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

79%
Game Brain Score Based on 154 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • music
STAR WARS™ X-Wing vs TIE Fighter - Balance of Power Campaigns™ Game Cover
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Real-time against real pilots; this is Star Wars space combat as it was meant to be! Featuring challenging real-time dogfights of 2 to 8 players, Star Wars™: X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter is one of the most historically significant space combat simulators ever made. Never before were virtual pilots able to climb into the cockpit of an Empire or Rebellion starfighter and have the choice of flying alone or…

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

79%
Audience ScoreBased on 154 reviews
graphics7 positive mentions
stability5 negative mentions
  • The game is a nostalgic classic that captures the essence of Star Wars dogfighting, providing an engaging singleplayer experience.
  • The combat mechanics have been well overhauled, making it a fun and challenging experience for both new and returning players.
  • Despite its age, the game still offers a solid space combat simulator experience, especially for fans of the franchise.
  • The Steam version is plagued with bugs, including frequent crashes and compatibility issues with modern systems, making it frustrating to play.
  • The game requires a joystick to play effectively, which can be a barrier for many players who do not own one.
  • Multiplayer functionality is limited and often requires convoluted setup processes, diminishing the overall experience.
  • story37 mentions

    The game's story is set within the Star Wars universe, featuring two campaigns with 15 missions each that offer a mix of engaging narrative and challenging gameplay. Players can experience different objectives based on their chosen side, with missions that require strategic planning and coordination, especially in higher difficulties. However, technical issues, such as crashes upon mission completion, have marred the experience for some, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the story-driven campaign.

    • “Developed by Totally Games and originally published by LucasArts and now published by Walt Disney Interactive, enjoy an epic storyline from one end of the Star Wars universe to the other.”
    • “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.”
    • “Each campaign features some 14 missions and 3 cutscenes each, and they can be played in co-op too.”
    • “Couldn't get past the second to last mission, which seems like it was built for LAN play and not AI teammates. If so, why include it in the single-player campaign?”
    • “What I got was a datapad with a list of missions, with ribbons awarded based on performance.”
    • “You don't know what's going to cause you to fail a mission.”
  • graphics23 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally considered dated, with some users noting that they have aged better than expected due to the focus on space and cockpit visuals. While the visuals may be clunky and not up to modern standards, many players still appreciate the game's atmosphere and immersive experience. Overall, there is a consensus that updated graphics would enhance the game, but its nostalgic value and gameplay still shine through despite the graphical limitations.

    • “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.”
    • “Even though it is arguably the worst in the X-Wing series, it is my favorite, but if you cannot deal with old resolutions, old graphics, or own a joystick, buy X-Wing Alliance and download the XWAU mods.”
    • “Otherwise, the dated graphics and visuals might be difficult for most modern gamers to appreciate and enjoy.”
    • “The controls were terrible, the graphics were choppy, and just an overall disappointment!”
  • music10 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant issues such as stuttering and complete absence of the soundtrack, which detracts from the overall experience, especially in a Star Wars title. While some users appreciate the quality of the soundtrack when it works, others find it repetitive and lacking the dynamic changes present in earlier versions of similar games. Overall, technical problems with the music have led to frustration among players.

    • “Graphics, background music, and functions are all great.”
    • “Everything looks legit, and the soundtrack is 110% legit.”
    • “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.”
    • “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.”
  • stability5 mentions

    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.”
  • gameplay2 mentions

    The gameplay is praised for its solid mechanics and smooth performance on Windows 7/64bit, though players note a limitation in resolution settings, which could enhance the experience.

    • “Underrated game with solid game mechanics.”
    • “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.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    The game runs smoothly on Windows 7 (64-bit), providing a stable experience overall. However, a notable limitation is the inability to change resolution settings, which some players feel detracts from the experience.

    • “What I got was a datapad with a list of missions, with ribbons awarded based on performance.”
    • “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.”
    • “The optimization in this game is severely lacking, making it frustrating to navigate through the missions.”
    • “I expected a more streamlined experience, but the optimization feels rushed and incomplete.”
    • “The performance issues are a major drawback; it feels like the game wasn't properly optimized for smooth gameplay.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    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.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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