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Everyone's talking about Relic. Here's what they're saying:
Homeworld 2
Awards
Previews
Interviews
Impossible Creatures
Awards
Reviews
Previews
Interviews
Homeworld: Cataclysm
Awards
Reviews
Homeworld
Awards
Reviews
Homeworld2
Awards
Best Strategy Game, Game Revolution Best of E3 2003
Nominee, Best Strategy Game, Game Critics Award Best of E3 2003
Wargamer's E3 2003 Best of Show winner
Previews
11/06/03
Gamespot
Quote: "Homeworld 2 makes many gameplay changes that may seem quite subtle at first. No one would ever say that Homeworld's interface for moving ships in 3D was accessible, but with practice it did allow for intricate tactics that relied on long-range hyperspace jumps and use of 3D ship positioning and formations. The new game makes moving from point to point much easier and adds a strike group feature that makes different types of ships work together intelligently.
"
21/05/03
Wargamer
Quote: "
Visually, the game is no slouch, even more stunning than the original. The level of detail is nothing short of amazing. One example is the gun turrets of the larger battleships. I watched in wonder as each turret: tracked targets, fired, and then steamed from vents while they recharged. Each of the brand new ships sports such detail.
"
25/02/03
Gamespot
Quote: "One thing is certain, not only do the ships all look good, but they vary crazily in size from the tiny scout ships used for recon purposes to the gargantuan Battlecruiser. If you thought the Heavy Cruiser from the first game was a big burly bastard, just wait until you lay eyes on the size difference of the Hiigaran Battlecruiser. It makes the ships from the last game look tiny.
"
25/02/03
ActionTrip
Quote: "Furthermore, it seems that the universe in Homeworld 2 will be much larger than in the previous game, giving players more freedom to cruise throughout various star systems. Also, judging from the screenshots we've received from the team at Relic, significant improvements have been made to the in-game ship models, which are now considerably richer in texture detail.
"
Interviews
ActionVault Interview with Dan Irish & Josh Mosqueira
Quote: " Action Vault: Although Relic probably needs no introduction to our readers, would you care to comment about the company and the Homeworld2 team?
Dan Irish: Relic has grown from a small developer to being a recognized name in the game industry. We develop quality products and I've worked at a lot of company where the dedication is stunning, but at Relic it is unbelievable. Everyone here loves working on game and I think that it shows in our final products.
Homelan Interview with Dan Irish
Quote: " HomeLAN - What ships will be returning from the original game and how have they been changed and/or improved?
Dan Irish: Relic has grown from a small developer to being a recognized name in the game industry. We develop quality products and I've worked at a lot of company where the dedication is stunning, but at Relic it is unbelievable. Everyone here loves working on game and I think that it shows in our final products.
Avault Interview with Josh Mosqueira & Dan Irish
Quote: " The original Homeworld had a very compelling single-player story, but some would say the conclusion was reached a little too quickly. How many missions will be available in Homeworld2?
Irish: Homeworld2 includes 15 missions and a tutorial. This is about the same duration as Homeworld. I've never heard that there weren't enough missions in Homeworld, or that the end of the game was reached too quickly. We've structured Homeworld2 to not be as frustratingly difficult, but still confer a sense of reward when a player finishes an objective. You won't encounter a situation where you have to go back three missions to get the ships you need to solve your current mission.
Impossible Creatures
Awards
Nominee, Best Original Game, fifth annual Game Critics
Awards at 2001 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3)
Top 20 Best Games of E3 2001, Voodoo Extreme
Nominee, Tech Radio's Best of E3 Awards
Tech Radio's E3 Coolest Gaming Innovation Awards
Most Original Idea PC/Console Award, XGR
Best Strategy Game Award of E3, Well-Rounded.com
Runner-up: Best of Show 2001, Well-Rounded.com
Real Time Strategy (RTS) of E3 2002 XGR.com
Best of Show 2002, WarGamer.com
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Reviews
25/03/03
Canadian Gamer
Quote: "The crowning characteristic of the game is the somewhat rare feature: an ability to design your own units. Each combat unit is made from combinations of two animals, and Impossible Creatures boasts that more than 40,000 combinations are possible with its Sigma technology. By mixing and matching different parts from these various beasts, you perfect the unit's abilities. Mix, say, a porcupine with a dragonfly and you've created a flying unit that possesses a ranged attack of spikes. A combination of a giraffe and archer fish gives you a unit ideal for putting out forest fires.
"
25/03/03
Games Xtreme
Quote: "The base creatures are all real-world animals, which we all should know about. They come in various sizes and have varying abilities including flying, swimming and digging. The animals come in various sizes, which will ultimately decide on the size of your creature. Animals range from the huge Sperm Whale to the tiny Ant.
"
21/03/03
Strategy Informer
Quote: "Gameplay is smooth & neat. You get an initial cutscene & your flying lab sets down on the target island. You are then set your objectives for the scenario & its time to decide the best way to achieve them. Getting the ‘economy’ up & running is a must - no resources = no creatures = wipeout quickly.
"
05/03/03
Tom's Hardware
Quote: "Impossible Creatures possesses the attractive feature of a superb 3D graphics engine. The action of the game takes place on different types of islands that have a varied topography and very diverse vegetation. All the movies that display during the solo game are created by this 3D graphics engine.
"
14/01/03
Gamer's Click
Quote: "Furthermore what’s even more impressive about the gameplay is that whilst the idea behind everything is so complex, the actual implementation of it is unbelievably easy. It’s simple to create new units, point and click and dink around with the combinations until you get, (via an easily labelled interface), the most powerful unit, of course you must still find the actual animals that you wish to mutate during the levels, but never-the-less a multitude of possibilities are available, and as mentioned, you are not tied down to the developers imagination, this time, its yours, how you evoke your Charles Darwin inspirations is entirely up to you.
"
14/01/03
ActionTrip
Quote: "Relic is no doubt very good at making strategy games. The enemy AI is excellent and the gameplay difficulty has been so balanced, that it simply lures the player into completing one more mission. And then another one, and another one... The layout of the enemy structures, the resources and the timing of the enemy charges is perfectly balanced in terms of difficulty - it will never frustrate you, but it will give you plenty of incentive to finish the mission; truly and admirable job by the team at Relic Entertainment.
"
13/01/03
GameZilla
Quote: "Impossible Creatures’ main difference from other RTS games is focused around the unit creation. With approximately 50 animals to use and 6 aspects of each animal to combine, the total number of units possible is astounding. Different aspects from each animal can also have different attributes so the combination of the creature isn’t done without purpose.
"
13/01/03
GameZone
Quote: "Graphically, Impossible Creatures looks fantastic. The environments are a little less detailed at times than some other games from a landscaping perspective, but the colors are bold and bright, and little things like dust clouds from a herd of galloping “porculions” and sea foam crashing on the shore add to the feel. Also, you can zoom all the way into the creatures or character’s faces, and doing so shows no pixilation or decline in overall graphic presentation.
"
09/01/03
PC.IGN.COM
Quote: "Actually creating the creatures is a ton of fun both for comedic and strategic value and the interface is fantastic. You'll first have to select two creatures from the list, which can be sorted through by attributes and abilities making it easy to find the creatures you need. Once you get have the creatures you want to mix, they'll appear at the top portion of the screen on either side. In the middle will be the hybrid that morphs as you make changes to it.
"
Previews
12/02/02
Action Trip
Quote: "There are two things that impressed me the most about Impossible Creatures, besides of course its original idea, and those are the smooth graphics and the very intuitive and easy-to-use game interface. Every cool game concept needs good implementation to truly live up to its potential, and I think Relic has managed to deliver in this regard. In many ways, Impossible Creatures is a classic RTS game. You build up your base; you mine for resources and build power plants, so that you can eventually grow an army big enough to win the day.
"
11/29/02
Firingsquad.com
Quote: "The most fascinating feature of Impossible Creatures is its graphics engine. In most respects it’s the standard modern eye candy festival, with one clear-cut exception. The critters are awesome. They are completely, amazingly, fantastically mind-boggling. It’s not that they feature bump mapping and pixel shaders, rather it’s the way they manage to work despite being thoroughly improper amalgams. It doesn’t require much skill to use a 2D picture morphing program and create a mix between a cat and a dog. It takes a bit more effort to do that in 3D. To do so and animate it is not a task for the weak of heart. But to mix a mammal and a bird, or a fish and a bear is just mind-boggling.
"
8/19/02
PC Gameworld
Quote: "All the other technical aspects of the game are nicely implemented. The 3D graphics engine is beautiful. Not only is the genetic combination of the creatures seamless, but the human characters are also very well constructed and can make a wide variety of facial expressions, denoting sadness or anger very distinctly.
"
6/28/02
GamePen
Quote: "This game is unique because there are no preset units (well at least in the build that I have), you’ll have to create your own army entirely from scratch. The strategic element lies in how well you do at mixing the DNA of various creatures and how well you manage your army. There’s also a lot of variety in this because although the campaign is linear, you and your buddy will play through it in entirely different styles.
"
6/17/02
Evil Avatar
Quote: "Impossible Creatures is being developed by Relic Entertainment, known and renowned for their outstanding debut title, Homeworld, and at times Impossible Creatures bears resemblance to its esteemed predecessor. Like Homeworld, Creature’s is a fully three-dimensional real time strategy game. Its cutscenes are either animated in stylized black and white, or use the well crafted game engine to forward the story, again like Homeworld, but most importantly both titles manage to field a few trademark features that separate them from the otherwise forgettable chaff.
"
6/17/02
Fractionless Insight
Quote: "Relic Entertainment would like to emphasize strategy over micromanagement, and they hope that the tremendous diversity of strategies introduced by bizarre animal combinations will obviate the need for ideal build strategies. Even so, Impossible Creatures will have its share of conventional RTS play, including resource collection and building construction. Not all units are creatures, so standard vehicles will also be available. The world of Impossible Creatures will be fully 3D, but you will be able to instruct the game to adhere to conventional RTS "above and to the side" (isometric) perspective. You can break from that view if you want to zoom in or check something out in greater detail.
"
6/11/02
Avault
Quote: "The heart of Impossible Creatures is its units, and its units and unit creation processes separate it from everything else currently on the market. Your army in Impossible Creatures is composed solely of mutant animals, created by mixing and matching different pieces of two different animals. There are 50 "base" creatures that can be combined in different ways, resulting in an available roster of tens of thousands of units. You don't start out with complete access to all the creatures, however. Instead, you must gather DNA samples of animals you run into as you play through the islands. You do so by commanding Rex to get near an animal and shoot it with his dart gun, at which point a helpful pop-up appears describing the animal and recommending ways you might try to combine it for maximum effect.
"
5/29/02
GameFirst
Quote: "If Impossible Creatures pulls it off, the imagination allows for a huge variety of additions that may come down the road. For now we’re limited (if you care to call it that) to the real and living animal kingdom, and only 50 of them at that. With millions of documented species on the planet, not counting those that have gone extinct and could theoretically make a reappearance in future iterations of Impossible Creatures, there is a tremendous amount of room for expansion.
"
Gamer's Hell
Quote: "So what is the game all about? Essentially Impossible Creatures is an RTS, with the usual resource management (Coal and electricity) and the units that are deployed to do various tasks. But that is where all resemblance to any RTS ends. Instead of having fixed units that you can build (e.g. soldier, tank, aeroplane etc..) Impossible Creatures is about "creating" your own units according to what you deem fit.
"
5/24/02
TechTV
Quote: "This mode will extend the life of the game past the single-player series of missions that make up the main story line. The game uses a powerful and fluid 3D engine to ensure you can get any view you like of your creatures in combat. And the creatures, despite their modular and bizarre designs and appearances, are smoothly animated whether they fly, run, or swim.
"
5/20/02
Gamer's Pulse
Quote: "Take 1 part unique gameplay, 1 part non distracting micromanagement, and throw in some animal DNA and you have a title well on its way to creating a new era in the RTS genre as Relic prepares to bring you Impossible Creatures later this year... "
5/20/02
GameSpy
Quote: "In the army builder and combiner you can literally combine any one creature with another. You can change out heads, tails, fore and hind legs, and torsos. If you selected an ant and a sperm whale, for example, you could keep the six legs of the ant but not the head and tail of the whale or have the body and tail of the ant and the head of the whale. "
5/19/02
GameSpot UK
Quote: "The replay value from the single-player game is likely to be quite high as a result of this - not to mention the multiplayer options that are sure to lead to no-holds-barred weirdness sessions. Of course the game would be nothing without a graphics engine that could handle the most bizarre collection of creatures ever to see the light of day on a PC, and Relic's does the job admirably. Landscapes are detailed, bright and colourful and animal animation appears good considering the thousands of possible creature combinations. "
5/19/02
UGO
Quote: "The graphics of the game are reminiscent of Lionhead's Black & White. Everything is 3D, and the player has complete control over the angle, pitch, zoom and rotation of the camera. Looking in closely, each unit is extraordinarily well animated, and has great detail. One can see which animals were spliced together to make a unit. But unlike my Panthr-o monstrosity, these animals actually look like they could exist. When combining an electric eel with a zebra, one can see that the eel's slender, sinewy body gradually widens to accommodate the larger zebra head. "
5/18/02
Gamesdomain
Quote: "The visuals are truly delightful. There's a tremendous range to the zoom capabilities and it's a great accomplishment that from the highest viewpoint, everything remains sharp, detailed and distinguishable (and still looks excellent up close). Smooth structure animation -- initial construction and its functioning state -- has obviously been meticulously designed. "
5/17/02
GameZone
Quote: "There are elements of RTS in this game. Creatures can have special, or triggered abilities, which use endurance (akin to mana in games involving magic). How you combine the animals will also have a lot to do with attack abilities. Do you want to use the head of the porcupine, or the fangs of a mountain lion for the head? The torso of the lion or of the porcupine – which then gives you a quill attack?
"
5/10/02
HomeLan
Quote: "The engine that Impossible Creature uses is in full 3D and you can zoom in and out and rotate around the island maps completely, giving the player almost total camera freedom (unlike some other recent 3D RTS games which have restricted camera movements). The unit animations and artwork are simply incredible to just look at; the animals you can create truly do come alive in the animations and you find yourself wondering how Relic managed to create the tech necessary for this game. The island environments are all well designed and since the game is in 3D the islands are multileveled which causes the game to be even more strategic. "
5/10/02
Game Revolution
Quote: "The premise is simple and brilliant - take two normal, run-of-the-mill animals, stick 'em in blender, discombobulate 'em and then reassemble with all new parts, features, and attitude. Thanks to a handy Army Builder mode, you can futz with nature for hours on end without even hopping into the game. "
5/01/02
PC.ign.com
Quote: "The fact that Impossible Creatures is easy on the eyes helps more than a little. Seeing the strange creatures that result is funny as a barrel full of hornetmonkeys. But the looks don't stop with the creature. The 3D engine is quite beautiful. Landscapes and water are both rendered in style and bright colors that will keep you glued to the screen. Buildings are erected stylishly and are very detailed when finished. Everything graphic is polished to a bright shiny wow."
4/01/02
PC Gamer (Rob Smith)
Quote: "...it's building on a lot of existing RTS precepts that gamers understand, and throwing in the kitchen sink of the creature combiner for what's shaping up to be a hugely entertaining and unique RTS experience."
5/19/01
IGN.com (Vincent Lopez)
Quote: "It's great when you see a game make such a leap in such a short time - and there's no better example of that than Sigma's [Ed: Now Impossible Creatures] transformation from this year's Gamestock Show in March to this year's E3 show. What was pretty is now gorgeous, and what was intriguing has become absolutely exciting."
05/17/01
Gamespot
Quote: "...Relic also plans on having some interesting multiplayer modes, including its own take on capture the flag. Since Sigma [Ed: Now Impossible Creatures] won't be out until spring of 2002, there clearly is a lot of work to be done; however, it's shaping up to be a unique take on the real-time strategy experience."
3/16/01
FiringSquad
Quote: "...the engine is fully 3-D, allowing for a zoomable, rotatable map, and the game will include five different environment types: Savannah, Desert, Jungle, Water, and Arctic. Some of the environments will afford bonuses to certain animal types (Playing on an Arctic map? Better design some animals based on Polar Bears), further enhancing the strategic depth of the game..."
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Interviews
Gamespy Interview with Alex Garden
Quote: " GameSpy: Let's talk about the creature combinations how many hypothetical combinations are there?
Alex Garden: I believe, given the number of basic animals Impossible Creatures will ship with, there are around 42,000 combinations. Of course, each time we add or remove a unit, that number can change dramatically. Basically, there are a lot of creature combinations! "
Computer and Video Games Interview with Alex Garden
Quote: " With the Impossible Creatures franchise, do you envisage it staying in the RTS area, or do you think you'll use the theme in other genres?
Garden: I think that we have a responsibility to build good games. I think a great game is a game that lots of people want to play, and so if we can come up with ideas for great games that aren't RTS games, then yeah, I think we'd definitely consider them.
But at the moment I want to have the focus on being the best in the world in what we do, and what we do is make RTS games. "
Electric Playground Interview with Alex Garden
Quote: "...We asked Garden a few whys. Like, why animals?
AG: Animals are pretty easy to recognize. Everybody knows what they do. Everybody knows what a snake does, everybody knows what a lion does. Animals appeal to a broad range of people. I like animals. I'm a huge fan of the Discovery channel.
The other thing--from a technical perspective--nobody ever before in the history of games has tackled an organic environment, with fully organic animals in it, and made it look right. We thought it would be an interesting challenge to do that, but take it one step further and not only tackle an organic environment, but then allow you to freely combine creatures together."
Gamespot AU interview with Alex Garden
Quote: "...GS: So this is an engine idea: it's not based on certain primitives? Could the user community create a certain creature and add it to the system?
AG: Oh, yeah. The thing is, it's being designed to be an unbelievably open architecture. We said that with Homeworld but we really didn't understand what it meant, with Impossible Creatures we're actually making it so people can completely modify the game and it can be anything they want. What we're trying to do, is build a world that people can play with, and and do anything they want with it. Kind of like digital LEGO, that's what we're trying to do. It's been a long, long process. The technology's taken almost two years to complete so far. "
03/18/02
HomeLan IC Interview
Quote: "...HomeLAN - Why was the decision made to have the game set in the 1930's as a pulp magazine style story?
Quinn Duffy - We decided pretty much right from the start that the perfect setting for Impossible Creatures would be in the 1930s. The Sigma chamber, which is the technology you use in the game to combine animal genetic stock together really has that pulp era, B movie flare to it. We’ve wrapped a really intriguing story around how Impossible Creatures “Sigma Technology” came about and how it’s used. "
03/12/02
MGON interviews Alex Garden
Quote: "...MGON: Tell us about multiplayer play?
Alex: We wanted to create shorter, faster games which deliver all of the depth of other RTS games, but could be played faster and so were more accessible. Thirty minute game time is our goal. This way you get more time to experiment, learn and come back at the game with a fresh perspective, rather than getting bogged down by a long game which you feel you will inevitably lose, but have to try anyway. We wanted you to have huge battles, but not have too long a build up time.
MGON interviews John Johnson
Quote: "...MGON: Do you see your games moving further away from or towards players’ current conception of real-time strategy?
Impossible Creatures is further away from traditional RTS games than Homeworld was, but there are still many familiar RTS elements there. The basic rules of Impossible Creatures are straightforward RTS, but we’ve moved towards a quicker, simpler style of play called “Streamlined RTS” that we think will appeal to both hardcore RTS players as well as newer players, less familiar with the RTS genre. Our goal with Impossible Creatures was to distill the RTS experience down to what is really fun and to strongly accentuate those features while removing everything that takes away from the fun..."
01/03/02
VE interviews Andrew Chambers
Quote: "...What unique gameplay features will Impossible Creatures boast?
Obviously the most unique gameplay feature in Impossible Creatures is the ability to combine creatures, and a whole host of different gameplay comes from this core change. Strategy-wise this opens up an amazing array of different options. The strategies that we play around with in-house are already getting really varied and fun."
MGON interviews John Johnson
Quote: "...MGON: Do you see your games moving further away from or towards players’ current conception of real-time strategy?
Impossible Creatures is further away from traditional RTS games than Homeworld was, but there are still many familiar RTS elements there. The basic rules of Impossible Creatures are straightforward RTS, but we’ve moved towards a quicker, simpler style of play called “Streamlined RTS” that we think will appeal to both hardcore RTS players as well as newer players, less familiar with the RTS genre. Our goal with Impossible Creatures was to distill the RTS experience down to what is really fun and to strongly accentuate those features while removing everything that takes away from the fun..."
Homeworld: Cataclysm
Awards
Seal of Excellence, Avault
Editor's Choice Award, Computer Gaming World
Editor's Choice Award, PC Gamer
Editor's Choice, Thresh's FiringSquad
Best of E3 Editor's Choice, Gamespot
Grand Game Award, FGN.com
Platinum Heart Award, Gamer's Pulse
GamesDomain Highly Recommended, Games Domain
Elite Product, Honest 3D
Gamer's Choice Award, Game Over
Editor's Choice, The Outer Edge
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Reviews
Action Trip
Score: 95%
Quote "Cataclysm is a visual masterpiece, and from the very start, the game is graphically very well designed. There is an option for zooming and rotating the camera 360°, which enables the players to enjoy the effects from any angle. The combat is visually magnificent. Smaller ships circling in cruel dogfights, and the bigger ships firing rockets and rays, are irresistible. It is fun to watch even when there is no combat, like when Workers ship docks the Main Ship, or leave for one of many mining expeditions to a nearby asteroid."
Cloak & Gamer
Score: 4 out of 5
Quote: "The battles in Cataclysm (getting back on track) are actually very exciting and can be quite suspenseful. Nothing's as much of a rush as trying to control one fleet, trying to build a replacement one, and keep an eye on the mothership, in case any bad guys arrive. It gets very intense, especially in a tight battle, with ships swirling around, things blowing up, shrieks of pain on the radio, and the constant drive to research and reinforce."
Da GameBoyz
Score: 8.2 out of 10
Quote: "Like the original Homeworld, Cataclysm is a very cinematic game. One look at the graphics confirms this, and it has been this way since the first Homeworld was released. As a result, the graphics have survived the jump to Cataclysm without any changes. That does not mean that the engine shows many signs of its age, but because of this there really isn't anything new to report about the Homeworld graphics engine."
10/01/00
Digital Extremists
Score: Highly Recommended
Quote: "Now though, each ship type has its own voice, so you now know who is who and what's going on. An even nicer effect is the voice of your ship's tactical office, who will give an average probability for the outcome of fights, and even tell if your ships have superiority over the enemy or not."
The Game Critic
Score: 4.5 out of 5
Quote: "Most everything in this game is tweakable, but if your machine will handle it, 1600x1200 mode using the Pilot's Eye View puts you in the middle of action like you have never seen before in any other PC title, no matter the genre. The interface in Cataclysm is both more sophisticated and yet simpler to navigate than its predecessor and the sound effects are still far more chillingly realistic than sound f/x in a void should be."
10/17/00
GamePen
Score: 4.5 starts
Quote: "As for the rest of the game goes, H: C scores well on all accounts. With a minimalism music score and excellent sound effects, the aural mood of the game is set nicely. The plot gets more and more frightening thanks to The Beast, the real shining star in this adventure. And, best of all, there is an in-game save feature, removing the frustrations of having to play the really hard levels over and over again."
10/04/00
Game Raiders
Score: 95
Quote: "The gameplay in Cataclysm was simply amazing. It's an incredibly entertaining and addicting game to play that improves on Homeworld in so many ways. Given that Homeworld received so much praise (including Game-of-the-Year honors), it should give you an idea of how cool Cataclysm really is."
LoadedInc.com
Score: N/A
Quote: "Homeworld: Cataclysm is very good indeed. It's more like a mini-sequel than an expansion pack, adding many new units and new gameplay elements. Barking Dog has done Relic proud creating a game which goes perfectly with Homeworld. Even if you don't own Homeworld you should still get Cataclysm; it's an essential title for your PC game collection."
Gamesmania
Score: 96%
Quote: "The gameplay itself has remained very much intact. The camera is still smooth and easy to control, and greatly contributes to the fast paced action that the game demands. The camera also leads way to the level of detail found on the ships and backgrounds. The ships are crisp and meticulously designed, as even the exhaust trails are clearly visible."
Gamespot
Score: 8.9
Quote: "The graphics in Cataclysm are gorgeous, especially at very high resolutions. There is now a new pilot view that lets you see through a first-person view from any of your ships, and in this mode, dogfights look spectacular, as laser blasts and explosions light up the screen while fighters and capital ships fill your view."
09/15/00
Gamespy
Score: 91
Quote: "Barking Dog has delivered a very enjoyable extension to the Homeworld universe, offering a look into what happened after the Kushan race made its fateful journey across thousands of light-years to find its way home."
Game Ranking
Score: 89
Quote: "The graphics are, once again, incredible. If you can believe it, they are actually better than the original. The backgrounds now have more life to them, and the explosion and weapon effects are truly spectacular. The game features one of the most diverse and powerful 3-D engines I've ever encountered, and has the gamer at times drooling at the sight. Think the climactic scene in Return of the Jedi... only more colorful. Cataclysm's graphics are something to experience."
10/02/00
Gamestats
Score: 8.5/10
Quote: "Cataclysm also features a full suite of multiplayer options, much as the original did, and now offers the chance to play as the Somtaaw or as The Beast. The Beast contains a mixture of ships of all different races and is thus fairly interesting to play with. The inclusion of their biogenic attack also adds a whole new level of strategy to the multiplayer game."
Game Vortex
Score: 9/10
Quote: "If I had to pin down the feeling I got from playing Homeworld: Cataclysm, it's something like The Empire Strikes Back as opposed to the original's Star Wars. The world is a little grittier, the stakes a little higher, the enemies a good bit tougher."
9/10/00
GameZone.com
Score: 8.5
Quote: "Homeworld Cataclysm is sheer joy - a delight to look at, a treat for the ears and a challenge for the mind. This game is the sibling to an award-winning program, and will in all likelihood be continuing that family tradition."
09/20/2000
Happy Puppy
Score: 9
Quote: "This is more than a mere continuation of the previous Homeworld. In fact, it stands well on its own even if you are completely unfamiliar with the first game. This is due in part to the addition of 18 individual new ships with unique unit stats and capabilities, and 25 new technologies to research. Moreover, it is due to the fact that this game simply uses one of the best interfaces around, and the controls have been tweaked a bit from the previous version. For retroactive die-hard fans of the original, there's also an option to use the old-school interface."
10/02/00
NeoSeeker
Score:
Quote: "The soundtrack and audio qualities of Cataclysm are almost as good as its visuals. A new soundtrack provides some excellent background music that adds to the eeriness of the atmosphere in Cataclysm. The narration and voice acting throughout the game also do their part to draw the player into the story. Additionally, all of the ships have unique and convincing sounds whether they are in peaceful transit or dogfighting with an enemy fleet. Explosions, lasers, and weapons of all kinds have exceptionally good sound quality. Just listening to the low rumbling sound of the command ship is a reassurance that your fleet is capable of holding its own."
PC Gamer UK
Score: 88%
Quote: "The game oozes atmosphere like a pressure suit with a harpoon through its neck. Once again, a classic sci-fi story line... draws you deep into Homeworld's space and sets your nerves on full alert. Homeworld's trick is to cast you as the underdog."
Review Vortex
Score: 5/5
Quote: "Homeworld Cataclysm is an exciting and very intricate 3-D strategy game. Many components will keep this game fun and exciting as you play single-player missions, or duke it out in multi-player."
11/01/2000
Sharky Games
Score:9.5
Quote: "Homeworld: Cataclysm and its predecessor are the only two computer games I've been disappointed to finish since I first made my way through Jedi Knight back in 1997. And this makes both titles pretty special - believe me, when you play games for a living, you don't often cry "More!" when you finish one. The basic foundation and overall game balance and execution are so solid that other developers should be ringing up Barking Dog to find out how sequels are supposed to be designed. Don't miss this one."
9/13/00
Stomped
Score: 92%
Quote: "Homeworld Cataclysm is an extremely satisfying addition to the Homeworld universe. The graphics are awe inspiring, not to mention top notch. The storyline is intruiging, and really draws the user into the plot. It is very much like a good book, with the exception that the pages are different each time."
Strategy Gaming Online
Score: 8.0
Quote: "Quite a few tweaks and improvements have gone into Cataclysm, and Barking Dog Studios has done an excellent job with the follow-up to what many called 1999's Game of the Year. What is an added bonus, is the fact that this is not an expansion pack, it is a full game that does not require the original Homeworld to play. It's not a cheesy knock-off either. Cataclysm is a spectacular game, that does not break anything that didn't need fixing, and distinguishes itself as one of the best RTS games on the market today."
3D Gaming Daily
Score: 4.5/6
Quote: "First of all, let me say this outright...if you played Homeworld and thought it was a great game, then stop reading this review right now and go buy Cataclysm. You will love it."
10/31/00
VoodooExtreme.com
Score: A
Quote: "... Homeworld: Cataclysm is an excellent refined game. It succeeds in the few places where Homeworld faltered. The graphics are excellent, the story is compelling, and the gameplay is top-notch. Cataclysm is a sure fire winner for any RTS gamer, and an excellent addition to the Homeworld universe."
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Homeworld
Awards
1999 Game of the Year, PC Gamer
1999 Strategy Game of the Year, Computer Gaming World
1999 Strategy Game of the Year, CNET GameCenter
Editors Choice Award, Maximum 3D
Best Music of 1999, Gamespot
1999 Game of the Year, Well Rounded Entertainment
Award for Excellence, Wargamer
Best of the Best, Imaginary Life
Players Choice Award, GameBoyz
1999 Strategy Game of the Year, GameSpy
Top 5 '99 Strategy Games, Gamepower
'99 Must Have, Gonegold
Best Strategy Game, PC Zone Award
Silver Award, I.D. Magazine's 2000 Interactive Media Design
Review
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Reviews
"PC Game of the Year" in Holiday Issues of USA Today, Chicago Tribune, MSNBC.com and Access Magazine
11/11/99
Chip Testers.com
Score: 9.5
Quote: "Where does one start when a game leaves you absolutely speechless? How about Game of the Year? Beautiful graphics combine with excellent gameplay and a strong storyline to make Homeworld a definite contender."
11/11/99
Boomgames.com
Quote: "Homeworld by Relic Entertainment brings back that awe to RTS games while giving birth to a new era of 3D RTS games."
11/11/99
TargetPC.com
Quote: "If you only buy 5 or 10 games a year make sure you add Homeworld to that list."
11/9/99
Monotithicillisions.com
Score: 9.6
Quote: "I haven't had this much fun playing a game since Half-Life. Homeworld combines a compelling story with excellent graphics and sound, to create an incredible experience that makes this game a must-buy!"
11/8/99
Well Rounded.com
Quote: "Finally, someone has gotten it right."
11/7/99
Game-Revolution.com
Quote: "Homeworld provides everything that a good gaming experience should offer. The interface is nothing short of brilliant. The story is well-developed and engrossing. The gameplay is challenging but well-balanced. The graphics and sound are breathtaking. Finally, it is simply a heck of a lot of fun."
11/3/99
Strategyextreme.com
Score: 9.2
Quote: "Homeworld is a game I believe will revolutionize the RTS genre the way Half-Life did.
11/2/99
Community PI.com
Score: 9/10 Reviewers Choice Award
Quote: "Homeworld's gameplay is what I personally call a quantum leap in RTS standards ... this is worth every single cent in your wallet."
10/26/99
GameRush.com
Score: 96%
Quote: "Homeworld is the best game so far this year, visually stunning, addictive and completely enthralling, get it now!"
10/24/99
GameAddict.com
Score: 4.5 out of 5
Quote: "I was a big fan of Age of Empires 2, but I haven't touched it since I got this masterpiece ... At this time I have to give it my highest rating ever on the Game Addict."
10/22/99
GameSpy.com
Score: 93%
Quote: "Overall, Homeworld is a truly groundbreaking RTS with no major flaws .. It is obvious that Homeworld takes 3D gaming to another level."
10/22/99
PCArena.com
Score: 4.5 out of 5
Quote: "I suppose that the best way to sum up this game is with one word: QUALITY. This is one high quality title that just exhumes the care that the designers obviously put into it. The graphics, story, acting, music, and even the lovely manual, are just all of a high quality rarely exhibited in games these days. In conclusion, I would have to say that Homeworld deserves every accolade that can be put upon it."
10/21/99
Telefragged.com
Quote: "Homeworld is a kick ass game and anyone who's into RTS games should go and get it if they haven't already."
10/19/99
Gamepen.com
Quote: "All games have elements of greatness, but Homeworld seems to integrate them all effectively. I can't think of anything that's missing in this title."
10/17/99
Total Video Games.com
Score: 98%
Quote: "The best strategy game of the year! ... Homeworld is a game that will set the standard for almost every strategy game in the future."
10/17/99
MPOG.com
Score: 4.5 stars out of 5
Quote: "I hail this game as the best thing since sliced bread! ... Years from now, people will look back, and see how RTS was molded with a simple concept driven game called Homeworld."
10/14/99
Checkout.com
Score: 5 out of 5
"Listen close because I'm not going to hesitate in the least when I say, 'Homeworld is the best game of the year.'"
10/13/99
Computer Games Online.com
Score 5.5 out of 5
Quote: "Homeworld is the first computer game to capture the grandeur and epic feel of the Star Wars movies ... In sum, Homeworld is an outstanding, if not perfect, game. It is beautiful to look at, exciting to play, and it takes the RTS genre where no one has gone before."
10/11/99
Gamepower.com
Quote: "The marquee feature in Homeworld is its 3-D gameplay environment and the absolutely brilliant user interface that drives it."
10/5/99
Adrenaline Vault.com
Score: 5 stars, Reviewers Choice Award
Quote: "Every year there seems to be a game that is heads and shoulders above the rest. Please add Homeworld to this list."
10/1/99
IGN.com
Score: 9.5
Quote: "Welcome to the best game of the year ... Relic not only tackled space, but may have just changed strategy games forever."
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