Nex Machina is an intense arcade style twin-stick shooter from Housemarque. Taking hints from both Robotron and Smash TV, Nex Machina focuses on pure action, voxel destruction and competition in the distant, cablepunk themed future.
The gameplay revolves around rapidly shooting waves of enemies that swarm the player from all sides, while deftly maneuvering to avoid the onslaught of enemy projectiles. This constant barrage of action creates an exhilarating and addictive gameplay loop.
The twin-stick controls are highly responsive, allowing players to fluidly aim, shoot, and dodge with precision. However, the game features an unconventional aiming mechanic where the player's movement direction, rather than a traditional crosshair, determines the firing direction. While this takes some time to get used to, it adds an extra layer of challenge and skill-based gameplay.
Players have access to a primary rapid-fire weapon that can be upgraded to have extended range and spread. They can also collect various secondary weapons, such as a powerful laser beam, homing missiles, and a close-range melee sword. These different armaments provide strategic options to tackle the escalating enemy types and patterns. Additionally, players can find power-ups that grant temporary shielding or increased abilities, adding another layer of tactical depth.
The game is extremely challenging, as players can be killed in a single hit. Losing a life causes the player to drop one of their collected upgrades, which they must then quickly recover to avoid permanent power loss. The game encourages risk-taking and precision, as saving all the human hostages in each level provides significant score bonuses and multipliers. This creates a compelling "high-score chasing" gameplay loop that veteran shoot 'em up fans will appreciate.
The levels are not randomly generated, but are expertly crafted, with hidden paths, secret areas, and boss encounters that test the player's mastery of the controls and enemy patterns. While the core gameplay loop may seem repetitive, the game's diverse enemy types, varied level layouts, and scoring objectives provide ample replayability and a constant drive to improve one's performance.