Immaculate level design, devilish enemy placement, and a steady but always punishing difficulty curve help Nex Machina stand head and shoulders above most competing shooters, not to mention the early arcade titles that inspired it, like Robotron: 2084. That’s meaningful, as Nex Machina was created in cooperation with Eugene Jarvis, one of the designers of that early classic game. Nex Machina is far deeper than first impressions might suggest, and can offer many hours of searing challenge, presuming you’re willing to face a little eye strain. Blinking is not encouraged.

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

With Nex Machina, Housemarque managed to create a balancing act between retro and modern gaming, thanks to precise controls and impressive effects.

Nex Machina is a fast paced cyberpunk twin stick shooter, a pure experience from the past, but unfortunately it doesn't last long.

Nex Machina is the quintessential top-down arcade shooter. It may seem simplistic on paper, but on screen is nothing less than a punishing, hectic and utterly enjoyable experience that will leave you exhausted even only after an hour of play.

Nex Machina is an great twin-stick shooter that stays close to the roots it has inherited from designer Eugene Jarvis to bring a modernise, hyper speed take on this classic genre. It does not try to reinvent the wheel, and its lack of online cooperative action is a disappointment, but it offers simple, exceptional controls and has enough going on within its mechanics that it never feels shallow. With beautiful voxel visuals, challenging gameplay and piercing colours, Nex Machina is a combination of striking graphics and addictive gameplay that never stops for a break. While it might not be the best twin-stick shooter in the past few years, there is no doubt that this is still another great arcade shooter from Housemarque’s ever growing library of quality shooters.

Not all efforts in nostalgia end in success, but with Nex Machina, Housemarque has crafted a fast and fun twin-stick shooter with crisp visuals and challenging gameplay. Flawed only by a problematic mouse adaptation, Nex Machina is a solid execution of a gaming genre staple that promises long nights with guns blazing (instead of sleep).