N.O.V.A. 2 Review

As painfully unoriginal as Gameloft is, they really have found the formula for a great first person shooter. The key, as we've come fo find out, is ditching the second joystick and utilizing a combination of screen swiping for movement and accelerometer based aiming fast-twitch aiming. This allows for a free hand to not only shoot weapons, but also to change them, jump/duck, and use all the extra items that a first person shooter may throw at you.

Using this great control system (best used in Modern Combat 2, another Gameloft first person shooter classic) and some killer new graphics, Gameloft created the sequel to their fantastic Halo clone, N.O.V.A. Like the original, N.O.V.A. 2 screams Halo (although not as much as Gangstar screams Grand Theft Auto), but once again their formula just works.

What sets N.O.V.A. 2 apart, along with just about every other Gameloft game, is its attention to detail. While some games skimp out because of "device limitations," N.O.V.A. 2 has solid voice acting, beautifully rendered cut-scenes, and levels that are packed with action and drama. The game itself isn't original in its concept, but the level designs and the thought that is put into each scene is top notch.

In addition to the great single player game, Gameloft continues its trend of solid multiplayer gaming with ten maps that hold up to ten players playing simultaneously. The multiplayer system also supports capture the flag games, freeze tag, instagib, team deathmatch, and the standard free-for-all mode. As far as iOS first person shooter, multiplayer gaming goes, this is as good as it gets.

Fans of first person shooters, and especially the original N.O.V.A., will definitely not be disappointed with this fantastic sequel. With its painstaking amount of action and detail, N.O.V.A. 2 really does feel almost console worthy.