Battle Carnival vs N.O.V.A. 1
Battle Carnival
Battle Carnival is a unique MMO shooter game that attempts to combine the strategy that goes into character-switching in character-based shooters like Overwatch with the somewhat arcade-like gameplay that the fans of the age-old yet iconic franchise, Counter Strike, might be very familiar with. Featuring 7 early access characters that you can access right from the start, the game puts a lot of emphasis on the roles these characters can play and how by switching some of them up, your team may be able to counter the enemy's lineup. Of course, knowing how to aim is still a crucial skill needed in any MMO shooter.The game provides 2 game modes at the moment - Demolition and Domination. Demolition is the clear favorite since the 5-vs-5 matches there are usually pretty fast-paced - 3 mins per round and the game can be won simply by winning 5 rounds. Domination, however, is slower-paced and features the "capture and hold the area" gameplay. It's a 6-vs-6 match that can last up to 12 minutes or so. The maps are all very well-designed with multiple flanking and outflanking routes, though some may complain that the maps are confusing and "maze-like".
Battle Carnival is currently in early access and as such, the game does have plenty of problems that need to be fixed, areas that need improving and of course, more features and content that need to be released. The player population is a bit on the low end as well. Regardless, the game does seem to have a potential to fill a niche that buy-to-play shooters have hogged and with changes, it can be better. In the meantime though, you might still want to give the game a try, just so you can let the developers know about your feedback and help them turn the game into a game you'd want to stick around in.
N.O.V.A. 1
N.O.V.A. 1 is set in a futuristic time period where Earth had became unsustainable to life. Thankfully, humanity has already created huge artificial satellites for people to live on and in their defense, N.O.V.A., the Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance, was born. However, when the aggressive alien race called Judgers showed their intention to wipe out humanity, retired veteran N.O.V.A. marine, Kal Wardin, was forced back into active duty in mankind's all-out war for survival against the Judgers. Aside from an epic campaign, the game also provides multiplayer matches, a worldwide leaderboard to rank its players, and up to 6 unique weapons to play with.N.O.V.A. 1 took the world by storm with its enigmatic hero, an epic "save humanity" storyline as well as brilliant graphics that just compliments the game's sci-fi theme. Although this game is no longer available, you can grab its latest installment, N.O.V.A. 3, or pick another game from our list of alternative games.