Boldly explore the universe
Sci-fi buffs looking for an epic game where they can stretch their imagination and engage in tactical empire-building, space combat and colony management may just find what they want in Haegemonia. This Gold Edition combines the original Legions of Iron with the later multi-player expansion The Solon Heritage to provide a solid, well-rounded package that offers good value. Story-wise, the game puts players in the middle of a war between Earth, the colonists of Mars and an alien race seeking to capitalise on the conflict to pursue their own ends. Similar to Homeworld in many respects, Haegemonia gives players a fleet of craft and tasks them with exploring the galaxy, colonising and terraforming worlds, researching new technologies and of course dealing with aggressive aliens and the odd black hole or asteroid field. Add in features such as spy networks and a genuine sense of awe and adventure as you reach out into the unknown, and you have a fantastic addition to the genre, which compares favourably with Homeworld, the acknowledged benchmark. Battles are exciting and tense and remain one of the best examples of space combat, while the strategy elements are suitably deep enough to challenge even experts. Graphics and sound too stand up well, with detailed visuals and a stirring score that lend greatly to the cinematic nature of the game. This really is a fine package which has stood the test of time and is crying out for a modern sequel.
