Space has always been a prime frontier for games to explore. Whether it be the heroic story of Master Chief or the subtle dread of the Metroid games. It has been used as the backdrop for many great stories. But one game and story that stands out from the rest, for its ability to convey emotions is Homeworld. The first instalment to be specific, as it tells a tragic tale of loss and finding hope when all is lost. It is truly a testament to video games as a medium to convey stories. But its narrative is not the only reason behind the game’s cult classic status. As the recent entries from the series have fallen short in every way. The main reason the first game was so popular was the well-crafted RTS mechanics that supported the story. And while the mainline titles might have failed to recreate that feeling, it seems the recently announced STARHOME is ready to take up that mantle.
STARHOME from the currently available information and trailer, seems to be following directly in the path of Homeworld. That is until you realize that both the games have a very different take on a core aspect, that being motherships. As compared to previous games, STARHOME’s developer Tense Games seems to be putting more emphasis on the mothership by making it a mobile base of sorts. Where players can put buildings to create resources, research technology, and create military ships. This seems to be the micro aspect of the game, while the macro aspect will be to travel with the ship to other planets in the galaxy to look for resources, survivors, or answers. All the while controlling your fleet to ensure nothing happens to the mothership as it is the lifeline of the game.
Another key aspect of the game will be the management of space, as the mothership only has limited space to build. This means you will have to make hard choices, from deciding whether it’s better to get resources for the crew or to create more ships. Alongside this, the scarcity of certain resources needed for major construction will also limit what you can build. Resulting in a stressful atmosphere through gameplay decisions alone. Which has always been the hallmark of a truly great RTS. That being said it is still yet to be seen how these mechanics are implemented in the game fully. And if they will have other supporting mechanics to spice up the gameplay or not. Which will be needed if the game hopes to avoid the pitfalls faced by other games in this sub-genre.
Ultimately, the game is still too early in development to know if these concerns will be addressed or not. But from what the developer Tense Games has shown, it seems like the game is shaping up to be something special. But it remains to be seen if they will manage to meet the expectations of the fans or if they will crash and burn like the rest.
Wishlist STARHOME on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1252070/STARHOME/
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