Neon White speaks to my inner speedrunning sicko with its demo

destructoid.com:

Neon White was already pretty high on my own list of most-anticipated games this year. The indie project from Angel Matrix and Donut County creator Ben Esposito looked like a fast, gorgeous shooter.

The good news is that it’s just that. But I can also confirm, after playing the Neon White demo currently available as part of Steam Next Fest, it’s a little bit more. The game isn’t just about taking out demons, but doing it fast. And it’s built to make you keep wanting to reset the level for a new time.

The story pin of Neon White is that you’re a badass who’s died and gone to not-quite-heaven. Recruited to be one of many demon hunters called “Neons” by heaven’s angels, you—Neon White—compete with other Neons to earn a ticket into the more pleasant side of the afterlife.

These competitions take place in stylish but easily readable levels, where you run from start to finish line, exterminating every demon and finishing as fast as possible. At the conclusion of the run, you get a grade. Bronze simply counts as a clear, and is usually pretty forgiving. Silver gets a little tougher, but adds a special gift to the level, usually off the beaten path. Gold unlocks some helpful speedrunning hints, and Acing a level opens up the global leaderboard.

The ranking system is one of several reasons why Neon White feels like the perfect entry point to time-trial competition and speedrunning. The staggered approach makes it easy for those who want to just clear levels to keep moving on, while those who want to really jockey for a top spot get more tools as they shave seconds off their times. The hints system is particularly effective, and restarting a level has a snappiness that reminds me of Hotline Miami.

Neon White is also pretty easy to