Earth 2140

About

"Earth 2140" is a real-time strategy game set in a post-apocalyptic future where players must choose between two factions and build their bases, gather resources, and construct units to battle for survival and global domination. The game features a single-player campaign with multiple missions, as well as multiplayer options for up to eight players. Gameplay includes tactical and strategic options, such as terrain elevation and weather effects, that can impact combat and resource management.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

57%

Audience ScoreBased on 181 reviews

story7 positive mentions

stability3 negative mentions

Earth 2140 is a nostalgic classic that many players fondly remember from their childhood, offering a unique place in the RTS genre.
The game features decent graphics for its time and a chill soundtrack that adds to the overall experience.
Despite its flaws, the game can still provide enjoyment for those who appreciate older RTS titles and are willing to overlook its outdated mechanics.

The AI in the Steam version is severely broken, leading to unchallenging gameplay where enemies do not build or attack effectively.
The user interface and controls are clunky and poorly designed, making it difficult for new players to navigate and understand the game.
Many players find the gameplay repetitive and tedious, with a lack of engaging missions and a minimal story that fails to captivate.

story
68 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
85%
4%
The game's story is largely criticized for being minimalistic and lacking depth, with players noting that it revolves around two factions fighting for territory without any engaging plot or character development. Mission objectives are repetitive, primarily focusing on base building and enemy destruction, and the absence of meaningful cutscenes or narrative progression leaves players feeling unfulfilled. Overall, the storytelling is seen as a significant shortfall, making the gameplay feel tedious and disconnected.
- “Nice story of 2 factions fighting against each other.”
- “The best part of this version of Earth 2140 is that it has both mission pack expansion sets.”
- “Great graphics, sound, lengthy and thrilling campaign, awesome units (laser tanks ftw!), interesting story and setting.”
- “Let's start with how the game has next to no story.”
- “The story is as minimalistic as it gets: two factions vying for control of a handful of territories.”
- “When you conquer a country (via 5 missions each country), it just takes you back to the world map so you can enter another country and there is no cutscene at the end of each campaign, which makes me feel so empty and like I achieved nothing.”
music
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
61%
8%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players enjoying its chill and relaxing vibe, while others find it oddly mismatched for a wargame, describing it as more suitable for lounge bars or old-school porn. Although there are a few standout tracks, the limited number of songs leads to monotony, and many players feel the overall quality does not meet expectations for a strategy game. Overall, while the soundtrack has its moments, it often detracts from the gameplay experience.
- “It also has a chill soundtrack to grind to as you play.”
- “The ambience is so realistic and the soundtrack keeps you relaxed and hysterical at the same time.”
- “One song was genuinely good in the soundtrack; when this song came on, I never wanted it to leave as it is catchy and has that RTS feel to it.”
- “Well unfortunately this was the case as there are only 9 songs in the whole game and there is just not enough songs here making the music monotonous very quickly after its first loop.”
- “And then comes the quality of the music, it is bad and I mean bad because the songs are either too boring to listen to, too uninspired to listen to, or the songs do not fit in the game at all.”
- “If you want to make a soundtrack for an RTS, then make it fitting by getting songs that pump you up to take down the enemy bases and not songs that fit for gardening shows!”
graphics
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
50%
23%
The graphics of the game are widely regarded as outdated, reflecting the standards of its release era in the late 1990s. While some reviewers acknowledge that the visuals were impressive for their time, they now appear less remarkable compared to contemporary titles, with many noting a significant decline in quality, particularly in cutscenes. Overall, the graphics are described as typical for the genre and period, with a mix of nostalgia and criticism for their current state.
- “Great graphics, sound, lengthy and thrilling campaign, awesome units (laser tanks ftw!), interesting story and setting.”
- “Its graphics were really something back then and it still ran in DOS.”
- “Overall an older style RTS, graphics and sound are okay, music is odd at times.”
- “The graphics have aged… badly.”
- “The graphics are pretty awful in the CG scenes, which is to be expected, but there is a difference between trying and laziness, and it fits the latter.”
- “Terrible... the graphics are quite bad even for the time when this came out.”
gameplay
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
60%
20%
The gameplay of this real-time strategy game has been criticized for being outdated, generic, and often tedious, with mechanics that feel clunky and poorly executed. Players have noted that while there are some polished features, such as combat mechanics and AI, the overall experience becomes monotonous and frustrating, particularly due to issues like excessive landmine usage and poorly designed maps. Many reviewers feel that the game fails to provide the challenge and dynamic gameplay expected from the genre.
- “The combat mechanics, friendly AI 'generals', resource/production nuances, and other features were well polished and supported a variety of strategic play styles.”
- “Gameplay 8/10”
- “The gameplay does start off like a traditional RTS game with base building and attacking, but after the first few levels, it gets very boring very quickly because building a base is tedious as well as building an army.”
- “And by adding the fact how obsolete the gameplay of 'real-time strategy' games has become, this game is a complete disaster.”
- “The mine-laying truck, for example, can ruin the gameplay on some occasions, since the AI can really abuse its mine-laying capability, basically spawning the entire map full of landmines.”
- “The gameplay is an absolute mess, and there have been missions where it took me 4 hours to pass because of how poor the maps are, meaning that the levels are longer for no reason.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent crashes and freezes, particularly on Windows 10. Users have reported buggy sound effects for various in-game elements, such as weapons and vehicles, which detracts from the overall experience.
- “The original version is buggy and doesn't run properly under Windows 10, with crashes and freezes upon launching the game.”
- “Buggy sound effects for heavy lifter, WTP100, helicopters, and HAT.”
- “Buggy and missing sound effects for weapons and explosions, especially in battles.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is primarily conveyed through its quirky music choices, ranging from old-school porn smooth jazz to beach-themed tunes. However, many reviewers feel that the overall lack of memorable content, such as engaging missions and innovative ideas, diminishes the impact of the humor.
- “The music is kind of funny, from old school porn smooth jazz to beach-like music, lol.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
The atmosphere is described as highly immersive, though it has some flaws reminiscent of CNC-style games.
- “A highly atmospheric experience, reminiscent of classic CNC games, but with some flaws.”
- “The atmosphere is incredibly immersive, drawing you into the game's world.”
- “Every detail contributes to a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that keeps you engaged.”
- “A highly atmospheric experience, but flawed like a CNC game.”
- “The atmosphere is immersive, yet it feels incomplete and lacking depth.”
- “While the game attempts to create a captivating atmosphere, it ultimately falls short and feels hollow.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, as the initial excitement of base building and attacking quickly fades, leading to a monotonous experience in later levels.
- “The gameplay starts off like a traditional RTS game with base building and attacking, but after the first few levels, it becomes very boring very quickly due to the tedious nature of building a base and an army.”
- “Grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the overall experience.”
- “The constant need to grind for resources and upgrades turns what could be an exciting adventure into a monotonous chore.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express disappointment with the emotional impact of the game, feeling a lack of fulfillment after conquering countries due to the absence of cutscenes or celebratory moments, which leaves them feeling empty and questioning the value of their time spent.
- “When you conquer a country after completing five missions, it just takes you back to the world map without any cutscene at the end. This made me feel so empty, as if I achieved nothing and wasted my time. After 40 hours in this game, it felt like overkill.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Users express that the game lacks replayability, as it fails to provide a sense of challenge or strategic depth, leading to diminished interest in playing it again.
- “This game offers zero replayability and lacks any sense of challenge or strategy.”
- “There is no incentive to replay the game; it quickly becomes monotonous.”
- “Once you finish the game, there's little reason to return, as the experience feels repetitive.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The monetization strategy includes the integration of Red Bull advertisements within the game, which some users feel detracts from the overall experience.
- “The game is filled with intrusive ads, including Red Bull promotions that disrupt the gameplay experience.”
- “Monetization feels excessive, with constant reminders to purchase in-game items.”
- “The reliance on ads and microtransactions detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”