Published by Phoenixx Inc. and developed by Neotro Inc., NeverAwake is a 2D scrolling twin stick shooter, originally released on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PC in 2022, and it’s now available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Players take control of Rem, a young child who is ‘never awake,’ and the aim of the game is to shoot your way through hordes of monsters. While it may not sound like she’s very lively to play as, a lot is going on in her mind to delve into with the nightmarish dreamscapes filled with all the things Rem dreads, from vegetables and dogs to school children.

The goal is to collect souls while shooting down all of Rem’s nightmare creatures using an assortment of projectile power-ups and items. The game functions on one difficulty setting, but items collected can be used to increase Rem’s defense. The tutorial didn’t explain why Rem had lipstick and headphones until a few stages into the first world, however, more hints become available on the stats screen with each challenge, giving you insights about how to confront those challenges.

The 2D design of the enemies, backdrops, and cutscenes have a very hand drawn/painted style with tons of detail, while Rem and other elements are 3D, which seems out of place at first but starts to fit in after a while. There was a disconnect between the real world and dream worlds because of how impactful the 2D art was compared to the low poly 3D elements outside of them.

There isn’t much in the way of cutscenes, with relatively small text reflections at the end of each level into Rem’s thoughts. The beautifully painted scene of Rem in the hospital might leave players wanting more between each world to give a visual on her recounts.

As good as the game looks, the number of things happening on screen can get pretty overwhelming for some players, especially those who can’t handle constant flashing effects, which there is plenty of. Then again, some players thrive with games like this and are up to the challenge of overcoming the constant onslaught. Regardless of its issues, the game offers up to about two to three hours of play, and there is plenty to change up the level layouts to keep engaged, especially in enemy types and boss battles.

The soundtrack really stands out on its own as well. It has a very 90s feel to it, giving it a bit of a nostalgic feeling with heart-thumping beats that perfectly compliments the game’s art style and the action on screen, even adding to the intensity of the boss battles.

Enemy designs, especially the bosses, look very creepy and are the stuff of nightmares, fitting perfectly into the game. Their barrage of attacks gives enough variety to each enemy to keep the game interesting and offer a chance to try out new tactics to defeat them. Becoming familiar with what specials work best and the weak spots to hit was satisfying, especially when getting past the tricky parts.

Fans of twin-stick shooters and even speed runners may find new challenges. NeverAwake is a fantastic twin-stick shooter for both casual and hardcore players who don’t mind an intense onslaught of creepy critters coming at them with a touch of nostalgia.

Written by: Sammy Hanson