What do you get when you combine 16-bit run and gun action with a gallery shooter? The answer is Neon Inferno, a game that proudly touts itself as Contra meets Wild Guns. Set in a cyberpunk New York City and drenched in gorgeous pixel art, Neon Inferno makes a strong impression. But does it have the substance to back up all that style?

The game can be played both single player and cooperatively with a second player. Levels play out in a 2D field but enemies can appear both in the foreground alongside the player and the background. In the foreground you’ll run, jump, and shoot freely. You also have a melee attack (that doubles as a counter) and a dodge. By holding down the right bumper you can instead fire into the background. While doing this you won’t be able to move so its important to carefully manage enemies in both the foreground and the background. Attentive players can also make use of bonus damage by using the melee counter to deflect bullets from the foreground into the background. Punctuating this gameplay are regular set piece moments that will have you jumping between flying vehicles or fighting off enemies from the back of a motorcycle weaving through traffic. Not only does each level feel highly unique, but there is a surprising amount of variety within each level from one screen to the next.

Between stages you’ll have the option to visit a shop where you can purchase special weapons that make use of limited ammo. These cost gold found in levels. However each one has extremely limited ammo and new ammo does not drop mid-level. This makes the actual value of any of these weapons highly questionable. I’d have much rather they be dropped by enemies in a manner more in keeping with the gameplay of the titles that inspired Neon Inferno.

It goes without saying that at any given moment there is a lot to keep track of. Neon Inferno deserves a lot of credit for how readable it manages to keep its chaos all while presenting absolutely beautiful artwork. You also have the option to strengthen or reduce the default CRT effects placed on the game. The art seamlessly blends between 16-bit sprite work that calls to mind the best of the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis era, with modern volumetric effects and real-time lighting. Being in the world of Neon Inferno is visually enthralling and I was always excited to see what the next screen would have on offer.

By default the game is set to hard mode, but also features a medium and easy mode. I opted for medium for my first playthrough. After a couple stages I started to feel pretty comfortable and figured I’d up the difficulty. I was disappointed to see that there was no way to do this without starting an entirely new save file. That obviously goes for lowering the difficulty as well. Add to this a questionable checkpoint system with extremely uneven placing and difficulty balancing does become something of an issue.

Neon Inferno executes on all the toughest elements of its design flawlessly but occasionally gets tripped up in more traditional areas. Blasting your way through enemies before using a sword to deflect bullets into a sniper waiting in the background is extremely satisfying. But at the same time a poorly implemented alternate weapon system and badly paced checkpoints prevent Neon Inferno from ever quite hitting the heights it deserves to hit. That being said even with those occasional missteps it is hard not to get caught up in everything Neon Inferno has to offer. This is a beautiful throwback to some of the best of the 16-bit era that achieves something entirely original.