If you can find a copy, BUY IT! If you own a copy, Treasure it. And hope that it'll run in all future OS incarnations.
I'd just back away slowly, smiling.
Freespace 2 is a space combat simulator in the best sense of the genre. The physics aren't exact like they are on the Independence War series -although that was a really good game as well. But this oversight will be rendered moot when you begin this adventure.
The storyline has been covered in the GS review and subsequent ravings about the game. The most recent is by Matthew Rorie in his, "Greatest Games of All Time," editorial. However, let me add that the timing of the missions combined with outstanding voice acting by veteran actors Robert Loggia (Independence Day (1996) .... General William Grey), Ronny Cox (Total Recall (1990) .... Vilos Cohaagen), Kurtwood Smith ("That '70s Show" (1998) TV Series .... Reginald "Red" Forman), Stephen Baldwin, and others make it an even more dramatic game that I originally thought. There's also the fact that if you do some things different in certain missions, the future missions will change. Dynamic plot direction is another addition to the already fun game.
The visuals are top of the line for the era that this game was released. That said, they still look pretty darn sharp. The one thing that the creators did was use the concept of the vastness of space to their advantage. The capital ships are big. Really big. Almost the size of a small moon in comparison to your little fighter as you're running from multiple enemy ships. These big ships have bite as well. The addition of enormous beam and flak cannons makes you well aware of how deadly they are -and compel you to hit your boosters to get out of Dodge! Also, the ship's architecture differences when compared to the races that built them shows the mighty separation of the cultures. The human ships look blocky and functional, but not very showy. The Vasudan vessels look sleek and serene as they travel across the stars. The Shivan ships look sharp, dark and menacing; almost hungry for combat.
The audio also is a wonder to behold. When a flak cannon opens up on you, you hear the flak eject from the guns, then you hear a thunderous booming as the projectiles slam into your shields. When a capital ship exits from a hyperjump near your ship, it sounds like an enormous windstorm just arrived on your shoulders. And when you gain upgrades to your weaponry, your guns and missiles sound eager to wipe out every object in their way.
The control setups are easy to learn and the AI isn't too shabby, either. However, my personal preference is with a flight stick (Saitek Cyborg). Targeting friendlies, enemies, primary and secondary objectives are done with ease.
Then, there's FRED. A mission creator that is so easy to use. As easy as MS Paint. Almost.
Then, there's the cutscenes. The nebula battles. The covert missions in captured enemy ships.
I could go on, but I'm going to play this again. Get this game. They don't make them like this anymore.