Key Takeaways
1. Homeworld Remastered Collection: Released in 2015, it features improved graphics, redesigned cutscenes, and a refreshed sound experience for both Homeworld and Homeworld 2.
2. Engaging Storyline: The narrative follows the Kharak people’s journey from their destroyed planet to deep space, with cinematic storytelling and an immersive soundtrack.
3. Tactical 3D Gameplay: Players engage in strategic space combat with over 100 ship types, utilizing a fully 3D battlefield that allows for vertical navigation and complex resource management.
4. Critiques and Ratings: Despite some technical issues and dynamic difficulty concerns, the collection received a solid score of 84/100 from GameStar and positive reviews from the Steam community.
5. Nostalgic Value and Pricing: The collection includes both original and remastered versions, currently available at a significant discount of 90% on Steam, making it a great deal for fans.
Released at the start of the new millennium, Homeworld and Homeworld 2 stand as two of the most impactful real-time strategy games in gaming history. In 2015, Gearbox Software revitalized these classics by releasing the Homeworld Remastered Collection. This remaster boasts improved graphics with support for 4K, redesigned cutscenes, and a refreshed sound experience. Both games now feature a combined user interface, enhancing control accuracy and making it more user-friendly overall.
Storyline and Narrative
Just like the original from 1999, Homeworld follows the journey of the Kharak people from a desert planet. Its destruction propels them into deep space as they search for their ancestral home, which is the Homeworld itself. Homeworld 2 picks up the story with a fresh threat that throws the galaxy into chaos. The narratives of both games are told through a combination of radio messages and cinematic sequences, all complemented by an immersive soundtrack.
Tactical Gameplay
The Homeworld series is all about strategic space combat, where players lead fleets in battles against foes. With over 100 different ship types—ranging from fast fighters to gigantic capital ships—the game provides an extensive array of tactical options. What really makes it unique is its fully 3D battlefield. Units can navigate not just horizontally but vertically, enabling attacks from any angle and complicating fleet positioning. Another vital aspect is resource management: players must gather resources during fights to create new ships and repair their fleets, adding more depth to every battle.
A German gaming magazine called GameStar evaluated the Homeworld Remastered Collection upon its release and commended its stunning visual improvements. With enhanced textures and effects, the space battles stand out much more vividly compared to their 1999 counterparts. However, since the remaster is now more than ten years old, players shouldn’t anticipate the latest visual technology. The reviewers also noted the refined controls and the evident respect for the original titles. Most new gameplay elements blend seamlessly, preserving the series’ hallmark tactical sophistication.
Critiques and Ratings
Even with the overall acclaim, GameStar’s review did mention some drawbacks. A significant concern was the dynamic difficulty, which adjusts enemy strength according to the size of your fleet—often diminishing the sense of reward when making progress. Technical issues were particularly apparent in Homeworld 2, including blurry textures at times and erratic AI behaviors. Furthermore, the remaster does not feature the spin-off Homeworld: Cataclysm, as its original source code was reportedly lost, making a remastered version unfeasible at that point.
In spite of a few issues, GameStar gave the Homeworld Remastered Collection a solid score of 84 out of 100. The Steam community has also reacted favorably—over 11,000 user reviews have been logged since launch, with 88% being positive. On Metacritic, the collection boasts a Metascore of 86 and a User Score of 8.0, solidifying its strong standing among both critics and gamers.
By the way: The Homeworld Remastered Collection includes the original editions of Homeworld and Homeworld 2, alongside the remastered versions— a great addition for those who feel nostalgic.
Typically, the Homeworld Remastered Collection retails for about $35 on Steam, but it is currently priced at just $3.50 due to a 90% discount that runs until May 26. As per SteamDB, this offer tends to appear regularly during sales—most recently at the end of March. However, a bigger discount has not been provided before.
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