Colony Wars
| Developer: Studio Liverpool | Graphics: |
 | |
| Publisher: Psygnosis | Sound: |
| |
| Year: 1997 | Difficulty: |
| |
| Genre: Shoot’em up | Lastability: |
| |
| Number of players: 1 | Rating: |
8/10 | |
Colony Wars is a true space opera, letting you witness epic spaceship battles while struggling to dodge laser bursts all around you, galvanised by grandiose background music, but most importantly, by a branching narrative, structured around numerous cutscenes, narrated by a commentator. The French voice acting is of exceptional quality, particularly in the first episode.
Mankind has colonised different solar systems, and an immense empire has formed, ruled by a bloodthirsty tyrant: the Tsar. The Tsar’s fleet shamelessly plunders the colonies’ resources to meet the needs of his decadent main system (our solar system). It’s somewhat reminiscent of Dune and Foundation. A resistance movement has organised: the League of Free Worlds, led by “the Father”.
In the original Colony Wars, the main character is a League pilot. He participates in the major battles that will lead to the liberation of various systems and the Empire’s fall.
In its sequel, Colony Wars: Vengeance (1998), the player is still part of the oppressed faction, but this time it’s the Imperial fleet! The last survivors of the Tsar’s powerful army found themselves trapped in their own system. After years of civil war, the fleet becomes unified under a charismatic leader, Kron. And the reconquest of the colonies begins … against the League.
In the third episode, Colony Wars: Red Sun (2000), both factions are still locked in struggle and you play as an independent, and notably detached, mercenary. I enjoyed this game less because the hero’s personality is a bit too forceful (he thinks he’s Bruce Willis). I consequently felt less involved.
Yet immersion is this series’ great strength. The player feels like just one element in a vast tapestry. During missions, you often encounter other pilots from your side, who wage their own battles against enemy fleet vessels, and you constantly receive radio messages from your comrades or orders from your HQ.
Finally, if you fail a mission, you don’t lose a life or get invited to try again. The story continues and your subsequent missions are influenced by your previous results, until you reach one of multiple possible endings. The most dire is obviously the quickest to unlock: you just need to lose!
Some images from Colony Wars: Vengeance: 1, 2, 3.
|
