STAR WARS™ - X-Wing Special Edition | Game Brain

STAR WARS™ - X-Wing Special Edition Game Cover

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"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

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

STAR WARS™ - X-Wing Special Edition screenshot

75%

Audience ScoreBased on 508 reviews

story24 positive mentions

stability6 negative mentions

The game offers a fantastic nostalgic experience, bringing back memories of the original 90s gameplay.
Mission design is engaging and challenging, requiring players to strategize and manage resources effectively.
Despite its age, the game still provides a solid and enjoyable flight simulation experience for fans of the genre.

The game suffers from significant technical issues, including crashes and poor joystick support on modern systems.
Graphics and controls feel outdated, making it difficult for new players to enjoy without prior experience or nostalgia.
Many missions have unclear objectives and can be frustratingly difficult, leading to a steep learning curve.

story
180 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
84%
2%
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 the difficulty level inconsistent, leading to frustration during gameplay. Overall, the storyline is well-received, but technical issues and mission design can detract from the experience.
- “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, and 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, 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.”
graphics
116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
78%
9%
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 express a desire for modern remakes or updates to enhance the experience. The special edition offers some graphical improvements, but many still find it lacking compared to contemporary titles, with various mods available to slightly enhance the visuals for modern displays.
- “Despite the graphics being (very) low res, it has still aged well.”
- “The older graphics do not rob the game of its playability, and for the old-school gamer, it will remind them of the days when it was about the mission, and the need to think of how to play the game, instead of the flashy visuals that dominate today's games.”
- “The graphics are dated, but the special edition has somewhat updated graphics.”
- “Here in the hell year of 2020, the rough graphics and lack of basic quality-of-life features like matching throttle speed to targets or even being able to see them more than two clicks out are a tough sell when you have modern space sims to choose from.”
- “I love this and the associated games, but the stability and graphics are just too poor by today's standards.”
gameplay
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
56%
9%
The gameplay is praised for its solid mechanics and immersive mission complexity, reminiscent of classic titles, despite being considered outdated in terms of graphics and some repetitive elements. While many players appreciate the tactical depth and fun retro style, some express frustration with difficulty spikes and the need for a joystick for optimal experience. Overall, the gameplay remains a highlight, showcasing the importance of engaging mechanics over visual fidelity.
- “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.”
music
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
80%
10%
The music aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that the remastered version features a lack of original tracks and relies heavily on MIDI music, which some find less appealing. While the classic and collector's CD-ROM versions are recommended for their superior soundtracks and cutscenes, the special edition offers improved 3D graphics and joystick support, which some players prefer despite the music limitations. Overall, those who appreciate retro game music may enjoy the experience, but others may find the audio disappointing compared to earlier versions.
- “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).”
- “But for those prepared and willing to listen to 1994-era game music, this is a game for you.”
- “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.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is heavily criticized due to numerous game-breaking glitches and bugs, which have led to a frustrating experience for players. Despite their love for the game, users express disappointment over the lack of effective troubleshooting options and the need for significant improvements in stability.
- “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.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
The optimization of the 1998 version of X-Wing is marred by several technical issues, including crashes in hardware mode, mouse emulation problems, and stuttering cutscenes, which detract from the overall experience. While the game introduces advanced mechanics for balancing engines, lasers, and shields, these optimization problems significantly hinder performance.
- “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 problems, stuttering cutscenes, and slow motion in the UI.”
- “Problems with the 1998 versions of X-Wing include the game crashing when using hardware mode, mouse emulation problems, stuttering cutscenes, and slow motion in the UI.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be overly tedious, likening it to a pseudo-simulator that lacks the engaging elements of traditional simulators, despite featuring enjoyable combat.
- “Too tedious.”
- “It's like a pseudo-simulator without all of the tedious actions most simulators employ and some nice combat.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is widely regarded as a classic, boasting excellent replay value that encourages players to return for multiple playthroughs.
- “A classic game with excellent replay value.”