Colony Wars Vengeance

by Psygnosis

Product Details

• ASIN: B00000IFRG
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 4.8 x 0.4 inches ; 1.6 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #25,443 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)

Product Description

GameSpot Review

In Colony Wars: Vengeance, the sequel to Psygnosis' award-winning space shooter, Colony Wars, you assume the role of Mertens, an idealistic Navy pilot out to wreak revenge against the merciless League that defeated his people one hundred years earlier, imprisoning them in their home system and dooming them to a century of civil war. Lead by the messianic Kron, Mertens and the rest of the Navy plunge headlong into the heart of League territory, hoping to restore the Navy to its prior greatness... or die trying. But is the charismatic Navy leader all that he seems?

In response to player feedback, Psygnosis packed a number of improvements into Colony Wars: Vengeance. While the number of selectable ships has dropped from seven to five, a brand-new upgrade system now enables you to customize each craft to your liking. Devastating "sentinel" superweapons in addition to new air-to-ground combat infuse the game with some sorely needed variety. The game's collision detection and physics also have been improved thanks to a powerful new game engine. The one thing that hasn't changed, however, is the game's nearly impossible level of difficulty; Colony Wars: Vengeance is guaranteed to provide a formidable challenge for even the most battle-tested PlayStation pilots.

As in the original, failing a mission does not lead to instantaneous death, as it does in most games of Colony Wars' ilk; rather, a branching mission tree spins the story in new directions, ultimately leading to one of six unique endings. In all, Colony Wars: Vengeance spans over 40 missions, arranged into 19 different "acts." Unlocking the game's most desirable ending automatically rewards the player with the entire mission tree, which allows you to dish out some serious payback by replaying any of the previous missions - with the ship of your choice - infusing Colony Wars: Vengeance with an uncommon amount of replay value.

The real question, however, is whether or not the average player will possess the patience and persistence to make it that far. Severely unbalanced missions (the fifth Sentinel is a breeze compared with the second) and an almost insane level of difficulty undoubtedly will have many gamers, if not most, flinging their controllers in disgust long before the game's halfway point, which really is a pity; a more gradual "ramping" of the level of difficulty would have made the game more enjoyable and accessible to casual gamers while allowing them to experience more of the game's visual fireworks and story elements. By the time I reached the game's supposedly climactic plot twist, I was simply too beaten down to care much about Mertens anymore.

As for Colony Wars: Vengeance's cosmetic improvements, I gladly would have traded all of them for a two-player cooperative or head-to-head mode. A cooperative mode, in particular, would have killed two birds with one stone by making the game easier while allowing a friend to join in the fun.

Despite its flaws, the game's head-turning graphics, diversity, and uncommonly developed story propel Colony Wars: Vengeance light years ahead of the average space shooter. However, a bit more fine-tuning could have made it truly stellar. --Gary Mollohan
--Copyright ©1999 GameSpot Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of GameSpot is prohibited. GameSpot and the GameSpot logo are trademarks of GameSpot Inc.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Must have , love, hate:, July 2, 2004

By 

raynet11 (Chicago IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Colony Wars Vengeance (Video Game)

This game is getting old now, I have to speak for the game because I bought it twice, once back in the day when it came out and again in 2004 for a lack of a good space shooter on the PS2. To this day the graphics hold up well and the gameplay factor is what brings you back for more. Missions range from escort to defend the base to take out the enemy base or fighters. The gameplay is hard, I mean really hard. (for easy play pick up colony wars 3). The missions are setup in fork fashion, loose a mission it changes the outcome, and completion path of the game. If you liked tie fighter or x-wing games from back in the day and you arn't to spoiled with modern graphics give this game a try.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Rush of a game...for those who don't mind futility, October 16, 2000

By 

"davearthur" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Colony Wars Vengeance (Video Game)

Colony Wars Vengeance takes off where Colony Wars left off. The most likely ending in Colony Wars has the good guys sealing off the Earth system. Vengeance has you joining up the other side to get revenge against the ones who sealed you up. The controls are familiar to the Colony Wars controls and the weapons have been expanded with the ability to customize your ship by adding more power to shields, weapons, and handling. However, the game just doesn't have the same magic as the first game. The difficulty level, extreme in Colony Wars has become rather murderous now which sometimes distracts from the idea that this is supposed to be a fun game. This wouldn't be too bad, but it begins getting old after the 5th or 6th or 81st time on a mission with barely any improvement or progression. If you like beautiful graphics, great star fighter puzzles, and combat (learn to use a tractor beam to tow debris into a black hole-which may suck you in too if you get too close), then this is a great game. BUT don't let it get to you personally because you'll most likely want to throw your controller across the room in frustration after a few missions.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This is great!, April 1, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Colony Wars Vengeance (Video Game)

This game pushes the playstation to its limits with outstanding graphics and amazing cut-scenes that help develop the storylone. The soundtrack can be heard in dolby surround sound and each mission has a complete audio briefing and debriefing. This is a must have for any PSX owner who enjoys sci-fi or sim-style gameplay.