Meeting the savings schedule for the colony ship is possible, but often best pursued with the benefit of hindsight. It isn't until partly into a campaign that players may realize how unforgiving the game can be, and that winning may require returning to prior save points. Such tedium is something usually reserved for work, not play. There are RTS conventions Earth 2150 strangely omits that would have alleviated some of this pain. Players can destroy but not salvage structures, robbing them of the chance to beat swords to plowshares, though they can recycle units by transporting them to the main base (safely located far from the mission area, and available through the whole campaign). Units seem to automatically stop mining resources when military objectives are met, even if resources are still available, so the otherwise logical strategy to swiftly achieve battlefield superiority and safety for noncombatant units is unjustified.

These quirks of the game are unfortunate because there are many strong points in the combat engine. The expected standards of build queues, waypoints, 3D graphics, pathfinding, and basic AI are present and of average or better quality. Combat units must contend with ammunition supply, but battle survivors are rewarded with experience bonuses. The three factions are interesting and balanced, and regardless of the one selected, failure awaits players eschewing a balanced approach to research and unit building. Single-type unit rushes don't work against a well-prepared opponent, and combined arms are strongly encouraged.