‘NITRO GEN OMEGA’ May Be the Game That Makes Me Fall in Love With Tactical RPGs After All (Demo Impressions)

When I heard the term “Spaghetti Anime”, I was intrigued. And after playing through the demo for NITRO GEN OMEGA, it all made more sense. Much like the Spaghetti Westerns of yesteryear, a talented team of Italian developers is working to bring this world to life. The influence can be seen everywhere, from the curvature of the mechs to the massive motors that are indicative of sports cars from the region. NITRO GEN OMEGA is a great blend of Japanese influence and Italian culture. All mixed together in an extremely unique and exciting tactical RPG experience. I’ve never played anything like this before. And I think this may be the one that finally sucks me into the Tactical RPG genre.

The Viceroys Are Ready for Blastoff in ‘Nitro Gen Omega’

“Spaghetti Anime” is a very funny term, but it’s also the perfect way to describe this game. NITRO GEN OMEGA is created by a group of passionate Italian developers who want to make their impact on the world of anime-inspired games. Every one of these characters looks like they could be the next Shonen hero. Yet, at the same time, they’re uniquely their own beings. Each experience seems to be certifiably of our own volition, as well. I named my team The Viceroys and regenerated the pilots several times.

Once I had a team that fit my fancy, it was time to set off into the world of NITRO GEN OMEGA. In control of an airship, I had two outposts that I could visit. Within these floating cities, I could visit a gas station to refuel my ship. A Fixer who would offer me jobs and plenty of Marbles to complete them. General Shops and Hospitals were also available, so I could keep my mech and crew in good spirits throughout my adventure.

NITRO GEN OMEGA does a few things differently than many Tactical RPGs. Resource management is surprisingly important here, and the ability to spend some time with the crew after a mission was welcomed. It gave me the chance to see into their day-to-day life and try to form friendships between these bands of misfit kids. And if things got too out of control between them? I could always stop and hire some new crew members to keep the peace.

Rather Than Taking Place on Tiles, ‘Nitro Gen Omega’ Battles Feel Almost Like Video Editing

But what’s a good Tactical RPG without a good battle system? Straying away from the typical tile/hexagon battlefield, NITRO GEN OMEGA feels more like editing a video together in its battle system. The battlefield is split into four zones: North, East, South, and West. I could attack from a distance with blasts, or I could use my Pilots to get up close and personal to lay the smackdown on these robotic monsters.

Each Pilot takes on a specific role within the Mech that I’m controlling. The Gunner, Driver, Engineer, and Operator. They all play an equally important role during battle. Placing tiles strategically on the timeline can be the difference between life and death. Even though I didn’t have a role in creating these characters, I felt the need to protect them with my life. If my mech gets damaged too much during combat, there’s a chance that these kids could get wounded or even die. So, every battle is high-stakes and full of drama.

Pair this with some genuinely excellent animation work that looks straight out of an actual anime, and there’s something pretty special here. During my time in the demo, I did come across several different robotic creatures that I needed to best in combat. And it’s all surprisingly simple, while also having a deeper layer for those striving for perfect runs.

Making Friends and Rivals Is a Key Part of ‘Nitro Gen Omega’, and It’s Surprisingly Neat

The robots that I encountered weren’t my only enemy, however. After each of the battles, I could spend time with the kids that made up The Viceroys. Earning activity tokens, I could spend them in many different ways. Encouraging their individual skills to get better. Hanging out with other members of the team to boost morale. Or, head to the boxing ring to try and settle their differences. Random events will happen throughout the demo, which can lead to the Pilots becoming better friends or bitter rivals. And this is actually important to the combat, believe it or not.

Rivals can steal turns from one another, and besties can gift their action to their BFF. This can make something like a quick move to a new tile, followed up with a Charged Punch, happen when it would typically take two turns. Then, the Rival or BFFs could swap and dump some coolant while also reloading missiles for the next turn. Every little aspect of the game matters in the long run, and I think that’s what impressed me even more than the excellent anime aesthetic.

I’m eager to learn more about the lore of NITRO GEN OMEGA, as the demo doesn’t go much into the story aspects of the game. Small blurbs of text will pop up while exploring and in combat, but I need to know what happened. Why are kids the saviors of the world? And how in the world did they build this slick mech? I’m already eager to jump in. And I can’t wait to learn when the release window for this one is going to be. I know it’s going to be my next obsession.

Verdict: Strongly Recommended

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The demo version of NITRO GEN OMEGA is available to download on Steam now.