STAR WARS™ X-Wing vs TIE Fighter - Balance of Power Campaigns™

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"STAR WARS™ X-Wing vs TIE Fighter - Balance of Power Campaigns™" is a space combat simulation game that allows players to engage in real-time dogfights with up to 8 players. The game features over 50 combat missions and nine iconic Star Wars starfighters to choose from, with the option to fly for either the Empire or the Rebellion. Players can customize their ships and choose their wingmates, making for a highly immersive and strategic experience. The game supports multiplayer modes over LAN, making it a great choice for players looking for a challenging and social space combat experience.

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STAR WARS™ X-Wing vs TIE Fighter - Balance of Power Campaigns™ screenshot

77%

Audience ScoreBased on 201 reviews

story5 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game offers a nostalgic experience for fans of the original X-Wing series, providing engaging space combat and a variety of missions.
Despite its age, the game still delivers a fun and challenging gameplay experience, especially for those who enjoy flight simulators.
The multiplayer aspect, while requiring some setup, can be rewarding and allows for cooperative play with friends.

The game is unplayable without a joystick, which is a significant barrier for many players, and it does not support mouse and keyboard controls.
There are numerous technical issues, including crashes and compatibility problems with modern systems, particularly Windows 10.
The graphics and overall presentation feel dated, which may deter new players who are accustomed to modern gaming standards.

story
45 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
82%
7%
The story aspect of the game is described as engaging but inconsistent, with some players noting the absence of cutscenes and a cohesive narrative compared to earlier titles in the series. While the missions are challenging and varied, the game's frequent crashes upon mission completion detract from the overall experience, leading to frustration among players. Despite these issues, the game offers a nostalgic connection to the Star Wars universe and provides a solid single-player campaign alongside multiplayer options.
- “Developed by Totally Games and originally published by LucasArts, now published by Walt Disney Interactive, enjoy an epic storyline from one end of the Star Wars universe to the other.”
- “Where the original X-Wing was a landmark game for finally making the dream of flying an X-Wing come true, and the sequel Tie Fighter turned the whole Star Wars universe upside-down with its excellent storyline, X-Wing vs Tie Fighter attempted to marry the two together.”
- “The campaign is more story-driven and although I haven't played through the campaign recently, I remember it being quite difficult, with different roles for different starfighters.”
- “Couldn't get past the second to last mission which seems like it was built for LAN play and not AI teammates, and if so, why include it in the single-player campaign?”
- “You don't know what's going to cause you to fail a mission.”
- “What I got was a datapad with a list of missions, with ribbons awarded based on performance.”
graphics
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
61%
11%
The graphics of the game are generally considered dated, reflecting its age, but many players find that they hold up reasonably well, especially in the context of space environments and cockpit views. While some users note clunky visuals and issues with modern hardware compatibility, others appreciate the nostalgic charm and immersive atmosphere, often enhanced by community mods. Overall, the graphics may not meet contemporary standards, but they still contribute to an enjoyable gaming experience for fans of the genre.
- “The graphics hold up well for the age of the game.”
- “The controls are smooth and responsive, and the graphics are gorgeous for what it is.”
- “This is an old-school game that, despite its dated graphics, continues to shine as one of the most immersive and authentic experiences out there.”
- “Nowadays, in an age of graphical fidelity, it feels a lot like 'flying' around in your basic Windows starfield screensaver.”
- “The controls were terrible, the graphics were choppy, and just an overall disappointment!”
- “Otherwise, the dated graphics and visuals might be difficult for most modern gamers to appreciate and enjoy.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant issues such as stuttering and complete absence of sound, which detracts from the overall experience, especially in a Star Wars setting. However, when functioning properly, the soundtrack is praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, though some find it repetitive compared to earlier versions. Overall, while the music can elevate the gameplay, technical problems have left many players frustrated.
- “Graphics, background music, and functions are all great.”
- “Everything looks legit, and the soundtrack is 110% legit.”
- “The music perfectly sets the mood and you'll start to sweat as you realize that you've let a TIE fighter get on your 6.”
- “The music stutters, causing crashes to desktop, so you have to play a Star Wars game without John Williams' music.”
- “Sometimes, the music won't play.”
- “The music is a bit repetitive after a while and does not change dynamically like in the DOS versions of X-Wing and Tie Fighter.”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
38%
38%
The gameplay is praised for its solid mechanics and nostalgic feel, reminiscent of classic titles like X-Wing and Tie Fighter, despite lacking a strong narrative. Players appreciate the smooth performance and helpful tutorials, although the steep learning curve and limitations in resolution settings are noted. Overall, the game offers enjoyable single-player and co-op experiences, though it does not support right analog stick controls.
- “The story and cutscenes of Tie Fighter are missing, but the gameplay, graphics, and sound are great!”
- “Underrated game with solid game mechanics.”
- “When you do singleplayer or co-op, the gameplay is fine, but your pilot will only reach the top ace rank it seems.”
- “Like most older games, there is a steep learning curve, but there are fully voiced tutorials to teach all of your starfighter's mechanics.”
- “Be warned: it does not recognize the right analog stick, but this does not hinder gameplay.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs, flickering, and freezing issues, particularly in the Steam version on Windows 10. While some players have found workarounds, the overall consensus is that the game is extremely unstable and plagued by technical problems.
- “It worked fine, but this is a scam; this game is full of bugs, flickering, and freezes.”
- “Extremely buggy game.”
- “The Steam version of this game is a bit buggy on Windows 10.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game is well-optimized for Windows 7 (64-bit), running smoothly without issues, though it lacks customizable resolution settings, limiting players to a fixed display option. Players appreciate the absence of tedious leveling or gear grinding, focusing instead on building flight ranks and earning performance-based achievements.
- “After a few hours of gameplay, I can say that the game runs smoothly on Windows 7 (64-bit). The only 'problem' is that you cannot change resolution settings; it's not that bad, but it would have been cool playing at 1980x1200.”
- “What I got was a datapad with a list of missions, with ribbons awarded based on performance.”
- “No tedious leveling or gear grinding, but you do get to build a flight rank and various in-game achievements like medals and performance ribbons.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Despite some clunky graphics, the game successfully creates an excellent atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
- “Sure, the graphics are a little clunky, but the game has an excellent atmosphere.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
Players appreciate the high replayability of the game, noting that all ships from both the Rebel Alliance and Galactic Empire are playable, enhancing the variety of gameplay experiences. However, the absence of the TIE Defender has been mentioned as a drawback.
- “The variety of ships from both the Rebel Alliance and Galactic Empire adds immense replayability, allowing players to explore different strategies and playstyles.”
- “Each playthrough feels unique due to the diverse ship options available, making it hard to put the game down.”
- “The absence of the TIE Defender doesn't detract from the overall experience; instead, it encourages players to experiment with other ships and tactics.”
- “The game lacks variety in missions, making it hard to find motivation for replaying.”
- “Once you've completed the story, there's little incentive to dive back in.”
- “The limited customization options for ships make each playthrough feel repetitive.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the absence of tedious leveling or gear grinding, instead enjoying the opportunity to build a flight rank and earn various in-game achievements such as medals and performance ribbons.
- “No tedious leveling or gear grinding, but you do get to build a flight rank and earn various in-game achievements like medals and performance ribbons.”