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Michael C
Black Dragon
Joined: 09 Jul 2001
Posts: 1595
Location: Aarhus, Denmark |
I tried the demo of the German game "Novasphere". I don't know if it will keep that name after an english translation. But anyway I just wanted to throw in a comment or two on the game, as I expect this one not to have the attention from most of the world.
Let me start by saying that this game is for tha fans of "Diablo 2" or "Sacred". So now a couple of you can stop reading here.
Novasphere is not just a similar genre game as "Diablo 2", It's interface wise a copy. it has borrowed many options from Diablo 2, but still it have it's own touch.
First of all, it's a science fiction game, the scene is changed from grasslands to Spacestations, big "Biospheres", and the Ork & Goblins are replaced by aliens a'la the aliens from the movie "Aliens".
And your character can use phaser guns, and bio-implants to raise his attributes.
Ofcourse your character still have a healt indicator, but instead of "Mana" you got "Energy". "Energy" is also the currency. When using a phaser gun, each shot drains your energy resources, and it don't replenish over time. When your energy resources hits zero, you can transfer 100 Energy (Gold), and get your energy reserves up to full again. So actually each shot cost you one "gold". Luckily the fiends drops lots of "Energy cells".
But you can use bows, swords, axes and slings among other weapons which don't use energy, but instead they get worn and finally they will get broken (and disappear) unless you get them repaired from time to time.
Like diablo: weapons, armor, bio implants and special high tech items needs a certain level of an attribute before you can use it.
Your character levels up by killing foes and solve quests, and at each level up you can distribute 5 attribute points to 4 attributes: Strength, Dexterity, wisdom, and Constitution. Bio implants can further enhance these attributes.
You got the isometric view like Diablo, but you can turn the camera 360 degree around your character, and the resolution can go up to 1600 x 1200 -32 bits.
You can save and load any time in the game.
There are teleporters or high tech items that can bring you forth and back to the base in a split second.
Your inventory is stashed in a grid, and you can drag weapons, armour etc on to a paperdoll just like Diablo. Health "shots" can be bought in stores, and used as fast as you can hit the "H" key.
Stamina level determines your ability to run just like diablo, run out of stamina and your character will hump like a snail. Stamina will be replenished fast if your character stands still.
In the demo, you get the mission to save some people, who have been captured by aliens in one of the biospheres. Eventhough the battleground are divided in smaller areas (Again like diablo 2), they still manage to make a very good scifi feeling, and certainly a better diversity in the different areas as Diablo 2 managed.
Only thing that seems to be missing is the the "skill -tree", however when you reach the right attribute numbers you will be able to use more and more advanced weapons and especially more advanced high tech items. A high tech item can make a burst of energy ray against a foe, or heal your character or teleport you back to the base, just to mention a few of them. High tech items seems all to have a limited number of uses, but they can also be recharged at the base for some gold (Energy cells).
My conclusion from the demo would be a recommendation of "Novasphere" especially for all the "Diablo 2" and "Sacred" fans who don't mind that the medival fantasy is replaced by scifi.
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Fri Nov 12, 2004 12:40 pm |
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Hexmaster
Noble Knight
Joined: 17 Jan 2002
Posts: 206
Location: Bristol, England |
Michael,
This sounds very much (exactly) like a demo I tried. That game was called Maximus XV: Abraham Strong : Space Mercenary...........
http://spacehack.rebelmind.com/en/main
I really enjoyed it and agree with your comments. My conclusion was that it would not be an all time classic, but it was FUN..
It is definately on my "too buy" list. I mentioned it to a friend of mine who lives in Portsmouth (England). He tried it and has bought the full game already 
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Sat Nov 13, 2004 2:08 pm |
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Michael C
Black Dragon
Joined: 09 Jul 2001
Posts: 1595
Location: Aarhus, Denmark |
Hexmaster,
I checked your link, and yes it's the same game called "novasphere 13" in Germany.
It looks like the game is called (shortly) "Space hack", which is a quite fitting name I think.
I agree with the "No all time classic, but still fun game".
Seen from the demo, I don't think this game will have a high replay value either?
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Mon Nov 15, 2004 10:34 am |
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Cm
Sentinel of Light
Joined: 26 Jan 2003
Posts: 5209
Location: Missouri USA |
I tried it under the Maximus name. As said, not a classic but fun. I guess the name, which got more comments than the game did, was changed to hopefully let it have a chance to sell? 
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Mon Nov 15, 2004 2:27 pm |
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Michael C
Black Dragon
Joined: 09 Jul 2001
Posts: 1595
Location: Aarhus, Denmark |
I see.
As far as I know, "Space hack" is the nick name of our main character who was former "space marine", and the big cargo ship where the hole story takes place is called "Maximus XV".
Maybe "Maximus XV" is a more sofisticated than "Space hack", but in my opinion "Space hack" is right on the gameplay.
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Mon Nov 15, 2004 4:15 pm |
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Arma
Mysterious Lady
Joined: 24 Oct 2003
Posts: 1230
Location: in the middle of hell |
Well, the game sounds nice, but I must say that the Maximus whatever name is very misleading - up until now I was not reading cover of the game, as I thought this is somekind of space simulator, in the likeness of Freelancer & X2. |
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Thu Nov 18, 2004 8:01 pm |
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Hexmaster
Noble Knight
Joined: 17 Jan 2002
Posts: 206
Location: Bristol, England |
Lady A,
Download and play the demo....as I said it is good fun.......quite literally "Diablo in Space".
I shall buy the full version when I can find it.
Regards,
Hexmaster
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If the universe is everything, what is it expanding into ??!! |
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Thu Nov 18, 2004 9:41 pm |
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Arma
Mysterious Lady
Joined: 24 Oct 2003
Posts: 1230
Location: in the middle of hell |
Oh, I will try it out, now that I have found out it is actually a Diablo clone. |
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Fri Nov 19, 2004 5:01 pm |
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Dhruin
Stranger In A Strange Land
Joined: 20 May 2002
Posts: 1825
Location: Sydney, Australia |
A quick note on the names...Moriendor contacted Rebelmind for clarification. As I recall, it was developed by Rebelmind as "Space Hack" (= Space Marine or similar, as Michael said) but the German publisher didn't like it and went with NovaSphere 13 (my favourite). The English publisher Excalibur chose to promote the cartoony nature and went with Maximus IV bla bla after the ship they travel on. Expect to see it in other territories with all sorts of silly names -- but it's all the same Space Hack. 
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Mon Nov 22, 2004 7:51 am |
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Namirrha
Noble Knight
Joined: 03 May 2002
Posts: 218
Location: Utah County, Utah. |
Dhruin, how confusing.
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Mon Nov 22, 2004 10:10 am |
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Arma
Mysterious Lady
Joined: 24 Oct 2003
Posts: 1230
Location: in the middle of hell |
So I finally tryed the demo.
The game looks nice. And at the same time has quite reasonable sys requirements, so unlike the other demo I just tried, Restricted Area.
And looks promising, although a bit dificult for me. And that thing with the energy - it just bad to have the guns shoot with the currency. Real bad.
Btw, this game has the worst camera I have seen recently in a game - 3D is OK, the angles are OK, but no zoom? |
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Wed Dec 15, 2004 2:18 pm |
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