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Shattered Union

EMAIL PRINT pc

6.1 User Score:

Mixed or average reviews

Based on 23 critic reviews
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Based on 9 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: 2K Games

Developer: PopTop Software

Genre(s): Turn-Based Strategy

Players: 2

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Release Date: October 17, 2005

Summary

Set atop the smoldering ruins of a fictional United States torn apart by civil war, Shattered Union is an action-packed turn-based strategy game for the Xbox and PC. Gamers play through a single player campaign to reunite the country by force or online in one-on-one matches. [2K Games]

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Gamezilla!

So overall it's a buy, except possibly for those who might find the apparent wishful-thinking anti-Americanism of the setting disturbing (It depicts Washington DC as a post-nuke grease spot with a ruin of the Washington Monument in the middle.)

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GameSpot

Despite some flaws with its strategic game, Shattered Union is a fun, turn-based wargame that anyone can pick up and enjoy.

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Worth Playing

A good entry into the turn-based strategy genre. It doesn’t offer a depth of play of some of the bigger titles, but it is fun and, more importantly, easy to pick up but difficult to master.

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PGNx Media

Shattered Union isn’t perfect. It fits a niche market that very few developers are pursuing though.

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GameZone

I found with the limitless possibilities for strategy coupled with the multiplayer capability to be a game with a pretty decent shelf life.

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eToychest

A game tailored for strategy gaming zealots that suffers from a few shortcomings and limited appeal.

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GameBiz

What I didn't expect was that the areas themselves would take up so much space on the overall map and that one victory would take over multiple states. I also didn't expect that the units would be so incredibly limited.

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IGN

I know that developer PopTop and publisher 2K Games are trying to create something that is a little more console friendly, especially to those unfamiliar with the genre, but I have a feeling that much of that could have been accomplished with a bit more polish and presentation rather than cutting back on the strategic side of the experience.

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FiringSquad

If gamers will take the time to move beyond the initial frustrations (and politics) as well as any conditioning suffered from years of frenetic shooters, they will find a game that is both challenging and refreshing.

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GamingTrend

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Computer Gaming World

A war game for casual gamers. [Jan 2005, p.88]

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Thunderbolt

The controls are confusing and encumbering but they’re not impossible to get used to so, given a bit of dedication you might just find that you budding generals out there might get all the right buttons pushed with this game.

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GameSpy

There's the core of a truly great beer-&-pretzels wargame in here, and strategy gamers looking for a light, enjoyable romp through a ruined United States will have a lot of fun with Shattered Union, particularly in multiplayer. It's just that -- as with most political promises -- what the game is simply doesn't match up to what it could have been.

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Digital Entertainment News

The structure outside the battlefield, like the country it portrays, is broken. Shattered, if you will.

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PC Gamer

Spend enough time with it, and you'll happily overlook its missteps. [Jan 2005, p.70]

DailyGame

Considerably less enjoyable than the now two-year-old (and eminently enjoyable) "Massive Assault," which had better AI, a stronger political system and even better production values. Save yourself some money and pick up a copy of "Massive Assault."

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Game Chronicles

It has a very simplistic strategic level that amounts to rolling craps when deciding who and where to attack.

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Computer Games Magazine

It's not bad, but some straightforward tweaks and adjustments could have resulted in a much better game. [Feb 2006, p.60]

Game Revolution

The decidedly fragile environments and variety of units give players a sense of having something to fight for in both campaign and multiplayer beyond the unchanging battlefields of the typical turn-based strategy game. More depth and better delivery would have made this war far more civil.

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The Onion (A.V. Club)

Shattered Union is distracting enough as a strategic challenge, but the concept of a second Civil War deserves something more sophisticated than Risk on a mousepad.

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PC Format

Achingly mediocre and its lack of innovation is frustrating. [Christmas 2005, p.96]

Game Informer

What kills this title for me, though, is the ridiculous emphasis on scouting. How am I supposed to conquer the continent when I can only see what's happening on 20 percent of any given battle map? [Jan 2006, p.138]

games(TM)

Ultimately, Shattered Union is just too frustrating to be enjoyable. Its accessibility problems are crippling and even after you've got to grips with how the game works, it still feels unbalanced and confusing. [Dec 2005, p.127]

What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 6.1 (out of 10) based on 9 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Peter T. gave it a10:
Most fun I've had at the computer in a long time.....really like the mix of strategic and tactical (deciding how many forces to commit and how many to reserve).......battles are great.

Linkster M. gave it a10:
A truely great turn based strategy game based on the Panzer Gereral engine. Nice story line.

Jason H. gave it an8:
I like this game. I have played games for over 2 decades now (old, sigh) and enjoy the gamut from CIV 1-4 to Space Empires to Hex-based Wargames. This game is definitely "beer and pretzels" but I think it gets more "right" than the magazine reviewers are saying. It does lack a strategic game level - but the tactical is great. The map controls take a bit of getting used to (don't know why they didn't include a rotate option) but aren't hard to get used to - and it is easy to tell where "attacks of opportunity" occur from if you pay attention and use scouts. All in all I give it an 8 - it definitely would be higher with diplomacy/strategic level - but part of its charm is its simplicity.

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Shattered Union

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