirely devoted to storytelling. What gameplay it offers is just icing-on-the-cake, and it could probably use a bit more sugar.

In today’s world, rideshare services like Uber and Lyft have become ubiquitous modes of transportation. Using that as a springboard, Neo Cab is a fascinating ride. It takes something we’re all familiar with – hiring a driver through an app – and explores meaningful topics through that lens, like our relationship with technology and confronting toxic friendships. The concept of being a driver and managing conversations to ensure a five-star rating is enticing on its own, but Neo Cab shines by adding intriguing layers, like a future where humans are increasingly losing themselves to technology.