SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: PII 266, 32MB RAM, Win 9x
SIMILAR TO: Homeworld
CATEGORY: Real-Time Strategy

Review by: Matt Plumb
Published: September 26, 2000

Space is a dangerous place. If I've learned anything from science fiction games, films, and novels, it's that once you leave your home planet, you could be beset by any number of perils. A vicious alien monster could slaughter you, a malevolent Artificial Intelligence could use you as raw material, or your starship could simply fall prey to mechanical disorders. This theme is continued in the real-time strategy offering Homeworld: Cataclysm, the next chapter in the Homeworld saga, as we are once again reminded why no good will come of investigating a derelict alien device.

Homeworld: Cataclysm takes place several years after the conclusion of its predecessor, in which the Kushan race reclaimed its ancient homeworld of Hiigara and defeated the Taiidan Empire, but at a great cost. The Kushan colonists, awakened from cryogenic hibernation, found themselves on a strange new world, with no family, friends, or political power. A particularly industrious clan of colonists, the Somtaaw, constructed an advanced mining vessel and attempted to forge a new future among the stars. However, instead of finding their destiny, they discover a terrifying new organism that threatens to spread like a plague over the galaxy. This techno-organic entity, known as the Beast, seems to be unstoppable, and the isolated Somtaaw are the first and last line of defense for their homeworld.

The structure of Cataclysm is similar to that of the original Homeworld, except that it offers only one single-player campaign. Throughout the seventeen single-player missions, players will take the role of the Somtaaw and battle against the invading Beast. Each mission has several objectives, which often change abruptly when new information is uncovered. The majority of the story is told in-game, but the stylized black-and-white cutscenes of Homeworld return to fill in the details between missions. In addition to the campaign, a skirmish mode pits players against the computer in a selection of scenarios.

The single-player campaign puts gamers in charge of the Kuun-Lan, a deep space mining vessel and the heart of the Somtaaw clan. This command ship is even more versatile than the Kushan Mothership from the original Homeworld, able to move under its own power and upgrade itself with several specialized modules. These modules allow players to build new ship types or research Cataclysm's twenty-five new technologies. For example, the Armor Module permits Somtaaw scientists to develop enhanced ship armor, as well as protective force fields. Another important extension is the Support Module, which increases the size of the fleet that you can field. The appearance of the Kuun-Lan constantly shifts as players construct or remove these modules, changing the command vessel from an advanced mining ship to a state-of-the art warship. The final step in this metamorphosis is the development of the Siege Cannon, a weapon with massive destructive power that is slow to recharge. Of course, be it mining ship or battleship, the Kuun-Lan's primary function is to construct a variety of support and combat vessels.

Cataclysm features eighteen all-new ships, all with specific special abilities. A number of these are small, maneuverable Strike Craft, the most basic of which is the versatile Acolyte fighter. Acolytes, as with all vessels, can be upgraded with a number of offensive and defensive systems such as missile launchers or afterburners. Another Strike Craft, the Mimic, has no weapons, but is equipped with a holographic projector that can disguise itself as an enemy ship or an asteroid. After drawing close to a deceived enemy, the Mimic can execute a devastating kamikaze attack. Both the Acolyte and the Mimic can be augmented with Composite Vessel technology: two Acolytes or two Mimics can dock, forming a larger, more powerful corvette-class ship. Composite Acolytes provide incredible versatility, as they can move to a target at high speed in fighter mode, link together, and attack with increased firepower in corvette mode. Composite Mimics can impersonate larger ships, and pack a bigger explosive punch. The Sentinel is another notable Strike Craft that can generate a protective force field. Twelve Sentinels can completely shield another ship; although weapons fire can destroy the field, it regenerates over time. Another Strike Craft, the Leech breaching pod, is an insidious unmanned weapon. After evading detection using stealth technology, the Leech clamps on to an enemy ship's hull and slowly destroys it. It can also siphon resources from the target vessel, or simply relay spy information. The many varieties of Strike Craft allow players to choose from a large number of strategies.

Other new units in Cataclysm are larger capital ships, such as the Ramming Frigate, which barrels headlong into enemies, pushing them away from the battle. Another interesting capital ship is the Hive Frigate, the descendant of Homeworld's Drone Frigate. The Hive Frigate, which deploys several controllable Swarmer attack drones, is also equipped with integral weapons of its own, making it a potent force in battle. The Multibeam Frigate is another powerful vessel, as it is able to fire ion beams capable of cutting enemy fleets to pieces from turrets that have wide firing arcs. The largest of the capital ships include the Destroyer and the massive Dreadnought, both of which bristle with deadly weapons. Players can also construct a Carrier, which, like the command ship, can build and house Strike Craft. These capital ships form the backbone of the Somtaaw fleet.

A pair of non-combat ships round out Cataclysm's new units: the Worker and the Processor. The Worker is a flexible ship that fulfills many duties, including harvesting resources, repairing damaged craft, and salvaging crippled enemy vessels. It is maneuverable, but slow, and defending it is a high priority, as in any RTS title. The Ore Processor can accompany Workers to resource fields that are far away from the command ship and process raw materials on-site. The processor is also armed with turreted cannons, and automatically repairs any friendly vessel that pulls alongside it. These non-combat ships are a necessary addition to the large variety of Somtaaw vessels.

The real star of Cataclysm is the Beast, a frightening new adversary. The Beast is a communal entity that can take over ships by infecting them with a techno-organic virus transmitted via a particle beam weapon. Beast ships, therefore, are an amalgam of infected Somtaaw ships, Taiidani Imperial vessels, and Turanic pirate ships. Contaminated ships lose some maneuverability, but gain an extra layer of organic armor, making them somewhat tougher. Players can take on the role of the Beast in multiplayer games, which presents some new challenges. For example, the Beast lacks the ability to conduct research, so all of its technology is reverse-engineered from captured ships. While this is somewhat of a handicap, the Beast also has the ability to speed up various processes such as building ships or charging the infection weapon at the cost of some physical damage.

Graphics: Catalclysm looks fantastic. It runs without stutter, distortion, or clipping with resolutions up to 1600x1200, and supports software rendering, OpenGL, and Direct3D. The beautiful graphics of the original are augmented with a number of new effects, such as the energy vortex created by a Worker as it harvests dust, and the distortion effect as a Mimic engages its holographic projectors. The Beast's infection weapon is also impressive to behold, as its corruptive charge leaps from vessel to vessel.

The ships themselves are extremely detailed, and almost all of them have separately animated parts. For example, the Acolyte deploys wings while maneuvering at high speeds and the Kuun-Lan has a rotating crew section. Vessels darken, spark, and vent fire when damaged, exploding gloriously when they are destroyed. A new "pilot's eye view" can put players squarely in the middle of the action. Watching a space battle in Cataclysm is at least the equivalent of watching one in a science fiction film or television show; it is a visceral and involving experience.

Interface: Cataclysm includes almost every option in the book; players can configure everything from the amount of radio chatter to whether or not the weapons have muzzle flashes. Players can select their own control scheme, as all of the keyboard commands can be remapped. For Homeworld veterans, Cataclysm can be set to play in "classic" mode, with all of the same controls as the original.

The powerful and intuitive in-game interface remains intact for the most part, with several features that smooth out all of the problems of its ancestor. A meter showing the progress of shipbuilding and research activity is placed prominently on the main screen. The right-click menu has been retooled, and is even more comprehensive than before; it can control almost all of the game's functions. Also, a simple and flexible waypoint system makes it easy for players to set up patrol routes or navigation paths for their ships. In addition, a time compression feature speeds up harvesting and transit times, placing the focus squarely on the exciting aspects of the game. Finally, orders can be issued while the action is paused, which gives players time to plot strategies and co-ordinate large forces. All of these features serve to make an already simple and effective interface into something superb. It doesn't get much better than this.

Gameplay: The designers should be commended for the documentation of Cataclysm, which is all-inclusive and meticulous, full of technical and historical data about the game universe as well as gameplay details. The manual and the excellent tutorial make Cataclysm very accessible and simple to learn. Once players master the controls, they can enjoy one of the greatest real-time strategy titles ever. The all-new units, with their entertaining special abilities, lend themselves to intelligent strategic use, as opposed to simply swamping your enemy with ships. Every unit is important, and maintaining a well-balanced force is essential to victory. An excellent story with some great suspense and plot twists made Cataclysm all the more engrossing.

My only complaints are that the single-player campaign seems a little short at seventeen missions, and that there is no campaign from the Beast's perspective. However, these are minor issues, and they were eclipsed by the sheer fun I had while playing.

Multiplayer: Multiplayer Cataclysm offers players a staggering range of options. Setting up a match through IPX, TCP/IP, or Sierra.com is simple, with a number of game types and scenarios for up to eight players. Multiplayer can be completely customized, from the amount of resources to the victory objectives. Sinister-minded players can assume the role of the Beast, whose infection can be countered with a vaccine -- in multiplayer only -- which helps to maintain a better balance between the races. As in the original, multiplayer Cataclysm is fast-paced and fun, adding almost infinite replayability.

Sound FX: The sound design in Cataclysm is as slick as the graphics. Each ship has a distinctive sound, from the whine of the Sentinels to the low roar of the Dreadnought. The weapons sound as powerful as they look; there's nothing quite like the thrum of an ion cannon followed by a bass-heavy explosion as an enemy ship is cut in half. The voice acting is also very well done, especially the cool, reassuring voice of the captain of the command ship. The voice acting does its part to enhance Cataclysm's terror-filled moments; the chilling scream of your pilots as the Beast virus dissolves them is not easily forgotten.

Musical Score: A darker, more atonal score sets the perfect tone for Cataclysm's more horrific theme. Combining well-composed orchestral fare, wordless vocalization, and tribal-sounding drums, it creates just the right feeling of isolation in deep space. The musical scores also repeat very infrequently, providing a varied and immersive experience.

Intelligence & Difficulty: The intelligence of your pilots is based on an experience system; the more combat they've seen, the smarter they are. Veteran pilots often take command of their squadron, leading them into battle more effectively when your attention is elsewhere. The AI is also somewhat customizable; as in the original, you can configure the aggression level of your ships from passive to aggressive tactics. Enemy AI is also very impressive, once again due to some great scripting. For example, I thought that I had found the perfect way to avoid being infected by the Beast virus: I simply disguised waves of Mimics as Beast ships and sent them to wipe out the enemy fleet. It seemed to work at first, but the third time a Mimic came into range of the Beast fleet, it was immediately fired upon and destroyed.

Cataclysm sports several difficulty levels, from "very easy" to "very hard," and the normal difficulty setting is just difficult enough to be exciting. The game does an excellent job of making the odds seem stacked against you, but not to such a degree that they seem insurmountable and frustrating.

Overall: Cataclysm is a must-have for fans of the original and new players alike. Gorgeous visuals, an easy-to-use interface, and a great storyline all combine to make it one of the most dangerously addictive games I've ever played. Barking Dog Studios took a great product and made it better, as Cataclysm not only raises the standard for sequels and expansions, but for the real-time strategy genre as a whole.

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