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I honestly believe that one of the hardest
tasks a Developer faces is trying to follow up a great title,
whether their own or someone else's, with an equally great
title. I do not mean just a similar game (cookie cutter),
but a game in a series or a sequel. Rarely can quality be
matched in the second title, but is still held up to those
standards by gamers. Usually a second game is not a bad game,
just that it lives in its predecessors shadow, never being
able to achieve high levels.
However,
some games do pull it off, and one of these that has managed
to live up to its predecessor and cast its own shadow is Homeworld:
Cataclysm. Cataclysm is not a technical sequel,
but is more of a spiritual sequel. It follows the events of
the Homeworld saga, but expands with new background
elements and a new storyline that breaks from the original.
Some of the units featured in Homeworld are present, but for
the most part, you have a whole new army. Finally, the gameplay
is very similar, but revamped with new features and more fluid
play. All in all, a great game on its own, that just happens
to share history with another title.
I
loved Homeworld when it was first released and honestly
questioned the ability of Barking Dog to follow up on it.
It did not take long before all fears were put to rest. In
fact, I do not believe I was even past the first mission.
The graphics still amazed as much as a year ago, the sound
was still superb, and the gameplay unmatched. But the kicker
was, Cataclysm had its own unique qualities.
Most of the individual qualities
that Cataclysm possesses, come in the form of gameplay.
It takes the same recipe that worked with Homeworld,
but takes out the paprika and substitutes some parsley instead...
or something like that. Anyway, what you get is an equally
entertaining game with some new experiences. Let me be more
specific:
To
start, Cataclysm
offers a new ship and unit structure. Instead of the mothership,
you are now in control of a mining vessel. The ship is initially
not suited for large-scale combat, so it must be upgraded
throughout the game with different modules to accommodate
the new technologies. On the same level, your individual units
work the same way. You still get basics like fighters, corvettes
and frigates, but fewer of them. To make up for the lack of
selection, ships are now upgradable with both armor and weaponry.
In this way, research becomes much more of a priority, as
do individual units. Some units even gain linking technologies,
making them a double dose of danger.
Having
more of a focus on upgrades also changes the strategy you
will use. Rarely did I make units for cannon fodder, but instead
used them to their full extent, allowing myself the full range
of their upgrades. The enemies also change their strategy,
as their abilities are unlike any seen. I will not ruin that
for you though, so you will have to trust me on this one.
Collecting
resources is done in almost the same way as before. You still
gather RU's from asteroids, dust clouds, or salvaged ships
and return them to your ship. You can still build a unit that
acts as a drop-off point for your collectors as well. However,
your collectors themselves undergo some changes. They have
decreased the overall capacity of each one for the ability
to move faster and be more agile. The collectors have also
been made an all purpose ship, with the ability to repair
and salvage as well as collect. They are much more versatile
with all the enhancements, and make it less of a hassle to
keep track of other units.
The
general layout of the maps and missions is very similar to
Homeworld, in that you enter a new area and are given
objectives. The mission then may throw new elements at you
before you finally complete your assignments and hyperspace
out. But, Cataclysm also has its moments with interesting
standout missions.
There
are more missions that take place in filled environments,
making it necessary to sneak through asteroid belts, navigate
mine fields, or clear debris from your path. The missions
also take full advantage of your units' abilities. For example,
if you just got cloaking technology, you can rest assured
that you will need to sneak around and spy in that or the
next mission. Perhaps the best part though, is the maps have
been shrunk. Not by much, but enough to end the receptiveness
of flying through a map for half your game. This also makes
evasiveness and stealth harder tactics to master though.
As
far as combat is handled, there is no change. Grouping, attacking,
and defending are all handled easily with the mouse and keyboard.
In my experience, the AI did not seem to do any better job
either. Often it would throw waves of enemies at me, instead
of utilizing it full potential with an all out assault or
sneaky strategies. Still, the special abilities of your enemy
make them formidable foes. The special combat abilities of
your units will help even things out though. Mainly this is
due to the weapons your units gain. Such great Homeworld
weapons like missile launchers are now gained on small craft,
only in smaller quantities. In this way, the game focuses
on small craft fleets more, but also gives you the opportunity
to learn the abilities of your craft and create powerful attacks
or defenses. Rest assured, there are still some mighty capital
class ships waiting to be built.
There
are many other small tweaks to the gameplay that either just
add a new way to do things, or offer a slightly quicker way.
Waypointing has been added, but I did not find it user friendly
for intense missions. The map uncovers in a new way, which
is nice as it allows you to see where you and have not been.
The menus are slightly redone, in ways I both like and did
not care for. All the changes though, are something that are
easy to get accustomed to and do not hamper gameplay in any
way.
One of the huge shockers
about Homeworld was the powerful storyline. It was
and epic sci-fi plot filled with neat twists and enough substance
to suck you in. Because of this, Homeworld set some
high standards for other RTS games to live up to. Cataclysm
does just that. The story takes a different approach than
Homeworld, but is still every bit as good and is what
keeps the game moving at a steady pace.
In
Cataclysm, you are safely back on your Homeworld, your
mothership permanently docked in orbit. However, internal
power struggles threaten to demolish the once peaceful people
that came together for the trip home. In an effort to seek
fortune elsewhere, you are part of the mining ship Kuun-Lan.
It would seem though that your peace can not last either.
You are quickly called back to the Homeworld to defend against
a Taiden raiding party, which is just the beginning of your
troubles.
You
are quickly thrust into the main focus of the game, The Beast,
which is a new enemy unlike any seen. The game will keep you
interested as it offers plot twists and some dramatic moments
to make you feel more of a part of it. As far as strategy
games go, the story could not get much better. Each detail
is thoroughly explained and every action has a reason, whether
pleasant or not. The characters you encounter are by voice
only, but still become part of the game environment simply
through their speeches. In all, it is a good time to be had.
Visually, you will not notice any difference
between Homeworld and Cataclysm. But, worry
not. Homeworld was such a visually stunning game upon
its release, that the engine still holds up nicely, thus making
Cataclysm an equally visually stunning game.
The
map backgrounds are still a beautiful, yet fanciful mix. This
is one of the features that initially attracted me to this
series, as the space is rendered gorgeously, yet empty and
lonely. A very nice look for these games. The units also maintain
their detail and still look as good as ever, whether zoomed
way out, or right up next to their gun turrets. Also, the
effects are the same, but it appears that a few have been
revamped to look a tad bit more dazzling and wonderful (love
those energy balls).
Great soundtracks help to push a great
game to the top. The music in Cataclysm provides here.
I am not sure who does the music for the Homeworld
games, but in two games they have done an incredible job.
The music creates an eerie backdrop to the vastness of space
and helps intensify the battles with upbeat combat tunes.
It is all non-threatening however, as it plays quietly in
the background, allowing voices and effects to shine through
as well.
I
say shine through, because both the voices and sound effects
are done well. The voices are as good as any high quality
sci-fi film and as I said, they help create a character in
your mind without even seeing them. The effects are right
on mark with what you would expect and add to the experience
of large-scale battles.
While I enjoyed playing Homeworld
in multiplayer mode, it fell short at times with some bland
variety. While Cataclysm is not exceptional, it does
offer a bit more in this area. Partly, this is due to the
choice of two factions, each with unique units and abilities.
This makes 1 on 1 games a little more interesting, as well
as multiple player games. The varied selection of weapons
also helps, as each player will have their fighting strategies.
The multiplayer also has minor tweaks to make it more stable
and balanced.
Personally,
I just enjoy jumping into a good skirmish game every now and
then. I feel this is a good way to brush up on and practice
all the skills available in the game. Plus, if you are not
far enough in the game, this is a good way to see and try
the bigger, more powerful units. Both skirmish and multiplayer
insures that you will be playing Cataclysm for a long
time to come.
I think what works so well with the
Homeworld series, at least with me, is the amount of
detail. In this, I just do not mean the stunning graphics
or great music, but the strength of the story as well. Relic
and Barking Dog have done a wonderful job creating histories,
timelines, and an overall environment, to insure unquestioned
gameplay. The game flows well and becomes highly addictive,
due to both the story and gameplay. Not one area is left untouched
and unrefined.
So,
whether you have played Homeworld or not, you should
give Cataclysm a look. As far as strategy games go,
it sits up near the top with a select few. The story grips
you, the graphics wow you, and the gameplay satisfies you.
In fact, the only thing keeping this title from out doing
its big brother, is the similarities. In Homeworld,
I was absolutely blown away by the game when I first played.
Since Cataclysm uses the same engine and stays true
in major aspects, I am not blown away AS much, but instead
feel like I am with a familiar friend.
mr.
weishaar
- December
11, 2000
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