Constructing an intriguing concept is one thing. But to also have the wherewithal to execute it is an entirely different set of expertise. NeverAwake is a title that successfully manages to fulfil both of these quotas, and it’s absolutely awesome.
Developer Neotro Inc won’t be a stranger to fans of the shoot ‘em up genre. They previously released GRAND CROSS: ReNOVATION and VRITRA. Having played those two after already completing NeverAwake, I can comfortably say that this one is my favourite of the three. Thus, my aim by the end of this review is to hopefully persuade you to not sleep on NeverAwake… pun not intended.
Sympathetic story telling.
The narrative of NeverAwake is utterly heart wrenching. It portrays a young girl named Rem in a perpetual state of sleep. Whilst sleeping, she has reoccurring nightmares based on ideas or notions that she hates. This includes concepts like eating her vegetables, interacting with her school peers, and, expectedly, visiting the dentist.
Mercifully, an unknown entity, seemingly attempting to aid Rem, consistently appears in each one of her dreams. This is where we as the player come into action. It’s our job to try and help Rem overcome her fears and concerns, by fighting off the monsters that torment her.
I’m not ashamed to admit that the story hit a little close to home. I’ve had times in my life where qualms and uncertainties have plagued my mind, especially during my teenage years. NeverAwake captures those emotions, and portrays them in a rather elegant way.
There are also a couple of endings to discover here. Which one you get depends on how you played throughout the course of the game. Regardless of the ending you receive, the atmospheric plot is worth the cost of admission by itself.
Whacky and imaginative levels.
The nightmares Rem experience function as NeverAwake’s various worlds and levels. For example, her hatred of vegetables places her in the centre of a broccoli ridden forest. Subsequently, this directly impacts the level design, altering the foes and obstacles you encounter throughout that world’s zones.
To clear any given level, you must collect a specific amount of souls. This is achieved by destroying the ghoulish monsters that fly around the screen. Once the progress bar has reached 100%, the level immediately ends. Boss levels operate in the same way. You don’t actually have to defeat any of them, but instead, simply have to deal enough damage to fill your progress bar.
Interestingly, each level has an end point. Once you reach this zone, the level resets. You’ll retain all of the soul progress you’ve made, but the enemies and objects will reinitialise back to their starting positions. Effectively, the stages infinitely loop until you either die, or reach 100% souls.
An increasingly difficult experience.
A word to the wise, the more the stages loop, the harder they become. Additionally, some of the later levels can get exceedingly challenging, even for veteran players. Thankfully, there are a few mechanics put into place should you feel like the game is proving to be too difficult.
Firstly, you can turn on the auto aim setting found in the options menu. As the name implies, this will allow you to focus on movement while the computer handles the shooting aspects. Secondly, you can use the oversoul feature upon dying to give yourself a power boost on your next attempt. Lastly, should you die repeatedly, the game will also unlock new items for you to purchase in the shop. – I’ll touch more on those in a minute. –
Outside of the campaign, you’ll also have challenges you can compete in. These serve as a way to break the regular gameplay loop, and are fun activities to get involved with. In total, there are over 80 levels to playthrough, giving you a lot of bang for your buck.
By the book combat and dynamic upgrades.
When it comes to NeverAwake’s combat, it is a responsive, but predictable system. Dealing with oncoming threats involves firing your main weapon, using special abilities, and dashing out of the way of oncoming attacks. Even for its reserved disposition, these actions feel incredibly fluid to perform. I did have some problems relating to Rem’s hitboxes and invincible enemy projectiles. Admittedly, this wasn’t a super common occurrence, but it did happen enough that I feel it’s worth mentioning.
Improving your character primarily comes in the form of accessories. Essentially, these are passives which modify Rem in some capacity, ranging from taking an extra hit, increasing the alternate ammo recharge rate, or absorbing nearby souls. All playstyles have been covered, so it’s likely you’ll find something to vibe with.
Besides accessories, you also have an array of special weapons at your disposal. Abilities like high calibre shotgun blasts, screen wide AoE bombs, and protective circles, can all change the battle dynamic in a heartbeat. Exactly how you go around kitting out your build is left completely up to you. You’ll progressively unlock new weapons, accessories, and upgrades as you work your way through the game.
Impactful and memorable visuals.
Although it’s completely subjective, in my opinion, NeverAwake has an ominously beautiful art style. The striking blend of realism, mixed with grotesque cartoon imagery, fosters a strangely captivating impression. Of course, this coincides tremendously well with the game’s narrative. After all, dreams are often disjointed and abstract by nature.
As previously stated, the different stages act as the embodiment of Rem’s anxieties. This is masterfully depicted through other worldly illustrations. The best example of this can be found in the dog park zones. It morphs the entire neighbourhood into a Dr. Seuss x Tim Burton style hallucination. It’s ridiculously imaginative, and a great example of background detailing.
In a similar vein to the backdrops, the monster designs, and their corresponding animations, are, appropriately, nightmare inducing. The manner in which the creatures contort and bend out of shape is eery to say the least. However, for a horror themed game, that is exactly what you want to see.
Touhou style sound design.
NeverAwake’s SFX can best be described as bizarre, yet crunchy. It’s purposefully curated in this way to harmonise with the games overarching subject matter, and it does so marveousuly. Everything from the monsters’ cries to Rem’s abilities are oddly alien, but implemented with decisive precision. My fellow Danmaku and shoot ‘em fans can rest easy knowing that Neotro Inc got this area down pat.
Running somewhat parallel to this is the OST. Composer, Fumihito Uekusa, utilises numerous tropes from the horror genre. Still, he remains careful to not crossover into clichéd territory, allowing the music to stay energetic and catchy, all while showcasing some slightly menacing undertones. It’s clear after playing this game that Uekusa is a talented individual, and I look forward to hearing more of his material in future games.
Conclusion
Simply put, NeverAwake is a smooth, responsive, and entertaining shoot ‘em up. The gameplay is both fast-paced and increasingly challenging, offering a lot of replayability. Artistically, the unique blend of realism and abstract imagery perfectly illustrates the nightmarish aesthetic. Likewise, the sound design and original OST accompany the games conceptual thematic phenomenally well. Most of all though, the emotionally charged narrative is portrayed in such a way that almost anyone can relate to it. I sincerely hope that NeverAwake gets the attention it deserves. And at £15, I cannot recommend this game enough.
