Intense action in this epic sci-fi shooter

N.O.V.A. 3 is a true first-person shooter for iOS that looks sensational and plays very well.

What’s N.O.V.A 3 about?

In N.O.V.A. 3 you lead hero Kal around space stations and surrounding planets in order to try to protect Earth from a terrible fate. N.O.V.A. games have often been mocked as a cheap rip-off of Halo, but to say that about N.O.V.A. 3 is doing it a massive disservice. It now stands on its own as the reference for quality shoot ’em ups.

There’s plenty of alien scum to wipe out in N.O.V.A. 3, but luckily you’ll be able to call on plenty of weapons, kinetic forces, and the help of your team to destroy them.

Besides the Campaign mode, N.O.V.A. 3 also features online multiplayer, where you and up to 11 others can take part in battles in six different modes. It’s good fun – but only if you’re pretty handy with a blaster, since online opponents are generally top class.

What’s the control system like?

Controls are as natural as they can be on a touchscreen device, and can be customized to the hilt. The default control is based around moving with your thumb and aiming and shooting with your right. There are separate buttons for changing weapons, throwing grenades, using kinetic attacks, etc.

How does it look?

The graphics in N.O.V.A. 3 are crisp and realistic, aside from a rare few glitches where you fall through environments. The voiceover acting is of good quality, and even the story has been carefully constructed to add tension to the gameplay. Previous versions have centered just on other planets, whereas N.O.V.A. 3 has lots of scenes on Earth, which adds a new dimension to the gameplay.

The verdict

With superb graphics, exciting gameplay and a compelling storyline, N.O.V.A. 3 has everything you could wish for in a mobile sci-fi shooter.