Introduction

At the dawn of the 21st century, when humanity had a bit too much time on its hands between video games and moon landings, someone decided to combine warfare with a nice lunar backdrop. Enter "Nectaris: Military Madness," a strategy game where, instead of playing tic-tac-toe on paper, you’re blowing up enemy units on the moon. Perfect for when your friends are either too busy or just tired of your incessant bragging about your 100% win rate in _Candy Crush_!

Gameplay

Let's talk gameplay. In Nectaris, you're thrust into a riveting narrative filled with suspense, betrayal, and the impending doom of Earth. Your mission, should you choose to accept it—or find it readily available in the bargain bin—is to commandeer the Allied-Union against the Axis-Xenon Empire. Yes, for a moment, you can pretend that moon warfare is as captivating as it sounds. The game operates in classic turn-based style—because why rush when you can contemplate your life choices while waiting for your friend's strategy to unfold? Players navigate a hexagonal grid, which gets progressively more complex as you advance through 16 maps. Each round, you'll move units around, capture factories, and either liberate prisoners or send the enemy forces to meet their moon fate. There's an intricate balance to managing unit mobility and terrain advantages. Think chess, but with explosions—less existential dread, more pixelated carnage! As the commander of the Allied-Union, you'll need to plan carefully. Terrain impacts mobility, and don't even get me started on the 'Zone of Control'—every time you surround an enemy unit, it's like you’re setting them up for a round of improv comedy: they have no way to escape, and the laughs are just for you. Plus, capturing factories makes it feel like you're playing Monopoly, but instead of buying Park Place, you're stockpiling weapons. And as if the game's combat wasn't engaging enough, you'll experience combat sequences animated with delightful 3D battles, reminding you that even on the moon, there's always room for theatrics. Just don’t forget to whisper sweet nothings to your units to keep morale high, or risk a mutiny... even on the silent moon!

Graphics

For a game that debuted on the TurboGrafx-16 and has made the jump to PlayStation, let’s just say the graphics have aged like fine cheese—pungent and surprisingly nostalgic. The maps display a charmingly retro look, which, while not winning any contemporary beauty contests, delivers a cozy feeling. You'll appreciate those chunky characters and vibrant color schemes that seem to pop like a 1990s comic book. The 3D effects, although somewhat basic by today's standards, sprinkle a bit of flair, making you feel like you're commanding an army rather than playing cosmic chess. It’s a bit like when your grandparents pull out old photos of their wedding and you just nod and smile because... well, you don't want to hurt their feelings.

Conclusion

In conclusion, 'Nectaris: Military Madness' is surprisingly enjoyable for its unique blend of strategy, humor, and, let's face it, its sheer weirdness of impending doom on the moon. It’s a retro throwback that proves a good game can stand the test of time—or at least it did until the next genre-defining game came around and made it look like a glorified Tic-Tac-Toe with fancy graphics. But for those seeking a quirky strategy experience and a healthy dose of nostalgia, firing up this title is a decision you won't regret—unless you’re a die-hard Call of Duty player, in which case you might want to stick to your guns. Literally.

See Prices for Nectaris: Military Madness on PlayStation on Ebay