Overview
N.O.V.A. – Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance is a brand new first person shooter made by Gameloft that is one of the most hyped titles ever to enter the App Store. N.O.V.A. has a sci-fi theme that has a basic connection to Halo. The story in N.O.V.A. revolves around retired Marine Kal Wardin who has just been called back into active duty because of an alien threat, known as “Judges”, against the Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance.
Does this sci-fi FPS live up to the massive hype? Is it the go to FPS for the iPhone? Let’s find out.
Features
N.O.V.A. features a single player campaign mode that progresses through 13 levels across five environments. A deluxe storyline is included with detailed cut scenes and voice acting to give more information about the mysterious “Judges” alien threat. Every level gives a breakdown of stats and any achievements you raked up which are kept on Gameloft Live.
Multiplayer is also included, either locally over WiFi or Bluetooth, or the big feature, online. You can play a deathmatch online using Gameloft Live servers to play anyone in the world on five different maps. Every game contributes to your overall rank to compare on the global leaderboards.
Three control methods are included to find out which one fits you best, and they’re the exact same ones found in Modern Combat. The default control uses a virtual control stick on the left, and firing button on the right. You drag on the rest of the screen to move the camera angle and aim. In playing the default controls worked the best.
The next control mode uses the left side of the screen to move, and the right side to aim and fire. Finally the last control mode provides dual sticks, again movement on the left, and aiming/firing on the right. During the entire game there is a blue arrow that points you in the right direction. Six weapons are available including the rifle, shotgun, sniper, rocket launcher, plasma gun, as well as grenades, and you’re occasionally able to use turrets.
The Good
N.O.V.A. has so much good going for it, and even taking away all the visual candy it’s still a great game. This truly is a FPS single player campaign game that we’ve yet to see on the iPhone. As the only other comparable title would be Gameloft’s other FPS Modern Combat, which pales in comparison.
The game is just everything I expected, and more. It’s so engrossing to get your fingers at the ready and blast through aliens in deluxe worlds. The storyline is nice and detailed, and adds reason to keep going through the game. Every single objective in the game keeps the action moving never leaving a dull moment.
The enemies come at you vigorously, and they have a good shot so you really need to be careful. Part of the game requires more than just shooting, which is always a nice change of pace. Overall everything you would expect in terms of gameplay in a console FPS is included in N.O.V.A.
There’s no doubt the gameplay is great, and the entire game is enhanced by the 3D rendered visuals. All of the five unique environments are deluxe and finely detailed, rivaling any portable game anywhere. The presentation of everything is great including the alien design, and shooting them. Overall everything pops with color and puts you into these sci-fi environments.
A wonderful soundtrack is included, which has a basic military theme but infused with sci-fi fantasy. There’s no reason to play your own music, because this soundtrack goes perfectly with the gameplay. The included sound effects are good too, from the grunts and gruffs of larger enemies to the hissing whispering (ala The Others in Lost) from the main aliens.
The controls are good with three different choices, but they’re still not great. They take awhile to get used to, and even then are just on par with Eliminate’s controls, and both get slightly in the way of playing the game.
Playing the entire campaign mode will take a considerable amount of time, and you’ll love every minute of it. Also, once you beat the single player mode on normal you can unlock hard mode to play through it again, and there are achievements on Gameloft Live too. A great save system is included which picks up at your most recent checkpoint, and there are a lot of checkpoints.
Just the single player mode makes this game well worth $6.99, but also included is online multiplayer which is pretty good. Online deathmatches on the go wherever you are on five different maps as just in addition to the campaign.
The Bad
As good as the game is, there are some definite flaws. The main problem revolves around the online multiplayer, at least in comparison to Eliminate Pro. The first concern is that you have to go through picking the room you want to play in with no indication of the player rankings, and some matches don’t have time limits.
Also when you join some matches they may be nearing an end, and the load times are quite considerable. The ranking system is basic at best, and ranking isn’t valued based on the opponents played. Gameloft has a long way to go in the multiplayer aspect to even be a worthy competitor to Ngmoco.
When playing Eliminate Pro the matches start automatically pitting you against similar ranked opponents, and having everyone in the match begin together. Also the load times are quick, and each game lasts for a certain amount of time. The ranking system is superb using Plus+, and your ranking is dependent upon the opponents you play. Each match contributes to your overall level to increase your weapons, armor, and skill level.
There are obvious problems with the multiplayer, and another problem is the controls, which like Eliminate, still aren’t completely smooth to play FPS on the iPhone. I guess we have to keep waiting until a company can truly figure it out. Don’t get me wrong, they’re good, just not great.
The Verdict
N.O.V.A. is the FPS we’ve all been waiting for and, amazingly, actually lived up to the enormous hype. It’s the best FPS on the iPhone, the best action game on the iPhone, and one of the best games overall. Gameloft has finally delivered that outstanding game that we’ve been waiting for, as some of their other titles kept coming up just short.
The multiplayer is lacking, so my best suggestion would be to get N.O.V.A. for the outstanding single player campaign, and then the free Eliminate Pro for wonderful multiplayer FPS.
N.O.V.A. is a must buy for $6.99, so get downloading today to have a wonderful FPS experience any time at all.
***To win a copy of N.O.V.A. just leave a comment below telling us about how important reviews of EA and Gameloft games are. Their games sell really well, and they do so much marketing. Would you prefer more reviews of smaller games? We will still do EA and Gameloft games, but maybe not all of them, and not as timely. Let us know.
The winner will be chosen randomly at the end of the day tomorrow (12/19 at 11:59 PM PDT). Download codes are only redeemable through US iTunes accounts. Please remember to include a valid email address so we can contact the winner. Also see our video review of the game.
Our Rating
N.O.V.A. - Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance
- Developer: Gameloft
- Category: Games
- Released: December 17th, 2009
(currently 1.1.0)
(currently 4.99)
Very cool game,
thereview are the bases of my disition on downloading the app
EA and gameloft make phenomenal games. While reviewing smaller games would be good too, don’t stop reviewing the games form these developers!
Good review!
Reviews of EA and Gameloft games of all sort are very important. They are the big game developers and put out games that we, as consumers, expect to be epic. Reviews of smaller games would also be cool. We want to know what the best games are to spend our money on!
I love reading the reviews of all games as I usually do not buy them unless it is a good one. EA and Gameloft have both made plenty of horrible games in the past and reviews help me save a lot of money.
You said it right, I think it’s better to cover small indie developers who don’t have the same means of funding to get the same level of exposure that the big players have… (my 2 cents)
Thanks for a great review as always.
Disclaimer: I’m not a developer, just a regular user : )
Actually, all your reviews are valuable! Don’t filter what you do based on who is putting out the app. Sometimes the reviews of the “bigger” games are more important…I don’t mind blowing .99 on an app, but cringe when I wasted 9.99! Keep up the great work!
Reviews from smaller games are great but I enjoy seeing reviews from larger titles as well. I myself have not purchased N.O.V.A. since I need an iTunes Card, so app reviews are much needed. Gameloft and EA do make great games but the reviews show features that I did not previously know about. (That aren’t on the iTunes description page) So keep up the good work.
I still like reviews of both. They tend to have more expensive apps, and neither has a great track record, so I definitely need to see reviews before I consider buying.
I prefer review of bigger named titles, for example, from gameloft, ngmoco, and EA.
Enjoy reviews of both.
I think all the reviews you guys do are extremely important and influence me greatly. As far as specifically EA and Gameloft, those being two of the biggest developers, tend to have the most well developed games… and the highest priced. If I am going to spend $6.99 at the app store on a single app, I am not going to do that without checking that out first. When there is not a trial or lite version, the other other option is a review.
Definitely increase the review of indie games, they need to get the most attention!
But don’t stop reviewing the big guys’ apps, sometimes it’s good to know what sucks about those games before paying $5-$10 for them!
So, as long as the reviews are critical and objective, you can review whatever games you like :]
KUTGW
EA and Gameloft iPhone games are usually very good but reviews are vitals to my purchasing. I like to hear 3rd party comments on every app.
Thank you for this review. I believe that reviews of EA and Gameloft games are critically important. Reviewing these major companies keeps them honest. For example, it is unbelievable that Gameloft left out the option to invert the Y axis. People need to know hear types of things before spending 700 percent more for an app than the average.
That said, it is also important to review Lea prolific publishers, such as Activision’s Call of Duty Zombie game. That one has arguably the mist effective FPS controls today that Gameloft should hve copied for this one.
Please note that I haven’t bought NOVA so I’m only going by this review and the comments on the app page.
As far as reviewing smaller apps, I think this is important as well. Many of us love high production value apps but we also like small but innovative an fun ones.
Either way thank you for your reviews as thy are well written and thorough.
I think your reviews should concentrate more on indie/smaller-name games. Review sites are sometimes the only way I find out about nice indie games/apps, since the developers can’t match the marketing power of something like EA or Gameloft.
I’ve been a fan of Gameloft titles since I paid $10 for both Brothers in Arms and Hero of Sparta. They continue to publish high quality content at a reasonable price
and an amazing rate!
Keep it up Gameloft!
I like very much that appadvice makes reviews of EA and Gameloft games because it helps know what game is better for my iTouch
You make me buy AVATAR cuz the review Thank you so much to all appadvice!!!
Great review.
The big publishers will always get their time in spotlight so reviewing those high profile games is fine but it’s the gems from small publishers that I like hearing about. With over 100,000 apps in the store and growing, it’s finding these lesser known apps that makes owning an iPhone so rewarding and fun. And it helps the innovation of the smaller publishers out there.
I hear some amazing things about this game. I think it’s important that you review these major game studio games because often, although pretty, the games don’t perform the way they should on every handset.
Thanks!!
Smaller games! There’s all sorts of info on big releases but discovering tiny gems is priceless!
The reviews that you guys publish make a big difference in the apps that I purchase. Whereas EA and Gameloft make some of the most complex and high profile games, it would be great if you could also review some smaller games, even at the expense of EA and Gameloft.
Wow, the graphics are pretty amazing for iPhone standards!
This games beats most Wii games!
Game play looks fun, I’m not too sure about the controls though.
Online sounds interesting.
Looking forward to winning a code and making my friends buy it, so I can play online with them!
Haha
Great review!
I love ea games, but have never heard of gameloft. I get your reviews on Twitter and this has introduced me to a lot of content that I otherwise would not have found.
Thank you
I feel that high profile game reviews are as important as lesser known ones, though for different reasons. Big games can often rely solely on hype and too many people will waste their money on underdeveloped games unless there are accessible reviews of them. Small games can go completely unnoticed, hurting developers, and denying us of potentially unique experiences unless they are brought to our attention.
I find the reviews of big apps most valuable, as they tend to be pricier “premium” apps with a lot of hype and expectation. I need to know if they live up to that expectation and price tag, since several of them do not. Keep it up!
EA has always been a top notch gamming company for the iPhone and other consoles, even there casual zombie game wasen’t a disopointment.
But when It comes down to Gameloft you have another story, The titles, screenshots, gameplay trailers all are amazing but once you get the games they seem to be missing something, sometimes they update but most of the time they dont.
and you wont even know what the game is acually like until you play it or see a review from somone you know or from here at appadvice.com
Nice review.
this game rocks and gameloft is awesome
You guys make the great reviews on which I can perfectly decide whether to buy an app or not. I would love it to see some more reviews of gamelofts games, but if you don’t have enough time, just review the major games.
Reviews in general are very important but what when it comes to larger software houses like EA and Gameloft it’s even more so. While both make some great games the reviews help us get past the hype and fluff of the game description and adverstising. I like to chose unique games and games that bring something different to the table. When I can’t immediately see it in the game description a go looking for reviews especially when it comes to EA and Gameloft. They do a lot but the also hold back at times too and a good review is one of the best ways for me to make a buy or skip decision when all else as failed.
I love the reviews, if a game gets a bad review i wont buy it… it really lets me get quality apps and not waste money! thank you!!!
I’m torn, I prefer smaller games overall, but I think reviews for bigger publishers are needed to cut through all the marketing hype and tell us how the games really are.
EA and Gameloft are as important to me as the indies. Please continue your excellent coverage. Thanks.
While I would like more reviews of games from the smaller companies I don’t think it wise to not cover the big games quickly. Maybe if EA puts out a game that is not really a big deal skip it for a smaller places game. But being behind on a much anticipated game would be no good.
I enjoy all the EA/Game loft games, I think for iphone the games are large enough that they need reviewing the same as a PSP game for example. I am most likely not going to buy the game if the review says its bad
Reviews of any app are a good way to ’round’ out an opinion before purchase. Reviewing larger titles can help ‘level’ the reflection of the app outside of just the very attractive advertising videos, screenshots, etc.
I think that game reviews from big companies like Gameloft and EA are beter reviews since their games have so much content and are much better.
I want a system where users and vote for the next top app/game (not necessarily from big name comapnies). Majority of the time innovation are seen in the indie app/games but not from the big ones with masssive market budget behind. I would prefer more smaller app/game reviews.
I specifically waited for your review for this game. The reviews In the app store don’t mean much to me. Please continue to review the most hyped games so I can make a quality decision… Thanks!!!
Keep reviewing just like you have been! Thanks.
I like the EA and gameloft reviews. They help me decide to get games if they are ablittle expensive
I choose the games what I will buy, after I read reviews. On this site, or on another, it doesn’t metter.
Reviews help us to make decisions.
***To win a copy of N.O.V.A. just leave a comment below telling us about how important reviews of EA and Gameloft games are. Their games sell really well, and they do so much marketing. Would you prefer more reviews of smaller games? We will still do EA and Gameloft games, but maybe not all of them, and not as timely. Let us know.
Naturally, EA and Gameloft offer higher-priced games. I believe reviews of EA and Gameloft games are extremely essential to the customer and creator. I for one, would like professional takes on games and these reviews are really helpful.
Would I like reviews for smaller games? I believe a review of every game should be made, but priorities are first. Games that are anticipated and games that are made by well-known developers should be reviewed first. EA and Gameloft games should be constantly reviewed by you guys. It helps decide wether or not someone will actually spend the money on the game.
Thank you for the N.O.V.A. review and hope I get chosen.
You absolutely should keep on doing EA and Gameloft reviews for one very important reason… the absence of lite/free versions on some of the biggest releases.
Yes, some lite versions are available from Gameloft, but they always come out long after the initial launch of the game. Take the recent release of N.O.V.A and Avatar for instance. Can I try it first? NO.
And even worse, none of the EA products have lite versions. That means without your review, I would have to go into buying Need for Speed Shift totally blind (or relying on App Store reviews).
I (and probably a lot of people) rely heavily on your reviews to decide whether or not I’m going to buy an EA or Gameloft title. I wouldn’t think of buying a game until your review of it appears in my RRS feed!
I wait for your reviews to make my purchase. you guys rock and are very efficent on putting out these reviews. keep up on reviewing these popular games! I constantly check appadvice for my updates. thanks guys!
I almost always wait for your reviews when making a decision on buying an app. After reading yours for NOVA I do plan on getting it. Thank you and Please keep it up for all developers.
EA and Gameloft games are one of best for iphone but you should definetly rewiew smaller games too and maybe more applications
This is the first site i check when it comes to iphone and your rewiews help me with deciding which one to buy. Keep the good job.
I say, don’t stop loving the big companies, but pay more attention to the little guys. Some of the smaller games are brilliant, and sometimes of great value to the iPhone/iPod gaming scene.
You never know if you’ll be the first one reviewing the next big thing, and your readers will thank guys for that
Reviews of big games are important to increase the game popularity. Also, these reviews help we, buyers, to chose one between great games. EA and Gameloft games are a little “pricey” but for me, are the funniest too.
Great review, keep doing ! (And hope i win the promo-code…)
I liked the idea of a halo like game. I think that it is important to cover smaller apps too. Big things come in small packages. Which is why I applied for a writing job on appadvice.
Reviews are important to my purchase decision for every app, regardless of developer or price.
I feel the reviews of EA and Gameloft games is critical. Granted they sell well on their own, however the price point is generally higher making the purchase a higher stakes gamble. WIthout your reviews of them, there are some I would never buy for fear of tossing money down the drain.
I’m all for supporting the small developers and give you kudos on making the distinction and effort, but a review of a $6.99 game or a $9.99 game holds more value than 8 reviews of $0.99 games… IMHO.
I like the EA and Gameloft reviews because the games are often more expensive, as others have pointed out. Thanks for this review!
The biggest reason reviews for EA & Gameloft are so important is bc of how much their games cost. If they are asking for a consumer to shell out $3-$8 for various games, I want to know firsthand if they’re forth it or not. I’ve made buying decisions based specifically on Appadvice reviews. So… I think they’re important.
The biggest reason reviews for EA & Gameloft are so important is bc of how much their games cost. If they are asking for a consumer to shell out $3-$8 for various games, I want to know firsthand if they’re forth it or not. I’ve made buying decisions based specifically on Appadvice reviews. So… I think they’re important.
I think reviews of these games are just as important as smaller games, because these are more hyped, so its important to know if they live up to the hype before buying
Reviews of higher-proiced games are more valuable, whether that’s a $6-$10 app from EA/Gameloft/Glu/Chillingo/Freeverse or a freemium app with $10+ of in-app purchases from SGN/Ngmoco…
The depth of the review is what’s critical, moreso if the game costs more than a matinee movie ticket. For example, a review of Doodle Jump or Pocket God doesn’t necessarily need depth – the game itself doesn’t pretend to have it — but an examination of the enjoyability is crucial to those being replayable, which is their point.
EA a doesn’t have a portfolio full of “incredible” games, and neither do GameLoft or any other company — but determining which games are flops (or worth it at $0.99 but not $7.99 – ME Galaxy, Hero of Sparta) and which are a steal at even $8 requires a thorough analysis… not everyone will agree with the review, but everyone will appreciate the review, especially if there is no “Lite” version.
Without indie devs, the game would go stale — would FIFA 10 or Real Soccer 2010 have improved their button layouts if X2 2009 wasn’t on the scene, garnering raves from gamers and reviewers alike? I’d LOVE a head-to-head comparison, right now, since I own X2 already, Real Soccer is on sale at $0.99, and FIFA still sells for $7. — is FIFA still worth the extra money, or is there enough variety that grabbing each at $0.99 (whenever FIFA goes on sale, as it will eventually). I love X2 for quick games and its graphics, but it does seem both the newer titles offer a little more in playability. Same might be said for the effect of Alive-4-Ever and soon Guerilla Bob on the top-down shooter genre. As we can surmise form both EA’s and GameLoft’s line-ups, neither will do more than “port” stripped-down version of hugely popular console/PC titles unless the competitive pressure is there.
One thing about NOVA, though: How does it compare to Modern Sandstorm? And AVATAR?
Generally these games cost more money. If I paid a dollar and got a not-so-great game I wouldn’t be too upset over it, but I certainly wouldn’t be happy if I paid six or seven dollars for a major game and it wasn’t great. Definitely keep reviewing the major games a lot.
I’ve brought many Gamrloft’s iPhone games but only few satisfies me. Many of them tends to be too short. So, I hope this game is long enough for me.
I love it when you guys review big name developers because they might have a console version and I don’t know if it’s as good or nearly as fun as the console version.
This game will go farther than any other game. This game soo far has had good rankings and scores and they will countinue to increase. I think I should get a free copy because times are hard and I dnt have the money and also because I played it and it was beast.
I think its still essential to review the big name games because those are the ones that are usually more expensive and I’ll always be reading a good review before a drop more than like 3 bucks.
Reviewing the more expensive games certainly seems like the best. There are app reviews for the smaller games and you don’t risk as much with them. Keep up all the good work!
Big name developer reviews are useful but I would rather see reviews of the lesser known games. With so many games out there, it is nice to see reviews of the mid-level games that might otherwise get unnoticed.
nice review.
I’d say its very important because eventhough Indie developers are needing out support too, leaving bigger company behind is little unconventional n my personal opinion. For example, I tried to search for a simple game from EA, such as Sudoku or Scrabble. I been to many websites and none of them provide a clear review of the said game. With many small developers out the also making the same game (many other sudoku’s game from other small developers), when you want the premium one that you can be sure not only getting the content that you need but also many other pluses (suc as graphic, etc), you look up to the bigger developers like EA.
When none of the major website even give a review of that, many people like me are just gonna assume that those game is so bad that isn’t even worth the attention, when in reality it isn’t always the case.
Please kindly review also a games by a bigger company as you would a “interesting-at-the-first-glance-but-will-get-2-stars-out-of-5, games”
thanks
I like to hear mentions of the bigger developers but I must admit that I really enjoy the reviews of the little guys. Keep up with those reviews!
I think having a mixture of both, big company games and smaller games is necessary. Big games are well known, and bring attention to them, so many people would want reviews from those games. Other people, like myself, like all types of games and find it helpful when there are reviews of small games!
Thanks! =)
I would still prefer reviews from Gameloft and EA. I like to see reviews sothat I can make an informed decision before making a relatively big purchase compared to the smaller apps.
I love the reviews of the big games. It allows ne to make an informed purchase.
While reviews of big name game producers like EA and Gameloft are valuable, I would like to see more from some of the smaller producers for those hidden treasures.
I already bought this game, but I would like to point out why reviews are important.
I own their game My Word Coach and it is excellent BUT it’s broken on OS 3.0+. They have not fixed it yet.
Gameloft tends to drop development on games once their released unless they are extremely popular. I guess the hundreds if not thousands of users who purchased that game are out of luck.
A simple fix would get that game up and running. They don’t respond to technical support requests and so on.
Your reviews, especially updated reviews, bring to light sad situations that need addressing. If no one says anything, nothing will get done. It’s customer satisfaction at it’s simplest form.
I think that reviews of EA and Gameloft games are very important, because even though they are both big companies and their games sell very well, this doesn’t guarantee that their releases will always be good. Therefore, I always check App Advice before purchasing a game off the App Store. Even if it is from a big company like EA or Gameloft.
Wow 71 posts already what else is there to say.
I guess to reiterate I think that it is very important to have reviews out for major releases of EA and Gameloft games I think that they make top notch games and enjoy seeing reviews within a couple days of their release to better grasp the kind of game and if it is worth buying. I think that all game’s that Gameloft and EA release are not in the same caliber as N.O.V.A and Need for Speed Shift and don’t require as timely reviews and I really enjoy the reviews of smaller games as well as it both gives independent developers a chance to be seen as well as us the gamers a chance to play some real gems. I also love the promo code contests as it just spreads the joy of these smaller games many of which I otherwise would not have heard of and I have actually purchased many of them.
keep up with the amazing reviews I really enjoy Appadvice and read it daily or more.
I like the idea of doing a few reviews here and there, as I really trust your opinions, but I’d prefer to see reviews of lesser-known, smaller development studio games.
I like all your reviews. Keep ‘em coming
Nice review – looks like a great game.
Personally, I think although any kind of review is great, helping out small-time developers is especially important. A good review can really help out a small-time developer, and give them a chance to keep making apps/games for everybody. And if the small guys continue to be successful, we’ll continue to have a diverse and interesting app store rather than it being dominated by a few big companies.
So even though I used to work for EA, I’m going to have to say that any help you can give to the smaller guys will make for a greater app store in the end!
Gameloft and EA games are often very good, and I appreciate you guys reviewing them so that we know to get them or not. I also like seeing smaller games reviewed as well though to give them a chance at making some money.
It’s great to see the reviews even if they’re for the big companies. EA and Gameloft both make phenomenal games. Coupled with the support of reviews from site like AppAdvice helps them a lot and in turn it also helps the smaller devs get publicity on their apps just from visits to the site.
Gameloft and EA make great games, everyone I’ve bought so far I’ve been more than impressed with and have rated them all with 5 stars on itunes. I like seeing all the reviews for Gameloft and EA to see if most people have similar opinions to mine when it comes to rating their games. I can’t wait to get more of their games!
I think reviewing big company games is important too. It allows me to make an informed decision about paying for such a relatively large price.
Congratulations to our N.O.V.A. promo code winner:
Robert
He left the 14th comment which is the random number AppBox Pro picked. Have fun!
In terms of the response there was an overwhelming majority to keep the big name reviews coming so we will be sure to do so. Stay tuned early this week for reviews of Need for Speed Shift and Call of Duty: World At War Zombies. We will also try to highlight small gems in the App Store because there’s really nothing better. We also understand you would like a review before paying a relatively higher price.