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Nex Machina is the type of game that grabs you by the coin yelling "Lets hit the Arcade!".
This game brings you front and center (top side down to be exact) in an action-packed twin-stick shooter... that does a visually stunning job with voxels. I'm in awe when I play it. Now that they've made the game playable on older PCs... I've had the opportunity to play it on my older (but much stronger desktop) and surround sound. I've played it on a laptop using the HyperX Cloud Stinger headset... and I only wanted to play with the headset on. The Sentey Harmoniq Pro do a bang up job also, but when using the surround sound in the office... that takes the cake (it just feels right).
I won't tell you to go into Nex Machina... expecting depth. Only go in expecting arcade action that gives you plenty to enjoy as you take down enemies, rescue survivors, find hidden ones, and then some as you avoid dying to build up that almighty score. They threw in a little story there, but (meh)... doesn't really matter... it's sort of just there to give you a reason why the worlds exist. When you jump in, if you know what you're doing and aren't just dodging with no plan of killing the enemies stalking you... the game will go on and on like that theme song from Lamb Chops Play-Along. Other than that you fly from one area to the next taking down enemies, switching weapons, dashing, (possibly) uncovering secrets and taking on the bosses from each world.
Modes include:
Arcade - Which is the basic game from start to finish and you can go at it easy with infinite continues or challenge yourself to beat it with the basics.
Online Arena – Is the mode that delivers the biggest amount of replay value. Basically, you start off at the initial stage and work on racking up the biggest score possible... before you bite the digital dust to see how you match up against other gamers. Use secrets to your advantage, along with score multipliers and that should help set you apart, but it can be tricky... because even if you know where all the secrets are... if you die easily... it won't matter.
Single World – (Not to be confused with a dating show) That allows you to play any world you've unlocked in Arcade.
Local Co-Op – Which I haven't had the chance to enjoy yet (and hope they deliver an online co-op).
You also get... not 10, not 20, not even 50... 221 in-game achievements to accomplish & 39 Steam achievements... so achievement hunters looking to invest some hours into a game, this is chock full of em'.
Price wise... at $19.99, it's on point. The praise would probably be increased at $14.99 (because then it would be a steal), but nearly everyone that has played the game... thoroughly enjoys the award-winning experience at the retail price which has great value.
Online co-op would've been wonderful, but the Local co-op & Online Arena makes up for it.
Overall, if you remember the days where most gamers were about the highest score and being the local, regional or world top scorer in a really challenging arcade game... then this one is for you. If you're even curious about it, check it out... its a change of pace and worthy of being added to your library if you like these sorts of games.
Fun factor: 5 Visually: 5 Replay value: 5 Price: 5
To all you PC gamers getting your hands on... Nex Machina, I have a tip for you. We received the game yesterday from the studio (hats off to Housemarque) and ran into a bit of a pickle. The controllers weren't working for the game... so I reached out and they got back with a quick answer (thanks Rob). If you want your controller to work instead of using a keyboard and mouse:
Go to > Options > Player 1 Controls > (press) Tab
and... it should change from keyboard and mouse to... controller (on that note, check out the info below and... game on)!
-Nex Machina started as the "Jarvis Project" a few years back
-From the team that created RESOGUN and in collaboration with Eugene Jarvis (Robotron, Smash TV)
-Intense arcade shooter that blends the best of coin-op skillful gameplay and modern cutting edge voxel tech
-Travel through a diverse alternate universe where robots have taken over and humans have an unhealthy symbiosis with their screened devices. Starting from the "Techno Forest" you make your way through ever increasing robot infestation as you attempt to save humanity.
-Particle explosions and neon lights are always better with a great soundtrack. Ari Pulkkinen (RESOGUN) returns to helm an adrenaline fueled set of tracks that blend synthwave and retro game influences.
FEATURES:
-Nex Machina features a fully-fledged arcade Campaign that can be played solo or in local co-op with a friend.
-Tons of secrets and alternate paths in each world. Upgradeable player character with access to six (6) different special weapons, that all can be lost as you perish in the torrent of endless robots.
-Deep layered gameplay that lets you juggle with saving humans and trying to stay alive.
-Complex enemy design and pulsating bullet patterns that can get you in the zone.
-Three different main difficulty setting and more to unlock as you learn the ropes. Each difficulty offering new things to learn and conquer.
-A changing challenge mode called the Arena, where you can return to locations in the game that are now totally different with faster speeds and other fresh modifications. Competing to beat your friends and the world with unique leaderboards for each challenge.
-Unlockable skins, weapon colors and more that open up as you play the different modes available.
-Nex Machina is developed and published by Housemarque, marking it the first self-published IP by the 22 year old Finnish developer.
-Lead Game Design by Harry Krueger (RESOGUN).
-Eugene Jarvis from Raw Thrills acts as a Creative Consultant.
Wait... there's more!
In honor of the launch of Housemarque’s first-ever self-published game, Nex Machina, the development team has released a short featurette from the upcoming documentary,Name of the Game. For nearly three years, a documentary crew has recorded Housemarque and Eugene Jarvis --- legendary creator of Robotron 2048 and Smash TV - on this journey, and this featurette, which primarily uses footage exclusive to this video, offers a candid look into the preparationit took to debut the game at PSX 2016. It shows the pressures of showing off a game to an audience for the first time and the drama of grappling with builds fresh out of the box. But not without Eugene Jarvis and Harry Krueger taking some time to discuss game design philosophy in the process.
This featurette is part of a full length documentary—Name Of The Game—delving into the entire development process of Nex Machina. For now, though, Housemarque just wanted to share a taster of things to come as a thank you. In their words, “we’re just some folks with the dream of making a game like the ones we used to play as kids.”
Congrats to Housemarque for its first self-published IP. - Blu
