Here's a genre that's deader than the adventure game, so dead that nobody seemed to notice its passing: the flight sim. While you can still see the occasional arcade-style flight game, will anybody ever make a game with the balance of careful joystick manuevering and complex controls that Tie Fighter mastered in 1994? This game has never been surpassed, and won't be anytime soon.
Tie Fighter is a tough game, but I don't think I've ever played a flight game, or any action game for that matter, with such an emphasis on strategy over acrobatics. While good flying skills are useful, this is a game that inspires you to think hard about how to approach each mission. If you fail a mission a few times, there are many ways to get the upper hand; the targeting system, communication with wingmen, and the balance of power between engines, shields, and lasers all give you a way to improve your chances. The controls are daunting at first, but gradually become intuitive.
This is also a game that knows what to take from the Star Wars license. The starfighters are there, of course, and Vader and the Emperor play bit roles. But you're far removed from the events of the movie; from your perspective, the evil Empire is just a benevolent superpower out to promote law and order in the far reaches of the galaxy. Sound familiar? It's supposed to. Here's an excellent essay that will really want to make you play this game.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
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