History VideoGame / NexusWar

''Nexus War'' is a series of free browser-based {{MMORPG}} that revolves around a cosmic struggle in which good, evil and free will fight over the destiny of a constantly [[EternalRecurrence reincarnating]] universe. It is similar in style to ''VideoGame/UrbanDead'', and much of the original player base consisted of players of both games.

The original ''[[http://www.nexuswar.com Nexus War]]'' was created and administrated by Brandon Harris (aka Jorm) and ran from early 2007 to late 2009. The game was set on the (fictitious) Caribbean archipelago of St. Germaine, which was ripped from the face of the Earth in a massive hurricane. St. Germaine became the eternal battleground of Valhalla, and war between the [[PowersThatBe Elder Powers]] of good, evil, and forces of free will raged across the islands and the extra-dimensional planes connected to them.

''[[http://www.nexuswar.com Nexus War]]'' was a free browser-based {{MMORPG}} created and administrated by Brandon Harris (aka Jorm). It is similar in style to ''VideoGame/UrbanDead'', and much of the player base is shared between the two games.

The game was set on the (fictitious) St. Germaine Archipelago in the Caribbean. In 2007 the islands were ripped from the face of the earth in a massive hurricane, becoming the plane of Valhalla. Now, war between good, evil, and the unaligned rages across the islands and the extradimensional planes connected to them.

During early September of 2009, Jorm announced that because he was unable to keep up with the cost of running the servers, he was preparing to shut down the game. But he intended to go out with a bang--the war between the Elder Powers escalated, and they were found walking amongst the people. The planes of existence closed off one by one until only Purgatorio remained. And in mid-October of 2009, with Marquai as the victor, the game reached its final conclusion.

* WingedHumanoid: Most high-leveled Angels and Demons have wings as their movement skill. Transcended characters usually find other ways of getting around.

** As a chainsaw powered by goodness, the [[http://wiki.nexuswar.com/index.php/Clockwork_Blade Clockwork Blade]] took this trope literally.

** [[http://wiki.nexuswar.com/index.php/Clockwork_Blade The Clockwork Blade took this trope literally, as a chainsaw powered by goodness.]]

* AllThereInTheManual: The game includes a huge [[http://wiki.nexuswar.com/ wiki]] that contains all of the {{Canon}} backstory articles as well as everything about the game.

* {{Repower}}: Since [=BobWar=] periodically wipe itself after more than a year, characters start back at level one. While most will probably pick the same class again, its entirely possible to pick a completely different skill tree.

* {{Shadowland}}: Nifleheim.
* ShoutOut: Evidently, there's a [[TheChroniclesOfNarnia Wood Between the Worlds]] in BobWar.
* ShotgunsAreJustBetter: The pump shotgun isn't, but the double-barreled shotgun is the most damaging mundane weapon in the game, and when fired from both barrels, it does immense damage. In most people's hands, it's somewhat AwesomeButImpractical as shotgun ammo is heavy and usually found in the form of individual shells. However, if that weakness can be bypassed or mitigated (and there are many ways to do that), it becomes even mightier than the holy weapons of the angels.
* SpiritualSuccessor: World in Global Battle, aka "Bob War".
** Its both a SpiritualSuccessor AND a direct sequel. Being a game about the birth of the next universe, it gets a bit complicated.

* SummonMagic: Of the "temporary ally" type. Summoned pets have their own HP, MP, and AP. When any of those values reaches zero, the pet vanishes.
* TalkingIsAFreeAction: In the last 24 hours of the game, speech actions cost no AP.

* UrbanFantasy: Angels, demons, vampires, wizards, {{warrior monk}}s, and undead running around a Caribbean island, waging a war with as many sides as there are players.

* WingedHumanoid: Most tier three Angels and Demons had wings as their movement skill, the Revenant's bat skill tree also had a humanoid form.

* FireAndBrimstoneHell: The plane of Stygia flipflops between this and EvilIsDeathlyCold.

* HandCannon: The [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walker_Colt Walker Colt revolver]]. Deals as much damage as a rifle with better accuracy and more slots for enchantments. It takes a while to reload, though.

* KnightTemplar: T3 Angels can learn the Hand of Zealotry skill, which allows them to kill Neutral characters without moral consequence. Some are even nastier than that; Archons with Holier than Thou can freely injure (but not kill, that costs a couple of morality points) ''anyone who is less moral than them''.
* MagicKnight: The Nexus Champion and Divine Champion classes can learn to cast spells and are very effective combatants.

* ManaDrain: This happens a lot. One of the [[ChurchMilitant Churches Militant]] gets followers almost entirely because their god offers protection from it.

** Angels: Seraphs (and Lightspeakers to a lesser extent) are mechanical representations of order. Divine Champions are Old Testament-style messengers of the Word, who can turn into fire or mist or steel. Advocates are closest to the pop-culture version.

* PerpetualBeta: ''Clash'' has been in "open beta" for years.

* AnotherDimension: Several of these. Clash takes it [UpToEleven] , quite literally.

* AlienGeometries: With the impending victory of Marquai, the Power of construction and engineers, everything was becoming more angular. The moon was now octagonal, clouds were square or triangular. Nexus Clash's Kaleidoscopia probably counts too.

* AnAdventurerIsYou: ''Nexus Clash'' makes the role divisions explicit. Each alignment has six T3 classes descending from two T2 classes filling the following six roles

* AntiPoopSocking: Using the techniques from ''VideoGame/UrbanDead'', though they're loosened up a little.

* ArmCannon: Seraphim get to choose between several makes, models, and calibers of this. In Nexus Clash, this is no longer the case, as angels no longer get gun skills; bonding with one's gun is now a [[FallenAngel Fallen]] skill.

* BottomlessPit: The Pit of Azazel. Several planes seem to consist mostly of this. If you try this in Nimbus it's NotTheFallThatKillsYou, but either way you're equally dead.

* CarFu: Divine Champions using the Cloak of Steel skills can pick up a variety of heavy things to use as weapons, including vehicles, trees, streetlights, and statues. Much has been written about the irony of getting flattened by an ambulance.
* CastFromHitPoints: Played straight, along with (arguably) Cast From Action Points, Cast From Divine Favor Points, Cast From ''Morality'' Points, and so forth. If it comes in points, there's a way to cast from it.

** [[http://wiki.nexuswar.com/index.php/Clockwork_Blade The Clockwork Blade seems to be at least worth an honourable mention.]]

* ChurchMilitant: Nine of them, one for each Elder Power. Advancement in the church is mainly by killing followers of Powers your patron dislikes.

* {{Expy}}: Several [=BobWar=] classes have been renamed.
* EyeBeams: The "Eye of Judgment" skill as well as the "Eyes of Doom" spell.

* GrandFinale: When the game closed. Valhalla was sucked into the void, the outer plane closed and the gods walked the earth.

* ActionBomb: Explosive Murder, which despite its mechanical inefficiency was one of the most popular skills for its class. In general players liked blowing themselves up.

* TheStraightAndArrowPath: A longbow is close to even with a rifle, and much easier to keep reloaded. Beyond that, the difference between the two is largely a matter of class preference; bows are favored by angels and, to a lesser extent, Transcended reality hackers (Nexus Champions and Conduits), who have skills that support this fighting style.

* ArmCannon: Seraphim get to choose between several makes, models, and calibers of this. In Nexus Clash, this is no longer the case, as angels no longer get gun skills, and Seraphim cybernetics are more ClockPunk in character; bonding with one's gun is now a [[FallenAngel Fallen]] skill.

* ArchaicWeaponForAnAdvancedAge: Swords and bows are seen alongside firearms and grenades, but Valhalla itself is a modern city.
* ArmCannon: Seraphim get to choose between several makes, models, and calibers of this.

* GlassCannon: Casters in general and Void Walkers.
* GrandFinale: When the gamre closed. Valhalla was sucked into the void, the outer plane closed and the gods walked the earth.

* BadassNormal: Eternal Soldiers lack superpowers and other enhancements that exist in this verse and yet they are still effective in the field.

* BadassNormal: Eternal Soldiers ''are'' this trope.
* BigBadassWolf: The Revenant Animus of the Wolf form, wolves summoned by Revenants, etc.

* GlassCannon: Casters in general but ''especially'' Void Walkers.

* PoisonMushroom: Demons drinking angel tears. HilarityEnsues. Especially where Explosive Murder is involved.

** {{Subverted}} Each alignment had 4 deities but [[FourIsDeath one of each has been taken out of commission]] before the current breath.

It recently spawned a successor, in the form of [[http://www.wigbl.com/ Nexus Clash]] (also known as ''Worlds in Global Battle Locked'' or even [=BobWar=]). Made by a former member, it's still in alpha and will apparently have a number of changes, among which are different "breaths" and new classes, including {{Fallen Angel}}s and [[AscendedDemon Redeemed Demons]] much to the fandom's content.

** Support Caster: Centered on StandardStatusBuffs and StandardStatusEffects, with less in terms of direct offense than other caster classes. (Advocate, Conduit, Dark Oppressor)

* PowerTattoo: The Nexus Champion class derives power from magical tattoos. All of his skills are additional tattoos, e.g. a tattoo allowing him to teleport, and one allowing him to deal more damage.

* AntiPoopSocking: Using the techniques from UrbanDead, though they're loosened up a little.