for example, projectiles travel farther in low gravity environments. Reception Although Terra Nova sold more than 100,000 units, it was a commercial failure because it did not recoup its development costs. Designer Tim Stellmach later characterized its performance as "a disaster". Despite this, the game was acclaimed by critics, and several publications drew comparisons to the 1995 video game MechWarrior 2: 31st Century Combat. Edge compared the game favorably to System Shock due to its balanced combination of action and strategy, stating that in just two years Looking Glass "has metamorphosed from one of the industry's secret technology powerhouses to a hugely respected developer in its own right." John Payne of The Washington Post wrote, "Depending on your point of view, Terra Nova is either a stripped-down Mechwarrior or a souped-up Doom." However, he stated that it was enjoyable regardless of which perspective was taken. While he described the game's animation as "fluid", he found its graphics in general to be "fairly blocky, even at a distance". He finished his review by stating that the game "requires more practice than action fans are used to" but provides "a nice payoff". Next Generation Magazine wrote, "Looking Glass has always been known for breaking the barriers of conventional gameplay, and it has done it again with Terra Nova". The magazine considered the game to be "an all around stunning effort". The Sunday Star-Times Peter Eley found the game to be extremely complex, and he noted the originality of its "real-time, full motion and 3D combat simulation". He called its sound and music "stunning" but found that its graphics "aren't as crisp as some other games", and he described performance issues. Lee Perkins of The Age also found the game's performance and graphics lacking, but he said, "In spite of its visual shortcomings, Terra Nova has the same level of inherent player appeal as System Shock". He concluded that the game's "tactical demands ... are probably its strongest point", and that it "isn't quite up in the Mechwarrior 2 league, [but] it's making some very loud noises with avid mech-combat fans". Computer Games Strategy Plus Tim Royal offered similar praise for its strategic elements; however, like the other two, he noted the game's performance issues, and he called its graphics "above average, but not mind-boggling". He finished, "I ... won't say it beats System Shock. It doesn't. ... But Terra Nova offers a