Neon Splash improves massively upon the original Demon Turf’s structure, and while a few unique quirks from the original fall to the wayside, this is a more rewarding, complete experience. Only the best parts of Beebz’s moveset and the levels she’d navigate are brought to Neon Splash. And while your options for movement can lead to rote paths through each level, there are enough windows for creative expression and sequence breaking that are really fun.
Collectibles are still an issue, often slowing down the pace to crawl if you choose to go for them. And when the speedrun clock, and the amount of lollipops you’ve collected, are given the same real estate in the UI, this sends some mixed messages. I think these collectibles would fare better if the game didn’t track how many you collect or how many are in each level, and if their placements were more closely tied to the main path, maybe tempting players to take a harder route through a segment.
While this game does suffer from some of the same issues as Demon Turf, notably with collectibles and a rigid movement system, steps were taken to improve the flaws of its predecessor, and Neon Splash is a huge improvement on every front because of it, ESPECIALLY structurally. Great rebound!
Collectibles are still an issue, often slowing down the pace to crawl if you choose to go for them. And when the speedrun clock, and the amount of lollipops you’ve collected, are given the same real estate in the UI, this sends some mixed messages. I think these collectibles would fare better if the game didn’t track how many you collect or how many are in each level, and if their placements were more closely tied to the main path, maybe tempting players to take a harder route through a segment.
While this game does suffer from some of the same issues as Demon Turf, notably with collectibles and a rigid movement system, steps were taken to improve the flaws of its predecessor, and Neon Splash is a huge improvement on every front because of it, ESPECIALLY structurally. Great rebound!