WING COMMANDER PRIVATEER GALAXY SERIES
Remembering a series like Wing Commander, you see it through a rose-colored lens. Outlaw is, as someone watching my stream said, “ Wing Commander in 60 FPS.” This statement is strikingly accurate. Or just go out and explore the mysteries of the universe. Not only could you be a merc or a pirate, you could buy a freighter and trade your way to wealth. Sure, you had some outliers like the amazingly ahead of its time Darklands (released the year before), but Wing Commander: Privateer captured many imaginations, with good reason. Rebel Galaxy Outlaw, on the other hand, is about as close as you can get to Wing Commander or Freelancer without a DOSBox or time machine.Įvery other game released now is a sandbox or sim of some manner, but back then it was unheard of. This is the second title from Double Damage, and is the prequel to their first game – Rebel Galaxy, which is similar to Freelancer except in 2D space. The latter is the game I’d like to talk about.ĭouble Damage games, founded by folks who made Torchlight as well as Diablo (and more), released a game called Rebel Galaxy Outlaw. I had a lot that I loved, including Wizardry, Ultima and Wing Commander. When I was a bit older, I started buying games. None of these games were official – they were all hacks and look-a-likes. I remember my dad bringing me a disk of games someone at work had found. On top of that, it wasn’t a Tandy, Amiga or Commodore, it was an early PC. Nowadays, that doesn’t mean much, but in the late ’70s/early ’80s it was unusual. If you like what you see, grab the magazine for less than ten dollars, or subscribe and get all future magazines for half price.
This column is a reprint from Unwinnable Monthly #118.