Graphics: The visuals in Homeworld are like nothing ever seen before. The 3D engine powering the graphical splendor is well up to the task. We played the game on three machines varying from 600 to 300 megahertz and on all variations the graphics were presented with beauty and without slowdown. Everything about Homeworld's graphics shout award-winner. On the top of the features list have to be the engine flares and ion beam effects that eminate from each ship. As seen in many of the screenshots we've provided, the colored lighting in Homeworld is the best of any title to date. There is very little if anything that can be said negatively about the visuals. If I had to point out something it would be that the low resolution textures used on some of the super-capital ships could have been better, but even then that's a stretch.

Interface: For an interface to have style it must possess something few of them do, and that's an ability to be not only a mechanism for how to play a game, but an integral and fun part of it. Simply put, this is the best interface I've ever used. Dual credit is deserved for the painstaking detail-oriented work that took place to get this just right. This interface could have easily been botched, especially considering how many complex factors are involved with it. Navigating over 50 ships in up to 30 different squads flying in multiple formations using different attack patterns all in the expanses of 3D space sounds like a complicated task -- but in Homeworld it's as easy as point-n-click. The limitless camera angle system, detailed manual and wonderful tutorial are all icing on the cake for the best interface ever. Nice job Relic.

Gameplay: Fans hoping that Rebellion would be the definitive Star Wars strategy game, take solace, your vice has finally arrived. The best description I can provide for how Homeworld plays is to have you visualize the final battle at the Death Star in the original Star Wars. Imagine you are the supreme commander in control of the entire fleet of fighters, corvettes, capital ships and a convoy of reinforcements taking on a highly developed enemy with superior numbers. Imagine waging this war across 2,500 light years of space, facing off against multiple enemies with unique agendas and origins, and perhaps even forging an alliance with an age old race all in an effort to find your way home.

While the single player aspect may not be as expansive as I would have liked, in the sense that the two campaigns are identical, the 16-mission experience is still the most fun I've had all year. The missions themselves are very well scripted, and beyond the single digits each objective becomes more complex and varied, with some of the later missions taking up three to four hours to complete. The entire single player game is a wonderful cinema style experience. Other than Bungie's Myth series, storytelling in strategy titles has been pretty weak, but Homeworld bucks that trend and provides us not only with a fun offering to play, but an engaging story to be a part of.

Beyond the confines of the single player is the best multiplayer strategy game since Total Annihilation. With multiple gameplay types and support for up to 16 players, multiplayer Homeworld is the answer to complaints registered against the brief single player mode. To add more weight to the longevity of the product, Sierra has included MissionMan, an unsupported editor that allows would be designers to create their own maps and scenarios in which to frolic.

Sound FX: Homeworld uses multiple narrators to script the story. It is their complimentary balance that gives the title some of the best voice acting ever seen. Sound effects as they relate to gameplay are equally as well done, and is dynamically reproduced at different levels depending on the angle, zoom level, and position you have the camera. Homeworld is a sound effects collage of stars. As the Tie Fighters' lasers are familiar to all Star Wars fans, the ion cannon blasts of the Destroyers will be too.

Musical Score: The much ballyhooed inclusion of Yes' single, Homeworld off of their album Ladder is actually not much to ballyhoo about, but the musical score is. The score includes a myriad of unique synthesized sounds and orchestral instruments played together as if they were being lead by an accomplished composer.

Intelligence & Difficulty: Almost. It was very tempting to give Homeworld five stars across the board, but alas, even as great as it is, a perfect game it is not. I've marked down the difficulty score a half-point due to the short single player campaign. With no difficulty settings to choose from and only 16 missions to play, I was able to finish Homeworld in about 20 hours. And while the multiplayer mode and mission editor have me totally captivated right now, I would have preferred a much longer single player experience.

The AI found in Homeworld is on par with the quality exhibited in the rest of the title. Enemy ships use intelligent attack patterns and are prone to undertake advanced maneuvers such as flanking and bait and run tactics. Experienced players though, will notice that it's not so much the AI's greatness as it is a fine job of scripting. Either way though, the effect is the same.

Overall: Every year there seems to be a game that is heads and shoulders above the rest. Titles like Half-Life, Jedi Knight and Myth put together features like original premises, innovative designs and addictive gameplays all in the same package. Please add Homeworld to this list. If you buy a single game this fall -- make sure it's this one!

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