Updated Review, June, 2024: So, Atari launched this in an absolutely abhorrent state. Clearly ripped abandonware, not even fully functional. It was just a mess. However, to their credit, the folks at Atari heard our cries of foul and endeavored to fix these two games: Gunship - Less crash-prone (It used to crash after the third mission, but others have now reported getting well past that). I've only gotten a few missions in before dying -- this game is TOUGH -- but had no crashes. This one still has copy protection, but they now include a reference sheet to get past it. Gunship 2000 - Now the final CD-ROM version with no copy protection. Also includes the expansion, and all the documentation, including both manuals (original and expansion), and now has proper DOSBox settings. Gunship 2000 is my favorite flight sim ever, and now it's at a state in which I can recommend it to people. It's also very playable with a gamepad! So yeah, I feel now I can recommend this pack. If you can get over the old graphics, I feel Gunship 2000 has so, so much to offer for the flight sim fan. It's my favorite helicopter sim and flight sim of all time because of its sheer variety. Please check it out, and thank you for reading. ----------------------------------------- Original Review, February, 2024: Gunship 2000 is my favorite flight sim ever. It has everything and I love it so much, so it PAINS me to give this version a one-star review, but I must. The GOG version of this game is 469.07, which is an older version of the game whick still has issues with digital sound and numerous crashes. The CD version of the game -- which is the last version I believe -- is 496.085. This is the version I have and play regularly. So again, it looks like the folks at the publisher here ripped an older, abandonware version that isn't even the final, stable CD-ROM version. The game also doesn't include all the documentation, such as the copy protection codes and documentation for the expansion. Do not buy this version at this time. Seek out the CD version if possible.
These starship simulators are ENORMOUSLY complex things, and to not include the manuals is a crime. Don't buy this until the manuals have been added.
But it's nothing without its manuals. Nothing.
One of the most unique flight sims/games you'll ever play. While it is, at its core, a flight sim, it's primarily a stealth management and evasion sim, as you'll be spending much of your time at the various stations plotting routes around radar sites, jamming radars, and shooting at targets. It's an astounding game that everyone interested in combat flight sims should own. Don't let my low play time fool you, I played this for hundreds of hours back in the day. The campaigns are brutal, but worth it. ;) That said, this collection is currently incomplete. It's missing the manuals for the two expansion packs, Operations Sledgehammer and Skymaster. I've written to Ziggurat in the hopes that they will correct this grievous error.
Imagine you're a mercenary inside of a 4X game that the computer is playing around you. This, at its bare essence, is Drox Operative. You're free to basically influence each sector however you wish, so while you'll get tons of quests, it's up to you to have a long-term goal for yourself. Do you want a military or diplomatic victory? Do you want to help the robots or the tree people? It's entirely up to you. You could even ignore these larger political machinations and just follow wherever the quests take you, and the universe will still unfold around you. Alliances will form, wars will break out, skirmishes between empires will occur and much more. This is truly a rich tapestry of choice that really is unmatched in space gaming.
This game is the best 4X because, even in the late game, you never stop doing the first 2 xs, explore and expand. This alone keeps the game fresh even in the mid and late game, when most other games bog down with micromanagement. Get this game. Just get it.
This could have been amazing. This could have been special. As one of the very few space sims with a dynamic campaign, this could've been legendary. But it wasn't. Instead, what we got was a pretty good campaign engine coupled with a horrific flight engine, meaning the missions you actually flew were exercises in frustration. It's a god damned shame, because this could've been a contender. Now, it's just a footnote.
Some might see this and go, "Isn't this just a Rainbow 6 ripoff?". Oh no, my friends, this is far, far better. In this game you play a member of a tactical SWAT team, and rather than go in, guns blazing, your goal is to be as non-violent/lethal as possible. Sometimes perps don't give you the option, and you have to shoot back, but in each level, their placement and demeanor is randomized, so replayability is astounding. This game is the cream of the crop. The best of the best.
