User Rating: 9.4 | Freespace 2 Gold PC
Space flight sims have a bad rap in the history of gaming. In the "Best Games of All Time" list, you see a score of RTS, FPS, and RPG games. Very few flight sims have entered the lineup or been given the nod they deserve. Freespace 2 deserves such a nod. This review is done in 2004, yet the game came out in 1999. I STILL play this game. The single player missions are fun, yet confusing at times. I find that the multiplayer is where this game shines the most. I keep trying to convert my LAN friends into FS2 players, but have yet to succeed. They are missing out on several modes of play, including dogfight deathmatches, team dogfights, last man standing (limit respawns), co-op play (work together to take down dreadnoughts or waves of fighters), and player-created missions (FS2 comes with FRED2, the mission creator). This gameplay had a solid following, but I suppose not large enough to draw the online crowd away from the other ever-popular genres. This game Freespace 2 builds upon the original game, finally realizing the potential where Freespace 1 left off. New weapon types, beam cannons mounted on capital starships (think Death Star laser on a smaller scale), and fully customizeable ship control make this a fast-paced game for any level of user. I purchased a Saitek x45 flight stick set, and mapped EVERY button to a DIFFERENT control within the game (not counting Saitek's mode switching). At the same time, a beginner can still play and do well with basic controls. I'd still pwn you with my x45, though. ; ) The full joystick support allows some amazing tactics and maneuvers that makes dogfighting in space even more fun than most atmosphere-based games. The graphics engine is dated, of course (DirectX 6, I believe), yet looks gorgeous when played on my ATI 9600 Pro. THIS GAME HAS NEVER CRASHED ON ME. I have never been kicked to the desktop, BSOD'd, locked up, or glitched. I've run it in EVERY Microsoft OS, 95 and later. It simply looks great with simple polygon models combined with unique weapon and shield effects. The space backdrop is great eye-candy, with beautiful nebulas and planets. Just throw the detail settings up to their highest, try out antialiasing, and enjoy the ride. This one works great for a LAN, since the reqirements work on just about anybody's PC nowadays. The sound is the one area that I think could have been improved upon, but still holds good worth. The sounds DO match with the devices they originate from. I most enjoyed the sound of flak cannons decimating my ship. The in-game music is fair, yet I played with my own music player running in the background. I will play this game until it no longer works on the PC, or until someone takes the lead and tops this game. I have yet to see it. The closest I have ever seen a game score is Microsoft's abandoned project Allegiance. Microsoft released the code for the game, and it is apparenlty freeware on the web now, with persistent gaming content. It is hard to find this game anymore, and ever since the Digital Millenium Copyright Act had a ruling passed over it by the Library of Congress stating that software no longer available from the manufacturer is open for certain forms of duplication and free distribution, game makers have revisted former money makers to protect their assets. Interplay followed suit and offered a re-release of the the game (at original release price of about 50 bucks), but their web site has since gone down. Check out this Gamespot article regarding their possible demise: http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/fallout3/news_6099678.html . If you can locate the game and also enjoy space flight sims, try to pick it up. Some value packs have surfaced, giving you FS1 and 2 for $10. If your LAN is suffering for a solid new game to play, this is a great competitive choice. Check out the-underdogs.org for more detailed information and a link to a FS2 demo. Depending on the state of the company, FS2 may even be available for free download there. Don't quote me on that one. : ) In the lost list of great games forgotten, I give Frespace 2 a 9.4 as king of the space shooters. Swamination
