Nova: Space Armada

About

"Nova: Space Armada is a sci-fi strategy game with good story and mechanics, but is hindered by frequent ads, grinding, and bugs. Its phenomenal graphics and immersive space adventure make it an exceptional choice for the genre, despite its shortcomings."

Genres & Tags

Strategy

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

65%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,110 reviews

graphics38 positive mentions

monetization36 negative mentions

The game has great graphics and an engaging storyline, making it visually appealing.
There is a lot of content to explore, and the ship customization adds depth to the gameplay.
Players can progress without spending money, making it accessible for free-to-play users.

The game suffers from numerous bugs and connection issues, making it frustrating to play.
Many players feel the game is heavily pay-to-win, with significant advantages for those who spend money.
The tutorial is overly long and hand-holding, which can detract from the overall experience.

graphics
62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
34%
5%
Overall, the graphics of the game receive high praise, with many users highlighting their beauty, detail, and impressive design. However, some reviews express disappointment regarding the lack of innovation and depth in gameplay, suggesting that while the visuals are strong, they do not compensate for other shortcomings in the game. Despite mixed opinions on gameplay mechanics, the consensus leans towards the graphics being a standout feature.
- “Excellent graphics for a mobile game, and easy to learn and play.”
- “Beautiful graphics and addictive gameplay.”
- “The graphics, especially the videos, are great.”
- “2 stars for the minimum effort put into graphics.”
- “The graphics on this game can't compare to other older games.”
- “Awful, looks like a child designed the graphics, nothing original, go back to the drawing board and try again.”
gameplay
49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
59%
12%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it monotonous and lacking in unique mechanics, often comparing it unfavorably to other games in the genre. While some appreciate the graphics and initial engagement, they criticize the slow pace, repetitive tasks, and issues with game mechanics that detract from the overall experience. Additionally, players have noted problems with tutorials, connectivity, and the disparity between advertised gameplay and the actual experience.
- “Beautiful graphics and addictive gameplay.”
- “I really enjoy the developers making such a game with amazing features and gameplay.”
- “Gameplay is good, game dynamics and quests keep you interested and immersed in the game.”
- “The two issues that seriously impact gameplay are the mathematical errors involving resources (meaning you waste a ridiculous amount for purchases and upgrades) and the zooming out during battles (which wastes time and ships that need to be fixed, leading back to the aforementioned issue).”
- “The gameplay is monotonous - the pace of the game is exceptionally slow without reaching for the core content.”
- “No actual gameplay, just busywork to keep you playing and paying.”
story
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
51%
14%
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it interesting and immersive, while others describe it as generic and poorly executed. Many users appreciate the graphics and voice acting, but criticize the disjointed narrative and repetitive missions that detract from the overall experience. Overall, while there are elements of a compelling story, technical issues and a lack of engaging content hinder its potential.
- “Enjoying the galactic missions where you can follow a story and learn more details about the universe.”
- “Immersive story.”
- “Great game with an awesome story.”
- “The storyline sucks, and after playing for 30 minutes, all I did was push buttons as directed.”
- “Generic boring story.”
- “This isn't a game but rather a follow-along mundane nonsensical story.”
monetization
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
5%
88%
The monetization aspect of the game has been heavily criticized for its reliance on microtransactions and deceptive advertising. While some players note that microtransactions are not strictly necessary for gameplay, many feel that the game pushes players towards spending money to enhance their experience, labeling it as a cash grab. Overall, the misleading ads and the automated combat system have left players feeling frustrated and misled about the game's true nature.
- “There is some measurable presence of microtransactions, but for the most part, they are purely opportunities and conveniences; not necessary for play.”
- “A really great game with plenty to do and very well thought out in depth and challenging. Also, a great added bonus: no ads and no need to pay to play, but the option is there if you would like.”
- “It's ok, but really pushes you towards microtransactions.”
- “Predatory monetization; the game that plays itself and asks you to pay for the privilege of running on your device, eating your phone power internet, and wasting your time.”
- “This game is a blatant cash grab, you have a pay-to-win event in Heaven's Veil, then $160 to purchase 1 admiral?... absolute scam where most people get to watch the privileged few fight each other while the rest of us get mediocre daily rewards.”
- “The gameplay does not match ads, basically a bait and switch.”
stability
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
92%
The game is plagued by numerous glitches and bugs, leading to a frustrating experience for many players, including issues with drop rates, fleet management, and player displays. While some users report that the game remains playable despite these problems, the overall consensus highlights significant stability concerns that detract from the enjoyment.
- “So far, there have been no glitches.”
- “This game is full of glitches.”
- “When these glitches cause issues, they do not compensate you for it or fix it.”
- “Buggy... ships displayed that you don't have, fleets getting stuck in attacks, players displayed in wrong clans, etc.”
grinding
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and repetitive, often describing it as a significant detractor from the overall experience. Many express frustration with the time-consuming nature of farming for resources and the lack of efficient mechanics, such as a one-click repair or dismantle option. Additionally, concerns about the game's pay-to-win model and the overwhelming difficulty of NPCs contribute to a negative perception of grinding in the game.
- “The campaign part is tedious; click, wait, click, wait, click, wait, get loot.”
- “It's trash, completely pay to win, grinding does almost nothing to advance you in the game plus it's been out for like a month and the servers are already dying.”
- “Very grindy and hard to level.”
music
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The music in the game receives mixed feedback; while many players praise it as incredible and fitting for the gameplay, some find it repetitive or annoying, with a desire for more variety. Overall, the soundtrack enhances the gaming experience, contributing to the game's addictive nature and attention to detail.
- “Love the gameplay, the music is incredible!”
- “I like the attention to detail and the music.”
- “Awesome music, good graphics, addictive gameplay on beginner stage.”
- “It's just the background music after the first scene.”
- “I can't find a way to turn off the music; it is super annoying.”
- “It would be great to have more music that hits just as hard in the future.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by its quirky notifications, such as an unclosable "app is running" alert despite the app not being opened, and the inclusion of original, amusing characters reminiscent of other games. Players find the overall experience to be lighthearted and entertaining, contributing to its charm.
- “The 'app is running' notification that doesn't go away is hilarious, especially since I never opened the app!”
- “Hilariously, like the original, the game features totally original characters and pictures in the intro, like Master Sergeant from Holo and Boom Boy from B00m.”
- “This game is surprisingly easy and has a certain charm that makes it funny.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
100%
Players report significant optimization issues, including frequent server performance problems and quest list errors, despite attempts to reboot, optimize networks, and reinstall the game. These ongoing issues have persisted throughout extensive gameplay.
- “I have rebooted countless times, optimized my network, stopped apps, and I won't uninstall and reinstall... mid-war.”
- “The optimization options in the game allow for a smoother experience, making it easier to focus on strategy.”
- “I appreciate how the game encourages players to optimize their setups for better performance and efficiency.”
- “I have rebooted countless times during mid-war, optimized my network, stopped apps, and even uninstalled and reinstalled the game, yet the issues persist.”
- “In 28 days of play, I have encountered repeated issues with quest lists and poor server performance.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The emotional aspect of the game is criticized for its lack of depth, with users finding the story generic and unengaging.
- “The story felt generic and boring, lacking any emotional depth.”
- “I didn't connect with the characters at all; their struggles felt unconvincing.”
- “The emotional moments seemed forced and failed to resonate with me.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is generally perceived as lacking, with users noting that the presence of pay-to-win elements detracts from the overall experience. While the game has potential, the atmosphere fails to engage players fully.
- “After that, you just have to put up with the pay-to-win fruitbakes, which takes me back to my first statement: nice game, poor atmosphere.”