Universe at War: Earth Assault (PC)

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If you look closely, you can see what Universe at War should have been: a contemporary real-time strategy game with three unique sides, each drawing from a weird atypical mythology, and a whole mess of gameplay in the various ways they intersect each other. In other words, StarCraft done up with a modern interface and modern graphics, and built from a vivid imagination instead of an expensive intellectual property.

Of course, such a game already exists. It's called Rise of Legends. The differences between Rise of Legends and Universe at War are worth noting. Big Huge Games' Rise of Legends was about gameplay first and foremost. If the graphics were a bit clunky or the pacing was a bit stilted, no big deal; the gameplay was still solid, built around fresh ideas and unique mechanics for each of the three sides. It was a slick and manageable game, exhaustively playtested and immaculately documented. Here were no mysteries, and the spectacle was in its strategic breadth and depth. It was a triumph of game design.

But Petroglyph's Universe at War has roots in the Command & Conquer school of RTS design (many of the developers are old-school Westwood employees). So it's no surprise that it has a different set of priorities than Rise of Legends. The graphics in Universe at War are big and splashy and all up in your face, even if they upstage the ideas. If the interface or artificial intelligence (AI) don't quite come together, well, tough. Most players don't care about the particulars of what's going on, and the hardcore guys can figure that stuff out on their own. This is an action RTS, but with lots of little details around the fringe, like sprinkles on a cupcake. It is a triumph of watching weird stuff blow up.

At least, that seems to be the idea. But the spectacle wears thin as it becomes increasingly apparent that Universe at War is underdone, with a half-baked interface, questionable AI and hobbled multiplayer support. There's a sense that the game was designed -- or at least deemed finished -- by a committee of guys who don't really know the genre very well. Within 30 minutes, the average RTS fan will have a list of problems as long as his arm. Universe at War is shot through with oversights, shortcuts and problems that have long since been solved in other games.

This is particularly disappointing since the three sides are so imaginative, with nary a sign of anything resembling vanilla humans. These are factions you want to play: the voracious alien invaders with their enormous walkers and lethal radioactivity leaking all over the place; the nimble, noble anime robots with their tricky tech and clean bright lines; and the mysterious keepers of light and dark arcana with their blocky temples, mechanical angels and ornate chariots. It makes no sense, even once you've gotten through the bog-standard campaign mode, but it's memorable, intriguing and brimming with possibilities.

Petroglyph obviously appreciates the possibilities. Each race has its own play style, with unique tech trees, economies, heroes and armies. The alien invaders build upgrades onto their walkers, which serve as mobile bases. The anime robots have all sorts of micromanagement tricks, like running "patches" for global bonuses, spreading viruses and hacking vehicles. The magicians alternate between special light and dark powers and are ideally suited for classic turtling or booming strategies. If it worked well, Universe at War would be one hell of an RTS. But somewhere between the design doc and the gold master, Petroglyph dropped the ball.