Earth 2140

Infobox VG| title = Earth 2140


caption=
developer = Topware Interactive
publisher = ^EU Topware Interactive
^NA Interplay
designer =
released = 1997 (2001 for Amiga)
modes = Single player
genre = Strategy
series=
ratings = USK: 16+
platforms = Amiga, DOS, Microsoft Windows, Macintosh
media = CD-ROM
requirements= 60 MHz CPU, 16 MB RAM, 2X CD-ROM drive, 30 MB available hard disk space
input=Keyboard, mouse

"Earth 2140" is a 2-D real-time strategy computer game created in 1997 by Polish-based Topware Interactive (now Zuxxez Entertainment). Due to lack of publicity and marketing, the game was virtually unknown in the United States as well as Western Europe. It has two sequels, Earth 2150 and Earth 2160.

Although not popular in US and Western Europe, the game sold quite well in Turkey, as it was one of the few foreign games ever released with a Turkish language option.

toryline

As its name suggests, Earth 2140 takes place in the year 2140 AD. Previous wars have left much of the Earth a nuclear wasteland, forcing most of the world's population into underground bunkers. Tensions rise between the Earth's two major factions, the Eurasian Dynasty (ED) and the United Civilized States (UCS), as both sides vie for the world's steadily dwindling resources. A UCS raid on an ED base is enough to ignite the rivalry into full-scale war as the ED fails in its bid to control Mexico and the UCS counterattacks Scandinavia, Great Britain, France, and the Iberian Peninsula.

Factions

The United Civilized States (UCS) controls all of North and South America and is a nation populated mostly by hedonists. As much work as possible is done by robots. Automated butlers are the standard in UCS households, even politics and war are left up to the machines. As such, UCS citizens are often portrayed by their detractors as decadent "pigs". A glitch in the upgrade of the UCS war processor GOLAN caused the giant robot to miscalculate the military strength of the Eurasian Dynasty, thus compelling it launch an attack on the ED. After losing several battles in Mexico, GOLAN quickly adapted to the ED threat and began to retake lost ED territory and win battles in Europe. The UCS is generally more technologically advanced than its adversary, employing robot infantry and automated bipedal combat vehicles (more commonly known as mechs).

The Eurasian Dynasty (ED) controls a wide swath of territory spanning Europe, North Africa, and much of former Russia. The antithesis of the UCS, the ED is run by an autocratic monarchy under the Khan Dynasty that often makes life harsh, short, and without luxury for its citizens. As the less technologically advanced of the two factions, the ED utilizes androids, traditional vehicles such as tanks, and armed helicopters in its arsenal. Because of its technological disadvantage, the ED finds itself more often on the defensive throughout the Earth 2140 storyline.

Military Units and Buildings

The United Civilized States employs battle robots of the SILVER-series as its main infantry. These units are reminiscent of the T-series of robots from the Terminator films. SILVER robots may be armed with heavy machine guns, rocket launchers, a self-destruct C4 device, or, later, a small plasma cannon. The main support units for the SILVER-series are the T-100, a light tank armed with two small machine guns and the ATM-400, a heavily armored troop carrier capable of carrying up to eight SILVER robots.

The RAPTOR is the UCS light mech armed with either twin machine guns or twin rocket launchers. UCS medium units consist of the TIGER series that can be armed with napalm grenade launchers (also used on HELLBIKE models) or dual rocket launchers. The durable armor of the TIGER can withstand both small arms fire and extreme heat. The most advanced units of the UCS are that of the SPIDER series; SPIDER I is armed with two rapid-fire plasma cannons while SPIDER II is equipped with a total of four heavy rocket launchers.

The Eurasian Dynasty rely on tanks and soldiers for ground support, soldier squads in particular lack effectiveness due to vulnerability to missiles—1 rocket kills an entire squad of men. However, the ED make up for this disadvantage with might alone: using large missile-firing helicopters for air support. The ED also makes use of traditional cruisers, destroyers, even battleships, preferring a stronger, brasher navy as opposed to the stealth offered by the UCS's submarine oriented naval force. Tanks may be armored with traditional shell-firing turrets, as well as rocket launchers, machine guns, and later laser-based weaponry.

Expansion packs

Two little known expansion packs were released for this game:
*Earth 2140: Mission Pack 1 [http://www.abecedaher.cz/db_data/0000001145/obal_predni1.jpg]
*Earth 2140: Mission Pack 2 - Final Conflict [http://www.abecedaher.cz/db_data/0000001146/obal_predni1.jpg]

A package named Earth 2140 XP was released in August 2006 [http://www.zuxxez.com/game_projects/project.php?l=en&game=22] , it included the game, both expansions and was redone to work under Windows XP.

External links

* [http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/earth2140/ Gamespot page for Earth 2140]
* [http://www.realitypump.pl/ Reality Pump]
* [http://www.zuxxez.com/ ZUXXEZ Entertainment AG]
* [https://secure.zuxxez.com/shop_new/product_info.php?cPath=27&products_id=73 Earth 2140 XP at ZUXXEZDIREKT]