Cataclysm's not an add-on for Homeworld nor is it a sequel, but rather an extension of the Homeworld universe. Barking Dog Studios created a game that refines what Relic Studios started and extends the universe. Here lies the beauty of Cataclysm -- it takes no time to learn if you are familiar with the original, yet it feels like a brand new game to veteran players.

Cataclysm takes place 15 years after Homeworld ends. The Kushan unified front has been broken up and warring clans now populate the world of Hiigara. You begin the game as a member of the Kiith Somtaaw, a deep space mining clan. While out drilling, a distress signal from a fellow Kushan vessel is broadcasted and suddenly your mining ship transforms into a rescue vessel; that's where the adventure begins. As you progress further through the single player campaign you realize that the remnants of the Taidan Empire are not your biggest worry - there's a much larger and sinister power to worry about which threatens the very universe.

The 3D engine powering Cataclysm offers subtle refinement over Homeworld; the higher available resolutions are crisper and show off the revamped textures covering the new units and ships. Explosions are more impressive than ever, adding intensity to firefights and increasing the cavity count in the eye candy category. What makes firefights even more furious is the new ability to go into a first person camera. Witnessing the formations and tactics first hand is quite the sight and adds a whole new level of appreciation and fun to Cataclysm. The new ships look sleek; fighters, corvettes, and frigates included. The enemy ships however, are more than the same with a red color palette instead, which is a bit of a disappointment for an otherwise excellent game.

Like in the original, the sounds are crystal clear and always fit the scene. The in-game effects are almost identical to Homeworld's sounds; the voice of the mothership is a masculine voice this time around and sounds much more menacing and controlling than in the voice in the original. Other voices, such as the aliens and other friendlies can sound a bit generic and unconvincing at times. The music in Homeworld was nothing less that excellent, with many upbeat tunes. Cataclysm takes a different approach, but it has just as good an effect. Cataclysm is filled with subtle ambience music, which adds to the tenseness of missions while never getting in the way and becoming obtrusive.

The Cataclysm campaign boasts 17 missions; the first mission itself took me over 45 minutes and the difficulty level quickly ramps up are the missions progress. The maps are vastly varied in nature, and reloading missions will become second nature due to the difficulty. One mission you may have to steal enemy workers and frigates to sneak into a base, and the next you might have to stop an incoming missile attack from destroying a convoy. Each mission has many parts and the story is propelled not only before and after the missions, but during the missions as well. This keeps the player compelled to continue to play and makes things exciting. Not jizz your pants exciting, but exciting nonetheless…

The interface is refined from Homeworld as well. You can lay down waypoints, to get to areas without going through a minefield, view thorough stats of a unit, such as armor, damage, and special abilities. It is also possible to now to control the entire game from the sensor manager overlay control, making it easier to know what's going on in the grand scheme of things. If, for some reason, you don't like the new interface, you can always use the Homeworld classic layout.

Along with the new units and missions come some other new features. New researchable technologies include force fields, frigates, extra support pods and linking. Linking allows two low class ships to combine to form one larger ship. (i.e. -- two acolytes can create one corvette. Not all ships can link, but those that can become very useful. Mimic technology is probably one of the coolest features you'll use in the game -- it can emulate any ship in the game on either side, and disguise itself as that unit. As a result, you can infiltrate enemy bases with seemingly their own ships, adding a whole new level of strategy.

In the end, 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.

- Manveer "Eidolon" Heir

 

Final Grade: A

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