Review: N.O.V.A. HD

Overview

N.O.V.A. HD is the iPad version of the iPhone first person shooter with a space theme.

Features

The game features the same 13 levels with multiple objectives across five environments as the iPhone version, now just with iPad native resolution. The game features the same online multiplayer as well. The game features a few iPad specific control mechanics. You can toss a grenade with a two finger swipe, and adjust the size of the map to see more of it by pulling on the highlighted edge. Also included is a special targeting system for multiple enemies when using the rocket launcher.

The Good

This is first person shooting goodness at its finest taking full advantage of the iPad interface. The iPad version immerses you in the first person shooter, and makes it truly first person. Never have you played a first person game that is so close to your face, and right at your fingertips. This is as close as you can be to actually holding a gun and blasting away aliens. NOVA HD provides the true meaning of HD giving you one of the best looking iPad games around. The environments are intricate and colorful, and bursting with color that is nearly popping out of the screen. It further creates the feeling of total immersion in the world of NOVA. The game has the action coming at you often and quickly, to keep you in the game the entire time. There are tons and tons of things to do just to play through the single player campaign. The story isn't ground breaking, but it's nice to keep you going throughout the game, and not just mindlessly blasting away aliens. On top of the wonderful campaign, there is online multiplayer which is really well done. The environments range in type, and the connection times are quick, which are two factors in online play. It's just fun quick action online death matches, and you can also play locally against other iPads as well as the iPhone and iPod touche. The control mechanics work well, though there is no easy way to rotate the camera really quickly. The iPad specific controls are nice to use, but I just wish it was used in more ways. They're in a very limited scope, and it would have been much better to use the auto targeting on more weapons.

The Bad

There aren't really any problems with NOVA as many concerns are rectified with the larger device. Now your fingers don't take up such a large percentage of the screen, and it doesn't feel as cramped. Also minor problems have even rectified since the game has been out for quite awhile.

The Verdict

NOVA HD is an absolutely spectacular game from start to finish. It's the closers thing on the iPad to playing an actual console game, and $6.99 is an absolutely steal when you think of console prices. The iPad presents a whole new way to play first person shooter as it truly makes the game first person like no other device. NOVA HD is a must buy for $6.99 as it's the best first person shooter, on the iPad, and ranks as one of the best on the device. If you already own the iPhone version it's passable on the iPad. The restrictions of space are limited, and it's the same game in terms of content. The control mechanics are too limited to play with anything new on the iPad version. The iPad version looks far better, but the iPhone version still looks pretty good running at double pixel.

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