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> Results: Nexus: The Jupiter Incident
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The PC space game drought has seen a slight reprieve with Nexus: The Jupiter Incident, but unless you are an actual rocket scientist, it may not seem like any relief at all. Related to the Imperium Galatica series, it is possibly the most detailed and impressive tactical space game I have ever seen. It's also the hardest game nut I've ever tried to crack. Fans of previous space-based PC strategy games (i.e. those who loved Homeworld but felt it was not detailed enough) will find this game a welcome addition to their library. However, casual game aficionados will have a hard time getting started.
The background of the game is as engaging as any recent sci-fi game or movie. You play as Marcus Cromwell, the son of the first man born in space. Years ago your father mysteriously disappeared through a space-time bending wormhole, along with an entire colonization space craft. All are now considered missing in action. Space has become a battleground for capitalism. Large corporations control most of space and you are employed by one of them. Your job is to defend rival corporations and gain control of various parts of the known universe. If you happen to discover the fate of your father along the way, well that's just a bonus.  At first you are in command of The Stiletto, a war frigate in the SpaceTech navy. Training missions allow you to get a decent (but definitely not deep enough) understanding of the basic game play. Control of your ship takes place in 3D space. This sounds simple, but to gravity-bound land-lubbers who enjoy standard strategy and RTS games the added dimension will take some time to adjust to. The game has no resources collect so you will find that you spend most of your time moving and fighting with your ever-growing fleet of space ships. Each mission starts with a briefing followed by an armament phase where you lay out all of your ships with the proper weapons payloads. As the missions get harder and more puzzle-like, you will want to pay close attention to the particulars of each mission and the weapons you have in your arsenal. Most missions give very little leeway as to which weapons will be required to solve any particular set of conditions. Even the early missions must be sussed out carefully, because your tiny and insignificant fleet is even more vulnerable at this stage in the game. Weapons vary from strictly offensive to energy draining. You can target specific weapon systems and more. In addition to weapons loads, you also create Artificial Intelligence for your weapons systems, telling them exactly what to fire at in various situations. On top of that, you can manage the energy levels for various systems on your ships, giving you amazing micro-management control over your entire fleet. Maybe too much. You find yourself replaying missions many times, trying to figure out the exact path to victory. You also find that the one resource you need to really plan for are the load points on each ship. Since you are limited in the number and types of weapons each can hold, you need to develop a solid understanding of each ship and the possible weapons mix for each battle. The game is supposed last about 20 or so hours, but for idiots like me it could easily take double that time finish.  The game includes several multiplayer modes, but finding an opponent online might prove difficult. The graphics are very well done, especially for a game of this type. Graphical flourishes abound, but you must stop and salute the explosions as they are magnificent. The developers obviously knew that space games, even those with a deep strategy bent, are much better with mind-shattering explosions. Most of the other graphics are simply outstanding, too. All of these aspects of Nexus: The Jupiter Incident basically work together to create one of the most frustrating yet magnificently detailed space-based strategy games I have ever played. This is definitely not a game for those "select, move and attack" RTS gamers, but for anyone who craves a detailed challenge, this title would be perfect. 
This game is definitely not for small kids. It's definitely not for small kids with their parents either. The content is rather tame (violent space battles and tense story elements withstanding), but the amount of dedication required will simply frustrate and probably bore any kid under the age of 10. However, kids interested in science and space who are good working within a 3D world could have some fun here. If your kids are space-obsessed, nerdy, super geniuses, this might be the only game for them. However, for the casual gamer and their kids, this ultra-detailed and precise space strategy game will only offer disappointment.
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