Planetary Annihilation
- September 5, 2014
- Uber Entertainment
- 14h median play time
Planetary Annihilation is a warfare-focused real-time strategy game with single-player, multiplayer, and co-op modes. Experience epic interplanetary battles with thousands of units and futuristic machines of war, and take over an entire galaxy in a procedurally generated single-player mode. Despite some bugs, grinding, and occasional ads, the game boasts masterful gameplay, wonderful graphics, and a perfect soundtrack, making for high replayability.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- gameplay806 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Planetary Annihilation" has received mixed reviews, with many players praising its innovative mechanics, such as interplanetary travel and large-scale battles, reminiscent of classic RTS games like "Total Annihilation" and "Supreme Commander." However, criticisms often highlight issues like repetitive gameplay, a lack of depth, poor AI, and a confusing interface that detracts from the overall experience. While some players find the core mechanics enjoyable and engaging, others feel that the game falls short in delivering a polished and balanced gameplay experience.
“The gameplay is fantastic and very smooth.”
“The gameplay is engaging and fun.”
“The gameplay is amazing and addictive.”
“Kinda boring gameplay after a while, nothing really innovative.”
“The controls are almost unusable, the interface sucks, and the core gameplay just doesn't exist.”
“The gameplay is bland and basic.”
- graphics656 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the cartoonish and simplistic art style, while others criticize it for being bland and lacking detail compared to previous titles like Supreme Commander. Many users report performance issues, including lag and crashes, particularly on lower-end systems, despite the graphics being described as visually appealing by some. Overall, while the graphics are seen as charming and fitting for the game's concept, they are often viewed as underwhelming and in need of improvement.
“The graphics are perfect and simple, the satisfaction of watching your buildings being built is indescribable and the combat is smooth and great + the soundtrack is up to par.”
“The graphics are beautiful and simple, something that has been lost to many game developers and gamers alike.”
“The graphics are vibrant, the mass destruction is awesome but it suffers many problems.”
“The graphics are poor and the planets are so small you feel like you are playing on a tennis ball.”
“The graphics are atrocious in my eyes, not at all colorful and visually pleasing like Supreme Commander was.”
“The graphics look like their graphics team only had a tenth of the time they needed to properly create the game's content.”
- stability325 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 96 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous users reporting severe bugs, frequent crashes, and performance issues that render it nearly unplayable on various systems, even those meeting or exceeding recommended specifications. Many players express frustration over the game's unfinished state, feeling that it was released prematurely without adequate optimization or support from the developers. Overall, the consensus is that the game remains a buggy mess, lacking the polish expected from a completed title.
“It used to really take some resources, but with all the updates it runs great now (would still recommend an SSD).”
“The game runs great and keeps getting updates.”
“The game as it is right now is surprisingly bug free, and the support for the game is good with frequent updates.”
“By the time I bought it (years after 'release' when it was in 'gamma' phase - because the devs didn't get their act together in alpha and beta), it was so horribly buggy and poorly optimized that it was pretty much unplayable on my mid-tier gaming PC at the time.”
“What a buggy mess this game is. I might understand if it crashed while the game was in progress, but crashing in the main menu, skirmish creator, and system manager is quite ridiculous.”
“The game is buggy and can often freeze after battles.”
- optimization293 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with many players reporting severe performance issues, including stuttering, crashes, and lag, even on high-end systems. While some updates have improved performance over time, significant optimization is still needed, particularly for lower-end hardware and in scenarios with large numbers of units. Overall, the game remains unoptimized and often unplayable, leading to frustration among users who expected a smoother experience.
“The game captures the old game really really well; sadly due to the fact it is an early access game or because the game is highly unoptimized, epic battles do not occur.”
“Despite (still) a large number of balance and performance issues, which will most probably be addressed in upcoming patches, the depth, scale, and uniqueness of the game as an RTS should really entice just about everyone who wants to try something new and bizarre.”
“Most importantly, the client side of the game has gone through massive optimization work, with multi-threading and many other improvements that make it run smoothly on not-so-new systems.”
“By the time I bought it (years after release when it was in 'gamma' phase - because the devs didn't get their act together in alpha and beta), it was so horribly buggy and poorly optimized that it was pretty much unplayable on my mid-tier gaming PC at the time.”
“The game is constantly evolving with balance and performance tweaks and updates, but it is still unoptimized, still full of bugs, and looks basic for an RTS but requires somewhat of a monster PC to run.”
“I was promised full-scale war and destruction, and I got poor graphics, lag, missing features, more lag, and a dev team that can't be bothered with even the most basic of multiplayer optimization.”
- story231 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is widely criticized for its lack of depth and engagement, with many reviewers noting that it features little to no narrative or campaign structure. Players express disappointment over the absence of a meaningful storyline, describing the single-player mode as a repetitive series of skirmishes without context or character development. While some enjoy the gameplay mechanics, the consensus is that a compelling story is sorely needed to enhance the overall experience.
“Giant killer robots fighting for forgotten reasons who like to throw planets at each other, not the worst plot for a video game.”
“The bulk of the lore is found from descriptions of the planets you're fighting on, be it research facility, prison colony, nature preserve, etc., which I do find an interesting method to tell the story, despite the lack of evidence anything mentioned ever existed there.”
“Galactic war may not give too much of a story explanation, but it makes for an amazing experience by itself, and you can make up your own reason as to why you need to crash this moon into the enemy commander.”
“There is no story to speak of whatsoever!”
“The campaign lacks a meaningful story and for the current price you would expect more of the game.”
“The only 'story' you actually get is only 'you're a commander that has risen from the dead, and now you must destroy everything'.”
- music128 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its high production quality and epic orchestral compositions that enhance the gameplay experience. However, some players find the soundtrack repetitive and uninspired, lacking variety for longer matches. Overall, while the music is often described as fantastic and immersive, it can also be perceived as overbearing or limited in scope.
“The orchestral soundtrack is one of the best in gaming history, the procedurally generated planets and systems give countless possibilities, and the randomized galactic conquest is a nice alternative from standard, narrative-driven campaigns we see everywhere.”
“The soundtrack is from a full live orchestra, making it sound amazing during battles and at the start of the game, it's really immersive.”
“The music is dynamic and lively, making the large scale land, sea, and air battles burst with excitement.”
“The music was promising, but it was just too uninspired. This was probably due to him not getting the feeling of 'a war on this scale needs music that makes me feel alive and unstoppable!' when he looked at the game.”
“The music has no variety.”
“I find the music incredibly annoying.”
- monetization67 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 21 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of this game has been widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, with many reviewers expressing frustration over high initial prices, numerous microtransactions, and the release of expensive DLCs without addressing existing bugs and performance issues. Players feel that the developers prioritize profit over quality, leading to a lack of trust and disappointment among the community. Overall, the game's monetization practices have left a negative impression, with many urging potential buyers to avoid it.
“You're not in need of microtransactions to be better in the game.”
“Finally, the ever-hot subject of microtransactions.”
“I was really into this game from the beta, but the team behind it got too greedy with their monetization - paid DLC commanders, the massive titans DLC drop - and eventually just turned me off of the whole game in general.”
“This game was a pretty obvious cash grab from the beginning, asking over $80 for early access.”
“Even if you really like the idea and want to give it a shot on a sale, this game isn't worth a penny because of the absurd problems that the creators decided not to fix and instead try to get an insane cash grab with the DLC out of its player base.”
“As much as I wanted to love this game, the full release was missing much of the promised content, and contained microtransactions to unlock the backer units even for people who spent $100 pre-ordering on early access.”
- replayability40 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
Replayability in this game is a mixed bag; while some players praise its near-infinite replay value due to unique maps and a supportive modding community, others criticize its simplistic mechanics and lack of depth, leading to a quick loss of interest. The game offers a variety of modes that can enhance replayability, particularly in multiplayer and community-driven content, but many feel that the single-player experience lacks sufficient depth to keep players engaged long-term. Overall, the potential for replayability exists, but it heavily depends on player preferences and the ongoing development of the game.
“The game has a high replayability with unique worlds.”
“Endlessly replayable with a modding community and an inbuilt map creator.”
“I give this game 20/10 stars for its design, gameplay mechanics, limitless strategic and tactical options, and unreal replay value.”
“This vanilla version is alright, but quickly loses replayability when you realize how little is actually in the game.”
“Fun at first, but broken mechanics and one-dimensional gameplay kill replayability.”
“While it sets out to create a new innovative RTS for the modern world, it fails on polish, replayability, accessibility, and strategy.”
- humor40 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is frequently highlighted as a standout feature, with players finding amusement in its absurdities, such as bugs, chaotic gameplay, and the over-the-top destruction mechanics. Many reviews note that while the game has significant flaws, these often lead to hilariously unexpected moments, making it entertaining, especially in multiplayer settings. Overall, the humor is described as a mix of intentional comedic elements and unintentional glitches, contributing to a lighthearted gaming experience.
“Very funny game especially when you fire the nukes or the super laser; it just looks hilarious.”
“For early access, this game is awesome! The ability to ram a planet into your enemy is just too funny, and when they put so much effort into that massive base only to have a planet smash into it is epic.”
“This game is hilariously good.”
- grinding21 mentions
- 5 % positive mentions
- 5 % neutral mentions
- 90 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, particularly in resource management and unit movement. While some enjoy the fast-paced strategy and epic battles, others feel that the gameplay becomes stale over time, especially in single-player modes. Overall, the game's ambitious scope is appreciated, but the execution leaves players longing for more depth and variety to alleviate the grind.
“What I didn't like about the game was that it didn't shape up to what I had expected, which was an easy-to-grasp, fun RTS that wasn't tedious.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“It's tedious, mundane, and repetitive.”
“The game just does not feel finished at all; the variation is too limited, invading planets is really tedious, etc.”
- atmosphere15 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game receives mixed reviews; some players appreciate the unique and intense action of multi-dimensional battles and the excitement of interplanetary warfare, while others criticize the lack of depth and soul, feeling that it detracts from the overall experience. Suggestions for improvement include enhancing the game's plot and adding atmospheric elements like weather effects to enrich the gameplay. Overall, while the game offers thrilling moments, it falls short in creating a cohesive and immersive atmosphere.
“Great unique atmosphere for an RTS.”
“With the ability to travel to distant moons, planets, and satellites to establish colonies and surprise your enemies, the game creates an intense atmosphere of action and excitement for the player.”
“Takes attention to multiple fronts simultaneously - in a three-dimensional atmosphere.”
“This game has almost no bit of atmosphere which completely adds to the bad things about planets, in which I will explain later.”
“This game lacks atmosphere and soul in general.”
“I'm still happy I spent the cash to support these guys, but please, please, please, fix the bugs, add more units with better specialized uses to spice up strategy, put some attempt at plot or atmosphere into the galactic war more, and rebalance the production economy (*cough* metal maker!!) a little bit so I'm not having to mod it to make the game playable.”
- emotional13 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a strong emotional response to the game, ranging from deep frustration to moments of beauty that evoke tears. While some appreciate the potential for emotional attachment to units, many feel let down by gameplay mechanics and lack of depth, leading to feelings of anger and disappointment. Overall, the emotional experience is marked by a mix of affection and frustration, with players warning others to manage their emotional investment in the game.
“Game is so beautiful it makes me want to cry.”
“I still carry the emotional scars from purchasing 'The Stomping Land'.”
“A game that let me stroll around merrily with my trusted band of units I'd eventually grow so fond of that I would give each piece of pixely mashed potatoes a name, a mistake grown out of weak leading skills and an obvious lack of responsibility, as I would come to learn in the final moments of a match, when my army met its fiery and emotionally devastating doom.”
