A Thorough Look at Homeworld

This is a retrospective look at all three Homeworld titles, using footage from the Remastered versions of Homeworld 1 and Homeworld 2, and the original (only) version of Homeworld: Cataclysm. It goes through their unique storytelling and gameplay features, and charts their successes and missteps across all three titles. It also includes an appendix on how to get Cataclysm to run on Windows 8. SPOILERS THROUGHOUT.
__Table of Contents__
Homeworld 1-- 0:40
Homeworld Cataclysm-- 17:11
Homeworld 2-- 27:32
Appendix, Installing Cataclysm on Windows 8-- 39:33
__IMPORTANT LINKS__
Windows Compatability Toolkit:
www.microsoft.com/en-us/downl...
Cataclysm Update:
sierrahelp.com/Patches-Updates...
Steve Shearer's Article on Cataclysm's Bentusi Exodus:
www.escapistmagazine.com/artic...
Homeworld 2 Ending Cinematic:
• Homeworld 2-16 Age of ...
____________________________________________
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/ noahcaldwellgervais

[@FrankFloresRGVZGM]

My only complaint about remastered is that they didn't put -pilotview back in as an option. There was nothing like selecting a random fighter in a pitched battle and entering pilot view. Seeing the world from their perspective was exhilarating in every sense. I wish someone would bring it back in the new engine. It would be phenomenal.

[@kaiserdragon33]

if it had a simple, not overly complex but rather simple FPS mode on a couple ships like fighters and corvettes, that would be SO sweet, without influencing the overall mechanic of the game, but allow you to enjoy it more deeply.

[@Mxwellnz]

@@kaiserdragon33 such a shame they didn't include if, feels like a no brainer

[@michaelblair7141]

I agree with this 100%. I also miss being able to customize colors or play as either Kushan OR Taiidan. Maybe there's a mod for these now?

[@megabyte01]

I thought that pilot view was only for cataclysm, which wasn't remastered?

[@FrankFloresRGVZGM]

@@megabyte01 nope it was in the original homeworld, it might have been in cataclysm? But I miss it so much because it was AMAZING...

[@jdvr3891]

I was on vacation in Denmark when I first learned of this game. The guy we were staying with had a demo for the game that came on a CD with a computer magazine. The Demo consisted of the first missions; the launching of the mothership, testing out the scouts and then the first hyperjump. The demo ended with the burning of Kharak to the sound the adagio. I was blown away. To this day, no game (for me at least) has matched the emotional gravitas and scope that Homeworld has. I borrowed the game from the library when I got home, I must've read the manual a dozen times because it was a really good read, and to this day, Homeworld remains one of my favourite games.

[@edgepixel8467]

I played the demo a lot of times, savouring every drop of the amazing music and dragging time as much as possible until the end.

[@fauxcuss]

They had video games in libraries in the early 2000s?

[@BjorsN]

@@fauxcuss They did strangely enough

[@PlasticCogLiquid]

@@fauxcuss Anything that got people using computers was considered a good educational thing around that time

[@dfgdfg_]

Cataclysm has been re-released (not remastered) on GOG. It's $10 USD. It's also now called 'Emergence' since Blizzard can apparently copyright arbitrary words. Whatever.

[@SpearM3064]

They can't copyright an arbitrary word. They can trademark its use in a particular media, however. In this case, it's trademarked for use in video games. Blizzard wouldn't win this one in court, though, since Homeworld: Cataclysm was released years before WoW Cataclysm. I think it's more of a case of "We don't want to waste time and money fighting this in court, even though we'd win. Let's just rename it so we can continue to focus on putting out more product." A similar thing happened when Palladium Games put out a game called "Nightspawn". Todd McFarlane... who is a great writer but a bit of a douche... sued, because apparently he was worried that people would confuse a 224-page roleplaying game called "Nightspawn" with his comic book character "Spawn". He would *not* have won in court, but Palladium decided that it was simpler, cheaper, and less time-consuming to change the name of the book to "Nightbane", so all the time and money that would've gone into the court battle could be spent on releasing more new products.

[@BladeValant546]

@@SpearM3064 yup, is no point wasting 10k just to hear a judge say you are fine.

[@harbingerdawn]

@@SpearM3064 They might not necessarily lose in court if they have filed a trademark on Cataclysm and have been defending it, while Sierra ... Gearbox have not (which would seem to be the case). Trademark law is like that... if you register a trademark, you have to consistently defend it, otherwise it could be invalidated, which is why you see so many seemingly frivolous lawsuit threats in cases like this - Blizzard has to do that, or they could lose their trademark.

[@harbingerdawn]

@@snarkylive Are you sure you replied to the right comment? Nothing you said addressed anything in my comment.

[@irl_lizard7880]

I was just coming here to say this, good on you

[@KingOfMadCows]

I believe Homeworld 2 had a rather troubled development. Originally it supposed to be called "Dust Wars." There wasn't a lot of talk of prophecies. It was more about how the Hiigarans are the dominant military and political power in the known galaxy and slowly becoming more like the Taiidan, political intrigue between the different Kiiths who are contesting over territories taken from the Taiidan and Turanic Raiders, and a war caused by the Hiigaran's rapid expansion across the galaxy. I think it was Sierra that forced Relic to simplify the story since the company was having financial troubles and needed to put out a game to turn a profit.

[@madkoala2130]

I also heard for story of Homeworld 2 they hired some novice from LA who had no experience in writing SF

[@SoilentGr33n]

Your videos are my reward/debriefing for playing these games. I'm 37 and I'm on a semi-permanent mission of playing older games that are considered influential or classics that passed me by when I was younger. I'll play all games from a series and then head to your channel for the exhaustive debrief, beer in hand, smile in the face. God damn I just finished all Homeworld games, time to chill with Noah for an hour and reminisce about them. Brilliant channel.

[@Sinreher]

What other games have you considered? Those games are before my time, but I used to have an old computer, so I got used to classic gems like these.

[@LukeVilent]

No you didn't finish all the Homeworld games: Homeworld III is on its way.

[@SoilentGr33n]

@@Sinreher In the last few years I've beat Theme Hospital, Dungeon Keeper, Syndicate, both System Shocks, Grim Fandango, Full Throttle, Strife (just scrolling down my shortcuts here), Full Spectrum Warrior and Heroes of Might and Magic 3. I tried Cannon Fodder but it's so damn hard. Most of these games were very enjoyable to excellent, and since I grew up back then I just love old graphics. I'm looking at starting Jagged Alliance next or something more modern like dead space.

[@Sinreher]

@@SoilentGr33n Have you tried Deus Ex and Planescape: Torment? I'd highly recommend them. :)

[@SoilentGr33n]

@@Sinreher Played both of those back in the day! Deux Ex really blew my mind.

[@javierruiz9023]

You mention the similarity with the Re Imagined Battlestar Galactica. I think it is no big coincidence that Campbell Lane the voice actor for the narration as well as the Bentusi trader is the same actor in BSG's Razor, the Hybrid. I recognized the voice immediately. I looked it up an made the connection.

[@pchiare]

Also the influence on the music of the reimagined BSG is remarkable. Having heard they originally pitched it to Sierra as a mix between Command and Conquer and BSG, there's few other stories so fitting and amazing in all of geekdom!

[@takatamiyagawa5688]

15:34 I like that the original Homeworld doesn't just jump you to the next mission when you've completed the current mission's objectives. It's nice to have some time to yourself when you can just practice moving your ships around, and do whatever you want, without the pressure of enemy ships interrupting you.

[@claul_66]

I was thinking the same thing. Missions were challenging and that was a time for me to reflect on what i'd done wrong, count who was left. I imagined the crews doing the same, and dealing with loss and also gathering strength for the next test. That said, sometimes it WOULD drag on a lot.

[@About37Hobos]

To be fair, you can just not let yourself skip the mining, it’s up to you.

[@jwadaow]

@@claul_66 You were under no obligation to wait around at any point.

[@pewpewpistol]

I kept mining for the next level

[@Minority119]

something I always found great about Noah is how he can go deep into the games and analyze so profoundly, yet he doesn't ever come off as a snob or pretentious

[@ordinarytree4678]

I think its because Noah has experienced enough hardship in his life to truly learn empathy and wisdom, while so many people with desk jobs in the games industry have not. Hard times make strong men as they say, or at least wiser men.

[@contardation]

As polished as your new videos are getting I do still enjoy the DIY aesthetic-vibe they have. It almost feels like a reaction to the kind of over-polished videos you get on youtube. Simple and effective.

[@broadcaststsatic]

contardation Plus, I think it gets everyone's expectations on the same page. About 50% of viewers drop the video in the first sixty seconds, but I have never gotten a comment like "thought this was gonna be Official Big Deal video, but you're just some dude"-- I make it clear I'm just some dude right off the bat. I think people dig it. As a bonus, youtube's copyright claim robots don't understand the 8-track player and have never hassled me for using licensed music from tape.

[@lattal3944]

Noah Caldwell-Gervais 2genius4me

[@MadmanRobi]

Noah Caldwell-Gervais Great videos, man! I wish you'd put the names of the songs you use in the video. I like alot of em but don't know their names. keep up the good work!

[@broadcaststsatic]

MadmanRobi Yeah, I ought to do that. I'll update video descriptions later on this week.

[@glassisland]

MadmanRobi The song used at the beginning of this one was "The Ladder," by the rock band Yes, which was licensed for the original Homeworld game.

[@FlorenceFox]

"But now look at Telltale" Oof, that aged poorly.

[@Taorakis]

I always label Cataclysm as "the last game that really scared the shit out of me." Then i got old and analytic and yadayada, but the Beast did a number on me back then and the triumph in the end was so rewarding. Also 2 more things i noticed: a) Homeworld 2.... is manageable even without dismanteling the whole fleet, and i somehow didnt hear about the tactical pause so far (not done wachting yet) which is an important iece for this game series. o.O Pause - give orders - unpause - watch a bit - pause - repeat b) Main downside to the remaster of HW1 for me was that the RockPaperSquissor Principle was pushed up so much in it's iportance. In the oiginal game you could get massive damage out by let's say just having a LOT of Heavy Corvettes (which i love) and they can still destroy frigates and fighters, not fast, but they just tanked the damage. With just 2 or 3 different ship types you wouldn't be able to beat any encounter in the HW2 engine. Oh also - warning, self adverttisement - i got playthroughs of HW1 & HW2 on my channel, maybe i should check out how i actually did the later HW2 missions... take a look if you like. Last but not least: Great Video!

[@zaygr]

Balmora Gate is a bit of a trap where the bigger your starting fleet the bigger the difficulty jump per ship you have of all missions. It's because each fleet attacking the gate segments are each set to be bigger than your fleet and the scaling of the HP of each gate segment does not keep up with the number of ships initially attacking them.

[@Aldurinian]

That section showing your viewers how to run a game that has almost been effectively lost to the void of legacy incompatibility was the most surprising part of the video. I don't really know of any other youtubers who analyze games and then also go farther than giving up at the initial incompatibility of titles like this. That's a big deal and says a great amount about how genuinely you care about your work and the industry it interacts with.

[@jackcharlton1375]

Mandalore does this sometimes

[@budlikycz2445]

Yup, try Mandalore he is also great in his reviews while offering how to run the older games on new systems :)

[@glassisland]

This whole video speaks my language - I got to playtest Cataclysm before it was released, and immediately went out and bought the original Homeworld that same day, so I could experience where it came from. A hugely influential game. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!

[@Dr.Strangelewd]

I like to dream that one day you'll do a video on the whole C&C series.

[@Carrier-06]

I seems Homeworld 3 might be a thing.

[@TheMalkavianPrince]

It most definitely is, It's been fully funded by Gearbox; BBI has it in "pre-production", and is running a kind of kickstarter on Fig, and selling shares in the title for $500 each, as a way to bring the community in on expanding on the game beyond its original scope.

[@pauln9297]

@@TheMalkavianPrince I sure hope they make it with VR in mind. A VR port of the Remaster could really make it mainstream.

[@baraka629]

Remember how Gearbox operates. They will take on secondary projects in order to siphon money into Randy Pitchford's pet one - Borderlands. And they are absolutely content with releasing insulting trash as long as it has potential to be profitable short term.

[@ineednochannelyoutube5384]

@@baraka629 We are in luck. Homeworld is also his pet project. He literally bought the IP on a whim.

[@danielOconahap]

theres a trailer now for HW 3

[@IRMentat]

that soundtrack though. . . I think I need a few minutes alone.

[@Leispada]

Homeworld2's story was indeed a bit iffy to play. I'm proud to say I finished the game, and do admit I enjoyed it a lot. But more than the story; I played the living hell out of modded single match mode

[@BjornTheDim]

That third mission still drives me to tears. I actually gasped when you panned the camera around to view Kharak.

[@l0rf]

Adagio for Strings will forever be linked to "Kharak is burning. There is nothing left." for me. That feeling of wonder, excitement, of a chance to find your long lost roots, to finally escape the squalor of your harsh environment, crushed under the heel of an uncaring, tyrannical empire that has never abandoned the hate for a crime 4000 years ago... it's devastating. But it also reinforces your determination, it makes you dig in your heels and fight.

[@billrich9722]

I always get choked up when I hear the music and get to thinking about my journey with the Kushan. Beautiful presentation.

[@Ularg7070]

I appreciate the work you've made on balancing audio levels throughout the video. No longer am I leaned over to my speaker adjusting after every cut. It's a huge improvement.

[@alexm2623]

Cataclysm is without a doubt the best in the series - so brilliantly good!

[@TriMuXx]

Still play Homeworld to this day....absolutely love it.

[@EdMcStinko]

4:32 I am floored just by the music alone. You're pretty good at this stuff Noah.

[@JacksonAces]

I still get chills during that Kar-Selim turanic raider introduction. Oh man. So good.

[@Crazael]

That moment when you return to Kharak and find it burning is such a powerful moment and easily one of my favorites in any game I've ever played. The sheer horror in FleetCom's voice as she tells you that there are no survivors on the surface... It's fantastic. I remember when it first happened to me. I'd been playing the game for like ten minutes maybe, I'd already read the whole manual from back to front at least once, so I knew these people's history, their culture. I wanted to lead them on their great journey to reclaim their home. And then you come home from that first tragety of the Khar-Salem to find your homeworld burning... Edit: Also, as an aside, I like having control over difficulty. Harder does not always mean more fun. Sometimes, it just makes the game more frustrating, which quickly kills the fun. I have quit plenty of otherwise good games because they more difficult than they needed to be. Yeah, overcoming a challenge feels great. But sometimes, I'm more interested in the story of the game than I am in the challenge of it. And when that happens, too much challenge makes me less interested in completing the story.

[@citizenofearth]

I will never forget this game. Epic story, incredible music... beyond beautiful...

[@mophead656]

You're videos are always extremely insightful and I really appreciate the holistic analysis that you give each game. Every time I see your vids in my inbox, it's always a wonderful surprise. Keep up the good work man because your channel is one of the most genuine things in my sub box.

[@TheAiskie]

Personally I loved Homeworld 2 because of its mods in multiplayer. Homeworld 2 Complex battles against my brothers were my childhood!

[@salokin3087]

Fantastic! Homeworld is series that is more than often overlooked, great work!

[@kaimukiwahine16]

I played these games as a kid growing up (haven't played Desert of Kharak yet) and just had that kick in finding stuff on the game again. Watching this brings back so many memories of playing this with my dad, both us of rushing to CompUSA to get Cataclysm and Homeworld 2, and just indulging in the pages of the novel-like strategy book. That part where it makes mention of salvaging all the ion cannon frigates from that sphere... just hits me with nostalgia of wasting a few hours getting every single one (or attempted to; was a kid after all with little patience).

[@XenHL]

I had never heard of this game until now. Just bought the remastered collection and am eager to jump in. As always, superb video, Noah.

[@RIP_Greedo]

Not much attention given to the story of the Kushan/Hiigarans as allegories to the biblical Hebrews. All the beats are there: - The theme of exile from a lost homeland and an exodus to reclaim it - Many locations in the games recall real locations in the middle east and africa (adjacent to egypt): Tanis, Kadesh, Kush(an) - anything else? - The backstory of the Kiith who all share a common ancestry that ultimate unites them; could these be the 12 tribes of Israel? - Very biblical / Hebrew nomenclature for Hiigaran vessels - the captain of the shipyard Nabaal's name is Elohim! - The Ark of the Covenant was supposedly a holy relic borne by the exiles/chosen people, that was proof of their being chosen and that gave them the power/strength to persist. sounds like a hyperspace core? - Tanis was / is one of the suspected final resting places of the Ark of the Covenant; according to Indiana Jones it was destroyed in a holy rage due to some affront given to the Ark Any other similarities you notice?

[@benmurray8903]

Hey that's a pretty neat connection. I think a lot of people are reluctant (for a variety of reasons) to call out biblical inspirations in games, with the exception of the messianic archetype.

[@VolrinSeth]

"Not much attention given to the story of the Kushan/Hiigarans as allegories to the biblical Hebrews. All the beats are there: - The theme of exile from a lost homeland and an exodus to reclaim it The backstory of the Kiith who all share a common ancestry that ultimate unites them; could these be the 12 tribes of Israel?" These have never been unique but a staple of several ancient cultures/religions.

[@fonkyman]

but they also use arabic and such in the games... one of the places in homeworld 2 is arabic for hell....

[@leakycheese]

That was a wonderful review, thank you. I think you really hit the nail on the head with your appraisal of the three games and your appreciation for Cataclysm is well justified. Homeworld 2's game and story was a real let down and the damage balance between the various ships was very poor and everything just felt so expendable compared to the first two games (although I never encountered the same frustration with the level balance you did). Homeworld 2 did, for me a least, achieve it's potential in the form of the excellent Point Defense Systems mod which turned the game into a true large-scale fleet battle simulator with some of the most visually impressive space battles I've ever seen in a game or even film medium.

[@JohnDoe-xm1ep]

Just found the channel and I am amazed by their quality of all your work, keep it up!

[@privettk]

Just found your channel today! It's so neat to see that someone else has the same English-major storytelling titillation with the Homeworld series as me! Like you I played each one when they came out - in fact frustration over getting my family's cheap computers to run them are what got me into Computer Science and ultimately my career in making software for aircraft. I loved HW1 for the same reasons you do. I never got too far in Cataclysm mainly because the pacing was SO much slower. I was an idiot at the time and didn't know about the option to speed up time. Playing in 1x the whole way through is NOT recommended lol! I agree with other comments, you are awfully hard on HW2. That was the one that cemented HW's legacy for me. Sure the story was a bit of a rehash, but I loved the mystery of the Progenitors and the godlike power of their ships - I also liked how HW2 gave the sense of becoming an empire again - by the end of the game the Hiigarans are no longer underdogs, they are equal members of the galactic community - and that simple status was earned by hard work and loss both for the Hiigarans and for the players throughout the series. I sincerely hope that Gearbox makes more Homeworld games. They're still the best around!

[@mulderscully3707]

Badass intro. Great video man. I still play Homeworld 1 original in my windows vista once a year. I can't never get enough from the soundtrack and the old school graphics.

[@miikaniemitalo5551]

I played original...and i was so captivated that i didn't go to school at all ...until i had played whole game...... no game can compete with Homeworld

[@lulubeloo]

i still come back from time to time to listen to this kind of voice acting, it's simply amazing!

[@CupCakeArmy1]

God damn the yes song still gives me chills to this day. I remember my dad bringing me the demo and I played it over and over and over again.

[@ZemplinTemplar]

"Ballistic balet" is my new favourite term from now on. :-D I'll use it whenever the uninitiated ask me about "What's spaceship combat like in those Homeworld games ?". Thank you. :-) The bit where you mention Battlestar Galactica, around the 7:35 mark... Funnily enough, Homeworld was originally planned as a game adaptation of the original 1970s series. But they couldn't get the rights and then started worldbuilding on their own. I think it's safe to say we're all the better off due to them not acquiring the BSG license. :-) And yes, I wouldn't be shocked if the reboot might have taken some inspiration from the game.

[@thewayfarer8849]

Hmm, from what you've said parts of this story really remind me of the Asimov Foundation Trilogy, fantastic short sci fi novels that I think you'd genuinely enjoy (if sci fi books are your thing). Another great video

[@Inerrant1]

I do think HW2 had ONE really amazing part to it and that was the planet killers. Whereas HW1 hit you with the tragedy of Kharak's demise early on... it's only at the end of the sequel that an analogy is brought up. Only players of the original would feel the gravity and the significance of those awful spider-like machines appearing in Hiigara's orbit and the use of a population count instead of a clock as the timer is REALLY good.

[@kurtp2003]

I know others are saying it, but I'm surprised there's no mention of the adaptive difficulty in Remastered. I sure wish I could experience the game with the original difficulty intact and the Remastered graphics/controls. Also, I am disappointed none of the reviewers I like have had a look at Deserts of Kharak.

[@MrKrmel]

The original already had an adaptive difficulty, so what you really mean is how they went way off with the scaling thereof?

[@kurtp2003]

Oh, okay. I had thought that was the case, but I've never played the original and it was made to sound like that wasn't present in that version and I figured that I must've been mistaken

[@MrKrmel]

Well, the difficulty was adaptive in all installments, but the scaling was very different in the sense that you felt more powerful than the enemy when undergoing the additional effort to salvage more ships than you could build in the original (which contributed to wanting to keep them alive as was mentioned in the review). In (the original) 2 (as was also mentioned) you felt more like being punished for not loosing ships in the earlier missions and frustrated, that all your problems could be solved by demolishing your fleet after every mission. The remaster of 1 scaled differently and sort of fell somewhere in between the original 1 and 2. It was more noticeable that if you had way more ships than you should so did the AI, but you did not feel quite as you were punished for that most of the time (except the second last mission, for instance, where it was obvious that something was amiss). If you wanted to take a closer look at that I have playthroughs of both the original and the remastered (they're in german, though). Aside from the second last mission, the differences are kind of barely noticeable, though.

[@kurtp2003]

That second to last mission absolutely ruined my fleet. Probably mostly my fault, but after beating it finally and finding I stood no chance in the final mission I gave up on the game and never finished it. Shame, I was so close to the end

[@MrKrmel]

In 1? Christian Kallevig I can see very that can be hard. Hopefully, you never had to experience the "Gate" in HW 2, because that was just ridiculous...

[@MechanizedFantasy]

I recently rekindled my love of Homeworld with a recent play through, and not long after, I stumbled upon your channel. How curious...Your appraisal of the franchise in whole, and the first game specifically jive with my own; very few games ever manage to leverage every facet of their design to move a player, and almost none manage to do it twice. You've gained another subscriber today! Cheers.

[@cocopud]

Your videos are superb. Very in-depth, well scripted and excellently narrated 🙂

[@hazelnoisette4539]

I can't believe I missed this vid. AHH I love Homeworld so much. Hoping for a Deserts of Kharak and HW 4 video in the future

[@jonnoble5624]

This was a far more polished review than I expected. Very well done.

[@TheAtlas247]

The first video of yours i ever watched was the half-life retrospective and its nice to see someone like you getting more popular. I've watched many online shows gaining more popularity over the years such as CGR, AVGN, and Spoony one for a while, who made the excellent Ultima retrospectives, and many more. I think you will have a very bright future here, keep up the good work.

[@Belisaur]

Thank you for putting into words my clumsly ineloquent love of Cataclysm. Subbed on the back of this.

[@WhiteZerox]

I like how you pronounce my handle as Stewie pronounced "Wil Wheaton"

[@CrossAunt]

These videos are fantastic and well written, cannot wait for any future videos.

[@DeepeyeLV]

Very detailed and honest review. Thank you. Brought back so many memories and feelings. I don't think I've felt so sad in any other game other than Cataclysm, yet the tour de force it gave me I doubt I will ever forget.

[@williamlydon2554]

You Treat gaming as any other art, like a fine Painting or a glass of aged French Wine, this is why i love your channel, you make gaming seem like a true art, not just a Child's game as most would think.

[@thomasbarkas6092]

You are a talented writer, your voice, mannerisms and presentation are world class.

[@Concord003]

This is a surprisingly deep and accurate look at the Homeworld franchise! Great video! Nerver seen this channel before! Will look a other videos here!

[@caseygoddard]

Excellent analysis! I found myself agreeing with pretty much everything you had to say about the Homeworld series.

[@CeroAshura]

Ha, just saw another video about homeworld, the install guide is also terrific man, the one in your warcraft video really helped me out.

[@bustacap503]

Thanks for the deep dive on the narrative and lore!

[@ianstrouse3479]

your content is such a treasure, love you dude

[@OscarTheTitan]

Thanks Noah. Your coverage of Homeworld and Half-Life are fantastic and really analyse just how amazing these two games that made my childhood wonderful are. Keep up the amazing work man :)

[@JRTodd]

Very nice overview! Played Homeworld when it was first released and just recently picked up the remastered set.

[@mrbitbot]

Awesome video, I like your style. Keep doing what you're doing and you'll go far!

[@Thorocious]

The original was an absolute masterpiece. I played through the campaign probably 5 times before delving online, and absolutely fell in love with the experience. To this day, I have yet to have an online experience like it. Was pumped for the remaster, but unfortunately it no where near lived up to the standards of the original. For those of you I diced with back in the day, I tip my hat to you - these were some of the best moments of my younger years, thank you. Thor-HSC

[@Li_ska]

Can't wait for soon to be released Homeworld 3 now.

[@n00bie51]

I loved this videogame since I was in elementary school. Thank you for doing a video on this, it's so cool.

[@ikeduno7973]

The YES track told me you had my best interests at heart

[@bustacap503]

Awesome narration! Bringing back my gaming youth nostalgia!

[@CMIX11]

It sure would be swell if you'd cover the two KOTOR games, Mr. Gervais. Keep up the good work

[@waltherstolzing9719]

Cameron Mixon That would be great; especially for Linux users -- since there are some pretty strong hints that KoTOR2 will have a Linux release sometime soon.

[@kanaray9646]

Cameron Mixon That would be fantastic! Please do Mr Gervais!

[@ctrouble2309]

Hey buddy, ya got your wish

[@Skriak]

I'm astonishingly bad at strategy games so I barely got 5 levels into Homeworld, but it still stayed with me because it was so unexpectedly classy in its storytelling. That's a heck of a compliment, I feel :> And I love big, detailed critique videos like this that go all-out with game analysis. You're good at what you do so don't stop :D

[@Outflankd]

I'm so happy to see you gave Cataclysm the attention it deserves. Far more so than even the burning of Kharak, Shaming the Unbound is the most I've ever had my heart broken by a videogame. Cataclysm's story is wonderfully compelling, for all the reasons you've outlined. Bravo.

[@bengrogan9710]

I wholly agree, I just think he missed a treat not showing people the rage of the 1st Bentusi that was infected. That was some of the best VA work I've heard in and RTS game "We will NOT be BOUND!" indeed

[@crossmooradian2642]

You’re a champ, Noah. Keep at it!

[@MrGabilonia]

Finishing Homeworld introduced me to YES as a final reward

[@Postcinct]

Never stop making these, Noah.

[@skotnica93]

For those curious, the mission with the Turanic Raiders homeworld is one that was unique to the demo of Homeworld.

[@hundun5604]

Homeworld, my all-time favourite RTS. Although ship textures and design could've been a bit better, Cataclysm is a masterpiece in its own right.

[@razorwireclouds5708]

and to think i got my first taste of the series through Homeworld 2. I loved the look and feel of it so much that i simply overlooked the game's flat story. I'm extremely thankful for the remastered edition and now that Homeworld 3 was announced, well, i'm hyped.

[@GiacomoVaccari]

I will never forget the moment that I finished HW1 classic for the first time, about 7 years ago. What a masterpiece of atmosphere, and then prog superstars Yes comes up... what a combo! Getting in circular formation with dozens of frigates at the end, advancing towards your fate, felt like a truly epic moment too

[@andrzejpruski6360]

30:39 - that comment right here is spot on. I was looking years for someone's review of Homeworld 2 (and remastered edition) to just notice that. I remember my first journey with HW in 1999 where i cared about every single unit to the degree, that I felt necessity to start mission over again after losing one of my Kushan's fighter at the end of the game.. I was so into the story that I wanted to protect my fleet, not just ram everything I've got at the enemy and hope there won't be too much casualties. And the peaceful resource gathering at the end of every mission in accompany of calm ambient music by Paul Ruskay was something HW2 and Remastered lacked. Why did they have to take it away forcefully? I remember I could sit even an hour just watching my collectors gather resources and building my fleet before departure.. it calmed me down, and held me waiting in anticipation for the next jump and what surprise awaits before me. Homeworld 2 and Homeworld remastered lost this remarkable feeling.

[@NShomebase]

Didn't think I'd get excited about a 20+ year old fleet strategy game, but lo and behold...

[@LN.2233]

I just found your channel and I subscribed. I like your content and how you speak clear about games. Your videos have variety and you don't necessarily stick with one genre and you have good comparison videos. Your videos are pretty long though but that's something I'll have to get used to.

[@julien2983]

I had heard of Homeworld before, but hadn't played it until I watched this video. It's such an impressive game, I'm proud it was developed in my city. Blackbird has done a fantastic job with Deserts of Kharak, it's a great prequel, and I can't wait for Homeworld 3!

[@reichfuhrer1942]

Homeworld is such a beautiful game and my memories of discovering it for the first time in a half-life demo disk and marveling at its creation way back 2001 or 2002 will forever be remembered.

[@RoyalFusilier]

One of my favorite videos you've done, and no wonder, it's about Homeworld. While I'm glad the Remaster came out and injected new life into the series, and I can see how putting it into the HW2 engine may have been the only possible choice... it still leaves HW1 dimished, and suffering from almost all of the technical and gameplay issues you outlined here. It gets absurd when you salvage that entire three hundred ion frigate ball, as destiny demands, and then the next mission the enemy still has more.

[@ShahStark]

Great video as always!

[@Steeps444]

This explains why I've been having such a hard time with homeworld 2. I originally wanted to watch this video once I'd finally played homeworld 2 but instead I watched it to try get me back into it, now I just want to play cataclysm

[@nemz7505]

This was the first game that gave me chills, played back during original release period which seems so long ago. It's passion diminished all other similar games that never quite met the heights set by this series. Still revisit the games yearly, they are so linked to my own psyche just the music from the HW3 trailer had my hairs a tingling again ;)

[@AppleBear033]

Another mention of the Dead Space franchise - Do I smell a series retrospective on the way? Cos that'd be fantastic. Keep up the great work!

[@Birbface]

I had the first one when it was released and I love it still. Last played it maybe 6 years ago and I always use the same game guide to complete it. By the final mission I've got a ball of 100+ capital ships and the final fight is a sight to see.

[@gunny738]

When I have played Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak for first time Ive felt so moved by the story and soundtrack. And this emotion continued when I played Homeworld 1,2.... Story, soundtrack, gameplay are all perfect. I am in love with Homeworld universe...

[@ZedZed9PluralZA]

That was really a very insightful and detailed overview. Must say that I did quite like the space opera plot of Homeworld 2 though.

[@callemdavies8992]

With so many beautiful hulls to utilise and expand on - I've always wanted to see a "peacetime" version in this universe - trading, diplomacy etc. I love abject but immersive boredom as much as I love RTS. Even on a single system scale this would be gorgeous.

[@dylanmartin790]

For those that are wondering, Cataclysm is currently available on GOG as Homeworld: Emergence.

[@coldsoul333]

right on point! I forgot how long ago this game was released.

[@internisus]

I refuse to play my collector's edition copy of Remastered until the formation mechanics from Homeworld 1 are restored, but my love for the series nonetheless continues unabated. Here's hoping that Blackbird's forthcoming Shipbreakers prequel can live up to its legacy.

[@mralbum3256]

The remastered games come with the original games sans remaster, if I remember right, with all the original mechanics, graphics and whatnot, including the first game's formation mechanics. So you don't have to play the remastered versions if you don't want to.

[@internisus]

mralbum3256 I know that. I didn't mean that I refuse to play the *original* games included in the package. I *want* to play the remastered versions; but I want them to be better and more mechanically representative of the originals. I'm willing to wait for that.

[@mralbum3256]

Ah. Mmkay, hope it happens :)

[@igorokinamujika2073]

+internisus I guess you know by now, but they did fix the formations.

[@davidlee50]

I still have and play Homeworld. It always provides me with the ability to change my desire for 'game stimulation"/ endgame result. Freelancer, Unreal Tournament, BSO, Evochron Mercenary, etc. Keeping it simple and never needing to change.

[@George_M_]

The feeling that in each mission, literally anything could happen, is unmatched, even today. The derelict, the graveyard, suddenly having to attack en masse to save the bentusi, the sense of exploration and potential is unparalleled.

[@beardpersonvlog3366]

Homeworld was supposed to be a BSG game, not an entirely new IP. The idea was scrapped in favor of its current state due to graphics and budget constraints. The Bentusi voice actor is the actor that played the first cylon basestar in "Razor", the genetic dead end as they called it. It was an homage to the original idea for homeworld, but in my opinion, they knocked it out of the part without being BSG.

[@stevesan]

really enjoyed this. how about a deserts of kharak vid?

[@duncanmcpherson9340]

Fantastic analysis as always, thanks for keeping up the good work! I tend to agree that the second homeworld was a lot less engaging than the first, but if you want some free advice for beating the game I recommend changing strategies from direct engagements to hit and run strikes against the enemy fleet with time in between attacks repairing your capital ships. You can also abuse the enemy AI by flying your capital ships around enemy ships making them chase targets at low health while the rest of your fleet lays on the damage or flying your ships past and around enemy ships not allowing the heavy weapons to get as good a bead on you.

[@johnruthger550]

after watching this video about a week ago, i realized that the game i played a few years ago was actually homeworld 2, not the original. i remember wondering what all the hype was about, because the game didn't feel very special. it was okay, really fun, but its story didn't capture much of my attention, and story is the most important part of a game for me. i've since downloaded homeworld remastered, and NOW i can see what i was missing out on. it feels like an actual struggle, and i feel invested in the plot. great video, really in-depth. thanks for setting me on the right course. edit: despite the general "meh" feeling of homeworld 2 though, you've gotta admit, it has some beautiful fucking skyboxes