Homeworld is a 3D real-time strategy game set in space and focusing on the conflict between the Kushan, who are attempting to locate their long-lost homeworld, and the Taiidan Empire which is trying to destroy them.
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Homeworld isn't the best RTS I've ever played, but it's probably the coolest. Full 3D space movement that's intuitive? Dope ass ship designs? Came out in the late 90s? Has a really tragic yet hopeful revenge story? I mean really what else could you even want!
Well, for one I'd want the game to be just a bit faster. But also slower. Faster between "encounters", as moving from your mothership to enemies takes the majority of the playtime, and faster when building (i swear half the game is just waiting for things to happen). But slower in combat, where if you look away for a second (likely when you take out your phone to kill the time as your fleet moves to engage the enemies halfway across the.. space?) you're likely to lose half your ships, or when wanting to change orders, if you misclick, you might again lose half your ships.
I guess this is all par for the course for many old games, but really none of this felt like an issue until the last few missions, which spike the difficulty in such a way that really shows the game's flaws upfront. The pre-penultimate mission is set up in a way that almost expects you to grind, with tens of enemy ships and almost no resources (which can be automatically harvested). I didn't finish the last mission, because if I wanted to push through I'd need to spend hours and hours on that mission.
Still, I respect the game. It's well written and technically an insane achievement. I just wish it wasn't annoying in a time sensitive way.
Well, for one I'd want the game to be just a bit faster. But also slower. Faster between "encounters", as moving from your mothership to enemies takes the majority of the playtime, and faster when building (i swear half the game is just waiting for things to happen). But slower in combat, where if you look away for a second (likely when you take out your phone to kill the time as your fleet moves to engage the enemies halfway across the.. space?) you're likely to lose half your ships, or when wanting to change orders, if you misclick, you might again lose half your ships.
I guess this is all par for the course for many old games, but really none of this felt like an issue until the last few missions, which spike the difficulty in such a way that really shows the game's flaws upfront. The pre-penultimate mission is set up in a way that almost expects you to grind, with tens of enemy ships and almost no resources (which can be automatically harvested). I didn't finish the last mission, because if I wanted to push through I'd need to spend hours and hours on that mission.
Still, I respect the game. It's well written and technically an insane achievement. I just wish it wasn't annoying in a time sensitive way.
I was told to play Homeworld 1 since Deserts of Kharak leads perfectly into it and I just played DoK, so I did. And it definitely does! But gameplay wise, eh...
Look, I know it's a well-regarded RTS, and I can definitely see why it was so notable at the time, and has been ever since, but it really bugged me to play. Physically, actually. The 3D space stuff just messed with my depth perception a ton. Really hurt my eyes and head. I kinda feel like it makes the gameplay unnecessarily complex as well? I feel like the game would be just as good if it was on a 2D plane, but that's just me. Maybe it wouldn't be as iconic, I dunno.
I do like that, different from the norm, you're not particularly a military in this game. You are to an extent, but you're a group of colonists headed off in hopes of claiming their, well... Homeworld. The units don't feel satisfying to use either unfortunately, which I value a ton in an RTS.
I respect Homeworld's place in the RTS genre but I didn't particularly enjoy it.
Score: 75
Look, I know it's a well-regarded RTS, and I can definitely see why it was so notable at the time, and has been ever since, but it really bugged me to play. Physically, actually. The 3D space stuff just messed with my depth perception a ton. Really hurt my eyes and head. I kinda feel like it makes the gameplay unnecessarily complex as well? I feel like the game would be just as good if it was on a 2D plane, but that's just me. Maybe it wouldn't be as iconic, I dunno.
I do like that, different from the norm, you're not particularly a military in this game. You are to an extent, but you're a group of colonists headed off in hopes of claiming their, well... Homeworld. The units don't feel satisfying to use either unfortunately, which I value a ton in an RTS.
I respect Homeworld's place in the RTS genre but I didn't particularly enjoy it.
Score: 75
Blew my mind at the time.
(Random memory: once witnessed a guy in public playing this on a laptop -- which at the time was pretty rare with 3D games, especially for something to run smooth -- but also the fact he was playing this better than any of us and using a damn track pad to do it!)
(Random memory: once witnessed a guy in public playing this on a laptop -- which at the time was pretty rare with 3D games, especially for something to run smooth -- but also the fact he was playing this better than any of us and using a damn track pad to do it!)
The top of the pantheon of real time strategy, the game abandons one of the fundaments of the genre - terrain, topography, obstacles, chockepoints and defensible positions - and yet creates one of the most in-depth strategy games ever made. Faction advantadges and special units are abandoned, and instead players are only differentiated by tactical skill and micromanagement. There is nothing to hide behind, the most skilled commander wins.
Unforgetable campaign and haunting OST, the emptiness of the maps complemented it perfectly. The slow pace of the in betweens highlighting the lonely feeling in such a vast space, punctuated between high-pressure combat where a single mistakes sinks the fleet.
It is the most beautiful rts ever made.
Unforgetable campaign and haunting OST, the emptiness of the maps complemented it perfectly. The slow pace of the in betweens highlighting the lonely feeling in such a vast space, punctuated between high-pressure combat where a single mistakes sinks the fleet.
It is the most beautiful rts ever made.
Homeworld is so fucking good. This game is literally everything I want in a game and it came out over two decades ago. Its a phenomenal strategy game with an amazing story and fun missions. The soundtrack is absolutely phenomenal and the sound design is so damn good for the time. Everything about homeworld makes it one of the best RTS games ever plus the modding scene is really good and multiplayer is fun if you can find someone to play with you. The remasters are really good too so you might as well just get them!
You ever just have that one game that you're absolute garbage at but still love regardless? Well Homeworld is that game for me.
I can barely play a normal rts game, let alone this one's full 3d space combat simulation but I still adore it. Even if I'm awful at playing it I can still appreciate the ambition and talent needed to create a full 3d space rts in 1999. The story and universe despite being deceptively simple had me completely engrossed in them to the point where I can say without a doubt that the original Homeworld has the best story of any rts game I've ever played. The visuals are gorgeous, especially in the remaster, and the music is top notch as well.
Homeworld is a phenomenal experience and I urge anyone with even the slightest interest in real time strategy games or space combat to check it out.
I can barely play a normal rts game, let alone this one's full 3d space combat simulation but I still adore it. Even if I'm awful at playing it I can still appreciate the ambition and talent needed to create a full 3d space rts in 1999. The story and universe despite being deceptively simple had me completely engrossed in them to the point where I can say without a doubt that the original Homeworld has the best story of any rts game I've ever played. The visuals are gorgeous, especially in the remaster, and the music is top notch as well.
Homeworld is a phenomenal experience and I urge anyone with even the slightest interest in real time strategy games or space combat to check it out.