Era One is an enveloping space RTS from Homeworld modders that lets you clip together your own Mothership

If it seems like only last week that I was complaining there were too many gigantic space games, that’s because it was only last week. Since then, I have written about Kerbal Space Program 2 and Space Engineers 2, because I am nothing if not a creature of contradictions. Now, here I am writing about Era One. In my defence, it’s all your fault. Specifically, it’s TheGreatOneSea’s fault. They left a comment about Era One on our list of most-anticipated 2025 games, and reader, I Googled.

It turns out that Era One is Homeworld, but you can clip together your own fleets like LEGO models. “It’s Homeworld, but” is a formulation that unfailingly gets my hyperdrive humming, and in this case, the developers are the modding team behind celebrated Homeworld 2 mod the Complex. They also helped Gearbox with Homeworld Remastered. Yes, I still have space in my life for this space sim. But it’s the last one, you hear? None of you better recommend anything else in the comments. I’m serious. I will cry.

What excites me about Era One is actually the sound design. There’s a particular grade of radio chatter I associate with Homeworld, a special blend of tinniness and white noise that makes even the most routine NPC dialogue sound a little sinister, a little inhuman. Era One very much has that. It also has, oh, so many ship modules. Here’s some blurb to wash down that trailer.

“Era One is an innovative space-themed game that empowers players to build their own fleet from scratch. Starting with a primary core ship or base, you’ll have the freedom to construct a diverse range of capital ships, stations, floating bases, and even cities. This is made possible through the assembly of modules (referred to as cubes or bricks) that, when combined in a 3D space, give shape and function to your ship or base.

“Various types of modules will be available, each serving a specific purpose. For instance, basic modules will focus on structural integrity and customization, offering numerous variants that may expand in the future. Dedicated modules will handle resource loading, unloading, storage, and energy production. Hangar modules will enable the creation of fighters, cruisers, battleships, while other modules will manage your population, offensive and defensive weaponry, and subsystems.”

The developers classify Era One as “a spaceship builder and survival game set in an RTS environment”. If you’re fretting that it all sounds too sandboxy, there’s a story component as well, though it’s not clear from the Steam page how elaborate the campaign options will be.

“From the ashes of a shattered universe, a young woman’s quest for salvation sparks a journey of intrigue, danger, and discovery,” explains the blurb. The short version is that Earth’s resources have been depleted, and humans are now scattered across the solar system, warring over scraps. Genetic modification is rife, political upheaval abounds, and many people now live in space cities called “Navi Mondo”. Somebody called Alya De Shars has stolen a power source and is embarked on a secret mission to find “a fresh beginning beyond the solar system”. Honestly, I find the worldbuilding a bit of an undecided stew, but the premise of a fateful voyage is very Homeworldy.

Era One launches on 20th February. If you’d rather not build your own ships, and you like hiding behind planets, you might prefer to keep an eye on Falling Frontier.