Review: Neon Clash Is the Otome Game for Folks Who Would Never Play One

The Voltage and AmuLit otome games turned out to be really something so far. Each one of them feels like it prioritizes a strong visual novel system  with fascinating characters, and in some cases even other gameplay mechanics. Romance? That’s there too! It matters, but the structure is such that the narrative seems to be the priority. That held true for the otome adventures Even if Tempest and Red Bell’s Lament, and it is for the newest game Neon Clash: Echoes of the Lost. 

While Neon Clash tells an original story in a futuristic setting with individuals with supernatural abilities, it’s also based upon the Romance of the Three Kingdoms tale. Kumyo was once ruled under a single king. A legend said “three heroes” will join forces to save it and unite Ping Huan, Sui Lou, Taozhe, Tsanying, Xiang Zhu, Xu Yiang, Yang Shu, and Zhi Fen. Kroa is the surviving heir of the Liu, an honorable mafia family that once helped rule the country. On her 12th birthday, when she was supposed to be picked up by her parents after being raised by her uncle in hiding for years, everyone was massacred. She’s been on the run ever since working as a delivery person for questionable items for Deliverydoo. Her only goal? Survival. Her Frayglyph tattoo imparts a psychometry ability that’s helped her along, not to mention she inherited gun called Dilu that only she (and certain past Liu relations) can wield. 

But it’s not long into Neon Clash that Kroa needs to shift from survival to revenge and rejuvenation. After returning to Taozhe for a job, getting caught up in a Zhuo assault, and something precious stolen from her being stole by Zhuo Biying’s men, Kroa is reunited with the other Gante Lowd. Everything convinces her to reform the Liu family and become its new boss, with the two of them and a former small-time gang leader named Zhang Hiyok joining them. However, that means she’ll also cross paths with other mafia families and their leaders like Sun Maslo and Sodyk Mun. 

First things first, Neon Clash is 100% a gritty story. There are a lot of mature and unsettling elements. One love interest in particular is a walking red flag. When the game begins, one of Kroa’s first missions involves a drug run. Her best friend is a sex worker. To AmuLit’s credit, Meimei is handled well and nobody looks down on her because of her profession. When both Kroa and Hiyok talk about her, it’s always positively and respectfully. But because there is a lot of different kinds of violence discussed, I could see it being difficult for some people to read. Keep that in mind going in, and you should be fine.

Neon Clash is also an otome visual novel that bears a lot in common with Red Bell’s Lament and Bustafellows in that romance won’t feel like the priority. There isn’t a traditional route system where, as you make decisions, you end up down a path prioritizing Kroa’s relationship with Lowd, Hiyok, Mun, or Maslo. Instead, the story as a whole will pay attention to each of the men at different points. You’ll need to make the right decisions to get the True End. There is a catch animation to help you see this. Once you reach that end, you can see the happy endings for each of the four characters via the chapter select option. Note that there are some bad endings mid-chapter that can end things early, so keeping multiple saves is smart, though in a few situations I felt like it was pretty obvious when a decision would cut the story short. Also, there is a bad ending to unlock in addition to the True End and its four happy endings, so there is a lot to see and reason to replay and make different decisions. 

I could see it being completely worth it, as the character design in Neon Clash is fantastic. Lowd, Hiyok, Mun, and Maslo are all amazing characters, and Kroa herself is one of the most multifaceted and powerful heroines I’ve seen in an otome game. The bachelor’s backstories are well-realized and make sense. Even if there is someone who’s a jerk with bad morals, there are elements to him that still make him appealing. I was so glad that the Boss’ Grade points after each chapter could be used in a main menu Shop to see additional short stories starring the characters and there’s an Underground Newspaper to act as a refresher for the story and offer context after chapters. 

Not to mention all of their character designs are fantastic. Neon Clash is a gorgeous game that’s bright and colorful, while also being gritty and influenced by both Asian architecture, cityscapes, and technology. Even supporting cast members look incredible. It’s a gorgeous game. 

Another thing I’ll note is that Neon Clash feels like a step forward in terms of launch quality for Voltage and AmuLit releases as well. Yes, I did notice some spelling errors as I went through the story. However, the sentence structure, grammar, and localization all seemed pretty fantastic. Especially given the subject matter and gravity of the situation at some moments. It’s in a good place as of time of writing, and I think additional patches could only catch those few remaining issues to fix them. I am a bit disappointed the font is so small, but it is still legible due to the color choices for the text and background. The only real downside here is how the save system works, as it makes getting the additional sadder endings on a replay after already unlocking the good True End ones frustrating due to basically needing to start completely fresh.

Neon Clash: Echoes of the Lost prioritizes a dramatic and thrilling mafia story, though there are romantic endings in this otome game. That there aren’t specific routes for each character is a bit of a downer, especially since Kroa and her four love interests are all well-written and captivating. I’m hoping that could happen with a follow-up fan disc. It also feels like a step up for Voltage and AmuLit game launches, as the gameplay seemed bug-free and the localization was stronger than past games. This is the sort of otome visual novel that really feels like it could be a grand adventure for anyone.

Neon Clash: Echoes of the Lost is available for the Nintendo Switch.