Despite this nomadic beginning, Kiith Somtaaw isn't seeking a new, permanent home, so the actual gameplay in Homeworld: Cataclysm differs quite significantly from the earlier Battlestar Galactica template. The 17 new missions included here are more traditional to RTS game design than what came before. Instead of pushing forward to achieve an epic, long-term goal, you must work at completing more isolated goals. The game opens with some rather routine assignments, such as protecting Kushan space lanes from Turanic Raiders, but quickly takes on a grander stature with the arrival of a bio-mechanical (think Borg) entity called "The Beast" that absorbs your own vessels and uses them against you. The end result is a satisfying plot and a varied series of missions that both alters the terrain for veterans of Homeworld and provides fresh ground for newbies who wouldn't want to jump into the middle of an epic.

The feel is further altered by a number of other changes. Basic gameplay has been significantly modified with tweaks to the user interface. Those dull resource gathering episodes from the original game have been eliminated with the addition of a feature that allows you to speed up the passage of time. Another significant change, one that makes Cataclysm a great deal like its RTS brethren, is represented by the introduction of Support Units that limit the number of each type of unit you can build. While this makes a certain amount of real world sense, and prevents players from simply cranking out endless numbers of preferred vessels, this also turns ships into the stereotypical throwaway assets that populate other real-time games. Where Homeworld stressed the importance of conserving vessels because of the limited number of resources available in space, Cataclysm is more about getting the most out of every ship during its limited lifespan and then building a replacement.

Other needed additions include the ability to issue waypoint commands. This is a nice touch, though some missions seem to require this of patrolling vessels just to show off the new feature. Unit statistics are more readily available here. This eliminates some of the mystery that was an essential part of Homeworld, but allows more strategic gameplay in certain instances. Being able to check on an enemy's damage is a welcome option that strategy gamers are accustomed to from other titles. Ships can be ordered to assume certain profiles, and even guard other vessels in a number of effective formations. Escort duty was never so much fun before.