Games

Home > Listing Index > Games > Homeworld Universe

	Games - Homeworld Universe

The Homeworld Universe is the world of the computer game series published by Sierra Entertainment and created by Relic Entertainment in 1999 and of its various fans' works of art and fiction. It is a unique universe and the games it belongs to are so far the only successful 3D space RTS games in the entire gaming industry. Heavily influenced by popular science fiction and the history of the Middle East and Central Asia, it is one of the best examples of space operas in gaming.

The only official work produced in the Homeworld Universe is that of the games and the material associated with them (i.e., strategy guides and manuals). The first of these games known simply but definitively as Homeworld details the journey of the Kushan, a race of humanoids who have spent all of their known history on an inhospitable desert world known as Kharak. With the discovery of an artifact in the desert the Kushan now know themselves to be native to another world, known by the ancient word Hiigara "home". The ensuing journey home brings them into danger and reveals the origin of their mysterious exile and ends in their confrontation with the powerful Taiidan Empire.

The second game, Homeworld: Cataclysm, developed by Relic Entertainment's associate, Barking Dog Studios, follows one of the small factions known as a kiith within the Kushan. This kiith, known as Kiith Somtaaw plays a small part in the role of the galaxy until they stumble upon a dangerous and ancient alien lifeform, known simply as "The Beast" which they accidentally unleashed on the galaxy. No longer just a minor part in interstellar affairs the Somtaaw must confront the enemy that is their responsibility and rid the galaxy of it. In this sudden crisis enemies become allies and allies enemies as the Somtaaw search for a way to stop the Beast.

The third game follows one hundred years after the events of Homeworld: Cataclysm, which seem to have little bearing on what has happened since. Again developed by Relic the third game was simply titled Homeworld 2 and again follows the Kushan, this time as they try to preserve the empire they've built up since the fall of the Taiidan against the nomadic space raiders known as the Vaygr. This event, which seems but a political and military struggle at first, will eventually lead them to the greatest weapon known to the galaxy and show the Kushan the way to their destiny.

Motifs and Common Threads

The games show several common threads. One is that they all follow one race, the Kushan, who apart from all other races seem to have a way of shaping history. In the first game they rise from small beginnings to victory against the greatest power in the galaxy. In the second game they contain an enemy so horrible that more powerful races abandoned hope of fighting it. In the third game they try to preserve their old order and despite losing everything they recover majestically and from the ruins bring an era of peace and justice.

In addition, the games also seem to all be connected in that the future comes from the past. In Homeworld the Kushan rediscover their original world of origin from an ancient rock known as the Guidestone and recover their lost technology from the ruins it was buried in. In Homeworld: Cataclysm the Beast is found in an ancient derelict and its flagship is all that remains of an ancient species from another galaxy. In Homeworld 2 the Kushan discover that their hyperspace technology owes itself to another ancient species and that the most powerful warship of all requires three ancient cores to awaken it.

Finally, another motif is that hyperspace seems to play a great role than simply transportation. The Taiidan decimate Kharak for no better reason than the violation of a treaty signed by the Kushan guaranteeing that the Kushan would not develop hyperspace technology. The Beast is thought to have originated in hyperspace where it latched on to the Naggarok. The three great Progenitor hyperspace cores needed to awaken the Sajuuk (ship) are more powerful than regular ones and can jump greater distances through hyperspace.

The Music

The music of the Homeworld series has long been acknowledged as some of the best presented in gaming. The original soundtrack for Homeworld was even released on CD and included all the songs of the game including the the main theme song. This was Agnus Dei, the choral version of Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings. The popular credits song, Homeworld: The Ladder by music group Yes was not included on this CD, but is easily extracable from the game files.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Homeworld Universe ]

Searches on eBay

homeworld universe