The game is simple but a lot of fun to play. Love the cell shaded art style. Even though the graphics are simple, effects such as wind and rain bring the world to life. I installed this on a modest, mini computer, and the game hangs constantly. The computer is a old, tiny, business machine with a i5 and 16gb. The first time I launched the game it hung straight away. The game hangs every time after about every three islands, or 10 minutes. I give the game 5 stars for the fun factor. Honestly, I give it 2 stars for play-ability right now. I will install it on a machine with a lot more power, (and a GTX 1080) and see if it runs better. I just installed the game yesterday, so maybe a patch will come along soon.
I bought it years ago on the Matrix site. It is a 2D game but you have a lot of options that other games don't offer, like designing your own ships and starbases. You can micro manage as much as you like, or let the AI handle whatever you feel like. There is a options screen to take control of how the AI handles different tasks as well. If you start a game in the pre-warp period the game can be a slow starter, but very rewarding. There are a ton of ways to set a game up though, with a lot of options. The star map is huge, it really feels like you are in a living galaxy. After many hours of gameplay, you will not have explored the whole map. There are many types of resources, trade, diplomacy, spies, ship boarding, planetary assault, blockade, etc. The Pirates are nasty, you can pay them off or fight them, but they are not pushovers by any means. If you don't like the Pirates, you can play without them if you wish. My favorite thing is to design huge starbases with gas extractors and docking bays for repair and put them in a nebula or a gas cloud. My fleets can hit and run and get fixed up at the starbase a lot quicker than returning to a planet I control. The only thing I don't like about the game is sometimes I will have long stretches where my economy is in the red, and I am not sure what to do to fix it. I think it is when I expand too quickly, and the maintenance costs outweigh my income. By the time you get 3-4 hours into a game your economy really starts to boom, and it is the most fun part of the game where you can build huge fleets of ships and dominate the galaxy.
Not a bad RTS game, but falls a bit short compared to classics such as Supreme Commander or the Stronghold games. That's OK. The visuals are very nice, such as explosions and the dust clouds that the vehicles kick up as they speed across the desert. Research is very shallow, the maps are small, and there really aren't that many unit types in the game. The units are very similar between factions. There are two resources you must gather, but they are often found right next to each other. I'm glad I bought the game, since I am a RTS junkie and a Homeworld fan from since it first was released. I was dying to get this game when I first heard about it, which may explain my disappointment. Since I will not use Steam, this is my first chance to get my hands on it. Thanks GOG.
I would first point out that RPG's are not my favorite genre as far as games go. I'm more a strategy nut, real time or turn based, love them both. That said, I buy a few RPG's a year and put a bit of time into them. It's important to me to make the right choice when picking a role playing game because I don't want to waste my time. So I've put about 15 hours into this title so far and I've enjoyed the experience to this point. The games opening sequences are dam near worth the price alone. The travel distances between towns are not too far, yet it still seems like you have traveled. Long boring walks are a turn off for me. Also I find a little action along the way by wandering into the countryside along the way. The "Pawns" are not very interesting to me, I just think of them as travel companions, but you must switch them out fairly often to have the best chance of realizing your objectives. I prefer companions that I can kind of get to know, or develop a connection with. Not a deal breaker though, and it is a unique feature of this game. The combat is fun, and easy to pick up on, I was slaying monsters from the get go. The world is very detailed and realistic to me, I guess I've mostly played some older RPG's though, but I am impressed with it. The art style is perfect, very medieval, I love it. The castles and towns are convincing to me. The worst thing about the game is trying to quit. Its one of those games that takes you to a title screen, and after a short pause you can choose to go to the menu screen, another short pause and the exit button becomes available. I really appreciate games that have a exit to Windoze option. Its something that I am used to, but never did like or understand about games in general.
I never understood all the bad reviews for this game. I've played them all and this one is my fav of the bunch, mostly. HOMM3 has a much better random map generator, along with a decent map editor, which I do appreciate. But I must say that I also appreciate the updated graphics in 3D that HOMM5 has to offer. It is actually quite good looking for a 3D game of its era, and holds up quite well today. The game play is very similar to HOMM3, with some improvements. I might also add that this is a strategy game, not a RPG, and this nonsense of critiquing the story line is just silly. I personally prefer strategy games, where I can knock out a skirmish in a couple of hours, when I have the time. I don't worry too much about the story, its kill or get killed. I've bought and played just about every strategy game I could get my hands on, both RTS and turn based, and the HOMM series is tops in my book. I like them all, even HOMM4, but it is not my favorite of the bunch.
