What is the price of freedom?
The Wing Commander series of space flight sims is one of the true industry legends, and with its mix of cinematic storytelling and Star Wars-style combat, it offers any space fan the opportunity to live out their dreams. This fourth entry in the series is one of the better ones so if you have any interest in such things, this needs to be in your collection. This one takes a similar direction to its predecessors, being a wonderful blend of complex space opera, including the usual political tensions in the depths of space, and intense dogfighting action. This one finds Christopher Blair, the legendary Heart of the Tiger, being called back to the frontlines from retirement to deal with a mysterious threat that is destroying civilian ships seemingly at random. The game itself is the usual mix of impressive cutscenes featuring well known actors and full-on space combat missions which are dynamic in that the results of one will affect what happens in the next one. The Price of Freedom is one of those games which may well divide gamers. In some ways, it's not much of a game and is more of a movie, as there are a lot of cutscenes to wade through before you get to the action. However, for many, it's this sense of immersion and depth that gives the game its appeal. There's no denying the fantastic production values give it a real sense of being in a sci-fi movie and you really feel like a part of something bigger when you play this. The combat itself is superb, being fast, intense and feeling quite realistic, so if you do like the idea of a real interactive movie, this is one to go for.
