Haegemonia: Legions Of Iron - PC Games

The initial Earth-Mars conflict amounts to little more than training scenarios that eventually enable you to get to grips with the game's interface. It all works relatively smoothly, with quick commands issued via the mouse, supplemented by keyboard commands for launching different maps, tactical views etcetera. There's plenty of information to get your head round as the game advances, but fortunately, you can pause the game and still issue orders, which take effect when you release the pause button. This enables you to keep up when managing several squadrons of spacecraft.

Graphically, there is much to enjoy, and you'll find yourself getting wiped out a few times early on, as your focus drifts onto admiring the solar flares and planets. After the initial pleasures, you get to grips with the meat of the game, which involves some basic resource management on planets, with defending and capturing planets a critical part of the game, plus the all important epic space battles. In addition to your standard forces, Heroes are available and can be assigned to one of your space squads as a commander, or designated as Governors of planets. These heroes add a real sense of involvement; they develop skills and experience as you progress.

Haegemonia has a well thought out single-player campaign that is complemented by extensive multi-player options. If you've been struggling to find a decent space RTS to occupy your time since playing Homeworld, then Haegemonia could be exactly what you have been waiting for. --Jason Weston