Pixel Noir

The bugs are finally fixed! I don't normally write reviews, but since this one is getting hammered for bugginess, I wanted to put this up to notify you that it's safe to play now. It's actually a pretty good game, especially for an indie game. I liked the stories, the characters were intriguing, the side quests were fun and interesting. It definetely captures that noir vibe and personality. The combat is hard in the beginning, but as you get your character set up it gets a lot more fun. I had to stop playing for more than a month because of a bug, but when I went back in, I actually remembered who the characters were and the story up to that point, which says a LOT about the writing because my memory is ♥♥♥♥. Overall, I'd give it like an 8, maybe an 8.5 out of 10. It's not the "BEST GAME EVER", but its unique and special and I enjoyed my 27 hours with it.

Really like the concept of the game, I love the thematic use of the noir detective stuff within the game and I really like the story. Sadly when you're playing a game the gameplay needs it to be good for the experience to be enjoyable. It takes too long to get interesting, the beginning is a bit slow and uninteresting because of lack of ability and the later game is boring because you're doing the exact same thing over and over and leveling up doesn't feel like it does anything as the enemies are just meat shields which just get better health and defence each chapter. The abilities are helpful but only if you have enough items to regen the PP of this game or you're okay with constantly running back to a healing area. The issue is that if you have the regen items you're not going to be having fun as the only good weapons are bought, the upgrading system is super cool as well which is a shame because the weapons are simply "this one has better base stats than that one". Also the amount of glitches is insane and either ruin the experience whilst playing or make it so you can't get past a cutscene because a party member won't load into the area they're needed to be in, such a shame

This game has been on my radar for over a decade, back when the original Kickstarter campaign launched. Around that time I was playing old RPGs like Chrono Trigger and Parasite Eve for the first time - which is extremely apt considering the fact that playing Pixel Noir today makes me want to replay Chrono Trigger and Parasite Eve! Let's get into the review: I just beat Pixel Noir with nearly 23 hours clocked on my save file. I scoured every nook and cranny of Pinnacle City for hidden items, made an effort to complete every side-quest, and grinded for cash (and EXP) whenever a shiny piece of gear caught my eye at a new shop or black market vendor. If you beeline your way through the main storyline, you could probably beat this game much faster. Hopefully, you'll become invested in Pinnacle City enough to want to talk to every NPC you come across and dip into every alleyway you pass just to see what awaits you. I enjoyed every minute of my time with this game and I'm eagerly looking forward to a New Game+ playthrough after posting this review! [ Graphics, & Music ] The pixel art in Pixel Noir is beautiful, from the characters to the environments. Player characters, NPCs, and enemie…

Pixel Noir is a narrative-driven detective role-playing game created and published by SWDTech Games. The game blends elements of classic Japanese-style RPG design with the atmosphere of crime noir fiction, creating an experience that mixes investigation, turn-based combat, and character progression within a dark urban setting. With its retro pixel art presentation and heavy emphasis on storytelling, the title attempts to combine the nostalgia of old-school RPG mechanics with the mood and narrative style of detective thrillers. The result is a game that feels both familiar and unusual, balancing traditional RPG gameplay with a mystery-focused storyline. The story unfolds in Pinnacle City, a sprawling metropolis filled with corruption, gang warfare, and hidden dangers lurking behind the neon lights. The protagonist is a former police detective whose life was shattered after a traumatic incident that left his partner dead and his own reputation destroyed. After spending years in prison under suspicious circumstances, he returns to the city as a private investigator trying to rebuild his life. However, the city he once served has changed dramatically. Criminal organizations have expan…

Juxtaposed with Shadowrun(original) this is better. I felt more involved in the story. Story involvement requires the basics FYI; music, ambience, script, and scenes. The action is slow. One gamebreaker that got patched regarding entering and exiting locations to fast. Small, affordable, and clever game. (Lovecraft-esque)

Interesting and fun anti-hero characters, plot is interesting. However the core fighting mechanics are mostly clunky and boring: running away is basically impossible, some quick-time-event based skill inputs are not registered when playing with an official XBOS One controller (even though the Steam page says it supports it). Random encounters are almost unavoidable and in huge quantity. I spent most of my 13 hours of gampleay fighting grunts, which wasn't very fun. Also some design choices are a bit awkward: you need to go to a specific location to edit your weapons with stuff that is in your inventory. I'm leaving a positive review because I can see the love that the devs put and the plot is good, but I really recommend them focusing on Quality Of Life and playtesting moving forward.