Nexus: The Jupiter Conspiracy
- March 10, 2005 20:40 PM PST
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Don't be too quick to write off Nexus: The Jupiter Conspiracy; though it requires significant patience, those who stick with it will be rewarded with a unique RTS experience.
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The Colour Out of Space
This much is certain: Nexus is a graphical prodigy. From the intricately detailed planetoids (from Earth to Jupiter to Haley's Comet and beyond) to its lovingly designed spacecraft (which vomit great clouds of molten exhaust as they streak through the heavens), Nexus's visuals frankly look more impressive than those in the new Battlestar Galactica series. The minimalist soundtrack and dull sound effects are a bit more down to Earth, but the European voice actors add the perfect amount of sophistication.
After a few hours of play, however, Nexus's Achilles Heel becomes apparent: this game requires patience, far more patience than is possessed by the majority of casual players. The focus here is on straight-up strategy, not attacking en masse. Fittingly, you're armed with a formidable array of techniques. Not only can you blow enemy ships out of the sky with missiles, you can execute elegant surgical strikes against their shields, weapons and engines to leave them dead in the water. Or, you can also launch boarding parties in an effort to infiltrate and overtake an enemy, which is especially exciting in the single-player campaign; as you pound away with lasers and rockets, your commandoes attack from the inside, breathlessly reporting back to you with status updates. Oh, the suspense!
Deep Space Fine
Problem is, this game require real patience. There's no way to speed through long-distance trips, so it pays to keep a magazine handy (psst, you're holding one). But with time, advanced RTS players will grow to love Nexus's intricate three-dimensional strategy, especially once they delve into the multiplayer modes. So, ultimately, Nexus is highly recommended, if you're willing to invest the time. Kudos to Vivendi, and the designers, for releasing this unusual, wonderful little title into an uncertain PC market.
