Homeworld 2 demo

The Homeworld series hit the gaming industry with a loud bang, thanks to its innovative gameplay and the exquisite atmosphere you get to enjoy in the depths of space. Moreover, it also featured a refined combat system and quite the captivating story, which lead you through the galaxy in the search for the place you call home.

Homeworld 2's purpose is to build on what was already there and make the franchise complete, as well as put an end to the journey you started in the first episode, by helping the Higarans defeat their enemies once again. Thus, after they find and reclaim their home world, they must also defend it against the looming threat of a powerful foe that is about to attack them.

Naturally, the game evolves as the previous title did, with you in command of the Higaran forces and the ability to control their every action. The mechanics remain true to the RTS genre, with a lot of base building and resource gathering involved, all in the purpose of training a powerful army. It is, however, a bit different to do all this in space, since you always feel small and insignificant, compared to the environment around you.

Since the gameplay requires you to move around between the main base and your units, it is imperative that the camera is easy to handle and control, in order to be able to quickly get an overview on everything that is under your command. Hence, whether you want to build additional facilities on the mothership, or select your units and attack the enemy, everything can be achieved with a few mouse clicks. It is, however, rather difficult to orient yourself in the beginning, since the 3D is a bit disorienting at first, given that there is no ground to guide you.

Extra attention went into the graphic engine for this title, since both the environments and the actual objects look much more detailed this time around. The ships are worth most of the praise, though, because they are all very different from each other and a real pleasure to look at whenever they are not being destroyed by the enemy.

In the end, Homeworld 2 is a worthy sequel, with just enough improvements to make the original title proud of its heir. The new story continues the epic saga of the Higarans and brings some resolution when it comes to their fate.