Privateer for Windows

Classic space game modelled on Wing Commander

According to the developers, back in 1993 Privateer was released as part of the Wing Commander series and became a great success in the gaming industry. Over 10 years later a small group of Privateer enthusiasts reintroduced the game with a new graphics engine and real 3D spaceflight.

Privateer was one of the first games in offering "open ended" gameplay (like Grand Theft Auto), when finishing the main plot, you can continue your game by exploring the rest of the universe. Privateer Gemini Gold is basically a remake of that game adapting it for today's faster machines and more demanding gaming enthusiasts. Key to this is that the game uses the 'Voxel' graphics engine which offers some spectacular angles and viewpoints of the ship and impressive graphics - much less blocky than usual 3D graphics.

Your role is as Grayson Burrows who inherited a small old scout class ship from your grandfather. Your task is to start over the 'Privateer' in a new and sparsely populated sector of the Confederation. Depending on what you want to achieve, you can take your chance and become a pirate, merchant or bounty hunter. You can upgrade your ship to conquer the galaxy but life is not made simple by other barbarians, pirates and evil commanders. It's good fun once you've mastered the controls although you can't help feeling that it's a poorer imitation of Wing Commander and lacks both the quickfire action, thrills and depth of it.