The single player campaign is taken best as a training ground to get players used to each side before throwing them into the bedlam of multiplayer. Multiplayer matches can be set up as simple 1v1 battles as well as throwing up to four players into the mix with any setup of teams or AI combatants. The maps themselves are varied and diverse, and ultimately the multiplayer is easily the big reason to play the game. However, both the single player and the multiplayer suffer from a bevy of issues, which not only seem to harm the population of the game’s multiplayer but also the enjoyment of the game as a whole.

The game’s framerate often dips into the realm of easily being able to count them as they occur, which is surprising considering that not only can this happen when not much is happening in screen but also in that the game doesn’t exactly push the envelope of graphical fidelity. When the framerate slows units begin to ignore selection commands or orders, making the game not only visually impaired but hampered in its playability as a result. While this happens in the single player it is even more prevalent in multiplayer, and can make performing even basic tasks an exercise in frustration. Other smaller issues plague the game at every step, such as units simply forgetting parts of their orders. Other times the tooltip for a selection will never display or only display after a noticeable delay, which won’t affect experienced players but definitely will be an aggravation to those learning the ropes.

The engine itself delivers decent graphics; though admittedly it doesn’t seem to play up to the strengths of the console. Texture and model quality are generally kept low-key while the special effects look great, and effects like walkers exploding and going down and of superweapons going off steal the show. Again though, while the graphics don’t seem to press the envelope the framerate often grinds down to low numbers which makes it all the more puzzling of an issue.

Identity issues aside Universe at War has a great concept, and is commendable for not only it’s control scheme but also in that it has three distinctly unique sides and not one of them is the human faction crutch that plagues the genre. At the same time the title has many technical flaws. There is an enjoyable game underneath it all that shows off more than a bit of promise, but unfortunately it is under such a thick shell of serious issues that ultimately the pros of the game fail to outweigh the cons.

Questions or comments? We'd love to hear from you .