Homeworld: Cataclysm

Though it uses the same engine and similar gameplay as its predecessor, several changes were made, such as the ability to toggle time compression between normal speed and eight times faster; ship upgrades (improving armor and adding new abilities); Command Ships and Carriers receiving the ability to add external modules for ship research and fleet support; Command Ships having attack capabilities; fuel being removed from gameplay; and the sensor display can be used to issue attack orders to units. The player's Command Ship is now capable of dealing powerful attacks. The game also introduced new 3D features such as moving parts and transforming ships.

Notable unit changes include the Processor, Cataclysm's adaptation of the Resource Controller, which has medium-strength weapons to defend itself, automated repair beams to heal nearby ships and four pads to dock with Workers harvesting resources. The game's resource collectors perform the same functions that they did in the original Homeworld, however, when upgraded they can be used to capture enemy vessels, harvest crystals, and repair friendly vessels; functions that were carried out by separate, single-function ships in the first game.

Fifteen years after the events of Homeworld, the Kushan people have established themselves on Hiigara and are now governed by a council formed from the leaders of their clans, or "kiith." The Taiidan Empire has collapsed, though Imperialist remnants and their allies, the Turanic Raiders, still threaten the Hiigarans and the new Taiidani Republic.

The story begins with Kuun-Lan, a mining vessel belonging to the minor Kiith Somtaaw, joining ships from several other kiithid to repel an Imperialist attack on Hiigara. While helping a disabled destroyer defend itself against a Turanic Raider assault, the Kuun-Lan finds a derelict beacon pod that does not resemble any known technology. Their Kiith-Sa (clan leader) insists that the find be kept secret due to the political advantage it might provide and sends the science ship Clee-San to help study it. However, as research begins, a strange virus begins to overtake the ship, and the Kuun-Lan is forced to jettison the affected section to avoid being completely overrun.

The game received "generally favorable reviews", according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. Samuel Bass of NextGen called it "one of those rare sequels in which more of the same is definitely a good thing." Brian Wright of GamePro's website-only review said that the game "shows what can happen when developers listen to the fans and make changes according to their suggestions and complaints. While the gameplay remains the same, the new features and improvements make Homeworld: Cataclysm even more enjoyable the original."

The staff of Computer Gaming World nominated it as the best strategy game of 2000, although it lost to Sacrifice. The game was also nominated for the "Strategy Game of the Year" award at GameSpot's Best and Worst of 2000 Awards, which went to Shogun: Total War. It was also nominated for the "Best Graphics in a PC Game" and "Best Strategy Game for PC" awards at The Electric Playground's Blister Awards 2000, both of which also went to Sacrifice.

Homeworld: Cataclysm works on both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows XP, Vista, and 7 after being patched to version 1.01. However, as with its predecessor, graphical glitches frequently occur when not using the software renderer. OpenGL may be enabled by running the game in compatibility mode of Windows NT 4.0 (Service Pack 5). The game is locked at a 4:3 aspect ratio, however, Widescreen resolutions may be applied by editing the registry.

The Remastered Edition from Gearbox Software, the new owners of the Homeworld IP, has been updated to be fully compatible with all versions of Windows and includes both updated and original copies of both games. This collection does not include Homeworld: Cataclysm as it has been reported that the source code for this game has been lost, while others report that potentially former developers have a backup and that the audio assets are available. In February 2015, Gearbox announced that they are still interested in remaking Cataclysm, if the source code would be found. In a February 18, 2015 Twitch interview, former Cataclysm developers stated that a remake should be possible even without the Cataclysm source code but with the Homeworld Remastered engine.