Released in 1999, Freespace 2 is generally regarded as one of the best space sims ever made. But it’s worth bearing in mind that, for a long time, Freespace 2 didn’t have much competition. In the 2000s, space sims almost disappeared completely, with only a handful of notable titles like Freelancer, X3, and EVE Online appearing through that decade. Freespace 2 was the last of the great ’90s space sims, and there appeared to be little new coming out that could challenge it.
Since 2010, however, the situation has changed. Space sims have seen a welcome resurgence, with major projects like Elite Dangerous, No Man’s Sky, and Star Wars: Squadrons careening out of hyperspace alongside a swarm of indie titles like Evochron Mercenary, Everspace, and House of the Dying Sun. Can a 20-year-old space combat simulator really hack it against these newer, glossier, more powerful vessels?
I don’t want to spoil the ending, but the answer is a resounding ‘yes’. Not only is Freespace 2 still fantastic, it remains astonishingly fresh.
Playing Freespace 2 does initially come with a side of narrative whiplash, especially if you haven’t played the first game – the somewhat awkwardly titled Descent: Freespace. Set 32 years after The Great War depicted by Descent, Freespace 2 drops you smack into the middle of a brewing conflict between a humanalien coalition named the Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance, a rebel human splinter-faction called the Neo-Terran Front, and another, much more dangerous alien faction known as the Shivans – the primary antagonists of the first game.
WTF?
Denne historien er fra June 2021-utgaven av PC Gamer.
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Denne historien er fra June 2021-utgaven av PC Gamer.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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BITING BACK
The tooth is out there in adventure TEETH OF GLASS
SMOKE ALARM
THE INVISIBLE SMOKE FACTORY is back in a Flash
MECH ME OVER
Move over Mario, here's mech-based platforming in ARMORED SHELL NIGHTJAR
"I like Pillars of Eternity better than Baldur's Gate III"
PILLARS OF ETERNITY deserves a bigger space in the CRPG pantheon
"A harrowing dark fantasy about hapless, bright-eyed children"
Spelunking into hell with MADE IN ABYSS: BINARY STAR FALLING INTO DARKNESS
THE IMMORTAL LOCK
A massive, meaty game in a single horrific Quake map.
NEW MANOEUVRES
Building a dedicated sim racing space in an average family house
OVERWATCH 2
Save me space girl.
REET GOOD TIME
THANK GOODNESS YOU'RE HERE is a riotous recreation of Yorkshire
THE PLUCKY SQUIRE
How many games let you make friends with a MtG card?