Reviews by Karona

(In this review the words in quotes are my own; they indicate that I’m stretching the usual meaning of words.)

The Neon Case is set in the late 21st century, which is a rough time for everyone who lives in Hong Kong, especially androids. The protagonist, Mei Ling, and her partner, Kai Wong, have been called to investigate the “killing” of Luna, an android sex worker, at a club. In the first half of the game, the reader must inspect the crime scene, and because a picture is included, the reader also sees the mutilated android. One might wonder if this eroticizes violence. I’m inclined to say, “No,” because the fact that the victim is an android allows me to distance myself from the violence. But of course, this introduces a tension into a work driven by characters who see androids as the equals of human persons.

The investigation requires the reader to engage Hao, the club owner; Vincent Bo, the “killer”; and finally Luna herself. This last interaction distinguishes itself by allowing the player to talk to Luna, who in her “deceased” state can only communicate via a chat interface, and so a bit of “realism” is introduced to the game. This did not go smoothly the first time I experienced this particular work, but in my most recent play session the wrinkles seemed to have been ironed out.

Though the work initially reminded me of Blade Runner (1982), this work is not sci-fi noir. There are no moral gray areas here. Hao is eager to comply with the law, Vincent Bo is a crooked politician with no redeeming qualities, and the only police officers we see behave honorably, albeit with the possibility of one dishonorable choice before we read the conclusion. After multiple play sessions, it is apparent that when it comes time for the protagonist to decide what the law’s response to the crime will be, there is one alternative that she clearly favors (as does the author, it would seem).

Overall I found the work to be enjoyable. I like the art, especially the palettes used in the first two images. While I found most of the characters to be a little too one-dimensional, Mei is interesting, and I was pleased to get an answer to a question I had been pondering: “Why is Mei concerned about the plight of androids when almost no one else is?” The aforementioned tension is unfortunate, but it was not enough to rob me of an enjoyable experience.

Undoubtedly, one of the reasons I like this work as much as I do is that I love seeing androids in media, and this is my first time seeing an android in interactive fiction. I don’t know if it would appeal as much to other readers, but if you like sci-fi, it’s a good way to spend a lunch break.

I give this work 3.5 stars, which rounds to 4.