The real-time strategy game returns after more than 20 years

After more than 20 years, Homeworld 3 is the long-awaited sequel to the classic real-time strategy game. Was the wait worth it?

Imagine sailing across the vast expanses of space, commanding massive fleets, and engaging in epic battles and a captivating story. Welcome to the bridge of Homeworld 3, the new installment of the legendary Homeworld series.

In a fast-moving media world, where every semi-successful video game instantly becomes a “franchise,” 20 years is an incredibly long time. In fact, it took more than two decades for one of the most popular real-time strategy game series to return with “Homeworld 3.” Developer Blackbird Interactive sends players on an interstellar adventure with exciting space battles. But can the sequel still convince after several hours of gameplay?

The word “small” does not exist in the story of “Homeworld 3”. Because there is nothing other than the fate of the entire galaxy at stake in a conflict that has been going on for a long time. Players assume the role of Imogen S'Jet, a navigator who transports spaceships through space on the sheer power of her thoughts in the style of sci-fi classics like “Dune” or “Foundation.”

She uses the hyperspace network whose job is threatened by a mysterious force. To defend interstellar freedom, players set out with the mothership to put evil in its place in 13 missions.

The production of “Homeworld 3” is top-notch from the start. Developer Blackbird Interactive packs missions into nearly twelve hours of gameplay with worth-watching video sequences, which bring players closer to both heroes and villains in dramatic visuals. There are only discounts in grade B for lack of German language output.

There's no shortage of impressive detail in the starship graphics – from stately but slow cruisers to powerful destroyers and nimble starfighters. Both the look and controls of the individual classes are compelling and allow for diverse battles to take place against ever-changing space backgrounds with cool lighting effects.

Players control the mothership, which is both a massive space dock and a production center for the numerous units. Compared to other real-time strategy games, research takes up very little space; Instead, as a military commander and Minister of Economy, you have to collect enough raw materials in order to build a powerful fleet.

What's special: Ships that survive the mission are carried over to the next adventure – so players don't have to start from scratch every time. At the same time, this means that people tend to avoid hara-kiri actions and instead proceed with caution and consideration, as resources are usually very limited.

Perhaps the biggest challenge in “Homeworld 3” lies in the complex controls. As you take action on a 2D battlefield in games like “Age of Empires,” different laws of space apply. The spaceship is navigated in 3D space more often than not, and torpedo frigates or battlecruisers seem to develop a life of their own if you think very “classically” when planning the course and trying to send units on a direct path to the target; .

The developers solve this (navigational) gameplay problem by introducing an intuitive game mechanic that works well with some sort of 3D navigation dial. Sometimes it can take some time to find the right perspective. Thanks to the built-in pause function and high zoom factor in “Homeworld 3,” you can usually maintain an overview even in the hustle and bustle of confusing space battles.