STAR WARS™ - X-Wing Special Edition
- April 28, 2015
- Lucasfim
- 80h median play time
Get on Steam"STAR WARS™ - X-Wing Special Edition" is a flight simulation game set in the Star Wars universe, where you join the Rebel Alliance as a starfighter pilot. The game includes the original X-Wing and its expansions, with over 1
Reviews
- The game offers a fantastic nostalgic experience for fans of the original 90s title, with solid gameplay and engaging mission design.
- Despite its age, the game still provides a challenging and rewarding experience, making players feel like real starfighter pilots.
- The remastered graphics and inclusion of multiple versions (original, CD, and special edition) enhance the overall experience for both new and returning players.
- The game suffers from significant technical issues, including crashes, poor joystick support, and erratic mouse controls, making it unplayable for some users.
- Many players find the mission objectives unclear and the difficulty spikes frustrating, leading to a steep learning curve that may deter newcomers.
- The outdated graphics and lack of modern quality-of-life features can make the game feel tedious and less enjoyable compared to newer space flight simulators.
- story90 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 83 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The game's story immerses players in the role of a rebel starfighter pilot, navigating through a series of challenging missions that span from before "A New Hope" to just before "The Empire Strikes Back." While the narrative is engaging and nostalgic for fans, many players find mission objectives unclear and frustratingly difficult, often leading to abrupt failures without adequate feedback. Despite these challenges, the game offers a rich variety of missions and a sense of progression that appeals to those who appreciate its retro style and connection to the Star Wars universe.
“Fun for nostalgic players and has a good storyline.”
“The story is given by the briefings, and it puts the player as a rebel starfighter pilot fighting his way from before Star Wars Episode IV (A New Hope) all the way to just before Star Wars Episode V (The Empire Strikes Back).”
“Classic game with a great storyline which tells the events that lead up to the destruction of the first Death Star.”
“Many missions are structured horribly, with plenty of them giving arbitrary goals that have to be done with perfect accuracy. I can't even begin to start with how many missions where your allies would abandon you in the middle of a battle and have you fend off fifteen different enemies on your own.”
“The gulf between thrilling and infuriating missions is so wide that I almost have to believe different people designed them with no feedback between each other.”
“Lack of clarity around mission goal completion is probably the biggest single drawback, but other than that, it's lots of fun.”
- graphics58 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 78 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of this classic game are widely regarded as dated, reflecting its origins from the early days of PC gaming. While some players appreciate the nostalgic charm and gameplay over visuals, others note that the special edition offers some graphical improvements, albeit still limited by modern standards. Overall, while the graphics may not hold up against contemporary titles, they do not significantly detract from the game's enjoyment for those who value gameplay and strategy.
“Despite the graphics being (very) low res, it has still aged well.”
“The updated graphics are a nice touch as it does not feel as antique as the cel-shaded polygons of old.”
“The graphics are dated, but the special edition has somewhat updated graphics.”
“Unfortunately, having bought the special edition with better graphics doesn't work on Macs, and since upgrading to an M1 Mac, the game doesn't even launch anymore.”
“The graphics are antiquated, but everything I love about this game stands head and shoulders above the best of today's space sims.”
- gameplay17 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally praised for its solid mechanics and immersive experience, reminiscent of classic titles, despite being somewhat outdated. While many players appreciate the fun missions and strategic elements, some criticize the repetitive nature and difficulty spikes. Overall, the game remains enjoyable for those who value gameplay over graphics, though it may not appeal to everyone due to its technical limitations.
“Worth every penny, if you ever dreamed of flying a starfighter, and have even the slightest appreciation for the quality of older games' solid gameplay.”
“The mission complexity, gameplay, and the top-notch immersion this game provides goes well beyond the outdated graphics.”
“Epic game - creative missions and in-depth gameplay.”
“But today it's just one mechanic, boring, repetitive gameplay.”
“But the world has come a long way since then, and the X-Wing Special Edition has not, in terms of both gameplay and technical issues, which leaves me with a game I love dearly that I would not recommend to anyone else.”
“Now, as far as gameplay, my main complaint with this game is the difficulty spikes and ensuing frustration.”
- music15 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The music aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that the remastered version features a different audio experience compared to the original, often relying on MIDI tracks. While some appreciate the nostalgic charm of the classic soundtrack, others prefer the updated music in the special edition, which enhances the overall experience alongside improved graphics. However, players have reported challenges in getting the music to work properly, particularly on newer systems, suggesting that the classic or collector's editions may offer a more complete audio experience.
“Just like a lot of reviewers, I recommend the classic or collector's CD-ROM version for the cutscenes and soundtrack.”
“When that 'Star Wars' music track starts when you're in the missions, you become part of Red Squadron.”
“I actually think this is the advantage of the 3D and the actual music as opposed to the MIDI soundtrack (and, overall, the updated engine).”
“Special obviously looks better with actual 3D-accelerated graphics, but the controls are intensely fiddly (sometimes refusing to even acknowledge my keyboard exists), the 2D graphics have been redone in a darker, fuzzy style, and nearly all the music is missing.”
“Had to do a bunch of weird stuff to get the music to work in-mission, and even then apparently the remastered version uses different audio than the original.”
“The music is MIDI music.”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been criticized due to numerous game-breaking glitches and bugs, leading to a frustrating experience for players. Many users express dissatisfaction with the troubleshooting process, indicating that it was ineffective in resolving these issues.
“I love this game, but this version has game-breaking glitches.”
“They need to remove the damned glitches and bugs from the original game.”
“Going through the troubleshooting was not fun, and every option did not work.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The optimization of the 1998 versions of X-Wing is criticized for several technical issues, including crashes in hardware mode, mouse emulation problems, stuttering cutscenes, and slow UI performance. However, the game does offer an advanced twist to flight performance through the balancing of engines, lasers, and shields.
“Balancing engines, lasers, and shields adds a bit of an advanced twist to flight performance.”
“Problems with the 1998 versions of X-Wing include the game crashing when using hardware mode, mouse emulation issues, stuttering cutscenes, and slow motion in the UI.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect to be overly tedious, likening it to a pseudo-simulator that lacks the engaging actions typical of real simulators, despite featuring enjoyable combat elements.
“Too tedious.”
“It's like a pseudo-simulator without all of the tedious actions most simulators employ, but with some nice combat.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its excellent replay value, making it a classic that players are likely to return to multiple times.
“A classic game with excellent replay value.”
“The variety of choices and outcomes makes me want to play again and again.”
“Each playthrough feels fresh due to the dynamic story elements.”
