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Nova-111

A unique blend of action and puzzle-solving that knows when to poke fun at itself.
Nova-111 Game Cover
74%Game Brain Score
gameplay, graphics
story, optimization
75% User Score Based on 104 reviews
Critic Score 74%Based on 12 reviews

Platforms

Playstation 3Nintendo SwitchPlaystation 5Playstation 4XboxSteam DeckWindowsPlayStationPlaystation VitaXbox Series X|SPCWii UMac OSWiiXbox One
Nova-111 Game Cover

About

Nova-111 is a single player tactical turn-based strategy game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Funktronic Labs and was released on August 25, 2015. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

Nova-111 is a single-player Science Fiction Real Time Strategy game with good mechanics and graphics. Players pilot a spaceship, fixing space-time and searching for lost scientists in a quirky sci-fi adventure. Gameplay features innovative turn-based and real-time combat, mind-warping puzzles, strategic battles, and upgrades for your ship, utilizing science as your greatest weapon.

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75%
Audience ScoreBased on 104 reviews
gameplay28 positive mentions
optimization1 negative mentions

  • Nova-111 features a unique blend of turn-based and real-time mechanics, providing an engaging and strategic gameplay experience.
  • The game is visually appealing with charming graphics, a quirky art style, and a humorous narrative that adds to the overall enjoyment.
  • It offers a variety of puzzles and challenges that encourage exploration and creative problem-solving, making it a fun experience for puzzle enthusiasts.
  • The game suffers from technical issues, including crashes and bugs that hinder gameplay, along with a frustrating checkpoint system that forces players to replay multiple levels.
  • Level design can feel repetitive and tedious, with lengthy areas that lack engaging elements, making exploration less rewarding.
  • Some players find the gameplay mechanics become dull over time, as the introduction of new elements can lead to confusion rather than enhancing the experience.
  • gameplay
    72 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of *nova-111* is characterized by a unique blend of turn-based and real-time mechanics, which some players find engaging and innovative, while others feel it leads to repetitive and cluttered experiences. While the game introduces interesting mechanics and puzzles, many reviewers noted that the execution and level design could be improved, resulting in a gameplay loop that can become tedious over time. Overall, the game is praised for its aesthetic and core ideas, but criticized for not fully capitalizing on its potential.

    • “Nova-111 is a very addicting game that hooks you with its simplicity but also with the evolution of gameplay the further you progress, increasing its intricacy and challenges that consistently makes you not want to stop playing with how fun the game can be.”
    • “The gameplay is both fun, deep, and frantic, the hand-drawn 2D art is beautiful and distinctive, and it's backed up with a soundtrack that fits the mood perfectly.”
    • “The turn-based gameplay mixes very well with the real-time elements and at the beginning there are new elements introduced to keep you interested.”
    • “Despite the added mechanics and enemies, the game feels very samey very quickly.”
    • “While the game is modestly well polished, the gameplay just isn't fun.”
    • “I am a bit disappointed, because the game has everything it needs (including unique game mechanics) for a cool puzzle game, it only lacks the right level design.”
  • graphics
    34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game have received positive feedback for their vibrant colors, charming art style, and polished animations, contributing to an inviting and enjoyable aesthetic. While some players noted minor issues with distinguishing interactive areas, the overall visual presentation is considered well-executed and appealing, enhancing the casual gaming experience. The combination of clean graphics and a lively atmosphere has been praised, making it a standout aspect of the game.

    • “Soft colors and pleasing 2D visuals were a correct decision in this case, and the game is extremely inviting as a result.”
    • “The art style and animations are great, as is the music and overall tone of the game.”
    • “Fantastic art style.”
    • “Even the art style is worse.”
    • “The only complaint that I'd have about the art style is that it was sometimes difficult to distinguish which areas I could move onto and which parts I couldn't, and I'd just end up colliding with it and missing a turn, making my score get higher.”
    • “An unamusing game with better-than-average visuals for a platformer.”
  • music
    20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is generally praised for its mellow and catchy qualities, fitting well with the puzzle gameplay and enhancing the overall atmosphere. However, some users noted issues such as the lack of volume control and abrupt transitions in the title screen music. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong point, complementing the game's visuals and mechanics effectively, though it could benefit from longer loops and better sound management options.

    • “Most of the music in the game is mellow, which is appropriate for a puzzle game.”
    • “The gameplay is both fun, deep, and frantic, the hand-drawn 2D art is beautiful and distinctive, and it's backed up with a soundtrack that fits the mood perfectly.”
    • “Cute visuals, upbeat music, quirky dialogue, and a casual game experience make the game good for the casual crowd.”
    • “The sudden loud music of the title screen is very startling, and there is no volume control, only on/off (the same goes for sound, which isn't deafening).”
    • “Also, lazy developers could not be bothered to put a music and sound effects level slider in the options.”
    • “Three tilesets employed look otherworldly and go well with the oddly ethereal soundtrack, which does admittedly get overwhelmed by all the sound effects when things heat up.”
  • humor
    11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's humor is characterized by a mix of cute, punny lines and clever references, particularly from the scientists you rescue, which adds a lighthearted touch to the experience. While many players appreciate the humorous quotes and commentary, some feel that certain attempts at humor, especially British humor, may not resonate with everyone and can fall flat. Overall, the humor contributes positively to the game's charm, though it may be more enjoyable for those familiar with the references.

    • “I found the entire thing to air on the more humorous side of things, with every scientist you rescue sharing a funny quote with you or outright delving into reference and meme territory.”
    • “Not to mention a lively sense of humor and polished art style.”
    • “The phase-shift and time manipulation have been done before, but Nova-111 wraps it all together in a charming and humorous package that should provide you with an evening or two of decent entertainment.”
  • story
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in n1 is criticized for being unclear and underdeveloped, with a lack of engaging plot or character depth. Players find the narrative to be minimal and tacked on, failing to provide motivation for exploration or a compelling backdrop to the gameplay. Overall, the game is seen as lacking in storytelling compared to other titles in the genre.

    • “Your mission: fix space-time and search out the scientists lost in the aftermath of the universe's greatest science experiment.”
    • “I know plot and characters aren't incredibly important for this type of game, but I appreciate caring a bit more about progressing.”
    • “Each level is carefully designed - whether through dead-ends and tricky pathways to cross or find during rescue missions, or through enemies to get around, manipulate, or destroy.”
    • “Although there's quite a bit of dialogue in the game, the story of n1 isn't that clear.”
    • “The story is pretty below-par and even tacked on.”
    • “The story is barely there at all.”
  • optimization
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game features a performance ranking system that evaluates players based on their completion time from the very beginning, encouraging efficient gameplay and strategic decision-making.

    • “The game, from the start, ranks your performance in terms of time.”
  • stability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is criticized for frequent freezes, particularly at the end of each zone, and a lack of save points, which can lead to frustrating experiences during multi-stage boss fights. While the game is polished and features engaging gameplay, these stability issues significantly detract from the overall experience.

    • “I can't recommend anyone pays $9 for mediocrity, even if it's well polished (but still buggy).”
    • “It's a pretty cool game, a turn-based puzzler with some real-time action (falling rocks, some enemies, etc.) and an excellent soundtrack, which would definitely get a recommendation if it weren't for missing volume sliders, constant freezes at the end of each zone (thankfully it manages to save first), and most importantly, not saving your progress until you finish an entire zone (every 3 or 4 levels), which is especially annoying in the final, multi-stage boss fight, without a single save or checkpoint even though they're separate levels, so I didn't bother retrying it, it would've just frozen at the end anyway.”
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4h Median play time
4h Average play time
4-4h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Nova-111 is a tactical turn-based strategy game with science fiction theme.

Nova-111 is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Steam Deck and others.

On average players spend around 4 hours playing Nova-111.

Nova-111 was released on August 25, 2015.

Nova-111 was developed by Funktronic Labs.

Nova-111 has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its story.

Nova-111 is a single player game.

Similar games include Teslagrad, Stories: The Path of Destinies, GIGA WRECKER, Omensight, Outland and others.