The Legend!
Before i start reviewing i want also to say thank you to "youtube", because it made possible to watch the FMV´s of this game even today, without having to install and play the
game, which can be very difficult with todays hard and software.
Wing Commander 4 is a space combat simulation! Its a very linear one. That means, you dont have many choices of taking alternative missions. There are maybe a couple of situations in
the game, where the next mission depends on your decisions. Most of the time you get a mission with a bunch of objectives to accomplish, and after doing that the next mission
follows. The newer Space Combat Sims all feature an open universe to explore, different fractions or races you can cooperate with, different career paths you can choose from, like beein a pirate or a headhunter. Sorry, not in this game. Also forget trading between planets or a economy system. This game focuses on 2 things: Gameplay and Storytelling! Its just my opinnion, but i would say that the story and its presentation makes about 60-65% of what this
game is.
I would like to introduce the gameplay elements and later focus on what really makes this Wing Commander so special to me.
Like I said, the mission design is very linear. You go from mission to misson. You usually start from your huge mothership after selecting a fighter and some weapons. Avaiable ships and weapons depend on the mission you are playing. After solving the mission, which mostly consists of blazing up enemies, escorting a convoi, picking up lost POD´s, etc. (its not really repetetiv) after that you usually return back to your mothership.
Now you are back from a mission and you will be rewarded... but not with statistics of your mission or text passages, no.. here comes one of the Wing Commander series strongest parts in action! Its the development of the story. After finishing a mission, you will be maybe about 15-30 min watching FMV sequences befor the next mission starts. Talking to comrades, the mission briefing, all is done in FMV sequences of good length. The whole game came up on 6 CD´s, so you can guess what took the most part of it.
Its an interactive movie, which also doesnt lack of gameplay. Its rather good gameplay wrapped in a really good movie.
Wing Commander 4 was the most expensive game ever made when it came out. So, you see it was a very big risk for Origin making this game. But it speaks for Chris Roberts, that he made this game anyway, not regarding the financial risk he was taking. Its not naive to say, this game was made because a man loved to do it!
The Cast in the movie scenes is phenomenal... its enough to name Mark Hamill as the star of the game and you wouldnt need to name anyone else out of it to compete with other games using lengthy cut scenes. But the actors are damn good ones, so they need to be named.
First of all: Mark Hamill as Col. Christopher "Maverick" Blair
Your best friend and series - veteran: "Maniac", played by Tom Willson, known from "Back to the Future". Admiral Tollwynn, played by the great Malcom McDowell.
Others, just to name a few: Marc Dacascos, Jason Bernard, John-Rhys Davies, and some other more or less known actors.
(you easily see, this Cast blows the Cast of the real Wing Commander movie away)
The first 3 parts of the Wing Commander Series, were about the struggle of mankind with the alien race of cat shaped Kilrathis. After Col. Blair managed to defeat the Kilrathi in part 3 once and for all time, in a way that makes his heroism arguable(which also proves that the WC Story is not just hero saves world), he has resigned and lives a peaceful life on a deserted planet as a farmer. He is then reqruited back to active duty by his old friend "Maniac" (couldnt have choosen a better one, than Tom Wilson). But who is the new villain? The
Kilrathis are defeated and there are just a couple of them left. Wing Commander 4 does a great job of moving away from the Kilrathi saga and still not pissing of the fans who were used to the stereotyped mankinds enemy. The Intro of WC 4, which is the best Intro to a game i have ever played(I doubt there will be any better), introduces the new danger but still till the near end of the game keeps their identities hidden. You will get hints as the story progresses and will be able to put the puzzel together! I do not want to spoile any bit of the game, but WC 4 story will make anyone who played WC 1-3 drop their chins on the table.
You wont believe and maybe will not want to believe who is involved in the attacks on confederation ships. The Boarder Worlds? The Kilrathi? or a third unknown Group? Who is the
traitor? The Boarder Worlds were friends in WC 3... the Kilrathi seem defeated... what are the motivations of the aggressor? Wing Commander 4 not only does a great job of answering these questions, it also tells every bit of the story in between in a carefull way, you maybe only know from great Hollywood movies. From the opening Intro with its fantastic soundtrack(yes, its as great as the Star Wars one) and the attack of the new enemy, to the first meeting of Blair and "Maniac" every piece of movie is done Hollywood style! From beginning to the last dramatic mission the quality of the scenes doesnt break up. Its a great effort evolvin a story from the one everyone knowed and was used to(the Kilrathi story) to something that completely lacks of what WC was known for(the Kilrathi) and still having a right to exist in an absolute beliavable way.
Take George Lucas, he didnt manage that with Star Wars,
instead of evolving he told what happened before..blabla and eventually ruined one of the best supervillains ever(Darth Vader). I think its a great achievement what Chris Roberts did,
unlike what he did whith the actual Wing Commander movie. I think he puted his best ideas in WC 3 and 4 and had nothing left but telling a story far from the games. The FMV´s put
together make a better movie then the actual movie is. You will notice, that the story is not
one of those nobody gets hurt, everyones happy at the end, there are lot of moments that ll make you think "this cant be!". Thats what makes it believable. It doesnt care about beloved
well known characters (remember Angel from WC 3) and also never seems to dramatic or too pathetic. It s a very intelligent well-thought out story.
Its also the Cast that makes WC 4 so great. F.e. Malcom McDowell, not only i think he is a great actor, but in thic case there couldnt have been a better one for playing Admiral
Tolwyn. I would say one of the greatest actors out there(talking about real actors, not everybodys darlings).
The combat graphics were nothing special to me back than. Although you could have called them quite good. But space seemed a little bit to empty for me. For today i think the graphics of WC 4 will scare anyone off who wants to give the game a try.
Same goes for the audio. Nothing special except for the music in the movie scenes. I think it fits perfekt to Wing Commander. Whereas in space the music might become a little boring.
A classic game, that easily remains in our memories. Cant compare any characters to the ones in this game. I played many games, that also depended alot on their story and cutscenes and it makes me sad, that the game industry is focused on pulling the most money out of a game, by doing cheap cutscenes in in-game graphics or prerenderd sequences. "It breaks the game flow" is an often used excusion. I can only reply that it doesnt!
Everyone interested should take a look at some FMV sequences on a video-portal. This game definately deserves to stay in gamers memories.. if you ve played it or not! Everyone should know that those kind of games used to exist in the good old days, where a game was sold good,
cause of its genuine features(though i may sound like your grandpa now).
For those who think the gameplay of WC4 is to linear, should take a look at my review of "Privateer 2". Its Wing Commander with its lengthy FMV´s(also phenomenal Cast!!), but a
gameplay(trading, factions, open universe, etc.) that is more comparabel to newer space sims(like Darkstar One).
Besides that, Mark Hamill saying:"This son of a b****!" .. is cult!