Homeworld 3 (PC, £49.99)
Verdict: Take me home
In space, no one can hear you tap your fingers. It’s been a long decade since even the remastered versions of Homeworld, which first came out in 1999, and Homeworld 2, from 2003. And now, at last, we have a Homeworld 3.
Those original games were — are — some of the brightest stars in the constellation of real-time strategy games. Instead of frenetic battles between tanks and soldiers, they featured ginormous spaceships and tiny fighter craft pirouetting through a fully 3D universe. They were — are — games of beauty and majesty.
This new one loses none of that — or, rather, it loses very little of that. From the opening moments of its wonderfully varied story campaign to the tenser moments of its online conflicts, Homeworld 3, in all the most important ways, really is Homeworld.
Only, this time, it’s even prettier and has modernised controls that make it easy to glide and swoop around these battlefields that are many miles wide and deep.
![Review of Homeworld 3: Experience the Beauty of Space as One of the Greatest Strategy Games Returns, by PETER HOSKIN Review of Homeworld 3: Experience the Beauty of Space as One of the Greatest Strategy Games Returns, by PETER HOSKIN](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/16/22/84979295-13427917-image-a-36_1715896650988.jpg)
It’s been a long decade since even the remastered versions of Homeworld, which first came out in 1999, and Homeworld 2, from 2003. And now, at last, we have a Homeworld 3
![Review of Homeworld 3: Experience the Beauty of Space as One of the Greatest Strategy Games Returns, by PETER HOSKIN 3 From the opening moments of its wonderfully varied story campaign to the tenser moments of its online conflicts, Homeworld 3, in all the most important ways, really is Homeworld](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/17/00/84982431-13427917-image-a-49_1715902409151.jpg)
From the opening moments of its wonderfully varied story campaign to the tenser moments of its online conflicts, Homeworld 3, in all the most important ways, really is Homeworld
![Review of Homeworld 3: Experience the Beauty of Space as One of the Greatest Strategy Games Returns, by PETER HOSKIN 5 Only, this time, it’s even prettier and has modernised controls that make it easy to glide and swoop around these battlefields that are many miles wide and deep](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/16/22/84979289-13427917-image-a-38_1715896656927.jpg)
Only, this time, it’s even prettier and has modernised controls that make it easy to glide and swoop around these battlefields that are many miles wide and deep
![Review of Homeworld 3: Experience the Beauty of Space as One of the Greatest Strategy Games Returns, by PETER HOSKIN 7 Not all of its embellishments are successful, though. Presumably because of the greater processing power of modern computers, Homeworld 3 chucks more… things into its space-scapes. More planets. More asteroids. More derelict spacecraft and alien boondoggles](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/16/22/84979285-13427917-image-a-39_1715896659287.jpg)
Not all of its embellishments are successful, though. Presumably because of the greater processing power of modern computers, Homeworld 3 chucks more… things into its space-scapes. More planets. More asteroids. More derelict spacecraft and alien boondoggles
![Review of Homeworld 3: Experience the Beauty of Space as One of the Greatest Strategy Games Returns, by PETER HOSKIN 9 When you’re hiding your forces behind this additional cover, it can feel sneaky, tactical and cool](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/16/22/84979283-13427917-image-a-40_1715896661739.jpg)
When you’re hiding your forces behind this additional cover, it can feel sneaky, tactical and cool
Not all of its embellishments are successful, though. Presumably because of the greater processing power of modern computers, Homeworld 3 chucks more… things into its space-scapes. More planets. More asteroids. More derelict spacecraft and alien boondoggles.
When you’re hiding your forces behind this additional cover, it can feel sneaky, tactical and cool. But it can also feel like an abandonment of the glorious, challenging sparseness of the original games.
Similarly, the new, breathless multiplayer War Games mode is a hyperjump away from what Homeworld does best.
Still, these are but parts of the galaxy-sized whole. Let’s not lose sight of the bigger celestial truth: Homeworld is back, and space is the place to be this week.