This game is a real hidden gem. It has a terrific open world teeming with characters and things to do. Half the fun is just moving around that world - you have a jetpack and glide system that makes traversal a blast, with complete freedom of 3D movement. Exploration is rewarded too. The world itself is also clearly a labor of love with hand-crafted attention to detail throughout, and breathtaking artwork. The combat never stops being fun, with a ton of customizability to the guns which changes them into entirely new weapons. The only time the game falters is toward the end, when several noticable (but not game-breaking) bugs rear their heads, often with the audio. The story's conclusion also felt a bit rushed, and the "twists" can all be seen coming miles away. But even so, playing the game itself was such a joy and kept me utterly engaged for my 25-30 hours of playtime. This is simply a very fun game.
Elite Force was a solid Star Trek shooter set on Voyager, and Elite Force II is more of the same, in a good way. Set aboard the Enterprise E, you'll be shooting it up in the alpha/beta quadrants with new weapons alongside more Trek actors reprising roles. What's not to love?
Falcon 4, including the essential free mod BMS, is still the pinnacle of flight sims. Astounding detail and a groundbreaking and untopped dynamic campaign means this game can be played for a lifetime. For the price you pay, Falcon 4+BMS is like highway robbery for how much you get. You'll be manually starting up the F-16, inputting information in your data cartridge, responding to fully modeled traffic control at one of a dozen airports, taking off, and getting into dogfights or bombing radar sites with an AI or real-life squadron, all within a mission you designed yourself that influences a fully simulated military campaign happening in real-time. BMS adds more planes, too. Want to fly an F/A-18c Hornet off the deck of a carrier? How about an AV-8B Harrier? You can do it. If you want the most realistic military flight experience, period, you should be getting this game. This is not for the faint of heart or those looking for a game like Ace Combat though: you need to learn every button and switch, every system and procedure. It's more fun than it sounds, trust me!
