Nova Genesis Review

Nova Genesis is a new open beta browser MMORPG that you have probably never heard of. It’s not very high profile. Published by R2games, Nova Genesis (NG) has pretty good graphics, combat and daily multiplayer events.

It does not offer any really innovative ideas but it’s a fun, free game.

There is no game client download or installation needed since it plays on a browser. It is also available on Facebook but it’s probably best to create an account on the game website instead of using Facebook since it’s more secure and has all of the other features like the forums and support.

Graphics and Sound

The graphics are of very good quality. The characters, settings, and items are quite charming and look cool, with a sort of Final Fantasy-inspired design. The color palette is bright – this is not one of the grim and gritty MMO games.

All characters basically look the same – there is no character customization to speak of in terms of hairstyles, bodies, faces, etc. The only way to change your avatar looks is by equipping different items such as armor or weapons. The skill animations are fun, too.

One thing that is good about the game is that the graphics look big so you can see what is happening. In some browser MMOs the characters and items are super tiny so it’s hard to see their faces. In Nova Genesis you can actually see most of what your character is doing.

The sound is nothing special. There are many sound effects but if you play a lot these tend to get annoyingly repetitive, which is why most players prefer to listen to their own music while they play.

Combat

Combat is turn-based. At the start of the battle, each side chooses which skills to use then whoever chose the fastest skill will start first then each hero, player and enemy will get a turn. Different skills have unique effects, strengths and weaknesses that make combat more strategic than you might normally expect. Winning a difficult boss fight or PvP match depends not just on the player’s level but also on using the right skill at the right time. Skills can be leveled up using skill books that are dropped by bosses solo and multiplayer dungeons.

Apart from using skills strategically, it also helps to have a strong hero. Heroes are an integral part of combat in NG. They battle side-by-side with the player and have their own equipment and skills. As players gain levels they are able to unlock more heroes.

During a player’s first 20 or so levels combat is ridiculously easy but it gets harder as more difficult dungeons are unlocked.

Player vs Environment (PvE) Content

Early gameplay in this browser MMORPG mostly revolves around PvE content as that is where the equipment comes from. Solo dungeons are excellent and they are the where the player learns about the story and setting of Nova Genesis.

The story is not really in-depth but what there is of it is interesting and fun. Most of the story is pretty simple, such as saving your childhood friend from a monster, uncovering a plot by a corrupt priestess, finding legendary weapons, and so forth.

The Elite Dungeon is simply a series of levels or floors that players must ascend to defeat bosses and mobs. Clearing a boss floor for the first time rewards the player with elite coins, skill books, and the ability to get daily elite coins. These coins can be exchanged for armor, weapons, and accessories.

The Maja Dungeon is similar to the Elite Dungeon, except with more difficult bosses.

There are three multiplayer PvE activities – the Labyrinths, Guardian, and Invasion. Labyrinths are multiplayer dungeons while in Invasion a group of players must defeat a series of bosses in timed fights. Guardian, on the other hand, is a group activity in which players seek to protect the Goddess from 30 waves of monster attacks.

The world boss is a server-wide activity in which all participants fight a giant dragon. Players are ranked according to how much damage they do.

All of these activities are fun, especially the first time the player clears a difficult level. However, the levels are not infinite so after all the dungeons are cleared it can get boring. To be fair, clearing all the solo dungeons takes quite a while (several months at least). The good news is that even after the PvE content is exhausted, there are still tons of player vs player (PvP) content.

Player vs Player (PvP) Content

Some of the player vs player or PvP content in Nova Genesis consists of scheduled daily events. These PvP events are: Rumble, Guild Knock Out, Royal Arena, and Party Arena.

Rumble is a team vs team PvP event that scores points based on number kills and resources gathered. Royal Arena is a 30-minute event where players are randomly matched in 1-vs-1 fights. Each win is worth a certain amount of points and participants are ranked by points at the end of the event. Party Arena is a 3-vs-3 team PvP activity while Guild Knock Out is a guild-vs-guild event.

Two PvP activities that can be done at any time of the day are the arena and gauntlet. In the arena, players can fight 10 or more times each day. For each fight they are given a choice of three different players, winning a fight with the highest level player gives the most points while winning lower level matches gives fewer points. Players in the arena are then ranked and given rewards depending on their total points. The gauntlet is a series of 10 fights with a reward chest for each win.

The PvP activities in Nova Genesis are good, the only problem with them is the same old thing that plagues practically every online game – the people at the top heavily dominate the events. This means that while the high and mid level players will probably enjoy these events, the lower level players can hardly win at all.

Free to Play

Nova Genesis is a great game with cool graphics and fun gameplay, however it does have a flaw. Those who spend more cash on the game get a lot more advantages then free players. In short, the top players are those who have spent more.

How much more? Well, it’s no secret that in many games players often spend thousands of dollars on cash shop items. Thankfully, Nova Genesis players mostly confine themselves to spending only a moderate amount of money. VIP membership costs roughly $10 a month which is what many players spend.

Can players get by with playing completely free? Well, yes they can. The game itself is completely free and the cash shop items are not necessary to play it.

Conclusion

Nova Genesis is a decent, fun game that has tons of free content that players can enjoy without spending a dime. The graphics are good, the combat is challenging at the higher levels, and the PvP is exciting. It’s worth a try if you are in the market for a browser MMORPG.