Homeworld 3’s demo has me feeling slightly concerned about the RTS legend

Blackbird Interactive has simply launched a demo for Homeworld 3, the long-awaited third (and maybe last?) installment of the legendary RTS franchise. The demo, accessible by Feb. 15 on Steam and the Epic Video games Retailer, highlights the sport’s roguelike “Conflict Video games” mode, permitting you and your pals to play by progressively troublesome phases with randomized targets and enemies.

Picture: Blackbird Interactive

I spent a number of hours with the demo, which supplies a small vertical slice of what we are able to count on when the sport launches on Mar. 8. The demo options an abbreviated model of the Conflict Video games mode with simply three phases, but it surely does embrace the total development system that shall be current within the retail model of Homeworld 3, which lets you unlock new ships and cosmetics. As an added bonus, any development that gamers make through the demo will carry over to the retail model of the sport.

The demo serves as a superb showcase of Homeworld 3’s technical and gameplay enhancements, however various irritating points have considerably shaken my confidence in studio Blackbird’s capabilities in delivering a follow-up to a beloved franchise chained to greater than 20 years’ value of expectations.

Picture: Blackbird Interactive

Whereas the demo could also be consultant of an older construct of the sport, I bumped into issues like notably cumbersome digicam controls and questionable pathfinding. A key addition in Homeworld 3 is terrain in area that’s meant to offer a tactical benefit to your models. Nevertheless, this function usually resulted in my models having problem discovering probably the most direct path to a goal. The in-game digicam additionally struggles to offer one of the best view, usually clipping into the terrain and obscuring models. This difficulty is made worse by the painfully gradual controls, which rotate and zoom at a glacial tempo, even with their sensitivity dialed up. It’s potential that these considerations have already been addressed by Blackbird Interactive, however seeing them within the demo left me questioning the sort of recreation we must always count on roughly 4 weeks from now.

Picture: Blackbird Interactive

Regardless of its points, I nonetheless loved the Homeworld 3 demo and respect the immense effort Blackbird Interactive is placing into this title. In case you’d wish to strive the sport out for your self, be sure to take a look at the demo earlier than it leaves on Feb. 15.