Independence War 2: Edge of Chaos

 PC
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 31 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 31
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 31
  3. Negative: 5 out of 31
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  1. BradG.
    May 19, 2006
    10
    this is the most amazing game I have ever played! nothing beats it and i have yet to find anything which paralells or even comes close to the sheer realism and flexability of the game. very inspiring, beautiful graphics, exciting storyline, brilliant open-endedness and all round paralell with the likes of Elite and MS space sim. It's a shame that the sequal was cancelled.
  2. Rubberman
    Nov 27, 2002
    10
    Still playing.
  3. Expectoner
    Jul 19, 2012
    10
    Just the best space simulation I've ever played!
    A true spatial simulation with Newtonian physics, if we advance (it takes just as driven to start a reverse return in the opposite direction)
    History is basic but really nice. Even today, it is graphically good, dynamic combat, HUD & LDS, a system of trade and construction, customizable and ships with "Torn Stars" fan addon make it the    Just the best space simulation I've ever played!
    A true spatial simulation with Newtonian physics, if we advance (it takes just as driven to start a reverse return in the opposite direction)
    History is basic but really nice.
    Even today, it is graphically good, dynamic combat, HUD & LDS, a system of trade and construction, customizable and ships with "Torn Stars" fan addon make it the best spatial simulation of all time.
    Try him !

    Community site: http://www.i-war2.com/
    "Torn Stars" fan addon site: http://www.torn-stars.com/    … Expand
  4. StevenL.
    Nov 20, 2001
    10
    Very good, buy it.
  5. KeithL.
    Nov 14, 2001
    9
    There is not to much not to like. Excellent game.
  6. S'JetK
    Nov 8, 2009
    10
    A game I missed to play in 2001. A game that must be on everyone's list for excellence in various aspects of simulations and space genre. I-war is definitely a gem and an achievement of the past. Even now, rarely will we find such game quality. I am playing I-war EoC as I make this personal review. The sheer open endedness and the options are what keeps me playing it. Plus with the A game I missed to play in 2001. A game that must be on everyone's list for excellence in various aspects of simulations and space genre. I-war is definitely a gem and an achievement of the past. Even now, rarely will we find such game quality. I am playing I-war EoC as I make this personal review. The sheer open endedness and the options are what keeps me playing it. Plus with the latest technology in graphics allows me to play this game with a much fresher look. The story is also something that hooked me from the start. With Newtonian physics involved, this game has quite an special appeal to it. I've yet to play a game that equals it or surpasses I-war EoC. I hope there will be a future I-war 3 in the making with similar elements to make it a niche of some sort much that of Star Wars trilogy set. I give I-war EoC a solid 10 because a game of such quality should not go unnoticed. An amazing game for an old timer. Review 2009 by S'Jet Keller.… Expand
  7. JimH
    Nov 30, 2009
    9
    Independence War II is my favorite space flight sim. Freespace and the X-Wing/TIE-Fighter franchises are great fun, but they are airplane sims "IN SPaAaAaACE!!!". IW:II uses a Newtonian physics engine (plus FTL and other hand-wavy technolgies) that allows for unconventional maneuvers. I use WASD to strafe/accelerate and Ctrl/Space to thrust down/up. The joystick controls roll/pitch/yaw. Independence War II is my favorite space flight sim. Freespace and the X-Wing/TIE-Fighter franchises are great fun, but they are airplane sims "IN SPaAaAaACE!!!". IW:II uses a Newtonian physics engine (plus FTL and other hand-wavy technolgies) that allows for unconventional maneuvers. I use WASD to strafe/accelerate and Ctrl/Space to thrust down/up. The joystick controls roll/pitch/yaw. This control setup allows flight in any direction relative to your POV and your enemies. Unlike other franchises, I-War II places you at the helm of a large destroyer rather than a dogfighter. While the original I-War was a sim in the spirit of Star Trek: Bridge Commander (requiring the player to micromanage bridge crew), IW:II allows for a more traditional piloting perspective. This is facilitated by a prototype "command section," a single seat vehicle that plugs into large warship chassis to serve as a cockpit and stand-alone evacuation vehicle. IW:II was an early attempt at a sandbox game, but its attempts at open-world gaming are mixed. There are too few side-quests, but there are many opportunities to play space pirate. Players require raw materials to trade and build with. These are gained by poaching interstellar trade routes, disabling ships, fighting off escorts, and calling in your pirate crew to pick up the loot. While repetitive, there are many trade routes to hit and they provide are variety of convoy types to raid. (Valuable items are highly guarded by military capital ships, requiring skill and luck to obtain.) The shortcomings of the sandbox are offset by the fun, space operatic story. It's a tale of murder and revenge, greedy corporations versus the little guys. It has all been done before, but it works well combined with the fresh gameplay.… Expand
  8. AnimaVirus
    Sep 24, 2012
    10
    An excellent "open sandbox" space simulation. The storyline starts quite classic, but it doesn't bring the games down anytime. The graphics were goods when it came out, and aged quite well, simples but efficient. Music is good and fits very well the atmosphere, sounds meets what we ask them. Don't expect to play this game without a joystick, but with one the controls are amazing. All theAn excellent "open sandbox" space simulation. The storyline starts quite classic, but it doesn't bring the games down anytime. The graphics were goods when it came out, and aged quite well, simples but efficient. Music is good and fits very well the atmosphere, sounds meets what we ask them. Don't expect to play this game without a joystick, but with one the controls are amazing. All the interface works awesome : straight to the core. Physics, dynamics of combat, random attacks and piracy make the world very lively. All you could ask could be random events, and some are quite brought by storyline. There's some addons out there, some very little but which will improve the game a lot (like location finder, you'll understand if you play the game), and some extends the game playtime a lot, like freeform. I'm still looking for a space-sim game to be that good since then. A must have for any fan of the genre.… Expand
  9. Justin-bauce
    Sep 21, 2017
    10
    This is by far the best space sim I've ever played. nearly two decades have passed, and I still think about this game when I play any new space-based game. The graphics were excellent, the Newtonian physics were a fantastic touch that really made piloting the ship a lot of fun.

    The story was great, and far beyond the amount of effort that goes into storylines nowadays. Pirating cargo,    This is by far the best space sim I've ever played. nearly two decades have passed, and I still think about this game when I play any new space-based game. The graphics were excellent, the Newtonian physics were a fantastic touch that really made piloting the ship a lot of fun.

    The story was great, and far beyond the amount of effort that goes into storylines nowadays. Pirating cargo, and bringing it back to base to use for manufacturing... this game was way ahead of it's time.

    It will go down in history to anyone who has played it as a landmark in PC gaming. Unfortunately, due to it's early release, the younger generation gamers missed out. So you'll probably find a greater number of positive reviews for COD.

    I still pull I-war 2 out from time to time. Good fun.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

32
#32 Best PC Game of 2001
61
#61 Most Discussed PC Game of 2001
65
#65 Most Shared PC Game of 2001

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. PC Gamer
    80
    My problem with I-War 2 is its vertical learning curve...Combat is brutal and fleeting — some dogfights ended in my destruction just scant seconds after the first shot was fired.
    Read full review
  2. Computer Gaming World
    90
    The attention to detail is extremely high, the Direct 3D graphics are fantastic, and the story is worth pursuing. [Jan 2002, p.106]
  3. Yahoo!
    80
    If you're a hardcore space simmer, you won't find better out there - it really is as simple as that. The sheer depth of the thing combined with the freeform universe, gorgeous graphics and near-perfect physics engine means you could play this non-stop for weeks and just not get bored.
    Read full review
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