Review: Nex Machina oozes with style and intense, addictive gameplay

Platforms: PlayStation 4 (reviewed), PC

Developer: Housemarque

Publisher: Housemarque

MSRP: $19.99

Introduction:

As someone who has never been the biggest fan of twin-stick shooters, Nex Machina is one of my favorite games of 2017. This game came out of completely nowhere for me and even though I was aware of how talented the team at Housemarque is, I didn’t think Nex Machina would suck me in like it has. I absolutely adore this game not only for its addictive, fast-paced gameplay but also due to the fact it gushes with style and personality.

Nex Machina is the most fun I've had with a game in 2017 due to it's incredible gameplay:

Nex Machina doesn’t really have a plot, you just kind of pick up the controller and go which is totally fine with me. Each level begins with you spawning in a sort of environmentally themed world (lava world, arctic world, forest world, etc.) and you’re given a wave of enemies to fight off. Once the wave is completed, you’ll be quickly teleported to the next stage which sees you traveling vertically or horizontally through the world almost as if you’re flying or moving like The Flash. It keeps the momentum of the previous fight going due to how quickly it transitions and puts you back into battle, it’s enough to get a quick breather from all the chaos but not enough to set the controller down and wipe the sweat off your hands. It keeps the tension alive and makes sure the adrenaline continues to pump through your body.

As you progress, the game becomes harder and you’ll also be given alternate objectives for additional points. This includes saving defenseless humans in the level and shooting these weird floating robots that sometimes appear in the level, it’s completely optional but it adds an extra challenge and rewards you in the process. In addition to that, levels will become increasingly more thoughtful in their design and layouts. You’ll find yourself getting into tighter and tighter spaces due to a variety of obstacles like lasers that you can temporarily block you if you aren’t thinking about each move you make. You can use your dash ability to get past it but if there are a ton of enemies overwhelming you, it might make it harder to clear space for yourself.

A game filled with style and personality on all fronts:

As I previously mentioned, this game is not lacking style at all. This game is bursting with color and due to its use of little visual effects on screen, it helps drive the excitement even further. The explosions of various colors and little shapes help build that excitement and drive home the feeling of fast-paced, intense action. Even during the transitions between each level, it manages to be visually captivating, the first time it happened I audibly said: “Oh wow, ok that’s really cool.”

Nex Machina manages to continue to burst at the seams with personality thanks to its killer soundtrack. It has this cyberpunk/Blade Runner-esque kind of feel to it and it perfectly captures the tone and setting of the game all while enhancing the epic gameplay. Music is as much of a character in a game as the protagonist and if it’s done right, it can stand out and create really incredible moments. The music in Nex Machina is a perfect example of that.

The Verdict:

Nex Machina is thrilling. I never knew that a game with only two – three buttons could be so incredibly fun. It’s so simple yet it manages to be one of the best things I’ve played this year. The moment to moment action is some of the most fun I’ve had with a game this year. I’ve personally been in this “gaming slump” where nothing I play is really satisfying me but I genuinely believe Nex Machina has cured me. Even on the easiest difficulty, the game presents insanely fast and intense gameplay which sees you getting surrounded by swarms of enemies and clenching onto your controller in hopes that you can survive to continue fighting and maintain that sweet, sweet high score. If you have a PlayStation 4 or play games on your PC, you’ll want to pick up Nex Machina. Even people who aren’t major fans of this genre will fall in love with this game.