Universe Sandbox Legacy

Fun with physics. If youre happy to dig to find your treasures, Universe Sandbox has them in spades.

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Universe Sandbox Legacy is a realistic gravity simulator that allows players to create and explore their own universe. With accurate representations of gravitational forces, collisions, and stellar evolution, players can experiment with various celestial bodies and observe the results. The game also features a variety of customization options, providing endless possibilities for space exploration and discovery.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

80%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,753 reviews

graphics9 positive mentions

stability18 negative mentions

Offers a unique sandbox experience where players can manipulate celestial bodies and observe the effects of their actions.
Educational tool that provides insights into astrophysics and the mechanics of the universe.
Fun for those interested in space, allowing for creative experimentation with gravity, orbits, and collisions.

Game is prone to crashes and bugs, especially when simulating complex scenarios.
Achievements are often unrealistic, requiring excessive playtime or actions that detract from the overall experience.
Limited gameplay depth; can become repetitive and boring after a short period.

gameplay
36 mentions
11 % positive mentions
78 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this title is largely described as lacking depth and engagement, with many users noting that it feels more like a simulation than a traditional game. While it offers a basic understanding of celestial mechanics and can be visually appealing, the mechanics are often criticized for being underdeveloped, leading to a repetitive experience with minimal content. Overall, it may appeal to those with a specific interest in orbital mechanics, but many players find it falls short of providing enjoyable gameplay.
- “Gameplay-wise, well it's a sim; UI controls are okay, you might need some reading into the meanings of some stuff.”
- “Once you understand the core mechanics, it gets pretty fun.”
- “Celestial bodies under your control, excellent graphics, and great simulation of both gravity and orbital mechanics lend this game a lot of credit.”
- “Besides that, there is literally no gameplay in this game.”
- “There just wasn't enough content to keep me interested, and all I was basically doing was changing the size of some planets or crashing two suns into each other (and I was not impressed with the collision mechanics).”
- “You need a good deal of imagination to get any more than a few hours of fun out of this, because there are very few game mechanics involved.”
graphics
33 mentions
27 % positive mentions
52 % neutral mentions
21 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many users noting that they are mediocre or below modern standards, yet some appreciate the visual representation of celestial bodies and the educational aspects. While some players find the graphics acceptable for a simulator, others express disappointment, particularly in comparison to its sequel. Overall, the visuals are described as decent but not groundbreaking, with a few praising the beauty of specific elements like galaxies and planets.
- “I like the planets and the graphics are outstanding!”
- “Celestial bodies under your control, excellent graphics, and great simulation of both gravity and orbital mechanics lends this game a lot of credit.”
- “Beautiful graphics and hilarious physics of the universe wait for you to reveal it.”
- “Graphics suck and there isn't a lot to do...”
- “Graphics are mediocre, performance is mediocre, has a lot of boxes for parameters for objects, which one would assume means they are used properly, but the physics is extremely flawed.”
- “Graphics are bad.”
stability
18 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game is widely criticized for its instability, with numerous users reporting frequent crashes, significant bugs, and performance issues that detract from the overall experience. Many players describe it as unoptimized and frustratingly buggy, leading to game-breaking glitches and a generally poor interface. Overall, the game's stability is a major concern, significantly impacting enjoyment and usability.
- “This game is very buggy and crashes frequently on my machines.”
- “It's buggy, unoptimized, and unintuitive.”
- “Horrible interface, buggy and unstable as hell, and poorly executed on the whole.”
story
18 mentions
17 % positive mentions
56 % neutral mentions
28 % negative mentions
The game lacks a traditional narrative or structured story, offering no missions or goals for players to pursue. While it provides a platform for creativity and simulation, users note that it feels devoid of a compelling storyline, making it more of a sandbox experience than an adventure. Despite its educational value and engaging mechanics, the absence of a narrative is a significant drawback for those seeking a story-driven experience.
- “I used this game to render a solar system for a fantasy story I am making.”
- “The game has enough mechanics to actually put in a lot of detail to your story.”
- “This is a fun and educational game which has decent graphics, many textures for all the planets and asteroids with lots of fanmade and pre-made simulations which keeps the game fresh.”
- “It does not include any form of story and contains no adventure.”
- “Universe Sandbox won't portray a story, and it won't hold your hand past a brief instructional practice that demonstrates the interface.”
- “This is a fun and educational game which has decent graphics, many textures for all the planets and asteroids with lots of fanmade and pre-made simulations which keeps the game fresh, but there is not a massive amount in terms of story or anything to strive for, which is a major letdown.”
music
18 mentions
17 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
The game's music aspect has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with multiple users noting the complete absence of a soundtrack or ambient music, which detracts from the overall experience. Many players expressed disappointment, suggesting that the addition of music would enhance gameplay, while some recommended playing their own background music to fill the silence. Overall, the lack of sound has been a significant grievance, making the game feel dull and unengaging.
- “A fun way to spend some time while listening to music (preferably Holst's 'The Planets').”
- “The only thing that can make this better is some casual background music as you throw the Earth into the sun or send a rampaging black hole through the solar system.”
- “Then again, you can provide your own soundtrack in the background, whether that be spacey trance or death metal.”
- “One major issue is that the game lacks a soundtrack.”
- “No soundtrack which was part of the reason I bought it (videos all have awesome music playing as you watch, the game is silent).”
- “Kind of boring, difficult to use, and literally no sound at all (not even music!).”
humor
14 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of absurdity and cleverness, with players finding amusement in quirky achievements and the ridiculous scenarios they can create, such as soccer balls orbiting a giant sun. While the game offers entertaining simulations and visually appealing graphics, the humor may wear thin over time, making it more of a novelty than a sustained source of fun. Overall, it appeals to those who enjoy a lighthearted approach to space exploration and destruction.
- “With amusing little simulations included like the Death Star orbiting Endor and dice, sports equipment along with other funny gravity sims, it is easily possible to throw together all sorts of time wasters if you are not using this as an educational tool.”
- “Beautiful graphics and hilarious physics of the universe wait for you to reveal it.”
- “Yet, if I had to describe this game in one word, it would be: hilarious.”
replayability
6 mentions
50 % positive mentions
17 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
Replayability varies significantly among players, with some finding it highly engaging due to achievements and the simulation aspect, while others feel it lacks long-term value and offers little incentive to replay after the initial experience. Overall, opinions range from strong replay potential to minimal replay value, highlighting a divide in player interest.
- “Amazing achievements and endless replayability.”
- “Replayable depending upon your own interest in this sort of thing.”
- “The only thing close to that is a short tutorial which is quite informative and fun, which is also replayable.”
- “Replayable depending on your own interest in this sort of thing.”
- “It's a fun little sim to play around with, but there's not much replay value.”
monetization
3 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate a strong dissatisfaction with the game's monetization strategy, labeling it as a cash grab and criticizing the transition to a new version that feels exploitative. Long-time players express disappointment over the perceived abandonment of the original game in favor of profit-driven updates.
- “Do not buy this or the new one. The games have been abandoned, and Universe Sandbox 2 was renamed to this one. This has changed to Legacy. The developers need to be kicked from Steam as it's just a cash grab.”
- “Bought this game like 13 years ago, and now it's been usurped by another cash grab.”
- “I thought maybe it would be on sale, but now I see this version and the next are cash grabs.”
atmosphere
3 mentions
33 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is visually stunning, featuring beautifully rendered nebulae and planetary environments. However, players express disappointment over the lack of interactivity, wishing for the ability to explore and customize planetary atmospheres rather than being limited to predesigned settings.
- “Beautifully rendered nebulae and planetary atmospheres.”
- “The game is awesome, but it would be great if you could actually browse the surface of the planets and have a fully realistic experience of the planets and their atmosphere.”
- “I bought this game thinking it would allow you to edit planets' atmosphere colors and material makeup and interesting things like that; instead, it gives you pre-designed planets, like Earth and Mars.”
optimization
3 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been widely criticized for being buggy and unintuitive, with mediocre graphics and performance. While it is designed for normal computers and intended for educational and fun purposes, many users find the physics system flawed and the overall experience lacking in quality.
- “It's buggy, unoptimized, and unintuitive.”
- “I understand the game is optimized for normal computers and is for educational/fun purposes, not scientific ones, but this is ridiculous.”
- “Graphics are mediocre, performance is mediocre, and there are a lot of boxes for parameters for objects, which one would assume means they are used properly, but the physics is extremely flawed.”
grinding
3 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game excessively tedious, with some resorting to automation for the more grindy achievements. Many feel that the game would benefit from more meaningful achievements that encourage exploration and discovery rather than repetitive tasks.
- “I automated the more grindy achievements, because honestly that's ridiculously excessive.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Instead of some of the rather pointless and grindy achievements, it would have been great if the devs had added some achievements or in-game goals that guided players towards discovering some of the cool things that happen when you mess around with the universe in specific ways.”
emotional
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players report that the game evokes strong emotional responses, with some expressing feelings of awe and vulnerability in the face of its portrayal of the universe, leading to moments of deep reflection and even tears.
- “This game literally made me cry for the beauty of the universe and realizing how inferior I am.”