From the controls through to the B-grade movie story (and it's still good, mind you) this is everything I would have expected from another Freelancer title. And OMG other developers take note - THIS game shows you how to have customisable controls and UI. The options are well organised, and nigh limitless in scope.
Haegemonia (hegemonia) is one of those games that totally slipped under the radar. I first played it only because a friend had bought a 3-game pack that had this title included, seemingly as an afterthought. If you are jonesing for a good space RTS to plug the hole left by Homeworld, then this certainly has what it takes. However, attempting to directly compare to Homeworld is problematic - it really is a totally different type of game. It starts you out in a few sandbox type training missions, which are slotted into the story much the same way the Great War (Freespace) did - a relatively minor skirmish between factions is rudely interrupted by a far more significant event. The control scheme and interface are very reminiscent of Homeworld, which is a bonus because learning a new interface for every game in a given genre is an annoying chore, which makes Haegemonia easy to pick up and navigate if you already have your head around the basics from Homeworld. I think this is a smart choice by the developers because the interface is supposed to be 'invisible' to the player, only the content of the game is what matters. If you've bought/tried this game and are getting frustrated at the first missions, then think of it like high school - it gets MUCH better. The first missions are more confusing because there are few ships to control, and it isn't immediately obvious as to how to control your units (once more units are present, it becomes intuitive). Haegemonia has a large emphasis on research and development of technology, but you are always given few research points (RP), usually enough to fill out 1-2 tech trees (of 4). You are supposed to make key decisions and specialise, rather than attempting to diversify too much*. This game, whether by intention or by accident, REALLY rewards strategic thinking and cunning. I'll illustrate this with an example: In the early missions you are given a mining drill that you are meant to take to an asteroid field to harvest. The objective is to collect resources and strike a battle station (which at early levels of tech isn't a simple affair). Instead, take your drill and a few strike forces to greedily harvest EVERY asteroid (about 4 of them) and deny the AI access. Since your resources and research are persistent - you'll have those additional funds later. Similarly, if your corvettes are heavily damaged during the assault on the space station - send them home to be either repaired or recycled instead of sending them on a suicide mission. [* Later in the game, there are two research upgrades that reduce the price of research. Until you get those, being frugal with research will increasingly benefit your RP total, as each project is reduced by 5% and then a further 15% with these. Also - even further in the game is a means of getting research for half-price. Never pay full price! (By the endgame, I can have every tech tree filled, and the game was never designed for this to be possible - as the research screen doesn't scroll so projects can't even be selected since the screen is already filled with existing tech. Your godlike force will be devastationgly powerful (and yet, the AI will still give you pause due to scaling).] A note also on the graphics. For a ~2003 game, the graphics are incredible. If you zoom in on a destroyed battleship or station, you get to witness a giant pyrotechnical display accompanied by a very satisfying and crunchy explosion. After your elite strike team (With all its veterancy) nails another pack of enemy ships - you can watch your enemy burn with extreme satisfaction. This kind of strategy is useful throughout the game - and the result is an incredibly enjoyable game that leaves you feeling like you've totally outsmarted both your enemy and the developers. The major downside, is much like Homewordld: you've steamrolled your way through the enemy's forces, and crushed the final objective and then ... That's it, you win. You're left hanging for more every playthrough.
