The game was also well-received critically. "Entertainment Weekly" gave the game a B and wrote that "if wreaking havoc in distant galaxies is what you do best, I can think of no better game for you." Digital Press also praised the game for its two-player action, as well as the game's personality in both its artistic detail and the lore in the instruction manual. After initially giving the Amiga version a 68% rating, "Computer and Video Games" eventually gave the Sega version a 90% rating, awarding it as a "CVG Hit" for its two-player replayability. "MegaTech" gave the Sega version a 90% rating and their editorial Hyper Game Award, calling it "one of the best two-player Mega Drive games ever". In contrast, "Raze Magazine" rated the Sega version at 70/100 for lacking the depth of the PC version. "Advanced Computer Entertainment" called the Amiga version "disappointing", criticizing the load times and "tacky two-dimensional combat sequences that look as if they've been borrowed from an early Eighties coin-op". Computer Gaming World rated the PC version 3.5 stars out of 5, praising the arcade combat in spite of the thin strategic layer. Nonetheless, Italian publication The Games Machine rated the game 88%, describing it as a modern re-invention of "Spacewar!" with many entertaining artistic details. Similarly, Videogame & Computer World praised the game's unique animations and replayable arcade mode, giving a rating of 8/10 on the PC, 8/10 on the Commodore 64, and 9/10 on the Amiga. In France, Joystick rated the game 75%, with strongest praise for the game's sound design.