The long-awaited sequel to the popular series of real-time strategy games, Homeworld 3, finally came along in 2024, packing great excitement and heavy dosages of nostalgia with it. In development by Blackbird Interactive and publishing by Gearbox Publishing, Homeworld 3 refines its predecessors while ushering in fresh challenges and startling visuals. Its shiny presentation masks a game accused of playing it safe and also has some control issues. This review will take a closer look at what Homeworld 3 does right and where it falls.
Return of a Legend of a Space RTS
For over two decades, Homeworld series fans have waited for a proper sequel to Homeworld 2, and Homeworld 3 delivers in spades on many of their expectations: stunning spacescapes, dramatic cutscenes, and immersive atmosphere. Whether you are new to the series or an old fan, the game brings back the core elements that made the original Homeworld games so captivating. The tone and atmosphere strike just the right note, with monolithic structures and sleek spacecraft, plasma-scorched battleships filling space.
A Focus on Spectacle over Depth
While Homeworld 3 is a game of spectacles featuring great epic space fights and gorgeous visuals, some gamers might think that it lacks depth on the strategic level. The main culprit for this would be the reliance on speed instead of tactical decision-making. As you work through the campaign, it starts to dawn that many of the battles degenerate into an exercise in “click mania,” where the outcome of your fleet depends as much on how quickly you can click out orders as on how well you’ve actually planned out any sort of tactics.
The Issues of Control: A Double-Edged Sword
Perhaps the most striking feature of Homeworld 3 is how it utilizes 3D space; you will be commanding ships in multiple dimensions. While this very mechanic makes it different from other RTS titles, it has its own merits and drawbacks. Controls, while not unintuitive, can get quite cumbersome for the first few tries. It does take time-more often than not, a few missions before one gets confident in navigating their fleets and executing complex maneuvers.
Once one masters it, the act of managing a fleet of ships in 3D space is satisfying, however, the game’s control system has been updated compared to previous entries within this series, though it remains a tricky system to learn.
Campaign and Storyline: Gripping, Yet Limited
The campaign in Homeworld 3 is one of the game’s stronger aspects. It begins with Imogen S’Jet, a scientist and navigator, taking the helm of the Hiigaran mothership, the Khar-Kushan, as the fleet prepares to face The Anomaly. The story is gripping, with dramatic stakes and a mysterious cosmic threat that keeps players engaged throughout. The cutscenes are lengthy and cinematic, adding emotional weight to the battles that follow.
However, the story suffers from a narrow focus on a small group of characters, which feels like a departure from the series’ roots. Earlier Homeworld games centered around the survival and journey of entire civilizations, whereas Homeworld 3 zooms in on the personal struggles of just a few characters.
Unit Management and Tactical Variety
One area where Homeworld 3 innovates is in its unit management. Players can carry their fleet across missions, allowing for a continuous sense of progression. Unlike many other RTS games, Homeworld 3 doesn’t focus on base-building. Instead, you have up to five resource gatherers and your mothership for unit production. This shifts the focus to fleet management and strategy, requiring players to carefully allocate resources and ensure none of their key units are destroyed. Each mission introduces new challenges and objectives, often culminating in large-scale battles.
Multiplayer and War Games Mode: A Mixed Bag
Beyond the single-player campaign, Homeworld 3 offers multiplayer options, including the roguelike-inspired War Games mode. This co-op mode introduces an additional layer of replayability, allowing players to work together to overcome increasingly difficult missions. Between missions, players can choose upgrades to improve their fleets, adding a level of strategic decision-making that is absent in the main campaign.
However, War Games mode isn’t without its challenges. For one, it is notoriously difficult to play solo, which may frustrate players who prefer single-player experiences. Additionally, the lack of a pause function in both the co-op and PvP modes means that reaction speed is often more important than tactical planning. This can lead to chaotic battles where strategy takes a backseat to sheer reflexes, a trend seen throughout Homeworld 3.
Conclusion
While Homeworld 3 is not a perfect game, it offers a visually stunning and often gripping experience. If Blackbird Interactive can build upon this foundation with future updates and expansions, Homeworld 3 has the potential to become a truly great entry in the series. For now, it remains a solid, if flawed, return to the RTS genre.