X-Wing Alliance - Oh me, oh my. This is a top notch space sim, and one that in my youth I played a LOT. I was never fortunate enough to have played the original X-Wing, or Tie Fighter, or even X-Wing VS Tie Fighter, though I've heard nothing but praise, but this one here? The last one they made before the X-Wing series sort of disappeared? This was the game I brought a flightstick especially to play. Mostly because you couldn't play it without a flightstick... I tried and the game itself slapped me upside the head and refused to even load up without a flightstick. Starting from just after the Battle of Hoth, you start this game, not as an ace Rebel pilot, or even a dreaded Imperial pilot, but as the youngest son of a family of civilians just trying to get by, maybe offering a little support to the rebels on the side, as you do. Of course, evens in the game eventually force your hand, and naturally an alliance with the Rebels is made, but it felt very natural to me. Won't give anything more away... other than that this game's climax, which is revealed on the box art so it's not much of a spoiler, is that the finale involves the Battle of Endor. That's right, you get to take part in that finale, epic space battle and even, as an added bonus, get to try your hand and traversing the bowels of the second Death Star. Are you the next Wedge Antiles? Or Lando? Or are you one of those nameless mooks who died before you got to reach the core? Naturally, I was such an ace pilot that I reached the core and escaped, cementing my name in the halls of fame... actually I slowed down too much to make a turn and was rammed into from behind. Sad thing was... I don't think it was a Tie pilot that rammed into me, I think it was one of the other X-Wing pilots. -_- Well, that's my humorous story of the past. I do, HEARTILY, recommend you grab this game. I still have the physical copy of the game and won't let it go, that's how much I think of this epic space simulator. BUY IT NOW!
