Freespace 2

I haven't played it all that much yet but so far this is what I've been looking for. I grew up playing X-Wing Alliance (I never played X-wing or Tie fighter) and I loved it. I've been looking for a game similar to that and this is it. I like how it is complicated with energy management and subsystem targeting and wing management. I was very pleasantly surprised at how similar this game was to my beloved x-wing game. The modding community for this game is also quite insane. There are graphics packs and total conversions for almost every sci-fi show out there. While I don't always play space sim games, whenever I get the urge this one will be at the top of my list.

I remember going over to my friend's house just to play this game for hours. I never got tired of beating it. Thankfully he enjoyed my company. Years after highschool he gave me the game as a parting gift before he moved away ;( I once again was thrilled while playing it XD. Over the years and moveing around the world with the Airforce I had lost my original copy......... ;( and was playing EVE onlines free trial and thinking to myself damm if only this game was like FreeSpace 2. I miss that game.... good games like this and Perfect Dark are rare in this life. So I googled it to see if anything came up and to my surprise I am now able to play it again. If your considering Buying and DL this game Do IT ...... You wont find a better Space Fighter game out there.

I have not played a better space combat game since I first played this in 2002 (yes I was late to the party). I did however play its predecessor for many years prior to getting it (and still do). If you are looking for a way to spend countless hours blowing up aliens on the cheap I would highly recommend this game. That said more than ten years after its release with FSO it can be made to have graphics comparable to any 2007 era game. So even for those who feel that graphics are everything (which I've never understood) this game won't disappoint. Not surprisingly it also has an incredible diverse and motivated modding community given its age. Between all the fan work and the original two games you will get many hours out of this game. That said go buy the original as well if you can (Freespace + Expansion) to help support GOG in bringing all these awesome good games back to computers everywhere.

As a long time space shooter player I can truly say, wow. Starting on X-wing and then its sequels, moving through wing commander and of course its privateer follow on and picking up the odd bits and pieces there after. I can honestly say that nothing compares to this, gaming industry take note, this is a game that even over 10 years after it was released has a vibrant modding community that shows no signs of slowing down, and they certainly helped it along with such things as a amazing built in mission editor. A note on the fanbase: This is the kind of community that treats the game seriously, discussions on the best ways to attack specific capital ships, blind spots and the like or simply the ease of landing all shots on a moving target with a specific fighters gun placement are commonplace. But don't be intimidated by all that, the game is incredible and you would be doing yourself a incredible favour in playing it, and for this price, who wouldn't? I picked it up on 3 discs originally, simply for the ease of not messing about with those I am tempted to buy the GOG version.

Once in a great while, a video game comes around that will be playable for many years to come, this is THAT game. You being a lone pilot flying your squadron throughout the stars only be dwarfed my colossal ships firing bright beam cannons upon each other, dodging enemy flak, fleeing the the shock wave of a fallen cruiser was ripped apart by your missiles and hitting your afterburners to evade the enemy after they got a deadly lock on you. You feel so small in this universe, and yet you are part of something so much bigger. The plot line is incredible, a roller-coaster of emotions, fear, panic, joy, victory. Multiple climax points and certain questions left unanswered that you sit and ponder the meaning of your existence in this game. This game is simply amazing and I have yet to find an equal. If you are thirsty for more combat after this game you can download the source code project with fan made campaigns. I hope you enjoy this game as much as I do!