Nex Machina Reviews

Nex Machina is ranked in the 96th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
9 / 10
Jun 19, 2017

Nex Machina is everything that an arcade game should be: addictive and accessible yet bursting with hidden depth. Housemarque continues to be the master of the dual-joystick shooter with a sublime effort that harks back to the coin-op glory days of yesteryear. This is a near-perfect complement to the ridiculously good Resogun, and deserves to find a place among your PS4's hard drive space.

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9 / 10.0
Jun 22, 2017

Housemarque has broken its own quality barrier with Nex Machina. This pulse-pounding twin-stick arcade shooter is the developer's finest work. Brutal, compelling, enthralling and layered with hidden depths, Nex Machina is awash with retrotastic glory, and serves as the new benchmark for twin-stick shooters.

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90 / 100
Jun 24, 2017

Despite its utterly insane difficulty curve, Nex Machina is a pure joy to play.

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Jun 19, 2017

Intense doesn't even cover it. Nex Machina is every bit as tough, exciting and absorbing as the eighties arcade classics that inspired it. There's something about its gameplay that seems perfectly honed and balanced, pulling you into ever-more-challenging scenarios and pushing you to make the grade.

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4.5 / 5.0
Jun 25, 2017

Nex Machina is up there with Resogun as the best game Housemaque has ever released and is a great throwback to the arcade shooters of old. In terms of presentation and design, it is perfect and its smooth, brutal, and challenging gameplay makes it feel wonderful to play.

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9 / 10.0
Jun 23, 2017

Nex Machina is another fantastic arcade-inspired retro homage from the folks at Housemarque. I think it may be the most stressful of the trio of such releases from the studio so far, but that'll give more hardcore players an added push to get good and improve their scores. Lesser-skilled players, however, may feel even more lost among the madness.

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Atomix
Top Critic
90 / 100
Jun 26, 2017

Nex Machina is exciting, addictive and challenging, a must have for all arcade shooter fans. We loved its level design and the perfect mix of gameplay mechanics combined with a clean presentation and vibrant soundtrack. It's without doubt one of the best Housemarque games.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

9 / 10.0
Jun 19, 2017

Nex Machina is another great game from Housemarque. The hybrid of all the ideas that the studio has so far displayed in previous games is engaging right from the start. The fans of the genre will feel like they are in heaven.

Review in Polish | Read full review

9 / 10
Jun 21, 2017

Although Nex Machina lacks online multiplayer, the game's euphoric use of bright neon colors and impressive use of voxels is only surpassed by the tight gameplay mechanics. At its heart, Nex Machina is a modern day arcade shooter, with plenty of secrets and the addicting element that will have you challenging for a higher position on the leaderboards well into the wee hours of the night.

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Jun 29, 2017

Easily on of the best homages to old-school arcade gaming in quite some time. Easy to pick up, hard to master, but damn if you won't have fun along the way. With some fast-energy tunes, a gorgeous looking world and plenty of frantic action, Nex Machina has me wishing the days of arcade gaming weren't over. The only thing that would make this game even better is the addition of an online co-op mode.

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4.5 / 5.0
Jun 20, 2017

Nex Machina is an utterly fantastic arcade twin-stick shooter that doesn't so much revolutionize the genre as get almost every aspect just right.

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9 / 10.0
Jun 23, 2017

Housemarque has another hit on their hands, and Nex Machina is probably their best, smoothest and more varied shooter yet. The mechanics masterfully layer on top of each other world on world to keep the crazy action fresh session after session and the entire game has a colourful 90's joy to it that sucks you in. Online co-op being the one nitpick that could come patched in later, I can only wholehearted recommend Nex Machina as the shooter you pick up this summer.

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GameSpace
Top Critic
9 / 10.0
Jul 3, 2017

As a long time fan or a newcomer to the genre, Nex Machina is great addition to the SHMUP games list. It hits all the right notes and offers a satisfying experience. Available on both PC and PS4, this is a game I would recommend for lovers of the genre or those interested in trying out a reimagining of the classic genre.

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9 / 10.0
Jun 20, 2017

A flashy and fun adrenaline shot of tight controls and exploding mayhem; this budget title is a must-have for any fan of arcade style Shoot em' Ups and Dual-Stick Shooters.

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9 / 10
Jun 19, 2017

Housemarque has done it again; Nex Machina is a brilliantly action-packed shooter that's engrossing, addictive and absolutely sublime from start to finish.

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9 / 10.0
Jul 1, 2017

The lack of online multiplayer hurts the longevity of what is otherwise the most engaging and addictive twin stick shooter yet.

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Aug 15, 2017

With solid mechanics, insane levels, and beautiful design, Nex Machina cements Housemarque as the king of twin-stick shooter development.

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9 / 10.0
Jul 16, 2017

This is a love letter to classic twin-stick shooters. With input from one of the kings of the genre in Eugene Jarvis, there was almost no way this could fail. It's a fast-paced, colourful, and bullet-rich affair that will have you coming back for more again and again.

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9 / 10.0
Jul 31, 2017

Nex Machina is a winner. The game balances exploration in each stage with the threat of massive hordes of various enemies bearing down at you from all sides, and it maintains the fun that comes from relentless action. Though you're essentially only shooting, it never feels tired due to the level variety. Score hunters will have a blast going after each challenge and their respective leaderboards, all while taking in the voxel overload as things explode. Action fans of all types owe it to themselves to check out Nex Machina.

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9 / 10.0
Jun 18, 2017

Move over Super Stardust there is a new shmup in town and its Nex Machina!

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