In the only true sequel to Stellar 7, Gir Draxon crash lands on an alien planet and discovers something that will bring him back to power. After blowing away some poor little creatures, he once again sets up his empire. Meanwhile, you (a guy named John, again) are hanging around Terran Command (a secret base hidden inside an asteroid) when your computer, S.A.R.A.H., picks up a suspicious distress signal from the Nova 9 system. The ones that sent the signal are initially in a panic, shouting something about Arcturans, when the signal cuts out. They send another communication shortly after, explaining that nothing has gone wrong and that they do not need assistance. SARAH recommends that you investigate, so you hop in the Raven II and do some investigating (after blowing up some Arcturans).
The story is much more interesting than Stellar 7‘s, bringing more depth to the characters (and more characters overall – like Sparky, your robotic maintenance engineer who often complains if you bring the Raven back full of holes). SARAH will even contact you mid-mission, giving you useful intelligence on the situation at hand (she also has a sense of humor at parts – “Hey, John, those land mines can’t float on water! What are you trying to do, blow up a dolphin?”)
The original power-up system has been axed in favor of a slightly more arcade-styled system. You must pick up power-up modules which will be stored in your ship’s inventory, and can be used at will (though some activate automatically, like the invincibility item). The interface for using items is somewhat improved over Stellar 7’s, allowing you to use individual keys to select items as opposed to cycling through them. You will also get multiple weapons to select as you wish – your Cannon which has infinite ammo, land mines (limited, and their use is also somewhat difficult), and a laser cannon which Sparky will install if you’ve been a good boy and not bashed up the tank too much.
Occasionally, SARAH will open a warp gate that will take you back to base (so Sparky can repair the ship, charge the shields, and install new gadgets like a rear-view camera). During these points, the game cuts to a story interlude, so SARAH and John can speak to each other about the latest happenings (plot-wise).
The coolest new addition to Nova 9 is how the game handles tank damage. Unlike in Stellar 7, where your tank’s health was only measured by a simple bar graph, Nova 9’s damage system is much more complex. As you take hits, your systems will go out one by one in a realistic manner. It starts with your shields – the front, rear, and side shields each have their own individual health. Once those go down, your tank’s hull begins to take damage, resulting in your radar systems shorting out, your inventory slots becoming unusable, your propulsion systems slowing down, and your maneuvering jets going out (on an individual basis – sometimes it’ll be faster to turn left than right). When your tank is on its last legs, the alarm starts to sound, flashing the whole screen red and emitting a harsh buzzer sound.
The game’s graphics have improved from Stellar 7 – the cockpit is better drawn, with more animated elements (like the servos which show you the status of your maneuvering jets). The environments are more convincing, and explosions involve more debris and firey goodness. The models have more polygons, and the cutscenes are even better looking than before.
The game’s sound, again, requires an MT-32 for the most enjoyment. The Sound Blaster sounds are competent enough to get by, but you’re seriously missing out if you lack the MT-32. The explosions are even cooler, and the music is just incredible. It really drew me into the game. The game’s main theme still draws shivers down my spine when I hear it.
