N.O.V.A. 3 - Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance for Android 1.0.5

Overview

N.O.V.A 3 Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance is a pure testament to how far we have come in mobile gaming. Even back when the original N.O.V.A was released back in December of 2009 I was blown away by not only the visual graphics, but the excellent FPS touch screen controls as well. N.O.V.A 3 does not disappoint when it comes to improving on just about everything from its predecessors. N.O.V.A 3 is a fully loaded First Person Shooter that’s loaded with a full length campaign as well as multiplayer that supports up to 12 players.

There has always been the notion that N.O.V.A was created to be an equal to the popular Microsoft Halo franchise for mobile devices and to the surprise of many, it does an excellent job at it. Now, the two franchises have no association with each other, but they do share a plethora of commonality. Weapons, Shields, Steep health bars, Space Marines, almost everything about the core game play will appeal to fans of the Halo series. N.O.V.A 3 does a respectable job giving itself a unique and individual feel by having its own line of enemies and a story that flows well with the N.O.V.A universe. The story-line has 10 immersive levels to play across the N.O.V.A universe, giving you a full length campaign that you can feel satisfied finishing.

As I mentioned above, the visual graphics in N.O.V.A 3 are outstanding. Currently there are two separate graphical modes that can you play the game under, one being HD which looks completely gorgeous, and the other substitutes the HD quality to add more visual effects like smoke rising from the barrel of your weapon. These options may vary depending on the device that you play on. As far as controlling your space marine, you can find comfort in the fact that this is one of the best uses of touch screen controls I’ve seen. They did a great job of selecting certain options like abilities and weapon slots to have fixed buttons on screen and left looking and moving to a more open space.

The last thing that I want to touch on briefly is the multiplayer. Honestly, there is so much substance to the multiplayer modes that it really deserves its own separate review. There are currently 6 multiplayer modes like Capture the Point, Free-for-All, and Capture the flag, all between 6 different maps. Multiplayer hosts a similar leveling experience to that of Call of Duty where as you progress in the multiplayer you’re able to purchase new abilities and weapons. You can spend real cash in order to purchase the upgrades, but personally I had no issue leveling up by keeping my scores high. As with any FPS multiplayer it can take a bit of getting used to, you’ll no longer have the useful aim-assist which really forces players to harness their control and reflexes.

Installation

You can download and install N.O.V.A 3 through Android and iOS market places. The game comes with no annoying ad-ware and is currently only $6.99 on the Android market.

Interface

The interface is customizable to have preferred placement for buttons and having invisible joysticks that cover most of the screen for moving and looking is a welcomed feature.

Pros

• 10 Single-Player Levels
• Robust Multiplayer
• Outstanding visual graphics
• Tight controls

Cons

• Some users depending on their device have reported crashes and more bugs than others.

Alternatives

Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour is a good alternative if you’re looking for more of a human military FPS for Android or iOS. The visuals are stunning, though it’s difficult to compare with N.O.V.A, but that is partially because of the environmental differences. Modern Combat 4 offers an enjoyable campaign and full featured multiplayer.

Conclusion

I’ve been sold on the N.O.V.A franchise ever since they released their first title. Each installment in the series has included impressive visual and gameplay improvements. If you enjoy FPS or you just want to test the limits of your mobile device N.O.V.A 3 is an excellent game with excellent multiplayer features. It currently sports a generous $6.99 price tag which easily beats many games with this much functionality that are currently out on the market. If you’re looking to just test the waters without making a purchase N.O.V.A 2 is free to play and should give you a glimpse at the N.O.V.A universe.