Firstly, before I say anything about the game; let me state for the record that I'm a dedicated Wing Commander fan - I've played quite literally every game in the series, and still cerish them today, even with hit games like the Ace Combat series starting to rise through the Playstation elite. That said; the review:Wing Commander is a space-flight simulation game with a unique twist in its story: it's highly moldable to your personal preformance during missions, and actions you take between. Unlike other games, your wingmen behave quite realistically; each one has an individual personality, and their personalities adapt based upon their experience flying with you. As an example; if you decide to take a rookie pilot under your wing, the commands you give him will gradually shape his personality, and the choices he makes in combat (going in full afterburners, like the infamous Maniac, or more conservative and judgemental of the current situation, like other favorites from the original such as Iceman or Angel.)
The story itself picks up where the last game in the series left off; the Kilrathi threat has been nullified, but skirmishes between the border colonies and inner confederation break out continuously; with the confederate not wanting to act descisively in the matter. Not much more can be said regarding without ruining the story, but suffice to say it's masterfully plotted and there are plenty of twists and turns that will throw you for a loop. If that's not enough; there are a multitude of different outcomes; indeed, different campaigns, that are chosen by your actions. Talk about replay value... you could play the game through three or four times and have a completely different experience each time. Best yet; there's finally a game in which your wingmates aren't simply indispensable drones meant only to draw fire; you live and die as a team in this game; and characters do indeed die... permanently. A wrong action, or reckless command can potentially kill untrained wingmates, and adds to the excellent depth and realism of the game.
The graphics are great; there's really no other way to put it. The details are amazing, without being over-blocky, and the game never once dropped below a very respectable 40-fps. The in-game cinamatics are absolutely amazing in quality; although some of the acting leaves a bit to be desired for. Acting - that's right. For those of you who have't played the prequel to this game, it has an actual directed cast that play out the multitude of scenarios, adding even more depth.
Sound and music, sadly, do not greatly contribute to the excellence of the game. While the sound is quite alright for a standard space-shooter, the music has never really been the series' finest points. That said, it's not unbearable, it just could have used a boost.
The bottom line is simple: if you're looking for an extremely realistic space combat simulator with depth and an actual story line, look no further. The replayability will serve you well, and you'll love this game for a long time. Dedicated hardcore fans of the series will go absoultely nuts over this gem. If you're the casual gamer; take a look at this game: you stand to like it a lot if you get to know it.
