I still have my original install discs for this, and it's still loaded on my hard drive. Even nine years on, it amazes me how good this game looks on a modern system. Independence War 2 did a better job of making outer space feel like outer space - as opposed to a giant, zero-gravity encounter area - than any other game I've found.
It isn't perfect. For one, the combat can be quite punishing if you're accustomed to other space sims. Don't bite off more than you can chew, and you can't chew much at all to start with. But it's good, and very much worth playing.