Hot on the heels of the critically acclaimed dual-analogue shooter, Super Stardust HD comes another game trying to steal its crown. Nucleus was released a few weeks after SSHD, sneaking into the PlayStation Store with all of Sony's E3 goodies. Nucleus is another game, like SSHD, that fits in the "we never saw it coming" category. With no hype and a covert release during a week when everyone was busy talking about E3, is it any wonder we've heard so little about this game? Or is it really just so darn awful that people have nothing to say about it? We've got the answer for you after the jump.
Nucleus is one of those strange games that make you feel unsettled from the moment you see the title screen onwards. I'm not talking about Resident Evil or Silent Hill style spooking, but rather a combination of sounds, music and images that don't mix well. The grrrrn noise that meets you when you start the game is enough to set your teeth on edge before you've got past the "Sony Computer Entertainment" screen.
Let me put it bluntly so that there's no ambiguity throughout the rest of the review. Nucleus is a bad game in several different ways. While the concept is intriguing, the implementation, as is sadly so often the case, is completely off the mark. As a "remote unit" sent into an infected area of unspecified biomass, it is your job to remove any bacterial threats. Dual-analogue shooters are known for their twitch-gameplay. The fast-paced frantic combination of "move and shoot", with your eyes constantly darting all over the screen looking for threats. Nucleus' gameplay involves none of these aspects and is as slow as a game can get.
When you hit the level select screen, you could be forgiven for getting your hopes up again. This is the best part of the game. Let me reiterate. The level select screen is the best part of the game. Made up of three different coloured blobs, connected by blobby ligaments, it eventually webs out into a quite large collection of levels. Each of the colours indicates a difficulty, allowing the player to skip the green training levels and move on to the blue advanced levels immediately. As you move from blob to blob, they wobble satisfyingly, affecting the levels surrounding them, making them squirm as well.
Sadly, the gameplay itself is nowhere near as fun. Levels consist of four different types: kill everything, collect everything, cell relocation and destroy the Nucleus. Controls make doing any of those things a chore. The analogue sticks are used to move and shoot, as usual. L1 lets you boost forwards very slightly and, considering how slow normal movement speed is, you'll probably be pressing it a lot. R2 shoots your tractor beam, so you can grab groups of cells and L2 launches protein bombs. Cells are usually littering the screen and getting in your way. The game tries to train you into moving them into bigger groups and using them as shields, but this is such a slow process that often you will be killed before an effective barrier can be erected.
After collecting enough protein from dead enemies or groups of cells, you can shoot protein bombs. These are also hard to control, as pressing L2 for longer means it will shoot further. There is no indication, however, of exactly how far it will travel before you fire it. This means that missing the large group of bacteria that is following you happens more often than it hits. Getting protein also feels contradictory to what the game teaches you, in terms of using cells as shields. Destroying large groups of cells is the easiest way to pick up large amounts of protein, though in the process you are destroying your protective barrier.
At no point while I played this game did I feel like I was having fun. The shooting portions are slow and unforgiving and after a while my left index finger began to hurt from boosting so much. With the completion of each level, there is no sense of achievement. Even after having to play the level through several times, the general feeling fails to climb higher than an apathetic "done that, what's next?" Worst of all are the levels that involve moving groups of cells from one area of the screen to another. Words cannot describe how boring this is.
Graphically, this game is all over the place. While the images on the screen aren't necessarily of a low quality, the game suffers from poor design. The developers need a lesson in colour theory. Not a long one, just the basics. For example, dark colours do not show up well on other dark colours. It boggles the mind that dark-blue bacteria swim through a dark red background and you're meant to be able to see them easily. The enemies fade into the background and, more often than not, you will receive damage from enemies that you just don't know are there. The HUD also has some problems. The curved shape seems to enclose the level on either side, giving a clear indication of where gameplay is meant to take place. Unfortunately, this is not the case. The level area goes outside of the HUD and is subsequently hidden by it. This means powerups can get lost in the sidelines and enemies can sneak up on you, simply because they're hiding under the HUD.
In short, don't buy this game. Stick to Super Stardust HD.
PS3 Fanboy Score: 2.0
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-26-2007 @ 8:07PM
Popfrogs said...
I thought the demo sucked too. I really wanted to like it, but I was thinking, what creature on this planet has molasses as blood? Your ship is just way too slow and it really detracts from the game. It's like playing the opening level to Gradius before you get some speed boosts. For the whole game.
Reply
7-26-2007 @ 8:10PM
pete said...
'In short, don't buy this game.'
i will take you at your word. thank you for saving ppl some cashola.
Reply
7-26-2007 @ 8:13PM
humpty said...
I couldnt figure out what to do with the freakin' demo. After play SuperStarDust for awhile, all i wanted to do was go around and shoot things.. apparently there is more to it than that? Too complicated for me.
Reply
7-26-2007 @ 8:15PM
Whackmushrooms said...
i would up the score by 2 points if i could speed the game up 4x
Reply
7-26-2007 @ 8:46PM
FrankBilboWinkerToups said...
I wanted to like the demo, but I deleted it this morning.
Reply
7-26-2007 @ 9:03PM
Swieep said...
I played the demo of Nucleus and agree: stick to SSHD.. (but do not look at some people's highscore ;))
Where was the Calling All Cars review I needed.. wasted money on that.
Reply
7-27-2007 @ 6:00AM
MAXfromBelow1979 said...
true, it is different. but ive played some of the advanced stages in multiplayer mode and found it exciting.. the first ten to fifteen or so attempts at beating them. :\ i'd give it a 5 out of 10. it's a unique approach at the "dual analogue shooter" type game. its tactical and intricate aspects didn't quite fill the microscopic, blast factor's shoes.
Reply
7-27-2007 @ 6:38AM
Supino said...
oh man - I can't wait for Loco Roco / Wipeout PSN version!
I'll skip this though. We have enough Geometry-War-Clones already!!
Reply
7-27-2007 @ 7:45AM
Brian Spence said...
Calling All Cars is fun, although really short. I can't believe they only had, what, four or five maps.
I agree though, Nucleus blows.
Reply
7-27-2007 @ 8:22AM
LS said...
the craptacular demo was enough to disuade me from getting this game; a lesson in *not* releasing demos perhaps? Calling all cars was a big let down too, not least thanks to the uber crap lobbying system. SSHD still rules (i'm on 99million)
Reply
7-27-2007 @ 2:01PM
never$$hort said...
I guess I am the ONLY one who somewhat enjoys this game.. You cant really compare it Superstardust, they are totally different. The demo is actually much lamer then the full game itself BUT WHATEVA TO EACH HIS OWN.
Reply
7-27-2007 @ 7:11PM
bidoofus said...
Jem,
I hold quite possibly an exact opposite view of Nucleus as you do, and would like to add my own thoughts here to those who wish to read them. Now, since opinions will always differ, I would first like to address specific things in your review that I find rather not an opinion, but just plain not true or accurate.
Although I agree with you that this game is a 'dual-analogue shooter', I would not so quickly dismiss this game into the genre of "shooter". In other words, yes, you use the two sticks to move and shoot, but the game itself is much beyond just that. I consider this game much more of a puzzle/challenge game, in that the idea behind it is not just to beat the game or pass the levels, but to attain a maximum score based on complete efficiency in your gameplay. It is a game that to beat requires hardly any skill, but to beat with a proper score requires tremendous skill. Couple that will the online scoreboards and the result is an addictive game that will leave you scratching your head as to how to develop better strategies. I have StardustHD and absolutely LOVE it, but in no way do I put these games in the same genre at all!
Gameplay/HUD issues: The HUD is transparent for a reason. To knock on the game for having a square shaped playing area with a curved HUD seems sad to me :( I have never had any issues with finding things underneathe the HUD, but then again that is only my opinion. Also-- in most levels, in order to achieve high score you will not be worrying about anything under the HUD, as you should already know where everything is you need to succeed.
About L1 Boosting: I agree with you. This gets tedious. However being able to do it properly is essential for pivoted turning in certain levels, and even one half a second of difference in your overall time could be the difference between first and tenth place on the online boards.
About the tractor beam. Being able to use the tractor beam and the shape buttons to swing cells around your unit is essential for killing bacteria in some levels in order to get more protein from them, in addition to being very important for being able to clump cells properly and efficiently in order to maximize protein gain from them. Again, to achieve good grades in levels you need great time in addition to full protein and health; The tractor beam was the hardest part of the game for me to learn well.
I am sorry to hear you did not have fun while playing!! If you still have it on your HDD may I suggest you replay through the game and look at it form a strategic point of view in the sense of how to better your score. Your first goal, of course, should be an A+ on every level, starting with the green section. This section does require some thought on some levels to get an A+. Naturally, it is much easier to get an A+ in COOP mode, and this is probably :MY: biggest pet peeve with the game: Grades and Local top 10 score boards are collective between COOP and SIngle player. (ANNOYING!)
Finally, (And please take this phrase as a joke ;p) I think someone needs a 'lesson in TV theory'! (lol sorry i had to!) Honestly, you must have some settings on your TV wrong if you are having dark issues with this game. Blue bacteria show up nicely contrasted with the red blood flow on my tv. and by no means do i have any crazy settings like color or contrast anywhere between 70-100. I'd adjust your TV until you can see the game how it was meant to be seen! Don't knock the game for having "bad color schemes!" Viewed properly, everything is completely clear.
MY SUGGESTION FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO KNOW IF THEY SHOULD BUY IT:
If you want another super star dust HD. Then do NOT buy Nucleus.
If you want a VERY addictive puzzle/strategy game that incorporates dual analogue movement/shooting then BUY this game it is totally worth it and you will have a blast trying to top the best people on the scoreboards.
Let me know if you guys disagree with anything I said I am always up to discuss my thoughts!!
-bidoofus
Reply
8-20-2007 @ 6:49AM
starpollo said...
*agrees with bidoofus, then agrees again*
Reply