Colony Wars

It's been a long time coming, but finally a PlayStation game has arrived that enables players to indulge in the kind of epic space battles we've all been dreaming about since Star Wars first blew us out of our seats many years ago.

Set in the far-flung future, man has perfected the art of longevity, which has unsurprisingly caused a massive population explosion. Fortunately, it's a future where intergalactic travel is the norm, and mankind has spread throughout the universe, colonizing any planet capable of supporting life.

However, all is not good. The outlying colonies, tired of answering to the tyrannical Earth-based government, are seeking home rule. This ill feeling has erupted into a rebellion, and as a colonist freedom fighter, you've been called up to thwart the imperial forces who want to ruthlessly crush the resistance.

And that sets the scene for a really special game. Yep, it's time to open up the cliché book, reach for the thesaurus, and open up the dictionary of hyperbole -- Colony Wars is the best PlayStation action game yet, bar none. Everything about the title just oozes quality. The graphics are simply astounding. Every special effect in the book, and some that aren't, have been used to bring this game to life, and the end result is a space-combat game that makes you feel like you're in a movie. It's hi-res, it's smooth, and it looks absolutely gorgeous.

The game has an incredible sense of scale and space, so that you really feel like you're out there, right in the middle of a series of incredible battles. One minute you're flying your small attack fighter through a formation of giant (and I mean h-u-g-e) space cruisers, desperately trying to avoid the massive laser beams they're firing at you, and the next you're flying like a madman in the midst of a swarm of tiny enemy attack fighters trying to destroy them before they send you floating home in pieces.

Sound too is awesome -- a rousing soundtrack and top-notch effects conspire brilliantly to add to the proceedings. The weapons effects are particularly noteworthy, with crisp and meaty effects that really make you feel like you're caning the ass off a bad guy when your lasers and missiles hit home. "Satisfying" is an understatement!

Based on what I've already said, it goes without saying that the gameplay is fitter than the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. With 70 different missions that vary from out-and-out combat and patrols to special missions and escort duties, this game is tough and deep. But it's massively addictive, too. Enemy AI is excellent, the different ships available to the player are really cool, control is outstanding, there are tons of amazing weapons to use and the entire game is held together by great in-game presentation screens and a series of epic FMV sequences that tell you what's going on.

So that's it, in a nut shell. Brilliant. Awesome. Spectacular. Trouser-creamingly good. I could go on and on. But I won't. Because if the phrase "best PlayStation action game yet" and what I've already written isn't enough to motivate you to get off your ass and rush down to your nearest software store to buy this, you don't deserve any more of my time.