Much like XCOM was, the Homeworld franchise has been in limbo for far too long. The rights to the IP were finally picked up by Gearbox, who recently released a remastered version of the first two games.
They’re busy on a sequel themselves, but in the meantime, another group of developers, Blackbird – have released their own Homeworld game. It started its life as Shipbreakers, a spiritual successor, but Gearbox liked it enough to allow the team to use official IP, giving up Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak. Reviews are out now – so how does it stack up?
TheSixthAxis – 7 / 10
Though it lacks some of the nuance and complexity to make the most of some of its ideas, Deserts of Kharak captures the essence of the Homeworld series. Fans of the classic originals will find a familiar form of real time strategy adapted to a new setting, and telling another tale of a lonely carrier fighting through to its destination against the odds.
Softpedia – 9 / 10.0
Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak is a good mainstream real-time strategy title that offers a solid prequel story and shows that the core ideas of the series can easily be adapted for planet-based warfare
Gaming Nexus – 8 / 10.0
Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak tells one of the better science fiction narratives I’ve seen in a real-time strategy game. While the campaign is short, I enjoyed most of the Homeworld-inspired gameplay. Skirmish and multiplayer modes beef up the content, but the overall content-to-price ratio doesn’t quite even out. Minor gripes aside, Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak is one of the more compelling real-time strategy games I’ve played in some time
GamingTrend – 95 / 100
While Blackbird’s HD update of the original Homeworld titles may have shipped with a few nagging bugs, this original and inventive prequel reinvents the series in way I hardly even hoped could be possible. It’s fresh but familiar. It’s Homeworld, but it’s something new. Like its story-chronological successors, Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak is amazing — there’s simply nothing else like it
IGN – Review In Progress
Deserts of Kharak succeeds where so many RTS games fail, giving a multitasking commander all of the information, unit options, and control flexibility needed to remove needless barriers between what your brain wants your army to do, and what it’s actually able to execute at a moment’s notice.
PCWorld – 4 / 5 stars
I imagine the day Gearbox gave Blackbird Interactive permission to use the Homeworld name was triumphant, but also terrifying. Triumphant because the project involved a lot of the original team members and they got to resurrect their mothballed series. Terrifying because doing so meant making a successor to—seriously—one of the best strategy games ever made, and doing so after twelve years of rose-colored glasses.
Sounds like it fits right in! We’ll have our own review of the game soon. It’s available on Steam later today, and will set you back a reasonable R489.
Last Updated: January 20, 2016
Alien Emperor Trevor
January 20, 2016 at 10:40
And if you preorder now you get the companion app for free. Oh Gearbox, never change. Fuck that snake oil salesman.
Captain JJ 'saurus
January 20, 2016 at 10:43
Companion app?
What’s that?
I’d also like to add that thanks to you (sincere thank you) I didn’t pre-order this, for pointing out that it’s Gearbox. 🙂
Alien Emperor Trevor
January 20, 2016 at 10:45
http://www.gearboxsoftware.com/community/articles/1461/homeworld-deserts-of-kharak-expedition-guide
It gives you backstory, lore & making-of crap. Seriously.
Captain JJ 'saurus
January 20, 2016 at 10:47
Oh, so all the things that you could just go read on the wikia?
Yea, no.
When they usually say “and more!” it means that you also get two backgrounds for your pc/phone.
RinceThis
January 20, 2016 at 10:52
Why are you so angry?
Hammersteyn
January 20, 2016 at 10:52
He had dinner at your house?
The Grand Admiral Chief Prime
January 20, 2016 at 10:52
His steak was done correctly?
Hammersteyn
January 20, 2016 at 10:53
LOL!
RinceThis
January 20, 2016 at 10:52
Yeah, I burnt the bloody roast… No, wait, he should be HAPPY then!
Alien Emperor Trevor
January 20, 2016 at 11:00
That was a happy accident. For me.
RinceThis
January 20, 2016 at 11:01
Something you never heard from your parents? BOOM! *runs screaming
Alien Emperor Trevor
January 20, 2016 at 11:04
Well yes, like I told you before – I wasn’t the accident. tee hee.
RinceThis
January 20, 2016 at 11:04
Not HAPPY! Sigh, you never understand!
Alien Emperor Trevor
January 20, 2016 at 11:06
I’d have to listen to understand.
RinceThis
January 20, 2016 at 11:08
http://i.imgur.com/CRIcP.gif
Captain JJ 'saurus
January 20, 2016 at 10:42
I’m not so sure about this yet. It’s on my wishlist, but it has a lot of good games to compete with. The moving carrier, although reminiscent of the old Homeworld also doesn’t intrigue me much. Sure, in space it makes sense, but on land building big bases is what RTS games are all about.
All of that said, I’m a huge RTS fan. Probably one of my top three game types. So I will love to try this out either way before I judge it based purely on what I’ve read and seen so far.
Hammersteyn
January 20, 2016 at 10:44
LOL those screenshot reminds me of this….
http://img.gamefaqs.net/screens/2/c/b/gfs_37016_2_22.jpg
Captain JJ 'saurus
January 20, 2016 at 10:55
This is awesome.
Captain JJ 'saurus
January 20, 2016 at 10:45
As much as I adore Homeworld (and I own the remastered editions, while still having my originals in their boxes), I think I’ll stick with Grey Goo for a bit still. I haven’t spent enough time on that one yet.
Raptor Rants
January 20, 2016 at 10:49
looks good. But I’m not yet sold.
Captain JJ 'saurus
January 20, 2016 at 10:49
Wise.
As strategy gamers we know when to wait and when to strike 😀
Alien Emperor Trevor
January 20, 2016 at 10:50
Turtle power!
Captain JJ 'saurus
January 20, 2016 at 10:50
XD
Raptor Rants
January 20, 2016 at 10:56
hahahaha. To the top you go!
The Grand Admiral Chief Prime
January 20, 2016 at 10:51
Where are the sand worms and the Fremen?
Captain JJ 'saurus
January 20, 2016 at 10:52
This isn’t Star Wars, you Romulan!
The Grand Admiral Chief Prime
January 20, 2016 at 10:53
Engage the hype-r-drive Mr Sulu
Alien Emperor Trevor
January 20, 2016 at 10:59
By your command!
RinceThis
January 20, 2016 at 11:02
Make it so, Han Solo!
Alien Emperor Trevor
January 20, 2016 at 11:03
You can get in the carbonite!
RinceThis
January 20, 2016 at 11:03
BWAHAHAH!
The Grand Admiral Chief Prime
January 20, 2016 at 11:10
I like that, it shall be the new phrase
GITC
RinceThis
January 20, 2016 at 10:52
Looks good. But something says ‘wait!’
The Grand Admiral Chief Prime
January 20, 2016 at 10:54
I believe that voice is in Trevor’s head, when he wants to take his steak off the braai (wait)
RinceThis
January 20, 2016 at 10:54
XD
Captain JJ 'saurus
January 20, 2016 at 10:55
I thought he just left it there until the fire eventually dies.
The Grand Admiral Chief Prime
January 20, 2016 at 10:57
Hahahah
Hammersteyn
January 20, 2016 at 11:03
XD
Alien Emperor Trevor
January 20, 2016 at 11:05
That’s not what the voices said.
RinceThis
January 20, 2016 at 11:09
Oh, get your own material!
Alien Emperor Trevor
January 20, 2016 at 11:10
huehuehue
RinceThis
January 20, 2016 at 11:12
It is looking awesome though! Woot! PS. Are you going to make the Deadpool screening?
Alien Emperor Trevor
January 20, 2016 at 11:14
Probably not, I’ll have to catch it when it’s released.
RinceThis
January 20, 2016 at 11:14
LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSER!
Alien Emperor Trevor
January 20, 2016 at 11:15
Go build your wall, Donald!
RinceThis
January 20, 2016 at 11:16
Stop being a palin my ass!
Alien Emperor Trevor
January 20, 2016 at 11:17
I wonder if she’s related to Vlad.
RinceThis
January 20, 2016 at 11:19
He had more of a yellow nose, not really brown…
Lardus-For the Emperor!
January 20, 2016 at 11:00
Still need to give the remastered Homeworld a try. This looks good though – watched the multiplayer video on Steam
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
January 20, 2016 at 12:38
Yes! No Lolygon review! Screw you Lolygon and Kotaku! GAMERGATE LIVES!