Universe at War: Earth Assault

Petroglyph has made a name for itself with some solid additions to the real-time strategy pantheon with “Star Wars: Empire at War” and its expansion “Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption.” Gamers and critics alike generally acknowledged that the team had done a commendable job of translating the flavor of the beloved sci-fi film franchise into a memorable gaming experience. “Universe At War: Earth Assault” (UAW) doesn’t fall far from its predecessors. In fact, it has solidified itself as a worthy addition to the genre, one that simultaneously boasts innovation and some nagging issues.

In keeping with Petroglyph’s sci-fi slant, UAW is set in a universe where the Earth has been invaded by the Hierarchy, a battle-hardened, pillaging species who has set its sights set on our dear planet. Enter the Novus, a race of sentient machines and self-professed nemesis of the Hierarchy. Finally, add the Masari, a supremely technologically advanced race that has lain hidden beneath the Earth’s cold, silent waters for centuries, now arising to wipe out Earth’s invaders. You have the opportunity to play as one of the three factions.

Veterans of the genre will recognize that one of the issues that arises with many RTS titles is having enough differentiation between the available factions. If the playing the factions feels too similar, then a game loses some of its fun factor and a large huge chunk of its replayability. UAW has addressed this potential issue quite admirably, as the three factions in the game really do require different gameplay strategies in order to maximize their potential. ‘Tactical Dynamics” is the name of the game here. This term refers to the strategic versatility inherent to each of the three factions. It essentially means that you will be able to work battles from more than one angle at any given time.

UAW features resource gathering, tech trees, unit caps, and powerhouse hero units like many other titles in the genre, and in this sense it fits neatly within the ranks of some of its predecessors. Its “Scenario” and “Skirmish” modes will also be familiar to vets. However, where it most differs is in the extent of its customizability and distinctiveness of its factions.

The Novus use energy-based attacks and mechanics coupled with high maneuverability on the battlefield. For instance, once you have the appropriate infrastructure set up, you can beam compliments of your forces very quickly from one position on a map to another using energy towers. Neat,huh? The trade off for the Novus’ agility and innovative transportation system is their relative vulnerability, so they’re not built to take a beating and are more likely to be used in hit-and-run operations.

On the other side of the coin is the Hierarchy, who employ slower, more potent weapons in battle. While they don’t have a central base, they boast mobile walkers that have upgradeable hardpoints. Their relative hardiness and mobile powerhouses make for a heavier hand of pain in battle, but they easily be overcome by the hit and run attacks at the disposal of the Novus.

The Masari are a sort of intermediary of the previous factions, a nice mix of mobility and power. This accomplished by switching them to either Light or Dark mode, which offer bonuses to damage and defense respectively. The downside to switching to Dark mode is that your flying units are grounded while it’s in effect. However, strategic use of this ability could turn the tide of battle in your favor.

UAW does indeed have a lot going for it, especially in the diversity and nuances of its factions. Kudos to the team for the innovative faction designs that create some distinctive gaming experiences and call for equally distinctive strategies in order to win the day. The single-player experience will play out the storyline involving a fight for Earth, and it will offer you a wealth of opportunities to familiarize yourself with the three factions. However, the fun is marred by controls that are sometimes unresponsive. There were a number of instances where units just simply didn’t do what they were told. “Move to this location! Move! Move!” This can get downright annoying, especially when you’re in the heat of battle and you can’t get one or more of your units into position to bring the pain. AI is generally solid, but the genre curse of pathfinding issues (usually with smaller units) rears its ugly head every now and again. Coupled with the occasional control issues, this only increases the annoyance factor.
Gamers may run into framerate problems, even on some of the lower resolutions. This game can look quite impressive at times, well on par with what gamers expect from today’s fare, but the demands of the engine may be enough to make decent mid-end systems hobble when the there’s a fair number of units on screen. Overall, I had a smooth gameplay experience on a decent mid-range system, but the game did chug on occasion.

You may also find yourself wishing that the campaign maps were a bit less scripted so you can take more advantage of the diversity that’s thumping under the hood. This is not to say that they aren’t fun, but you may find your grand strategy becoming a bit cramped by restrictions set for a given campaign map.

That said, UAW comes with a healthy helping of multiplayer via Games for Windows—LIVE. This is a bit of a double-edged sword, however, as PC gamers are likely to complain about having to pay for some of the perks and content available to GOLD subscribers when so many PC titles give you all the goodies for the purchase price. Still, you will want to take this puppy for a spin online once you have made your way through the single-player campaign, as it will really put your strategy and tactics to the test, and allow you to further enjoy the distinctiveness between the factions.

The multiplayer offers a mode called “Conquer The World,” where you can track your progress towards global conquest, one region at a time. You simply select the region you wish to conquer and are matched with another player who has his eyes set on the same region. UAW also features DEFCON mode, which emphasizes fast-paced battles. The higher the DEFCON level, the more the research trees are opened, eventually making all upgrades available to players. Medals and achievements can earned in these multiplayer modes and the LIVE system offers ranked play for those wishing to compare their conquests. All in all, there is a considerable amount of content, both online and off, for you to sink your teeth into.
As mentioned previously, UAW is a visually impressive game. Of note in particular are the details in the units and their animations. (There is nothing quite like the feel of a Hierarchy walker pounding its way to its next destination.) Each of the factions feature sleekly designed units that help to ground them in the game’s fictional universe. Weapon effects are on the mark, and nuanced details, like vehicle tracks and ground deformation are in full effect. The well done sound suite should also be mentioned here. The main score for the title is spot on and sound effects are equally well done.

At the end of the day, UAW is not a genre-bending title; instead, it is generally fun RTS that offers up some innovation in its faction design that allows it to hit a target at which many titles have aimed and missed — truly distinct factions. This is no small feat, but it also isn’t enough for the game to be considered revolutionary.

Is it worth your time and money? Yes. There is a great deal of fun to be had here, even if you have to shell out some extra money to get access to all of the content and perks. Keep in mind, though, there are some minor to moderate annoyances you will have to overlook along the way. Despite that, armchair commanders will be missing some serious entertainment if they pass this one up.

Gameplay: 7.5
The distinct factions make for some interesting encounters and require noticeably different strategies on the battlefield. This makes for increased replayability and definitely ups the fun factor. At the same time, it is marred by some longtime issues inherent in the genre.

Graphics: 8.0
Very well done. Units, terrain, effects are all what you would expect from a current title. However, this requires some horsepower under the hood.

Sound:8.0
Also well done. Crisp, varied, and well suited for title.

Difficulty: Medium/Hard
The AI can offer up a decent fight, but the real challenge awaits you online.

Concept: 8.0
The team has put together another solid sci-fi RTS that features some interesting factions with high customizability.

Multiplayer: 8.0
While not the most robust RTS multiplayer around, the offering here is a solid one that offers some nice bells and whistles that are should to keep the online community active for some time to come.

Overall: 8.0
A solid RTS. Definitely worth a buy. There are a number of equally solid RTS’s on the market now (‘World In Conflict”, the latest “C&C”, and “Supreme Commander”), but UAW holds its own and is well worth any RTS fan’s time and money.