Review: Empire Universe II - Browser MMO Game

Written by: Brian Lamacraft • Edited by: Michael Hartman
Updated May 23, 2011

Empire Universe II is a space combat strategy MMO browser game with loads of content for the player. The player can choose a peaceful or aggressive stance, occupy planets, invest in trade, research technologies, form alliances, and develop warships for combat.

Empire Universe II Basic Features

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While Empire Universe II features the same type of basic resource gathering and empire building as other MMO browser games, you will find a lot of exciting features in this game. As a new player, you will be granted a 30-day new player protection to build up a base. Empire Universe II also has a queue system so you can continue to develop your empire even if you are offline. This queue system is not found in many other MMO browser games where you can only build one item at a time. Other key components include a huge research tree, the ability to construct ship parts for your fleets, and the ability to form alliances.

Ship Building and Technologies

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One of the great parts about this game is the ability to build ships with a great variety of components, 66 in total. Similar to EvE Online, These include such parts as shields, better weapons, and engines. And you can even give each ship its own name. This type of ship building is a wonderful feature that adds to the game. These ships can then form fleets and be used to explore the galaxy, and conquer planets. You can also engage pirate fleets on the game map to get the feel for combat once your fleets are developed.

Empire Universe II has a very robust technology tree with 146 different technologies that can be researched as you develop your space empire. You can speed the development of your ship parts by using researchers at a university. They can be trained in weapons, ship chassis, armor, and equipment. As the researcher gains levels, they add to the speed that your ship parts are made. Each one can also be trained in multiple areas of expertise.

Resource Gathering

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This game also features a large resource gathering system with ten resources in total that need to be collected. This is done through resource collection facilities that can be upgraded as you progress through the game. Your resources are used to build and upgrade your buildings, and construct your warships. As you build more facilities, you will increase your production levels. Like most online browser games these facilities will continue to make resources even if you are offline.

Buildings and Trade

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There are several buildings you can construct on your planets including a shipyard, government building, communications center, trading post, researcher facility, university and resources facility. Each one of these buildings can be upgraded and are nicely displayed on the planet map.

Trading is also possible in this game and in the beginning you can even trade resources with an NPC character. As you progress through the game the NPC will come less often. This can really help beginning players gather the huge amount of resources they need to develop an empire. Trades are also available with other players in the game and you can sell ship components, resources, and even your trained researchers.

Your Fleets

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Once you have constructed several ships youcan develop fleets. Each fleet has many options that they can perform depending upon how advanced your ships are. You can scan the system, carry cargo, collect, carry troops for invasion, refuel, repair, and colonize. By entering in coordinates, you can move your fleet around the galaxy. There are special missions you can conduct such as piracy and bounty hunting. The game also gives you the ability to move ships back and forth to different fleets. Each ship in your fleet can be given a unique name to help you identify them better.

Other Features

In the game you will find a chat system and the ability to form alliances with the other players in the game. The game also features a Email system to quickly communicate with other players. You can apply for an alliance by visiting the diplomacy screen and filling out an application to join. Just click on the alliance you want to join and hit the apply button. If the alliances shown doesn't appeal to you, form your own alliance. The ranking screen will show you how you stack up against the other players and alliances in the game.

Game Play

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While Empire Universe II features some great content, it is a very slow developing game. It takes a long time to get anywhere in the game. Everything take real life game time to develop and even some of the beginning game components take hours to complete. For example to train a new researcher takes almost three hours. If you don’t have a researcher trained for ship chassis a simple ship training can take multiple hours to complete. So in the beginning stage of the game you have little to do but wait for everything to build before you can enjoy the game. While this is normal in browser games, the amount of game components you need to develop to actually enjoy the game means you will be waiting a very long time before you can explore the game in all its detail. For me as a player, this wait time is a big down point.

While the ability to queue up your buildings and ship development, is a welcome feature, it still is not enough to create any real excitement. This game needs a quest system or something else to do while you are building up your empire. You simply spend too much time waiting for your empire to build and not enough time having fun.

Empire Universe II does have quite a bit going for it for a space MMO in terms of robust features but lacks excitement for the beginning player. The game is nicely presented and all the game features are explained through text in the game, there is even a short tutorial to get you started when you first log in.

Graphics/Sound

Graphics/Sound

While there are no sounds in this game, the graphics are quite good for a browser game. There are a few 3D elements but mostly plain images. There is a nice graphical view of your base and of the star system. While the graphics are not groundbreaking or exciting, they make the game more enjoyable. Most space combat MMO games feature very few graphics and they are a welcome feature in this game.

Conclusion

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Empire Universe II has a lot of depth for a browser MMO game. Despite the slow space of the game, it is well developed with plenty for the player to explore and do in the game. I can recommend Empire Universe II for those players who like a game with depth and have the patience to wait through a slow building process.

horsa Dec 5, 2011 2:46 PM

RE: Review: Empire Universe II - Browser MMO Game

sadly the lack of support and cheats that are allowed to continue have now made this game unplayable <br>looki<br> are no longer interested in this game and make it obvious on many of <br>the smaller servers like the dutch one were support has not even replied<br> to its on moderaters messages for 2 months

Albertoe Nov 16, 2011 12:13 AM

Totally dominated by corrupt support guys who play the game also,war their empire and expect a week ban for nothing...want an explanation why banned?Dont hold your breath,waste of time and money guys,stay clear

Review: Empire Universe II - Browser MMO Game

Empire Universe II Basic Features

Ship Building and Technologies

Resource Gathering

Buildings and Trade

Your Fleets

Other Features

Game Play

Graphics/Sound

Conclusion

Comments