Nova Core: Episode 1

Nova Core: Episode 1 is like one of those awful 1950s sci-fi movies you can sometimes catch on TV late at night.

You can't help but think that it could almost be cool if it had a decent budget. Instead, what you get are giant alien muppets and a spaceship crew dressed in identical one-piece unitards (apparently, it's cheaper to buy in bulk).

Let this serve as a warning to all those considering developing a space-themed video game: if you don't have a decent development budget, don't even try it. Otherwise you're likely to end up with an incomplete, overpriced wreck like Nova Core.

In control of the interplanetary vessel Atlus, you're tasked with keeping its crew alive in the face of space pirates and heavy-handed corporations.

Of course, that means shooting things to smithereens. A virtual analogue stick situated in the lower-left moves the Atlus, whereas attacks can be tapped out using a trio of coloured buttons in the opposite corner.

Between battles you chat up characters planet-side, driving the introductory episode forward with new objectives. It's a predictable setup: play a mission, read some dialogue, then venture out for another mission, and repeat.

While its status as an indie creation deserves recognition, it's also a lesson in expectations. You shouldn't shoot for the stars if you don't have enough fuel to break orbit.

The story and characters are a bit wooden, but not a complete bore. It's clear that the story is the game's greatest asset, yet it's not enough to carry the full weight of the gameplay's shortcomings. There's a decent concept buried deep inside, but Nova Core fails in just about every technical aspect imaginable.

Momentum plays a critical role in combat despite the wonky nature of the game's physics. It's frustrating maintaining control of the Atlus because you're constantly battling the physics instead of enemies.

It can take 5-10 second to correct your trajectory after momentum shoots you past a target. Naturally, this makes it difficult to actually attack enemies because you so rarely can get into the right position. Hardly an immersive space battling experience.

To top it off, the visuals are downright awful.

Well-drawn characters are the sole exception in a game with graphics so bad that it looks like it came from a long time ago, from a galaxy far, far away. Spaceships are blocky and some of the on-screen cues look like they were drawn in MS Paint.

Then there are the stability issues. I experienced several crashes and freezing glitches that obviously rendered the game unplayable. Dying often leads to a complete game freeze.

Such technical demerits are enough to recommend staying away from Nova Core: Episode 1. Even if there's an interesting story deep inside, the gameplay is too flawed to make it worth your while.