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   "The year is 2012, and humans have just found out that they're not alone in the galaxy. Not only are they not alone, but the new arrivals aren't friendly in the least. The invaders are not here to conquer - they're here to harvest. Massive walking machines consume plant, animal and mineral without distinction. Press gang-like hordes of invading ground troops herd humans into enormous mass drivers, launching them up to the invader's ships that orbit the planet, never to be seen again. Our game begins on the eve of the last day of human resistance... Or is it?"

   With these words, "design visionary" Adam Isgreen revealed the scenario on which Petrglyph's next strategy game will be based. The title is Universe at War: Earth Assault, and although it undeniably sounds "a bit" like Empire at War, the game itself is anything but Star Wars... Or is it?

   Well, it's not Star Wars per se, but it does involve several alien species, and they're all gathering on our blue little planet for a barbecue. Tiny, screaming, running humanlings are the day's specialty!

   What little we currently know about Universe at War is all thanks to a PC Zone article, published in the British magazine's March 2007 issue. Scans of the article along with the first screenshots can be found on the Petroglyph Fan Forums, and so far it sounds like a very... customizable RTS game. The very idea of customization is apparently the driving force behind UaW's gameplay systems, as PC Zone writes that "each unit will have several different uses on the battlefield. In addition, your walkers and vehicles will have numerous 'hard points' to slot enhancements into, while your production facilities will be upgradeable in many directions during battle. You'll also be able to steer your research tree between offensive, defensive and experimental technologies".

   There's more about the game in that article, but for now we'll just wait for the official announcement. Should be here any day now.