"Yager, mid-air FPS"

Graphics

The graphics in this game are amazing, most of the locales have so far been archipelagos, with beautiful water, dense foliage and a heck of a lot of hills. You can always tell what you're looking at, unless of course, it's in the distance. the fog in this game is a bit over the top, but it's a small price to pay for the solid frame rate and graphics. The Sagittarius (the ship you pilot) and all the other ships in the game are all quite unique in design, and are very detailed. Just watch the Sagittarius as you go from hover to jet mode, and vice versa and you will see quite a few moving parts, that would normally be skipped. There isn't any way of telling if the other ships have taken damage, but they will start spilling smoke, and even flames after taking too much damage.

Sound

Proteus base to freelance Tide. Come in freelancer Tide.

Freelancer Tide here, I was just - hey, I know that voice! Sarah, where have you been?

Magnus Tide? oh no! What are you doing here?

Everything in this game is voiced almost, it's amazing to hear. From the mandatory tutorial instructions, to the insults you'll get over the radio from the guys you are shooting down, everything is very well acted, and is played at the right times. The background music is very much that, background music. It's not exactly noticeable, yet it sets the atmosphere nicely. Also, I haven't noticed many changes in it, it does change, but it does those changes smoothly, unlike the sudden changes that a lot of games have.
My only problem with the sound, would be the constant radio chatter when you're not doing what your supposed to. I know why it's there, but do I really need to be reminded every thirty seconds that there is a job to be done, when you are just trying to get repaired to do that job.

Game Play

Jet mode, hover mode. It's an awesome system, jet mode can get you out of a bind quickly, can catch you up to the pirate you want to shoot down, but it's a pain in the butt if you need to turn around quickly. Thankfully, the switch to hover mode and back, can be done very swiftly, so a speedy 180 degree spin is always an easy trick. The Sagittarius isn't particularly fast, but it gets the job done, and the weapons aren't exactly powerful, but once again, they get the job done.
The levels are a little unorganized, quite often, you won't be sure if the level is over or not, although, all the challenges, and mission objectives are perfectly in line with the story.

Overall

From the story, to the damage that the Sagittarius takes, a lot of attention to detail has been put into this game, and it has paid off. The story makes you want to keep playing, and the game itself is very enjoyable. The worlds are so beautiful, and so real, that flying around in them is as convincing as it could ever be on a console. Most other ships you pass will chat to you, all the characters in the story are fully rounded characters, not just 2D stereotypes, and shallow figures. The story is progressed in cut scenes at the beginning and end of each level, that are narrated by Magnus Tide, the character you take control of. All in all, it has been perfectly executed.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 04/23/03, Updated 04/23/03