Lately there has been a shortage of real-time, deep-space combat games. Brought to the fore during the heyday of classics like Homeworld, this genre has been quiet. That makes the perfect setting for Nexus: The Jupiter Incident to explode onto the stage. Diverse combat options, an engaging single-player campaign and the fun of multiplayer combat make Nexus a solid choice for any fan of the genre. 

Players are given a number of options to customize the combat system to their own advantage. There are several aspects of a ship that can be attacked. The most simplistic plan, smashing your opponent’s ship as quickly as possible, is not always the best plan. Players can also equip their ships with energy weapons that target the components of an enemy vessel. Disabling an opponent’s weapons reactor, for example, will shut down their weapon systems. It is entirely possible to disable an enemy ship without destroying it, leaving ample opportunity for the traditional mocking transmissions. 

Support ships play a major role in space combat in Nexus. While the larger, more heavily armed battleships can be very useful, a couple of quick destroyers can cause them some severe headaches. Speed is a key factor in Nexus: The Jupiter Incident, and just like in real life the larger they are the slower they move. In addition players can equip their ships with commando units for boarding parties and fighter squadrons. Fighters range from the nimble and quick standard fighters to heavy bombers used to destroy enemy components.

Even with all the options available to players there is a high degree of balance in the game. There is no single “win” strategy. Every configuration has a weakness. Focusing on fighters and light destroyers, for example, leaves you open to counterattack with artillery missiles. Mounted with massive warheads the artillery missiles can do massive damage to anything within a huge radius. A single blast can destroy several smaller ships or fighters outright. On the other hand, fighters are able to use their weapons to shoot down the missiles before they detonate.

The graphical quality of Nexus is good. Each race you can encounter has their own hull design, which makes them easily recognizable. There are visual cues that allow a player to follow the action even without having to swap back and forth between the ships under their command. A common tactic is to disable an enemy’s shields as quickly as possible and then switch to projectile weapons to damage their hull, where the shield-draining weapons are ineffective. After a few moments, if it survives that long, the enemy ship will restore its shields. There is a visible bubble that appears around the ship to warn you that it is time to switch weapons again.

The sound is also done well. Players are treated to a series of voiced dialogue during the single-player campaign. There are also a series of sound cues to help a player keep track of everything during combat. Unfortunately this can be a bit much at times. The messages play one at a time and back to back. This can lead to hearing several messages in a row, and each successive message being farther and farther away from the event that triggered it.

Nexus: The Jupiter Incident is a solid game that any fan of the real-time space-combat genre will enjoy. Less experienced players will have a bit of a learning curve to deal with, but the rewards are worth it. The diverse options for tactics, engaging gameplay, and entertaining setting make Nexus: The Jupiter Incident fun to play. If you enjoy the fast-paced, high stress environment of deep space combat, grab your gear and get ready to ship out.

Tips:
Concentrate your firepower whenever possible. Enemy ships’ shields and devices regenerate over time… including when you are fighting them!

Gameplay: 8.0
A solid interface and the ability to completely customize your ships make Nexus: The Jupiter Incident a great deal of fun to play. Players have to remember to keep an eye on all their units, though. The AI is good, but occasionally your ships will do something stupid.

Graphics: 7.0
The graphics are well done, rendered cleanly, and don’t cause any slow-down. On the down side they are not quite as spectacular as other games I have seen recently. Each culture has a distinctive feel to their design, letting you identify your enemies at a glance. The combat is fun to watch as energy beams, projectiles, and fighter craft form a maelstrom of chaos and explosions. 

Sound: 7.0
The in-game dialogue is well done. At times characters’ voices will drop with scorn, shine with humor, or carry a wealth of meaning. The combat sounds are also well done, but in the thick of combat it gets hard to listen for the sound cues to let you know what is going on.

Difficulty: Med/Hard
Nexus: The Jupiter Incident has a bit of a learning curve. You not only need to learn how to use the interface you have to learn which tactics work well for you. In the single-player campaign the layout for each mission changes every time you attempt it. This can lead to frustration on the occasions where you get an unlucky starting position.

Concept: 8.0
The backstory to the single-player game is rich. The characters have depth, the plot is engaging, and there is always something going on. For the game itself being able to completely customize your ships, change your tactics however you like, and fight in several different ways is a definite plus. There is always something different for player to try in any situation. 

Multiplayer: 7.5
Some of the rough spots in the gameplay are overcome in the multiplayer mode. While players might have some time handling the chaos of deep-space combat, you get to play on a more level playing field. 

Overall: 7.5
The concept and gameplay lift Nexus: The Jupiter Incident above the average expectations. While well done, the graphics and sound are about what you’d expect in a game these days. There are high points, but on average the graphics and sound are just about average. The rough learning curve makes Nexus a game I don’t recommend to anyone new to the real-time space-strategy genre. If you’re a fan, though, Nexus will be right up your alley.