Space Sim First Look: X-Wing

LucasArts - the company previously best known for ripping of Sierra's "Quest" adventure games -- is at it again... and this time they're taking aim at Wing Commander! Presumably impressed with Wing Commander's stellar sales, Lucas announced "X-Wing" at the recent Comdex show - a space shooter which puts the player in the cockpit of the X-Wing space fighter featured in several Star Wars films.

As you can see from the screenshots below, this thing isn't going to hold a candle to Wing Commander. Look at that ugly gray cockpit -- with damage measured in percents? And what are they fighting, a puke-yellow square? Did we need more evidence that textured bitmaps and not 3D objects were the wave of the future?

The game is being developed by Larry Holland and the rest of the team which brought you Battlehawks 1942 and Battle of Britain. Big mistake, LucasArts! This kind of game needs an epic storyteller and not some flight school washout. Imagine Andy Hollis running Wing Commander instead of Chris Roberts!

So, be wary of this title. I think it's going to help prove why there hasn't been a 'Star Wars' movie in eight years!