Display MoreTreasure from the forums! Greg14 was kind enough to post a vintage Wing Commander review from the November 1990 issue of France's Génération 4 magazine... and they were kind enough to translate it into English for everyone, too! We absolutely love when folks find and share old Wing Commander articles with us. Merci!
WING COMMANDER
Ever since Didier discovered this game at the Chicago CES last June, he has been jumping every time he hears its name. Imagine him literally leaping nearly a meter high — about his own height — in the testing room! I'll spare you the details and let him introduce what may well be the game of the year.
Since June, when I had the chance to see at the Chicago CES a piece of software that was then called Wing Leader, not a week went by without me asking for news about its progress. Well, it has finally arrived and, believe me, quite a few people are going to regret owning only an Amiga or an ST.
Available exclusively for PC, Wing Commander requires at least an 80286 processor running at 12 MHz and a VGA color monitor before it can begin to show its true potential. Add a sound card, a joystick and a more powerful machine, and the game truly comes into its own, making everything that came before it look obsolete.
Wing Commander places you in control of one of four starfighters belonging to the Terran fleet in what promises to become a conflict with an alien race. You will have to complete a series of missions, each forming part of a genuine intergalactic military campaign.
Most missions involve escort duties, protection missions, interceptions, patrols or surprise attacks against enemy bases, with the occasional journey through asteroid fields. Most of the time you are part of a squadron of fighters and must also protect your wingmen. They each have their own personalities, and this must be taken into account during missions.
Every mission begins with a briefing explaining the objectives to achieve. As in any simulation, you can select different weapons (lasers, missiles...), lock onto targets, exchange messages with your wingmen, check damage reports, engage the autopilot, and more.
Nine different viewpoints are available, giving the game incredible realism. Numerous animated sequences are inserted between missions, making the game equal to the very best science-fiction movies, such as Star Wars.
The bitmap graphics make the game feel so close to reality that when a spacecraft suddenly appears in your field of view, you grip your flight stick — well... your joystick — tightly to avoid collision or pursue an enemy.
The ships are beautifully drawn and animated, turning gracefully and leaving engine trails behind them. They resemble the X-Wings and Imperial Cruisers from Star Wars, the Enterprise from Star Trek, or the ships from Battlestar Galactica. Some vessels are over 700 meters long, and flying around them recreates the spectacular scenes that made those movies famous.
During combat, you see your shots hit their targets, and the destruction of a ship is accompanied by magnificent explosions and debris scattering through space. Likewise, if you eject, a superb animated sequence shows your spacesuit spinning helplessly in the void.
These graphical achievements are enhanced by excellent sound effects and music, perfectly synchronized and integrated into this extraordinary adventure. Owners of sound cards will appreciate the game even more, as they are very well supported, especially in stereo.
All these qualities would mean little without exceptional playability, which makes Wing Commander the game of the decade. It combines all the technical qualities of an outstanding piece of software with visuals and atmosphere worthy of the finest science-fiction films.
For me, Wing Commander gives the impression of being the first true interactive movie, and before long many of us may find ourselves competing with that young rascal Luke Skywalker. Especially since Origin, strengthened by this revolutionary programming technology, seems determined to continue down this path.
ScoresAdditional information
- Graphics: 94%
- Animation: 94%
- Sound: 73%
- Playability: 90%
- Overall Interest: 97%
- Documentation: 8/10
- Packaging: 8/10
- PC release: November 1990
- Game language: English only
