Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak
So, this review is a little behind the curve, but there is a good reason for that; and it’s not just because I have been making a bunch of Let’s Play of the game (right here). The main reason is that I was enjoying getting to play a fantastic RTS like I was back in the early-mid 90s. Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak is fantastic from top to bottom, and does the Homeward brand justice, even if this game takes place far from the deep reaches of space. Not only it is a solid RTS, but it adds features and mechanics that push the genre forward (like there was a genre anymore) and requires that you understand what your each of your units can do, as well as understand your environment and how to use it to your benefit.
The first thing I have to mention is just how utterly jaw-dropping the cut-scenes in the game are. These aren’t your typical rendered fare, but are honest to god works of art. That’s not a complete exaggeration, as cut-scenes are done in the vain of motion comics, but with incredible depths of detail. I’ll be the first to say they are so gorgeous I want to see an entire show/film done like this. The rest of the game, while done in your standard 3D, is still large and detailed. Units have a distinct style to them, making them easy to discern, even in larger groups. The desert itself also feels like a living, breathing creature as you travel deeper and deeper into it. Winds blow over the pock-marked landscape and you’ll have quickly find out that those pretty vistas are also strategic positions.
Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak plays much like the Homeward games of old. Sure, you aren’t in space, but the Homeward mechanic work so well that it takes to the dunes perfectly. You control a mobile carrier that has been modified to traverse the desert, and use it as your building hub. You can build resource gatherers, support units, attack units, and make all sorts of upgrades. It’s easy enough to understand, even for new players, but remembering that your base is mobile sometimes takes a bit, especially for those not used to the Homeward format. Units themselves are varied and fun to play with, but each has their own unique abilities and talents. These abilities are extremely useful, more so that in many other RTS games.