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Generally favorable reviews - based on 48 Critics What's this?

User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 124 Ratings

  • Summary: Developed by Petroglyph, this combat-intensive real-time strategy game enlists players in an epic struggle to prevent total alien domination of planet Earth. Universe at War: Earth Assault is set in the near-future when multiple factions from across the galaxy have come to Earth to wage epic warfare. Containing numerous features and customization options never-before-seen in the RTS genre, Universe at War: Earth Assault creates an exceptional strategy experience for single-player and especially multiplayer battles. The game employs a unique balance system called "Tactical Dynamics" that allows players to retrain and customize units in the midst of battle to better cope with enemy forces and tactical situations. Weaponry and defenses can be modified in true real-time to take advantage of constantly shifting battlefield conditions. Fully customizable tech trees allow players to control the development of technologies that they deem key to victory. Battles in Universe at War: Earth Assault are large in scope and take place in malleable and deforming environments. Deadly sci-fi weapons and alien powers will allow players to destroy cities and whole territories on a global scale. Because the world of Universe at War: Earth Assault is persistent, players can revisit previous battlegrounds to find them still smoldering in ruins. The game gives players achievements, rewards, and medals in a balanced environment to further encourage players to move forward in the game. Players from around the world battle in persistent-style online campaigns for ultimate faction supremacy across a virtual representation of the Earth. [Sega] Expand
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 33 out of 48
  2. Negative: 0 out of 48
  1. Once again, the gents and ladies at Petroglyph haven't disappointed. However, there's still nothing groundbreaking to be had here and due to the aforementioned slip ups, the game failed to achieve its full potential. But it comes very close.
  2. Overall Universe at War can be a lot of fun for strategy fans. However, some annoyances and the lack of any real innovation may be enough to turn off the more casual player or those who are burned out on the standard strategy game paradigm.
  3. Most video games use up all their gameplay ideas in the first few hours, but Universe is always offering something new. While all three races perform the basics of strategy games — gathering resources, building weapons and finding and destroying enemy bases — the way they approach these tasks is quite different.
  4. It’s such a shame though to see what could have been a splendid old-school RTS with mostly decent presentation (aside from the fact that the camera doesn’t zoom out enough) and three imaginative and well-balanced factions being wasted on a single player campaign that’s broken, and a multiplayer mode that nobody’s yet playing.

See all 48 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 47 out of 64
  2. Negative: 8 out of 64
  1. Mcneal
    10
    Finally an RTS game where all three factions have different play styles, functionality, and personality. Who would have thought this possible after generic games like C&C 3 and SupCom. UAW is a fine fine game worth checking, simply for the fact that all three factions are truly unique and a blast to play online. Expand
  2. MarkM
    8
    This is no popularity review. I don't believe this is purely just another of the same old RTS. Come on, you must be totally missing the point of new ideas and features Mr. Orange. This takes ideas, of course from previous RTS, but most sci fi rts of the past are FAILED OR PARTLY FAILED CRAP, and I think this is the game to finally do it right, and also something for STARCRAFT fans. It has all the wonderful bells and wistles of awesome robo-techno tracks, amazing robotic-massacre-violence, large scale units, and advanced physics. But, I wouldn't say because of that, the game seems rushed, because it doesnt seem rushed. The gameplay feels like STARCRAFT, and other like it, but more advanced, and a little different. I TAKE THAT AS A GOOD THING, REALLY :). You don't have to like it Mr. Orange, but I'm just saying.... Expand
  3. While Universe at War could have been a glorious game, comparable to Starcraft in how different the factions are, there are some issues that make it considerably less than it could have been. First of all the most glaring example, units are too strong. Every fight lasts minutes because units have so much health and so little damage. Superweapons are a mere support power, in fact the only super weapon that is powerful is the Novus Gravity Bomb, a black-hole type power that sucks all units into it. Oh, and it deals more damage than almost anything else. Another issue is the fact that two of the three factions are considerably more useful than the third. The 1st faction, Hierarchy, who is based around steamrolling, yet have the best scout (Monolith) and the have the ability to see the entire map at once. They are also the only faction to have an artillery unit, who is also debatable the most powerful Hero unit in the game. They also have structures who double as what is essentially an Epic/Super unit. The 2nd faction, Novus, is a swarming faction who also has the only notable Air units. The Dervish is a fast fighter that also has the ability to shoot lightning in every direction and kill just about anything. They are also supported by Vertigo, the only Air Hero. Vertigo is stealthed, fast, and has a deadly Railgun. The Novus also have Mirabel, who has more offensive capability than any other Novus unit. She has a powerful burst-fire Railgun, shoulder launched anti-ground missiles, and the ability to snipe a target from long distances. This Sniper ability is the only weapon that can instant kill another unit besides Superpowers. The final faction, the Masari, are supposedly Gods, yet are horribly outmatched. They supposedly are the turtling faction, yet the Novus have the only turret that can hit air and ground. The Novus turret also redirects enemy fire and increases in damage as more of them are made. The Hierarchy has an anti-ground turret that can mutate infantry into zombies and hold most vehicles at bay. The Hierarchy Anti-air turret can pull air units to the ground while it kills them when upgraded. The Air units cannot escape. Even Vertigo is not immune. The Hierarchy also has a stealth hero who can pull air units down, and then turn invincible as he drains their health. He can also drain vehicles health while invincible. His claws deal with infantry easily. Generally, this makes him a deadly force against all units. His one weakness: He has pathetic range. The game does have many more differences in the factions than games like Supreme Commander 2, but it is nowhere close to the differences between Starcraft's factions, and the differences are not exploited as much as in games like Command and Conquer 3. Expand
  4. All in all, the story line seems pretty good. However after playing for a dozen or so hours, I discovered that it randomly crashes, constantly sending me backwards, which is VERY frustrating. Along side some very... odd behavior from certain units. I had a walker take off on me, wandering through areas where nothing was supposed to be able to walk through, which confused the AI and made it's legs freeze and basically do circles. It had the potential to be a really good game, however the flaws within the game make it not worth the 20 price tag. Luckily I bought it on sale, so I don't feel completely ripped off. Expand

See all 64 User Reviews