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Parents' Guide to

Nex Machina

By Paul Semel, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Unrelenting, addictive old-school shooter tests reflexes.

Game PlayStation 4 , Windows 2017
Nex Machina Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

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Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

By going for fast-paced arcade action, the end result of this downloadable game is an unrelenting, addictive top-down, twin-stick gun game. While other action games from this developer (Alienation and Dead Nation) were driven by narrative, and had elements of role-playing games, Nex Machina is a pure arcade experience, unencumbered by exploration or plot or anything that might get in the way of you shooting everything that moves. By having you move with one thumbstick, while shooting an endless stream of bullets from the other, you're given a slim chance of surviving as spider-shaped robots and other enemies attack you from all sides. Good thing you can do a quick dash move, and can grab power-ups that provide you with a secondary weapon or a shield. Just don't forget to rescue the people who are standing around the battlefields; they're counting on you

While the result is an addictive and unrelenting arcade shooter, this game's emphasis on skill over story might not work for fans of the aforementioned Alienation and Dead Nation. Especially if they liked how those games had stories, let you explore their respective worlds, didn't give you an endless supply of bullets, and had moments where you could catch your breath. But for those looking for something more arcade-y, something where it's more about surviving and scoring, Nex Machina is great for trigger-happy gamers who appreciate gaming's arcade roots.

Game Details

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