Nex Machina 2017

Is it still worth playing?

Housemarque's 2017 twin stick shooter for PS4 and PC, in which you blast through rooms of enemy waves while rescuing humans. Your basic shot grows with spread and range pickups, and the secondary weapons range from a charged line attack to an energy mass you detonate and a sword that clears crowds. There is no character progression beyond what you pick up. The run is built on a combo. Rescuing humans keeps it going from level to level, enemies burst into voxels, and every stage ends in a boss. Beyond the main run there are alternate levels and challenges with modifiers, and two people can play together on one screen, though not online. Rooms of waves and a combo to keep alive still give each run a clear goal today.