‘Universe at War’ PC game goes big with some monstrously large units

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 05/02/2008 (6685 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The year is 2012 and Earth is being invaded by the Hierarchy, an alien force with massive robotic military units spearheaded by massive walkers.

Then, another race of sentient machines, the Novus, arrives to battle the Hierarchy.

The two are sworn enemies but saving humans is not particularly high on the Novus’s to-do list. Later in the game a third faction – a mystical people called the Masari – rise up from their secret habitation of the planet.

“Universe at War: Earth Assault” is a real-time strategy game published by Sega and developed by Las Vegas-based Petroglyph Games, rated T for teen.

Gamers control dozens of units around a large map, usually with the goal of obliterating their opposition.

But the real stars of “Universe at War” are the villains led by the towering Hierarchy walkers which are reminiscent of the invaders in H.G. Wells’s “War of the Worlds.”

The massive crab-like walkers are simply awesome to control as they stomp across the battlefield.

Less awesome is the scrolling feature of “Universe at War.”

Simply put, it’s claustrophobic because you can’t zoom out nearly far enough, with the walkers taking up at least a quarter of the screen, which usually mar most views of the battlefield.

But it’s nowhere near a deal-breaker.

“Universe at War” packs a visual punch with high-tech laser battles and crisp-looking units predominating along with a playing field littered with humans scurrying about to avoid the chaos.

Plus there’s a good variety to the mission maps, from having to collect items to straight-up firefights to wipe out any opposition.

Gamers eventually get to play all three factions and can also take their game online in multiplayer mode.

I found that often there were not a lot of people online to match up against, but the game is part of “Games for Windows Live” so expect that to change once the Xbox 360 version of the game ships in the spring.

Many of the achievement points you can unlock are also related to multiplayer.

“Universe at War” includes a fun “conquer the world” mode which allows you to take over or defend the planet in a territorial “Risk”-style battle.

Be sure to update your drivers and download the latest game patch – there are a few known technical issues.

Overall “Universe at War” definitely has a “console” feel to the streamlined interface, and again that’s not surprising considering the coming Xbox 360 version. But it’s intuitive and not much different from what most PC RTS gamers are used to.

The game has a compelling storyline, and if you’re awaiting the arrival of Blizzard’s “Starcraft II,” expected late this year, then this could tide you over a good part of the way, especially with the multiplayer and skirmish modes.

You’ll also need a strong gaming system to enjoy the best effects in “Universe at War.”