Mech games where players get to control giant robots are really popular, and the developers of Nimbus INFINITY have done a good job of making their game easy to pick up and play with little experience needed. Players will be flying through space in intense mech combat in no time.
Okay, don’t judge, but sometimes, you just need a game that gives you a powerful mech and a target in order to blow off some steam. Like many of the titles I review, I went into Nimbus INFINITY with an expectation that it both did and did not meet.
Plot Ahoy
In Nimbus INFINITY, you play Taiyo, a disgruntled delivery boy whose chance encounter with a fallen battle frame sets him on a course to the stars. No, really, that’s what happens. Taiyo, the delivery boy, has no actual skills in terms of mech piloting, but that certainly doesn’t stop him. Apparently, that mech UI is more intuitive than an iPhone, but what do I know?
Let me be upfront here, you do not actually have to go through the story in Nimbus INFINITY. The developers have built in an option just to avoid the plot altogether and go straight to the mech combat missions. Now, you will miss out on the worldbuilding and the character interactions, but given that the story doesn’t always make sense, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Review Notes
Nimbus INFINITY follows Project Nimbus, which, from what I can gather was less story-intensive and more focused on the mech combat. In that sense, Nimbus INFINITY feels more like I’m playing an indie version of Gundam Wing that lost something in translation. However, the real core of Nimbus INFINITY is the mech combat, and from the jump, you have a range of options to customize your load out. I’m sure that for purists, opening with such a range of choices feels a bit like cheating, but honestly, I think it’s pretty great because having that variety makes finishing missions easier. The immediate downside is that you aren’t really going to get a sense of what each weapon does until you use it. Ergo, you’ll equip a weapon that seems like it would work, but you discover the hard way that it’s the exact worst type of weapon for the mission on which you’ve embarked.
Also, how’s your navigation? Nimbus INFINITY does a great job of marking objectives, but as you wander through space, the levels are huge. You can and will find yourself floating in the wrong end of the void. Anyone who says differently is selling something. Still, there’s something to be said for having the option to Red Baron other mechs, which is something you will do. Nimbus INFINITY places a healthy emphasis on facing off against enemy mechs, which results in a very satisfying experience, when you can wrest victory from the approaching enemy.
Visually, Nimbus INFINITY is beautiful. I loved the mech designs, and the space set pieces are just lovely. The character designs are very heavily anime-inspired, so if that’s not your aesthetic, you should be aware. The visual novel cutscenes aren’t replete with dialogue options either. Rather, you click through the scenes, reading the story elements depending on whether you opt to do so. In that sense, Nimbus INFINITY feels like a visual novel interrupted by combat missions.
The title is arcade-style, so you don’t really get a cockpit experience, so for players that prefer a more third person omniscient experience, Nimbus INFINITY is an ideal game. The soundtrack is pretty solid, and the voice acting is impressive for what it is.
TLDR
Nimbus INFINITY is a very pretty title that allows you to pilot a battle frame in gorgeous space combat. While the story isn’t going to win any awards for writing, it’s interesting enough to give it context and keep you following along. However, the real heart of Nimbus INFINITY is the mech combat, which is decently well executed.
Nimbus INFINITY retails for $9.74 on Steam.
Stray Thoughts From Behind the Keyboard
- So, Nimbus INFINITY relies on long-range weaponry, and I have to admit, I kinda wanted a sword.
- I liked the aspect of battle frames falling into disuse, so finding folks capable of creating neural links with the mechs is rare. I guess that’s why Taiyo worked out?
- Yeah, no, I still wanted a sword.