Time trials and other score-based systems aren't anything new in video games, though never have I ever played a game as enticing to perfect as Neon White. 15 hours in, and I'm barely halfway through. I'm too stubborn to finish a level until I've beaten all my friends.

Presentation-wise, there's nothing quite as appealing to me as this. Beautiful visuals, character design to die for, and a score done by my favorite band of all time. Couldn't ask for anything better or more fitting.

What keeps this game from being a full 5 stars is a lacking sense of scale. The game's pretty damn long, as mentioned, but it also feels a bit bare bones in other areas. A main cast of 5 characters is tiny, one or two more named Neons with their own designs would go a long way. Another symptom of (I'm assuming) a lack of resources, is that it does a lot of explaining locations in the world rather than showing them, making it feel smaller than heaven probably should.

Still, this game skyrocketed into becoming one of my all-time favorites as soon as I played it, and has left its mark on me in an interesting way by pushing me to change my IRL name. That's something no other game can take credit for, meaning this is the best game ever made by default. Go play it.