Nex Machina blasts your eyeballs with its Robotron-like hordes

Nex Machina is both overwhelming and watchable. It is a dual-stick shooter that is reminiscent of Robotron or Smash TV, but it updates that formula by swarming your monitor with particle effects, vivid colors, and destructible environments. It is out now for $20 on Steam and PlayStation 4.

Developer Housemarque released Nex Machina in June, but I’ve started to put in more time with it in the last few days. It’s chaotic shooter where you move a small character around a map overflowing with enemies to kill, humans to rescue, and secrets to uncover. While you are moving with the left stick — Nex Machina is ideal with a gamepad — you shoot by pressing the right stick in the direction you wish to aim.