First rate space adventure
Starfight VI is an unusual but incredibly compelling sci-fi game that mixes the space combat of Freelancer and Wing Commander with first person adventuring and action to great effect. As the game is a sequel, the plot does continue on from previous games, so if you haven't played them, it might be a good idea to start at the beginning. However, for fans of the series, this is a must play. The game places you in the well worn shoes of Simon Miller, a man whose once shining career as a pilot was cut short by incompetent superiors and who now makes his living as a captain of a cargo ship. There are three main aspects to the game, the combat, the exploration and puzzle solving. Missions are intended to be completely free, with the player able to decide what approach to take, with careful consideration of their resources a necessity. The exploration aspects are fairly straightforward and open up the story's background and characters, providing insight into what really goes on inside a spaceship, and include text-based elements in the style of old text adventures. The real star of the game here is the space combat sections, which are fast-paced, hectic and suitably exciting. Although the ship handling takes a bit of getting used to, it soon becomes second nature and you'll be blasting ships from the skies with gleeful abandon. The adventure sections are not quite so successful, with puzzles that are not overly challenging or stimulating, but which are still enjoyable enough. The graphics are a mixture of superb (in the space sections) and fairly poor (in the adventure sections) and the game is slightly short, but on the whole this is a fantastic space-faring adventure that deserves to be played.
