Independence War™ Deluxe

Short and to point: Good game, but a bit hard to play if you're used to the second game, let alone Wing Commander or X-wing. The controls in those game are easier to master. If the controlls don't scare you add 1 star to the score.

This is for me the ultimate space sim. I belive it is for the space sim genre what System Shock is in the FPS/ RPG genre. You fly a 188m long ship, which drifts a lot (because of its mass). Since the ship has turrents and can fire in any direction. This makes the game so interessting and entertaining - its not like any other space sim I have ever played. In general the game is rather complex and one really has to get used to the many controls. Once you get the hang of it is highly entertaining and there is a great story. The add on (Defiance) is maybe even better: it introduces checkpoints during missions, so you dont have to play the complete mission again. Also it introduces a zoom for the turrets and a weapons loadout. This game is highly recommandable.

How did you know that this is a title I wanted to to see here? This game just fills my Elite/Privateer void nicely. Although it's more story based, the world is one that is just plain fun to be in. If you've got a soft spot for running a ship, this is one to check out. And for $6? Heck, I was sure GOG was going to take me for $10. I guess that leaves me $4 for I-War 2...

Despite an anemic marketing strategy and a lousy distribution system the original I-War is an awesome game. Unlike many other space sims at the time which were satisfied with the standard trope of putting you in the cockpit of a fighter, here you were in command of a starship! Of course the game has it fair share of bugs, but the refreshing gameplay lets you overlook these issues. Gameplay wise the games true inertia engine forces you to plan out your approaches and tactics before hand. Its less seat of your pants but is satisfying in its own right. I am stoked that this has made it into GOG allowing it to live another day!

As a long time sim player (I started with TIE Fighter and some Hornet sim on my PowerMac back in the day) I must say I am very impressed with this! So impressed that I was driven to write this my first review on GOG. I have not tried this game in Arcade mode and I recommend all pilots leave the game set to the default "Simulation" mode based on what I read in the manual. Taking away the simulation features would make the game less enjoyable. The inertial vectors when flying remind me of such classics as Elite/Frontier Elite 2 - which has become one of my favorite abandonware titles. Not to fear though - the default piloting has an assisted mode whereby the ship computer helps you maneuver by firing thrusters to "assist" getting you moving in the direction you're pointing. For some really interesting combat you can turn this assist off (N key) - your ship will continue along its original vector allowing you to rotate around, firing from both fore and aft particle cannons - using the a and z keys to make adjustments. Very cool! So far the story and cutscenes are very cool and the story is well delveoped - and the graphics are way ahead of their time. Be sure to read up on the external view keys for maximum enjoyment.