Starsiege

"All-round mecha game with little lowpoints"

Starsiege, not to be confused with the other Starsiege-Tribes (which is under the same universe, different type of game), is a really fun mecha game to play, on the bright side. Well, I know this is a sequel to Earthsiege 2 (which came quite long ago, didn't play it before), and Starsiege is bringing out the 'siege' to the stars. If you're like me, haven't even seen Earthsiege or heard of it (before Starsiege), don't worry about story. This game provides you some history lessons, in the form of some sort of timeline appearance. Neat and well made is what I'll say. Might take some time to finish reading all that, but trust me, you'll understand Starsiege's story better.

The graphics are excellent and very detailed everywhere, especially the mechs. But, that's IF you own a 3dfx card. The programmers also did include OpenGL drivers, but out-of-the-box, these work only for RivaTNT cards. Patches add more OpenGL support and 'local' OpenGL driver support (use your cards own drivers, not good at all). OpenGL is a sad thing on this game, with my Savage4 running slow enough that a turtle can draw faster in 800x600. Safest bet? 640x480. Software mode does a good job, better than OpenGL in my opinion. This game provides controls for adjusting amount of detail, so you can tweak until you get decent performance and graphics.

Games without sound or with bad sound won't sell well. Luckily, Starsiege provides you with many options, a feature not really available on most games. Sound, too is clearly audible (except for the voices, hard to hear when theres so much action). Shoot a gun that's mounted on the left, you hear the sound from the left, and vice versa. The special effects coupled with the sounds truly give you an exciting experience.

The important thing now, the gameplay. Its not really like Mechwarrior, nor is it like Heavy Gear. This one's moderate speed, compared to others. From managing your own mecha to choosing pilots AND their mechs, it runs smoothly with no hassle. Even the mission briefings (which can be boring sometimes) are not too boring when you add some small videos here and there. Commanding your pilots in battle never was easier. A window pops up, and you choose what you wanna do. Simple.

For a mecha game to run well, you do want to be able to move your mech as you want it. Starsiege achieves this, by being quite simple. Arrow keys control movement, though accelerating and decelerating to accommodate team members can be daunting at times. Firing is done through the mouse, and very easy. Aim, and shoot. Starsiege provides lead targeting help (can't be turned off, wouldn't want to, you will require this for some weapons in some occasions). Beginners will find it useful, as I did.

The provided multiplayer maps are creative, if not great. During mutlipayer games, action can be very tough, and its possible to see 20+ people battling it out. Starsiege runs well, doesn't crashes in this situations, but the high ping can result in lots of missed shots.

In a nutshell, Starsiege's a great and fun (also a bit addictive) game. Theres some good clans online, though everythings looking forward to Starsiege 2. If you like mechs, get this game and have fun.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 03/31/00, Updated 03/31/00