Neo Cab review (Nintendo Switch)

So, what’s Neo Cab all about?

Essentially, Neo Cab is a taxi simulator set in the future. Where automated cars dominate the ride share business and you drive the only human-driven cab in the region. You play as Lina. A driver for Neo Cab who has uprooted her stable life and moved to Capra City, all for the sake of friendship and maybe love.

What do you do?

You pick up fares, chat to them on their way to their destination, solving their problems (or your own). Then hope they give you a good rating that will keep you in petrol and driving your Neo Cab. As the game progresses, you get given a wrist watch to gauge your current mood. Depending on the situation it can swing from green, meaning your mellow and calm. To red, which means danger, danger, stress levels will rise. You interact with passengers using a dialogue tree, with your responses dictating the direction the story will go.

What works?

I have to say Neo Cab grew on me. It has a real futuristic, noir feel to it and at first, it seemed just a text-heavy, dialogue heavy narrative and I wasn’t sure I’d like what I was playing. However I gave it the benefit of the doubt and I’m glad I did. It’s actually a deep social commentary with characters that are [generally] interesting. With conversations that can be organically shaped and moulded, depending on your responses.

Fair to say some of the passengers are dicks, but it’s a nice change of pace from games in general. Not forcing you to memorise complex puzzle solutions or take on formidable enemies in combat situations. You could say it’s a choose your own adventure book on the Nintendo Switch. It also has a really nice visual look to it, with stylish environments, blazing neon lights and futuristic outfits. It’s well suited to the Switch’s portability, too.

Will this game appeal to everyone?

Definitely not. Neo Cab’s slow-boil story is not going to be for every gamer. Especially for those with itchy trigger fingers crafted through years of Call of Battlefield or other first person combat games. Neo Cab is a snail’s pace game, one that develops the more you progress.

Worth a look if you like games that try something a little bit different.