Void Wars assessed exercise

Definition

Void Wars is a 3D space blaster from Rampant Games. The game features both online and offline game modes and features a wealth of spacecraft for you to pilot. There have been many great intergalactic dogfight style games over the years, through Elite to Wing Commander and recently Colony Wars on the Playstation. So the question is can Void Wars match the high level of competition through the genre and rub shoulders with such greats?

Description

Well, on paper at least, Void Wars has a lot going for it. There are six different craft to pilot, a full offline campaign as well as online multiplayer combat. There are even obstacles to avoid such as space stations and asteroids. Yes, even in the vast expanse of space you can still manage to bump into things if you’re not careful. The game is played in full, sweeping 3D and the game areas are fairly large which gives the game a good sense of scale. As well as this the space ships look good and there is something satisfying about letting off a volley of laser fire towards an enemy ship and seeing it explode as another space pirate bites the dust.

Sequence

Void Wars is extremely easy to get into and start playing. To access the offline campaign mode all you need to do is pick your craft and name and then you’re off. Interestingly, each craft has a special attack meaning there is some, albeit limited, replay value if you wish to see what each craft can offer you. The campaign sees you on a quest to rescue a missing girlfriend, so nothing exactly Tolkien-esque from the plot here. There are some good boss fights to be had here and they will certainly provide you with a real challenge right throughout the game.

Compare and Contrast

There is a large feeling of being in a massive space opera; you can almost hear Han Solo over the radio saying “Great shot, kid” as you take down another ship. It’s these sorts of feelings that really touch your inner child and mean you can find yourself playing Void Wars with a big grin on your face. Sadly, however, these feelings don’t hang around for long. The handling of the ships is extremely twitchy, almost to the point of being unplayable at times. As well as this the enemy craft have an annoying habit of driving right into you. It’s these flaws which seriously ruin your experience and is the reason why Void Wars doesn’t quite reach the lofty heights of games such as Elite.

Choice

When this type of game is done properly (see any of the games mentioned above) then you can end up with some spectacular results. There is something inherently appealing about dog fighting in space, but Void Wars tries its hardest to ruin this with the dodgy AI of the enemy pilots. This means sooner or later you will head for the online mode to find some real people to pit your skills against. This turned out to be my favourite mode of play, a good old fashioned deathmatch, no storyline or end level bosses needed.

Evaluation

Overall a brave effort by Rampant but sadly Void Wars is marred by some serious flaws and so comes up short of being a great game. With illusions of grandeur this ends up more b-movie than George Lucas. The game looks great but can be an absolute dog to play. It is almost as if somebody has taken all the ingredients needed for a great game and somehow ended up baking something of a distinctly average experience.