Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom

WC4 was an amazing step for what used to be a prized goal, interactive movies. All of the previous WC games were also interactive movies, expanding the field with every release. This was the first computer game to make the cutscenes and movies on actual film to add to the quality and detail of the scenes. Other games had live-action cutscenes, but none were as interactive and as high quality as this was, using all sorts of movie special effects. It was a milestone in not only the Wing Commander but also the Interactive Movie history.

There is no perfect game, but this one comes about as close as possible.

Intense, amazing, and -- most importantly -- NEW, the storyline for this game is the best I've seen for ANY game, regardless of genre. I knew that the video for this game would look much better than in WC3 when I got it, but I had no idea what the plot was, and the only assurance I had that it would be even mildly interesting is the traditional WC high quality that doesn't fail here.

Forget the senselessly stupid WC "movie" that came out in theaters a few months ago; this is what should have been put on the screen. This had a convincing, natural-sounding script, top-notch acting, and great EFX to boot. Unlike a lot of games, this one made you care about the characters. This is, to date, the only game I've played that kept me out of bed for more than two days straight just to play "one more mission".

There is, however, one failing that this game does have, one flaw: the gameplay. The flight engine is recycled from WC3, with enhanced AI. I would have preferred that this game be in development for another year if only that would give it the better flight engine, but I suppose you have to live with what you can get.

Still, this is a minor quibble, and not enough to pull the game away from a 10 rating in my book.

I while ago, I wasnt really into PC Gaming, I'd sit down and play solitare once and a while, but not really much anything else, it was all for work. I went to Fry's Electronics once, and started brousing around the computer game section, and I saw "Wing Commander IV" I glanced at the back, to get some general ideas as to what it looked like. "Mark Hamill, Tom Wilson, John-Rhys Davies, Malcom McDowell" These were (at the time) all big Hollywood names. I said "ahhh, hell with it." and I spent 39.99 on what I found out was one of the most well directed and produced games I'd ever play. These days, we have much more advanced games, with their 3d surround sound, and their OpenGL 3d accelleration drivers.... but this, this had a STORY. Not just "your mission. Go and kill those things" It had an immersive story line, and rather incredable graphics for it's time. I found it amazing that you could actually choose your path, you could make Colonel Blair (played by Mark Hamill) say "this" or "that" and other characters in the game would respond however he acted. The bottom line is, if you've never played this game. Get it now. Hell, it's probably 9.99 in some places. So go ahead, go out to your local store, and BUY IT! It's worth the money.

This is the high point for the videos of the entire Wing Commander series, and the computer games in general. Films using real Hollywood techniques and an astronomical (for computer games) budget, we got the best video sequences ever seen on a computer screen, and even better on its DVD version.

Wing Commander III was good. But Wing Commander IV takes game playing to a whole other level. It's too bad there are not more games like this out there. They are a lot of fun to watch and play. You get caught up in the story. The acting is superb. Led by Mark Hamill as Colonel Christopher Blair, and Thomas F. Wilson as Maniac. With most of the cast back from Wing Commander III it felt like being with a old friend. It is interactive where you make some of the choses. Sometimes these can lead you down the wrong path or give you a unexpected twist. This game is never boring.