Escape Velocity: Nova

The remnants of the Colonial Council's utopian vision of a united galaxy are littered about like so many discarded dreams. The eccentric genius in Omata Kane, whose Hypergate system brought distant stars within reach, has all but been forgotten. Like a wave in the darkness of space, colonization flowed outwards from Earth, until discord and dissent against a growingly corrupt central government caused it to come crashing down.

Open rebellion caused the destruction of critical parts of the Hypergate system, severing entire systems from the umbilical cord of civilization. They were left adrift in the lonely void of space, forced to fend for themselves, truly strangers in strange lands. The collapse of a central government caused civilization to slide helplessly into a dark age of isolation. The few pockets of humanity that did survive developed in near solitude, clinging perilously to life like a tree desperately trying to gain root on a rocky cliff.

Time marched on in its relentless journey toward the future, and each of these civilizations slowly reconstructed their humanity... but in their isolation, they each followed markedly different paths in their evolution. As rediscovered technology finally allowed contact between these far-flung children of the Colonial Council to tentatively resume, they found that they had little in common. Indeed, rather than reunited brothers, they were strangers... or worse, adversaries.

It is into this maelstrom of territorial contention that you are thrust, like a pebble tumbling aimlessly between the tectonic fault lines that uncomfortably separate these divisions of humanity. Welcome to EV Nova. Will the pebble become an avalanche?

EV Nova is the third game in the Escape Velocity series. With a completely redesigned gaming engine, EV Nova thrusts you into a sprawling universe dominated by a myriad of warring factions, each sharing a common bond, but so philosophically different as to make conflict inevitable.

Nova features a universe larger than either EV or EV Override, and a slew of populated worlds within. Gone are the neverending wars which raged in the original game; instead, winning critical battles and completing storylines can conclusively change the face of the universe. Or, if you're happy with the existing balance of power, you can make a living as a humble trader. Just watch out for those pesky pirates, who want nothing more than to swipe the precious cargo from your holds.

Nova also takes advantage of a much improved Escape Velocity engine for improved game play, and enhanced flexibility for scenario developers. Additionally, the game contains stunning new sounds and 16-bit graphics, over 650 new missions, a multitude of human and one or two alien governments, and all the excitement of both the original EV, and its highly successful follow-up EVO.

http://www.ambrosiasw.com/games/evn/
http://www.ev-nova.net/