StarLancer

Genres

Platforms

Summary

Starlancer is a space-themed sci-fi flight simulation computer game developed by Erin Roberts, Chris Roberts, and Warthog PLC under the banner of Digital Anvil. It is the year 2160. Humanity has expanded across the solar system, and two major political factions have arisen: the Alliance, composed of American, Australian, French, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, British, and German forces, and the Coalition, representing Russian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern interests. The game opens with a shocking attack on Fort Kennedy, where a peace summit erupts into chaos: all four inner planets, including Earth itself, are quickly captured, and the Italian and French fleets are completely destroyed. The Alliance fleet retreats to Triton, the moon of Neptune, and begins a desperate effort to reclaim lost ground. The player assumes the role of a new pilot in the multinational 45th Volunteers squadron, led by Captain Robert Foster and Wing Commander Maria Enriquez, aboard the reactivated British carrier ANS Reliant. Like Wing Commander: Prophecy, the pilot's skill in combat is the sole measure of success or failure, although Starlancer offers fewer branching mission paths. As in Wing Commander I, the pilot can earn promotions throughout the campaign; however, in this game, rank determines the types of fighters and missiles available for each mission. The game includes a "virtual carrier" system for navigation, complete with crew members whose attitudes toward you shift based on your rank and performance. The standout feature, however, is the game's text and video news reports, which update the player on the broader war effort, making it feel like a vast, ongoing conflict just beyond the player's immediate view. Often, players find themselves flying with squadrons and pilots they've just seen on the news, adding a sense of fame and reinforcing the idea that the player is just one piece of a much larger war. The story of Starlancer is carried forward in Chris Roberts' Freelancer project, although the two games belong to different subgenres (the former is strictly action-focused, while the latter includes trading and allows free exploration of the game's universe when not on a mission).

Storyline

It is the year 2160. Humanity has expanded across the solar system, and two major powers have risen: the Alliance, composed of American, Australian, French, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, British, and German forces, and the Coalition, representing Russian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern interests. The game opens with a shocking assault on Fort Kennedy, where a peace summit erupts into chaos: all four inner planets, including Earth itself, are swiftly captured, and the Italian and French fleets are completely destroyed. The surviving Alliance fleet retreats to Triton, the moon of Neptune, to regroup and attempt to reclaim lost ground. The player assumes the role of a new pilot in the multinational 45th Volunteers squadron, led by Captain Robert Foster and Wing Commander Maria Enriquez, aboard the reactivated British carrier ANS Reliant. Like *Wing Commander: Prophecy*, the pilot's skill in combat is the sole measure of success or failure, although *Starlancer* offers fewer branching mission options. As in *Wing Commander I*, the pilot can earn promotions throughout the campaign; however, in this game, rank directly affects the types of fighters and missiles available for each mission. The game features a "virtual carrier" interface for navigation, complete with crew members whose attitudes toward the player shift based on rank and reputation. The standout feature, however, is the game's text and video news reports, which provide updates on the broader war effort just beyond the player's immediate experience. Often, players find themselves flying with squadrons and pilots they've just seen on the news, adding a sense of celebrity and reinforcing the feeling of being part of a vast, ongoing conflict. The story of *Starlancer* is carried forward in Chris Roberts' *Freelancer* project, though the two games belong to different genres: the former is strictly a military action experience, while the latter also includes trading and allows players to freely explore the game's universe between missions.