Best Space Sim: Independence War
In a genre in which Hollywood-style glitz is all too often the focus, it took physics to make a standout game. Past space sims have played out more like WWII dogfights, with attempts at realism often sacrificed for gameplay. (Physics aren't totally new to space sims, but while Virgin's Shuttle was impressive, the realism didn't exactly make for fast-paced action.) Now UK-based developer Particle Systems has proved that you can have realistic space physics and great gameplay.
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It's not just the physics that make Infogrames' Independence War the best space sim this year; there's also great mission design behind it. Rather than the "fly to a waypoint and kill everything there" missions found in other games, Independence War gives you tasks such as neutralizing an antimatter bomb or using a remote-controlled freighter to destroy a space station. While the intership battles do sometimes become turn-and-shoot fights, there's often an element of naval warfare to them as well. And the software graphics engine - the best we've ever seen - was bolstered by superb 3Dfx enhancement in the US release.
Descent: Freespace also proved to be an excellent game, featuring some of the best wingman AI to hit the genre. But it was too derivative of previous space sims. The more original Independence War, in light of its innovative design and great gameplay, clearly led the field and earned the award.
Runner-up: Descent: Freespace, Interplay
Next: Strategy Game of the Year
