DESCRIPTION

It was called The Great War. The combative human and alien Vasudan races had settled their differences and joined forces. It turned out they had little choice in the end, because there posed a new threat that had the potential to wipe out both of their races: the Shivans. With luck and with hope, it worked. The Shivans were eliminated.

However, it is now 2367: 32 years after The Great War. The humans are cut off from home, the silence has returned, and the newly formed GTVA find time to try and rebuild their mutual civilizations. After all, nearly every last ship was destroyed trying to halt the Shivans approach. It will take some time. Unfortunately, there is suddenly a rumbling in the nearby Gamma Draconis system. The enemy has returned. With numbers so vast it makes their original attack feel like an exercise.

So things will not make for easy living. Over 80 friendly and enemy ships to deal with ranging from the smallest stealth fighters to the massive Capital ships, over 20 weapons ranging from the sneakiest subsystem disrupters to the devastating beam weapons, over 30 missions all trying to push back the overwhelming Shivan presence...yes, this is definitely not an exercise.

Along with the game is the new inclusion of nebula battles, the ability to create your own battles with the "FRED 2" mission editor (Freespace Mission Editor 2), and the power to play free multi-player games either locally or globally (via Parallax Online and the squadron-on-squadron galactic battle tracker Squadwar). As an added bonus, this special "Sim of the Year Edition" spans three discs and includes such extras as an additional campaign, some concept artwork, sound clips, schematics, wallpapers, 20 additional missions, and even music files.

All in all, Freespace 2: Sim of the Year Edition is a frantic flight simulator expanded into a complete, extensive, science-fiction universe. Indeed, you will never get a chance to catch your breath. It poses such challenges that it really does make the past seem like a prologue. ~ Alec Norands, All Game Guide