Homeworld 2 review

It's hard to believe that it's been four years since the brilliant first instalment of the Homeworld saga was released.

This revolutionary game ditched the boring, two-dimensional battleground of other strategy games and plunged you into atmospheric 3D - bringing a mind-boggling array of tactical possibilities.

Now the Kushan, the exiles who fought their way back to their homeland Hiigara in the original Homeworld, face another battle for survival. This time it's against the villainous Vaygr people. The Vaygr's aim is to conquer the universe, and naturally they show up at Hiigara wanting more than a quick beer and a packet of peanuts. The native Kushan are forced to withdraw tactically to another region in space, and it's up to you to ready their forces for battle.

The glorious graphics of the first game have been refined impressively to take advantage of modern graphics cards. Indeed, watching squadrons of your carefully crafted ships glide into attack formation and engage the enemy is truly stunning. Vapour trails wisp delicately across the screen, and explosions rip and burst satisfyingly through space.

The gameplay has been simplified and refined since the original game. As before, players use a display at the bottom of the screen, but there's greater emphasis on the ability to issue commands quickly. To build a new vessel, you simply press a button, rather than having to find and click on the mothership. Once fighters are created, they emerge in ready-made squadrons rather than individually.

Although the excellent tutorial furnishes you with all the basics you need to get stuck into the game, you'll still need to practise hard before you can progress through the levels. Right from the start, you're assaulted by wave after wave of enemy attacks, so you'll have to be adept at managing your overall strategy while all hell breaks loose around you!

Homeworld 2 is undeniably tough, but will reward those willing to put in the practice. Even if you've never played the original, this is the ultimate buy for space combat fans - absorbing gameplay, gorgeous graphics and a strong storyline. When you finish the single-player campaign you can even take your battles online.