Neon White, the latest title from indie publisher Annapurna Interactive and developer Ben Esposito, features a distinct gameplay style that centers on hack-and-slash combat and speed-running. The titular character, White, must clear out the demons that have infiltrated Heaven as quickly as possible if he wants to stay in paradise and avoid eternal punishment in Hell.

Each level in Neon White works like a puzzle that challenges players to solve its increasingly difficult layout in as little time as possible. The path through many of these levels is clearly marked, but figuring out the fastest route to the goal can be somewhat challenging without some helpful tips.

9 Run On Water

a series of white buildings and columns coming out of a large pool of shallow water. directly ahead are a pet of short steps leading up to a broken platform. in the bottom right is a card with a katana on it. in the bottom left is a head-and-shoulders picture of a dark haired man in a white coat and a demon mask

Many of Neon White's levels are based around water, whether that takes the form of large bodies or canals that channel the liquid in a particular direction. But what might be surprising is that White actually gets a boost of speed whenever he's running on water, which can shave precious seconds off a particular run.

There are many instances where players will have the chance to run on water, and it's a good idea to seek out those chances whenever possible. Grabbing a few extra moments of run time will often mean the difference between earning a gold medal and an Ace medal.

8 Get Creative With Soul Cards

a distant tower with a gold bell at the top. speed lines at the edge of the screen indicate the viewer is moving toward the tower. in the bottom right corner is a stack of blue cards with a rifle and the word Godspeed on them. next to those cards is a yellow card with a handgun that says elevate. in the bottom left is a dark haired man in a white coat and demon mask

The Soul Cards each have a dual function as both a gun and navigational ability. Some, like the Elevate card, can be fired as a single shot pistol for low damage against demons or discarded to grant White a second jump while in midair. These abilities are crucial to getting through a level, but players looking to get the fastest times will want to use their Soul Cards as creatively as possible.

The direct path through a level is almost never the fastest route, and sharp-eyed players may find quicker, albeit harder, avenues to take. Using each Soul Card's discard ability creatively can open up previously inaccessible pathways, resulting in even faster completion times.

7 Line Up Your Shots

an elevated canal stretches out in front of the player's view. on the left is a white building with a small ledge jutting out. A dark, red-rimmed head sits on the ledge next to a small, shadowy creature and a red barrel. in the bottom right of the screen is a blue card with a rifle and the word Godspeed on it. in the bottom left is a picture of a man in a white coat with a demon mask on

One of the most challenging aspects of each level in Neon White is clearing out every demon in the level before reaching the goal. This can often trip up a great run, as one missed demon will essentially negate any speed boosts players might have found.

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This is why it's incredibly important for players to line their shots up carefully, even if it takes a little extra time to do so. Taking out an enemy the first time through is always preferable to missing and gliding right past them, as the time it takes to double back will almost always be longer than the time it took to aim properly.

6 Take A Slow Run

a series of buildings with vaguely roman architecture all built over an endless sea of reflective water. two tall pillars sit next to a lower building with a pointed roof. at the bottom right of the screen is a yellow card with the word elevate on it, and next to that card is a purple one with the word Purify. in the bottom left corner is a picture of a dark haired man in a demon mask, white coat, and black tie. In the top right are the words 4 Demons

It might seem antithetical to take a slow run through a level when trying to speed run, but taking the time to learn each level's layout is integral to finding the fastest path. It's tempting to just follow the prescribed path and try to nail each shot and movement ability as fluidly and quickly as possible, but it's hard to get a sense of the whole area when rushing through it.

A slow run with some exploration will often reveal new paths and secrets players might have missed on their first few attempts. While the game itself offers hints for potential shortcuts that might shave off a few more seconds, players might just discover an even faster route of their own with a little preparation.

5 Don't Stop Moving

a shadowy, blue, skeletal monster with horns takes up most of the frame. Dash lines appear at the edges of the screen indicating the player is moving quickly toward this creature. in the bottom left corner is a picture of a man with black hair wearing a demon mask, a white coat, and a black tie

One of the key ways to nail a good speed run is to always stay in motion. Neon White is based around this forward momentum, and slowing down for even a moment can throw off the entire run. Many levels are designed around this concept, and the right Soul Cards are laid out to accommodate a constant forward motion.

It will likely take a few tries to master the rhythm of each level, but once the muscle memory kicks in, players will want to maintain their progress to reach the goal as fast as possible. Neon White's gameplay is so fine-tuned that it easily stands as one of the best third-party games for the Nintendo Switch.

4 Use Shortcuts

lots of white buildings with foliage scattered throughout. a thing bridge extends over a gap on the right, and in midair on the left is a floating, orange hand with a hole in the middle. At the bottom of the screen is a blue card with the word Godspeed on it, and in the bottom left is a picture of neon white, a man with dark hair, a demon mask, and a white coat.

After reaching a certain medal rank in a given level, players will unlock level hints that provide a shortcut indicator at certain points throughout the level. These are incredibly useful tips for achieving a fast run, as they often reveal pathways that allow players to circumvent whole sections of the level.

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The hints show up as little orange hands with an eye in the palm, and players will have to jump into them to activate the actual hint. The hand will then disappear to be replaced by a glowing ball of light that will go down the path of the shortcut, leaving a glittering trail behind that players can easily follow.

3 Don't Use Cards Unnecessarily

a stone wall floats in midair slightly to the left of the player, while a stone column rises up straight ahead a longer distance away. a yellow card with a hand gun on it floats near the stone wall, and two more of the same card can be seen in the bottom right corner of the screen. The front card has the word elevate on it, while the card in back is being torn in half. in the bottom left is a head-and-shoulders picture of a dark haired man in a white coat and demon mask

The Soul Cards are arguably the coolest gameplay aspect of Neon White, and they're crucial for completing every level as speedily as possible. Each card has a unique weapon functions and ability tied to it that allow White to navigate the various domains of Heaven with relative ease. But these cards aren't infinite, and using them the right way is key to scoring high on the leaderboards.

Each card's weapon has a limited amount of ammo, and when that's all used up, the card vanishes. If the discard ability is used, the card disappears immediately, which forces White to rely on slashing at enemies with just his katana or leaves him stranded entirely. Players should think carefully before using their Soul Cards, as using them unnecessarily can slow White down and even ruin a run entirely.

2 Know Your Weapons

Neon White Choosing Between The Stairs And Jumping

Each Soul Card's associated weapon fires a little differently from the others, and it's useful to know how each gun fires to be better prepared for the challenges ahead. Some guns, like Stomp, have a rapid-fire function not unlike a submachine gun. Others, like Godspeed, fire single shots that pack a little harder of a hit.

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It's also important to remember that White can only hold two different types of Soul Card at a time, and that picking a new type will replace one of the existing cards. Paying attention to what's in White's hand is crucial as well, as firing the wrong gun at the wrong time costs both ammo and time.

1 Time Your Jumps

a dreary, red landscape with a stone archway ahead. in the foreground is yellow card with a handgun on it and word elevate underneath. to the left of this card is another, greyed out card with a katana on it. in the left corner of the image is a man with dark hair in a demon mask wearing a white coat with a black tie

Jumping is a key mechanic in Neon White, as there are many gaps White will need to cross in order to reach the end of every level. Jumping is also useful when paired with Soul Card abilities like Purify or when using explosive barrels to launch White high into the air.

The tricky part about mastering the jump, though, is that White is a very floaty assassin who tends to hang out in midair, falling slowly back down to the ground. It can be a little frustrating to gently float forward when trying to get a fast time in a level, so timing each jump is key to minimizing air time.

Neon White is available now on Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam.

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