Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Vice: Project Doom delivers a diverse array of gameplay styles that keep you on your toes throughout the entire adventure. From the outset, players experience high-octane side-scrolling platform action, allowing Quinn Hart to jump, duck, climb ladders, and dispatch enemies with a katana, pistol, or grenades. While the katana provides unlimited slashes for close-quarters combat, firearms and explosives must be used judiciously due to limited ammunition, adding a tactical layer to each encounter.

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Interspersed between platform segments are overhead driving stages that recall classic arcade racers. Behind the wheel of Hart’s sleek police cruiser, you’ll accelerate through neon-lit streets, dodge civilian traffic, and blast enemy vehicles with a forward-firing weapon. The pacing here is tight—one wrong swerve can spell disaster, forcing you to balance your speed with careful aiming and quick reflexes.

Perhaps the most surprising twist comes in the rail-shooter levels, which play very much like Operation Wolf. As the game auto-scrolls your viewpoint along seedy back alleys and chemical factories, you’ll pick off thugs with your pistol or lob grenades into crowds of enemies. Shooting item crates to collect health packs, ammo drops, and bonus points keeps you scanning the screen constantly, and the occasional boss battle raises the stakes even higher.

Power-ups are sprinkled throughout every mode, rewarding exploration and marksmanship. Ammunition, coins (which boost your score), and health-restoring icons ensure that players who master each segment aren’t left stranded. This blend of platforming, driving, and rail shooting not only showcases Vice: Project Doom’s ambition—but also its finely tuned mechanics that feel authentically arcade-style yet surprisingly deep.

Graphics

Graphically, Vice: Project Doom stands out on the NES library with its bright neon palette and detailed character sprites. Each environment—from rain-soaked city streets to grimy laboratory interiors—features layered parallax scrolling that lends a sense of depth uncommon for its era. Whether you’re scaling scaffolding or racing down boulevards at night, the backgrounds pop with artistic flourishes that draw you deeper into the game’s underworld.

The character animations are equally impressive. Quinn Hart’s movements—swinging his katana, firing a sidearm, or diving to avoid enemy fire—are smooth and responsive. Enemy soldiers, biker gangs, and oversized bosses all feature distinct designs, ensuring each encounter feels fresh. Cutscene panels that introduce key story beats even employ comic-book–style artwork, evoking the same dramatic flair as Ninja Gaiden’s interstitial cinematics.

Color choices play a major role in creating Vice: Project Doom’s gritty, quasi-cyberpunk atmosphere. Acid-greens, deep purples, and fiery reds illuminate stages where the mysterious neon gel traffickers operate. Sprite-based effects—like muzzle flashes, grenade explosions, and flickering neon signs—add polish to every level, making each screen into a small piece of living, breathing urban grit.

Even the overhead driving sections benefit from clear, bold visuals. Oncoming cars, environmental obstacles, and weapon fire remain highly readable at speed—no small feat on 8-bit hardware. This ensures you always know where to swerve, when to shoot, and how to survive the relentless tide of foes pursuing you.

Story

The narrative of Vice: Project Doom weaves a classic detective thriller with sci-fi intrigue. You play as Quinn Hart, a member of the VICE squad whose mission is to shut down a new street drug in the form of a highly addictive neon gel. When Hart’s original partner, Detective Reese, vanishes without a trace during a sting operation, the stakes become deeply personal—both professionally and emotionally.

Time passes, and Hart is paired with Christy, a sharp and courageous officer who becomes more than just a colleague. Their growing bond adds emotional weight to the proceedings, giving the frenetic action a human core. As you fight through warehouses, underground labs, and corrupt megacorporate facilities, you’ll uncover clues about Project Doom’s true purpose and the people behind the gel epidemic.

Cinematic dialogue scenes bridge gameplay segments, punctuating the non-stop action with moments of character development and plot twists. The writing channels the gritty energy of 1980s crime dramas, complete with tough-talking villains, shady informants, and moral quandaries. By the time you learn the identity of the mastermind—and the real origin of the neon substance—you’re fully invested in Hart’s quest for justice.

Although the story never loses its pulpy edge, it does an admirable job of motivating each set piece. Rail-shooter ambushes feel intense because you’re not just shooting generic bad guys—you’re confronting the underlings of a powerful syndicate that’s ruining lives. This narrative cohesion raises Vice: Project Doom above many contemporaries that treat story as an afterthought.

Overall Experience

Playing Vice: Project Doom feels like stepping into an action-packed B-movie where you’re the relentless hero. The seamless blend of platforming, driving, and shooting ensures the pace never slows, and each mode highlights a different facet of game design from the late 1980s. It’s a showcase of variety that holds your attention from start to finish.

While difficulty spikes—particularly in boss fights and driving sequences—can frustrate newcomers, the game’s tight controls and clear visual feedback make every retry feel fair. Learning enemy patterns, conserving ammo, and mastering the transitions between gameplay types reward perseverance, turning each victory into a genuine adrenaline rush.

Vice: Project Doom’s atmosphere stands the test of time. Neon-lit cityscapes, dynamic stage designs, and an engrossing detective plot create a memorable world that still feels distinct compared to other NES titles. Whether you’re chasing after Reese’s disappearance, delving into a web of corporate conspiracies, or sharing quiet moments with Christy, the game delivers a compelling ride.

For retro enthusiasts and modern players seeking a challenging, genre-hopping experience, Vice: Project Doom remains a standout. Its fusion of narrative ambition, varied gameplay, and stylistic flair makes it more than just a nostalgic curiosity—it’s a hidden gem worth discovering for anyone interested in the NES’s more daring releases.

Retro Replay Score

8/10