Hyperion Entertainment

"Freespace - The Great War" is the highly acclaimed space-combat simulator from Volition/Interplay and offers an unparalleled mix of top-notch graphics, plot and game-play.

The plot of Freespace starts off in the 14th year of the war between the Terrans and the Vasudans. Both sides quickly put aside their differences when the technologically superior Shivans join the fray. So technologically advanced are these Shivans that when you first meet them, your weapons can't even target their ships and to make matters worse, they have shield-technology and you don't. At first you have to avoid direct conflicts with the Shivans and instead embark on missions to steal their technology and uncover their secrets. Fortunately, you are not alone and your wingmen are there to back you up. You can take control of all friendly fighters and even call in reinforcements.

Freespace's graphics are truly impressive with outstanding use of colored lighting, shielding, lens flares, engine blast effects and explosions. Immense capital ships patrol through colored nebulas and asteroid fields, swarmed by hordes of attacking fighters and bombers. Explosions are particularly impressive but you may not want to stick around for the shock-wave.

The mission objectives are nicely varied and include "search and destroy", espionage missions and some epic battles with capital ships near the end of the game.

If you are into space-combat sims, you don't want to miss Freespace: it's a classic.