Homeworld

Upon the discovery of an ancient galactic map inscribed with the words "our home," the people of Kharak began construction of a massive mother ship and fleet to traverse the galaxy and reach their long-rumored home world. Players construct, maintain, and control the Kharak fleet through 16 challenging single-player missions or against fellow humans on Sierra's WON.net online gaming service. During the solo campaign, you'll face literally hundreds of enemy vessels. All friendly and enemy ships, ranging from small, yet dangerously quick interceptors to the powerful, though expensive destroyers and heavy cruisers, are rendered with exquisite detail; further, expect plenty of impressive visual effects, from the glowing ship exhaust to fiery explosions. Adding to the pluses, Homeworld's thoughtful interface design eases the intense--and often complicated--resource gathering and combat situations. --Doug Radcliffe

Amazon.com Product Description
Homeworld is the next evolution of real-time strategy gaming, delivering a fresh experience in a totally 3-D universe. It gives players freedom to create new styles of play while delivering cinema-quality graphics, special effects, vividly rendered ships, and an innovative interface.

Product Description
Product DescriptionSince the discovery of the Guide Stone 100 years ago deep in the equatorial sand of our planet, Kharak, our very origins have come into question. Now, after years of technological advancement and careful study, there is one inescapable revelation: We do not belong here. From that moment of discovery on, we have dedicated ourselves to one goal - returning home. Your Past Is a Lie, Your Futures Is in Jeopardy, and You're 35,000 Light Years from HomeKharak, a barren wasteland orbiting an insignificant star, has been our home for ages. It is a planet as old as our memory. But recent genetic research suggests that we are different from all other forms of life on Kharak. Then came the discovery: an ancient tablet long hidden in the Great Banded Desert, buried within the wreckage of a half-destroyed spacecraft. We must now acknowledge the inescapable truth - we are aliens to this world. This ancient rune set our civilization on a path leading straight into the heart of the galaxy. Construction began 60 years ago on the giant Mothership that will carry thousands of our race into the unknown. In the depths of space, our enemies await our return. The journey begins now Command the smallest scout ship or your entire Armada in real-time combat for pinpoint strategic control Harvest resources from the depths of space, or try to salvage the wreckage of der

I bought Homeworld for $ at CompUSA, after it was already 2 years old. What luck! The game is engrossing. The graphics and sound are spectacular, and the game's pace is a mix of frantic battles and eerie, downright creepy exploration. There's plenty of familiar strategy to start with: build units, gather resources, and research new tech.

But it's the realistic way that you manage your ships in 3-D space, with rotation and scaling that are really intuitive once you get comfy with it, that makes this game a mindblower. I've played most, if not all, new games in the past 5 years, and this one is near the top of my value-per-hour-played list.

Get it, even if it's used.