FreeSpace 2
Published By: Interplay
Reviewed By Strider
9/20/99

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Fans of FreeSpace have been eagerly awaiting the next sequel in the series by Volition, slated to reach stores in early October of 1999. It wasn't until FreeSpace that I became a fan of space combat simulations. Many of the other space simulation games on the market fail to provide enough captivating graphics, strategy, action, "realistic" physics, and storyline to grab my interest. FreeSpace delivered the aforementioned items in an absolutely perfect mixture that emphasized dogfighting action and gorgeous graphics. So, what does FreeSpace 2 have to offer?

The Story:

Our story starts 32 years after the end of the Great War, where the Shivans were finally expelled with their tails between their torso (ie the end of the single player game in FreeSpace). The only jump node to Sol collapsed long ago, isolating Earth from the Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance (GTVA), a new government uniting old enemies. As the Terrans and Vasudans struggle to rebuild their civilizations, civil war erupts in the Polaris system. A rogue Terran admiral declares war against the Vasudans, and his rebellion threatens the stability of the Alliance. Without warning, the Shivans return, and the GTVA launches a crusade to eliminate their Great War nemesis. Once again, the Alliance must crush the Shivan onslaught or else face annihilation.

Gameplay:

As mentioned before, the FreeSpace series emphasizes deep space dogfighting-action against a vast array of enemy ships. I evaluated FreeSpace 2 using the demo version of the game, which includes one training mission and one combat mission. For gamers new to the series, it is very important to complete all training missions. There are many commands and keys to be learned, and to some this may be a little daunting. The training mission eases you into the combat interface, targeting controls, command controls, weapons controls, and more. For those with attention spans as short as mine, the training mission gives you enough targets to shoot at, so you won't get bored.

Once you have completed your training, it is time to start the missions. Each mission involves both primary and secondary objectives. Missions are varied, and will call on all your fighting skills. Many of the missions give you the control of one or more squadrons of fighters or bombers at your immediate disposal, and squadrons of reinforcements that can be called in if you get in a jam. For example, you can target the engines of a massive capital ship and command one of your squadrons of bombers to attack your target. It can be difficult to command ships while you have two Shivan fighters on your tail, but that's what helps make the game both challenging and entertaining. Missions in the game are sure to be as wide-ranged and flavorful as they were in the original FreeSpace: escorting and guarding convoys, running patrols through various sectors of space, destroying massive enemy capital ships, using stealth fighters to penetrate enemy lines, and more.

Graphics:

What captures the mind most about FreeSpace 2 is the visual eye candy. The beautiful graphics are not isolated to one or two special effects, but can be seen throughout the entire game. The first mission in the demo sets you on a patrol mission through a pink nebula. The graphics here can't be explained as they really must be experienced. Take a good look at some of the screenshots below. Something that was not in the demo, but has been promised, is the appearance of even bigger ships than the original FreeSpace. This is something I look forward to, because the capital ships in FreeSpace were not what I would call small. The Juggernaut in FreeSpace 2 will be over six kilometers long, and have over 80 turrets on it! Also, look forward to a broader range of ships to fly and fight, more weapons to choose from, and challenging environments like nebulas and asteroid fields. You must have a 3d accelerator to play FreeSpace 2.

Features:

• over 70 space-faring vessels
• a single-player campaign with over 30 missions
• multi-player gaming with up to 12 players that can battle in dogfight, team vs. team (8 players max.), and cooperative missions via LAN, TCP/IP, and modem
• create and customize singleplayer and multiplayer scenarios with FRED 2, the new and improved mission editor
• support for EAX, A3D, ForceFeedback, and optimization for Pentium III chips

Here are some in-game screenshots:
(Click on the pictures for a larger shot; be sure JavaScript is enabled in your browser)