Introduction
What is Homeworld: Cataclysm?
Cataclysm is a standalone expansion for the classic game, Homeworld. It builds upon the story of the former Kushani Exiles (now calling themselves the Hiigarans), or specifically the Kiith Somtaaw as they make their living in a dangerous Galaxy.
Like Homeworld, this game is a 3D Real-Time Strategy Game, centred around your mobile Command Ship, the Kuun-Lan, and the fleet you build over the course of the game to deal with the threats you encounter.
It also has the distinction of not being made by Relic, meaning that it received poor reception when compared to the other two games.
So is it any good?
I'll be honest. Cataclysm is flawed. The difficulty curve of the game is fairly poorly planned out, and the missions can drag on far too long, even when abusing the x8 Speed function. There aren't as many ship designs when compared to Homeworld, and their introductions are not well spaced, which leaves long stretches where your fleet is essentially the same, no matter what.
On the other hand, the voice acting in this game is a massive improvement, and the story is solid, if a little predictable.
I hear there's an HD remake!
Actually, no. Homeworld and Homeworld 2 are getting remastered, but a lot of the development files are gone for Cataclysm. That means that any HD remake would have to rebuild the game from scratch, an expensive proposition, and may be wholly dependent on the success of Gearboxes' HD work on Homeworlds 1 and 2.
So, about the LP?
Like my previous LP, this one will be a subtitled VLP. While the ambient music is not up to par, it is nothing to reject outright by talking over it. Unlike the previous game, there is only one Player fleet, with the other fleet being explicitly the enemy forces. You can still play them in Multiplayer, but I will save those skirmishes for later. NO SPOILERS PLEASE.
For other information, the Homeworld Cataclysm Manual is available for free download. It's an amazing document with so much information that gives life to everything that has lead up to this game. You should read it before watching the LP, if you can.
Videos
- Mission 01 – Hiigara
- Mission 02 – Hiigara Outskirts
- Mission 03 – Couruc-Tel System
- Mission 04 – Deep Space (Tel Sector)
- Mission 05 – Aiowa System
- Mission 06 – Kadiir Nebula
- Mission 07 – Outskirts of Kadiir Nebula
- Mission 08 – Deep Space (Koreth's Rift Sector)
- Mission 09 – Close Orbit (Gozan IV)
- Mission 10 – Koreth's Rift Sector
- Mission 11 – Sector AZ-23769
- Mission 12 – Kiyori Sector (Turanic Base)
- Mission 13 – Location Unknown
- Mission 14 – Galactic Rim
- Mission 15 – Gulf Sector
- Mission 16 – Sojent-Ra System
- Mission 17 – Naval Base Alpha
- Mission 17a - DANGER CLOSE
- Skirmish 01 – Somtaaw
- Skirmish 02 – The Beast
Stuff from the Thread:
An... interpretation of the inciting event in Mission 04.