''Neo Cab'' is a 2019 video game developed by Chance Agency and published by

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. It was originally released for

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and

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as through

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on September 19, 2019, as well as

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and

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on October 3, 2019. In it, players role play as Lina, a driver for Neo Cab, a

vehicle for hire A vehicle for hire is a vehicle providing private transport or shared transport for a fee, in which passengers are generally free to choose their points or approximate points of origin and destination, unlike public transport, and which t ...

service. After her friend Savy mysteriously disappears, Lina investigates the disappearance while picking up passengers.

Synopsis

The game opens with Lina moving from her hometown, Cactus Flats, to the technological metropolis Los Ojos. She has plans to live with Savy, an old friend she hasn't spoken to in years after they had a large argument. Lina briefly meets up with Savy, who says that she's having trouble at work and will meet up with her later. She also gives her a FeelGrid, a

smartwatch A smartwatch is a portable wearable computer that resembles a wristwatch. Most modern smartwatches are operated via a touchscreen, and rely on mobile apps that run on a connected device (such as a smartphone) in order to provide core functions. ...

-like device that displays a color corresponding to the emotions that the wearer is feeling. After Lina picks up passengers for a few hours, Savy texts her that she needs to be picked up right away, then disappears. Simmering in the background is a movement to have all drivers replaced by driverless cars owned by a corporation called Capra. Lina had previously been fired by Capra after they replaced their rideshare with driverless cars. Many of the conversations she has with passengers are about a proposed law to outlaw driving after a famous

ballet dancer A ballet dancer is a person who practices the Art (skill), art of classical ballet. Both females and males can practice ballet. They rely on years of extensive training and proper technique to become a part of a professional ballet company. B ...

was killed after being hit by a car.

Gameplay

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'' calls ''Neo Cab'' a "

visual novel A visual novel (VN) is a form of digital interactive fiction. Visual novels are often associated with the medium of video games, but are not always labeled as such themselves. They combine a textual narrative with static or animated illustratio ...

mixed with survival aspects". The game is driven by the choices that the player makes when talking to passengers. Those choices and the flow of the conversation then change Lina's mood, which is displayed on the Feelgrid. The way Lina is feeling changes which dialogue options are available, and whether she is willing to pick up another passenger. Players also have to manage the car's fuel level and how much money Lina has.

Reception

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'' and ''

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'' both pointed out that the game discussed quite a few topics during its short playthrough. ''

Rock, Paper, Shotgun ''Rock Paper Shotgun'' is a British video game journalism website. It was launched in July 2007 to focus on PC games and was acquired by Gamer Network, a network of sites led by ''Eurogamer'', in May 2017. History ''Rock Paper Shotgun'' ...

'' and ''

'' both found the ending underwhelming. However, most of the above critics seemed to enjoy the game overall, especially the passengers and conversations with them. ''Rock, Paper, Shotgun'' in particular wished that there was a "free play mode" where one could continue picking up passengers without worrying about the main story.

Awards

''Neo Cab'' won the award for 'Best Narrative Design' at

IndieCade IndieCade is an international juried festival of independent games. Game types include video games, live-action games, and tabletop games. Independent game developers are selected to demo, screen, and promote their work at the annual IndieCade fe ...

2019. It was also nominated for 'Game Beyond Entertainment' at the

16th British Academy Games Awards The 16th British Academy Video Game Awards was hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts on 2 April 2020 to honour the best video games of 2019. Though originally planned to be presented at a ceremony at the Queen Elizabeth Hall ...

and in the 'Special Class' category at the 2019 NAVGTR Awards.

Notes

References

External links

* {{vndb, 28600 2019 video games Cyberpunk video games Visual novels MacOS games Nintendo Switch games Single-player video games Video games developed in the United States Video games featuring female protagonists Windows games Video games about taxis Fellow Traveller Games games IOS games Apple Arcade games