Neo

Neo is a role-playing game developed by Round 1 Industries and published by Imaginate.

The game follows a 6th grade boy named Reo (Neo name: Bionic) as he became a Neo by joining in a Neo Squad lead by a adult Neo named Rottweiler. As a Neo, he and his squad must defeat 10 evil Neo squads that were sent by a evil mentally ill Neo named Blood Lord.

Neo was released on the Imaginate Dreamlock (Raspberry Pi) and PC by Imaginate on December 2019 as a early access game where the game is on point but it still need to be developed. A Xbox One version was planned and was released in the same month and the same year with a PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch release being planned. PS4 does have a browser, while Switch owners have to use specific ways to enter the browser via coding in the Switch.

Neo is a love letter to JRPGs and the Persona series by Atlus, more specifically, Persona 5.

Gameplay
Neo is a role-playing game, in which the player chooses dialogue for the named protagonist "Reo"/"Bionic" and fights with enemies by running up to them. During cutscene sequences, the player chooses what the named protagonist, Reo/Bionic, would say for specific questions and answers. In battle sequences, 4 characters are placed in a battlefield against a group of enemies or a boss, who is trying to stop them from saving the day.

The battle menu contains 6 options; Special, Attack, Item, Defend, Weapon and Flee. The "Special" option leads you to a menu where it places your special attacks, the "Attack" options let your character attack the enemy with a basic 3 rhythm punch/kick or slash (with a sword/knife), the "Item" option lead you to a menu full of items you collect throughout the game, the "Defend" option makes your character(s) defend themselves from harm, the "Weapon" option makes your character(s) pull out their weapon such as a sword or a gun, although some characters wields a sword/knife for their "Attack" option and the "Flee" option makes your party back out from a fight.

Unlike Persona 5 where the gameplay is mostly socializing and life simulator and less of exploration and combat, Neo is mostly mainly about exploration and combat.

Development
The creator and designer of Neo, UΠMaskΞD, made OST (Original Soundtrack) playlists for games he would be making in the future. He then made this OST of the game back in May 3rd, 2019, in which it was a game he's planning to make in the future. However, he was thinking and having dreams about making games and making a video game console early before he becomes a game designer as an adult. He also was thinking about making Neo a Persona-y type of game that is meant for older kids and teenagers. This is why he want to give the game a T rating. After the Persona 5 main protagonist, Joker, came into Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, as a DLC fighter, UΠMaskΞD was thinking about making a fan game of Persona 5 on Google Slides dubbed Persona 5 Interactive: The Phantom Presenters (a play on words of the hack n slash game Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers, released in 2020). However, he decided to think again and make something original, although there are some similarities between the two games such as the red color scheme that represents it. In September 2019, UΠMaskΞD started to make the original game on Google Slides all by himself. Although he do have a bit of some help from his friends who are a part of the Round 1 team.

A trailer was released in October 14th, 2019, as a announcement. It is said that it was going to be related by the likes of AAA RPGs and RPG Maker games such as Persona, Final Fantasy for AAA RPGs and OFF and Hylics for RPG Maker.

There might be some ideas of making the game completely Japanese like how Persona 5 and the previous ones was released in Japan originally and then America at a later date for a full on English translation.

Plot
The game starts with a prologue of Bionic (Reo, in his Neo form), America (Violette, in her Neo form), Knife (Akira, in his Neo form) and Rottweiler (Jared, in his Neo form) as they're battling against Blood Lord's second form known as Blood Dragoon in a final battle. After a couple of hits, Blood Dragoon starts to talk trash about their attacks and abilities and then said that he's unstoppable. Akira shouts out to him saying that the good Neos are unstoppable than the evil Neos. America tells him to get help because he's mentally ill. Bionic then points out that he can't change the pace in his own image with violence if he's mentally ill. He then questions him if he's trying to make the world (including Neoverse) a bad place. Rottweiler tells him of what the youngsters said about him. Enraged, Blood Dragoon blast out shouting at them and will take over everything by killing the good Neos and conquering different dimensions.

12 days earlier, the game centers around a normal-life Reo and a normal-life Violette as they like to be couples to each other. Violette tells Reo that she was thinking about dating with him in a movie theater while watching a romantic film. Reo changes to a different date (as decided by the player). After that, he ask Violette if they can go on a date in the mall. She then finds it more Romantic (with a capital R). After that, Violette's bullies, Amilia, Charlette and Madison, came to bully the 2 couples. Reo mans up and tells them to leave or else he'll challenge them. Amilia and her crew refuse to leave as they accept the "challenge". A teacher staff came and places the 3 bullies into trouble and sent them to the front office. Reo and Violette were glad about them getting in trouble. Although Reo doesn't feeling like challenging them.

The 2 couple walks in the sidewalk and then discovers Rottweiler (or Man In A Mask, as if they don't know him). Reo questions the masked man what is he supposed to be. The Man In A Mask answers him that he is a Neo. Violette jumped and was nervous. She questions herself in her head saying "what if Reo discovers that she's a Neo". Reo then questions him what is a Neo. The Man In A Mask says:

"A Neo is a person in which their inner self is based on their personality and what they like. One's name changes to what they are of those 2 things and they also wear a Neo outfit based on those 2 things as well."

Reo then guesses The Man In A Mask's right appearance, as he is a Neo who is wearing a outfit resembling a rottweiler. The Man In A Mask finally tells him that his name is Rottweiler. Reo tells Violette if he knows him. She answers the question and after that, she told Reo that she is a Neo as well. Agreeable, he finds this Neo thing "rad" as if he wants to become one. Reo told Rottweiler that he wants to become a hero as he makes drawings of himself as a bionic hero with metal fist gloves. Rottweiler then tells him to hold his hand to give him the Power of Neo. After that, Reo enters a red void, as he painfully turns into a Neo.

After the dramatic transformation, he then got teleported into a secret abandoned-like computer room where his squad is. Rottweiler greets everyone to Reo as Bionic. A Teenager In Blue named Akira (a.k.a Knife) sort of unlikes the newcomer, as Violette (a.k.a America) tells him to don't tease him.

To be edited.

OST
The OST was originally made by UΠMaskΞD in May 3rd, 2019. After the deletion of BrawlBRSTMs3's channel, he then made a separate "remastered" version of the playlist known as "Neo OST (Remastered)".

Characters

 * Reo/Bionic - The main protagonist of the game. He became a Neo by joining in one. While Rottweiler is the leader of the Neo squad, he became the co-leader of the squad. He also have a love interest towards his friend/crush Violette (America). Bionic is considered as the 4th Neo of the squad, although he serves as the co-leader. He wears a outfit that looks like a superhero he drew and created about which is basically him. He uses his fists for martial art attacks and he wields a arm cannon as his weapon for the "Weapon" option during battle sequences.
 * Jared/Rottweiler - The secondary protagonist of the game. He is the leader of his own Neo squad, while Bionic is the co-leader. He tries to make a Neo squad for protecting the Neomultiverse. But he didn't make one, as if he's struggling to find some Neos to join him and being stuck with other Neo squads. This wasn't explained in the game. Ever since Blood Lord and the evil Neo squads starts to come in more, he went to Earth and starts finding some teenagers and kids to make them a Neo. And that's where he made a Neo squad. He didn't reveal his true identity until at the end of the game, where he's finally out of his Neo form. He wears a outfit that resembles a Rottweiler. He wields a katana sword and he also wields a AK-47 as his weapon for the "Weapon" option during battle sequences.
 * Violette/America - The third protagonist of the game. She really loves Bionic as her love interest. She became a Neo before Bionic becomes one as if she is the 3rd of the squad. She wears a a gothic lolita clothing that has colors based on the U.S.A flag. She wields a sword in which the color of the sword also looks like the U.S.A flag. She also wields a SMG-45.
 * Akira/Knife - The fourth protagonist of the game. He's serious and sometimes helpful. He first dislikes Bionic for being in the squad until he becomes more likable to him. He wears a blue tuxedo. He wields 2 knifes that are made out of blue diamonds. He also wields a Glock with a long end.
 * Blood Lord - The main antagonist of the game. He is mentally ill and king of the dimension Bloodtopia. He is responsible for sending in evil Neo squads through dimensions throughout many years.

Release
The game was released in December 2019, as a early build version of the game. Since then, a full complete version was rumored and was planned to be released in August 2020. However, the creator was having time off of the game to enjoy his family and his birthday. So he delayed the game's original full release from August 2020 to late September/October 2020.

Trivia

 * Neo will be a one and only game without having any sequels, despite having a spin-off.


 * The OST of the game was made in May 3rd, 2019, before the game was actually made.
 * An updated version of the OST was made in August 2019, after the deletion of BrawlBRSTMs3's account on YouTube due to copyright issues with Nintendo because of the music of their games.
 * The game heavily took inspiration of Persona 5.
 * Although Neo is based on Persona 5, it doesn't feature magical manifestations such as, of course, the Personas.
 * The story will be longer than SSBR 's story. While SSBR 's story will last for at least a hour or 2, this game's story might last possibly about a week or 2.
 * Neo will be getting a Neo Reo version once the game is finished.
 * Bionic and America makes a guest appearance in Knockout.

Play The Game
Play the game right here (even though it's still in development): Neo- Imaginate PC