Neo Cab

Bought on sale, and finished in one day in just under 4 hours. I loved it. It takes you on an emotional journey and doesn't stop surprising you. Intelligent and beautifully crafted.
I really do want more. One of my favourite games of the last few years, though it won't be for everyone.
I'm incredibly glad I played it.

TL;DR
It is a superb visual novel about mature subjects hidden behind an Uber driving experience in a cyberpunk California. Powerful narrative and peculiar 'comic-booky' art style with a cold palette of blue and purple make this game very memorable.
Full Review
I will start by saying that I'm new to visual novels because I have always associated this genre with silly anime games or teenage romance. A month ago, I picked up and enjoyed Vampire: The Masquerade - Coteries of New York; it was the first proper VN game I have played. I was willing to play some more games like this, and one kind person with whom I talked about it spontaneously gifted me Neo Cab. I'm so glad he did!
Story spoilers are ahead.
The main reason why I love this game is how good it deals with the sensitive subject of abusive friendships. It is the core topic of the narrative, although not the only one that matters. There are many thought-provoking and relevant conversations along the line, including some of the well-established cyberpunk tropes. Entrust your biodata to soulless corporations? Yes, it is here. Succumb to cyberization? Yep. Though some of the most memorable ones for me were losing the beauty of interpretation, treating a friend in pain who have chosen euthanasia, and making quantum computations in a multiverse. The game presents it all with light irony, so you don't feel overwhelmed by the heavy thoughts.
End of spoilers.
Writing is solid; language is on point. What's more to wish for in a game where the main gameplay mechanic is reading dialogues?
What can I say? I am sorry I was stereotyping the entire genre this whole time. Games like this are precious and deserve to be known. Big thanks to a friend who sent me this gem by impulse!

I love the color scheme of this game so much! 💙💜
It's an interesting game and playing it multiple times gives you more info about what happens.
I did share the same feelings from time to time with the main character.
The ending was a bit anti-climactic. But I did enjoy the drive there.

Neo Cab is a game along the lines of Orwell. It's a narrative driven game, which legitimate gameplay elements.
You are playing a ride-share driver in a near-future world where driverless cars are the in thing. As one of the last human driver cars, your game involves the interactions of your passengers. There is an overarching story, and you are never one to actually control the driving itself. So the game focuses itself around the customer interactions.
Think of it as a choose your own adventure books, with twists and turns all throughout.

Ultimately, this is a fun take on an interactive story, and I had a good time playing it.
I found the writing to be charming, introspective, and just the right level of understated. The dialogue all flows naturally and feels like real conversations, which is an important factor in a game like this. The aesthetic of the fictional city is a very believable blend of futurepunk and what real-life Los Angeles might look like in fifteen years. The concept of playing an independent gig economy worker in a world where a mega-corporation is invading every aspect of peoples' lives hits close to home during our current political climate, and makes for an engaging world. Lina is a relatable, cool protagonist, and all of the characters are well-written, if somewhat suffering from a lack of complex dimensions. It feels that, rather than preaching a stance one way or another, the creators merely want you to question the proliferation of technology, the "generosity" of corporations, and the price of convenience versus privacy. Those questions will absolutely lead you to certain unsettling answers, but I appreciate the game for not attempting to bludgeon the player over the head with some grander point. You're just working and trying to survive, which is the position most of us would actually find ourselves in, in a similar world.
That being said, from a game design perspective, I did find myself wanting a little more. Your week in Los Ojos goes by very, very quickly. It feels like there's so much to explore, and no time to really do it. I imagine this is to up the replay value, but I almost would've preferred a tighter story with fewer options, than a rushed, packed world that I felt I had zero time to actually explore. I worry that the options available are mostly cosmetic and ultimately lead to the same ending, and that I'll be disappointed if I replay. This wanted to be a standalone experience and I think it should have been. I recognize the creators wanting to nod to the game's own references to quantum mechanics and chaos theory and choice vs. fate, but I'm not sure I'll appreciate replaying as much as I would a singular, cohesive narrative.
I also found that the final "showdown" between Lina and Savy was somewhat lacking in appropriate stakes. It just felt like there hadn't been quite enough foreshadowing to indicate that Savy was not all that she seemed, and I didn't find the fight between them emotionally engaging. I just wanted a little more oomph. I think stretching the game's timeline from one week to two weeks might've gone a long way in helping everything feel less rushed, and allowing those story beats to really establish themselves.
That being said, I still think it's worth grabbing, especially on sale. I played the whole thing in one sitting, and found myself absolutely wanting more. My biggest complaint is just that the game isn't long enough! But if you like cyberpunk/dystopian settings, diverse characters, and other interactive novels, then you'll enjoy it!

Hail to the Pain Worm!

Neo Cab is a striking & intriguing, yet short game that never felt like it overstayed its welcome. It took me around 3.5 hours, according to Steam, to finish my 1st play-through. To say the very least, I did enjoy this game, even despite its brevity.
Yet, if it wanted to be longer, I probably also would've been fine with that too, as its interesting, unique & colorful cast of characters; and the main story is really what keeps the player going - which also feels somewhat reminiscent of another game of this sort called Night Call. If that wasn't enough, both the music and its look & art design is definitely on point here in Neo Cab; it's all really good, to say the least.
Part visual novel & decision-making adventure game, you play as Lina. Lina is going to live with her former best friend, out in the Big City of Los Ojos in California, in this futuristic & cyberpunk-style dystopia, where a strong Gov't & overly powerful Corporations running the city. To try to make end's meet & survive, you've taken a job as a cab driver for Neo Cab, driving an interesting & well-written set of characters around the city.
And then...of course, things go wrong. Your friends goes missing & while you're taking cab rides, you try to get information & can visit locations to try to find what happened to your friend.
You get this technological band on your arm - which is similar to a FitBit and then amped up times who knows how much, since this is a futuristic cyberpunk sci-fi setting - it also tells you what color your mood is. Based on what you say, do & decide in these cab rides and in conversations w/ people at certain locations, your mood can change. When your mood is in a certain state & color, you may get more or less options to you that you have access to in dialogue, which you may or may not use....depending on your mood.
And when it comes down to it, this game stands out b/c of its characters, music, story, look, and art design. Despite it's brevity, it's a 3.5 hours in my first playthrough that I really enjoyed, to say the least.
If you're a fan of a neon-laced cyberpunk setting, adventure games, and visual novels - this is definitely a short ride that you'll want to take, as it's certainly more than worth the actual cab fare.