Homeworld Cataclysm micro-review

HW:C – I was one of the biggest fans ever of the first Homeworld. Okay, I didn’t spend time learning 3D modeling and creating my own ships, or memorizing storylines, but for months prior to the game, you could find me spending hours every day in the beta test version… once it came out, I couldn’t stop playing it, even after I got Half-Life, and Unreal’s NaPali mission pack… it was always Homeworld. I expected HW:C to just be even better.

Boy was I wrong.

Playing is each different race gives you specific advantages, whereas in the first Homeworld it was merely certain ship types, but now it can be anything from research time to ships speeds.

The graphics are nice, but not quite what I expected from Homeworld 2, you know? The sequel shows enhancements from the original, but the engine is mostly unchanged. Sounds are going to be nice when I get my 5.1 sound card up and going, I’m sure… it does sound pretty good on my four piece system + power woofer, even though this is only a single output sound card (using a Y-jack).

The story line seems to be a continuation, from what I’ve read, but I’m not planning on playing thru story parts yet, until I get the newer computer up and running… you see – even my K62 @ 380 is lagging quite a bit… I had to tweak the graphics in order to keep the speed… the game is much more detailed, and certain ship types will be so heavily animated that it will cause slow downs.

Overall, it’s a good game on its own… but, I’m sure you’ve heard it before… if you’re a fan of the original, don’t bother with Cataclysm – it’s a huge disappointment, and should have never been given the Homeworld name. It’s nice, but should not be considered Homeworld 2, in my opinion, because it could be so much better. The game play feels rigid, nowhere near the feeling of awe that you had when playing the original for the first time. It’s hollow, the personality, the threat, the backstory – nothing is fleshed out the way the original was. This feels like a hurried sequel to cash in on the franchise before it is too late.