Independence War 2: The Edge of Chaos Preview
We dive into the plot, graphics, and control of this ambitious space sim from Particle Systems.
One can only imagine what the development team at Particle Systems felt when they saw the sales numbers for the original Independence War. The team worked incredibly hard to make sure the game was ready for its August 1998 release, and when it finally made it to store shelves, Independence War received widespread acclaim from gaming publications. But for some reason the mainstream gaming public just didn't latch onto the game. Some thought that the game itself was a little too complex for their tastes, while others cited the lack of a multiplayer mode to be the source of their discontent. Regardless of the reason, Independence War just didn't appeal to a wide audience, but it developed a cultlike following that undoubtedly motivated Particle Systems to go to work on a sequel. After two years of hard work and repeated attempts to figure out what could be improved and added to make the Independence War universe more appealing, Particle Systems presented us with the beta version of Independence War 2: The Edge of Chaos. Although a number of refinements still need to be made, such as cutting down on the long load times, Independence War 2 should have no problems succeeding where its predecessor failed, because it has a dynamic story, expanded gameplay, incredible visuals, and, of course, multiplayer features.
One of the most common complaints about the first Independence War is that the story is too rigid. Fortunately, Particle Systems is paying special attention to the storyline not only to make sure that it flows and keeps pace with the in-game action, but also to ensure that you connect with the game's characters. Independence War 2: Edge of Chaos starts out with a wonderfully detailed cinema, which shows Cal, the protagonist, and his father mining an enormous asteroid in two separate ships. After a few minutes, Cal's father tells his son to go home, presumably so he can finish up his work and then quickly follow him back, but you soon learn this isn't the case. After Cal leaves the asteroid, you learn that his father is involved with loan sharks, as three of their ships approach the asteroid and demand that he repay his debts. Realizing that he's in a no-win situation, Cal's father detonates his ship and takes out two of the loan sharks' ships, but the leader of the gang manages to get away. Unfortunately, Cal witnesses all of this firsthand and later decides to venture into space along with his newfound computerized companion, Clay, so he can find out more about his family's past. Unfortunately, Cal gets into trouble after a few brief missions,, and he is placed into a labor camp where he is kept for 15 years until he manages to escape - thanks to some friends he met on the "inside." From that point on, whatever Cal decides to do in space or whatever course of action he takes is entirely up to you, but don't be surprised if you find yourself uncovering an enormous government conspiracy.
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- Atari
- Particle Systems
- Space Combat Sim
- Release: Aug 22, 2001
- ESRB: Everyone
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