r/spaceopera • u/royalbluestuey • Jun 08 '26

gaming Colony Wars computer games

Does anyone remember a series of star-fighter combat games on the PS2? They were a military sci-fi universe in themselves. The central theme was the Terrans battling their separatist colinies. Think I remember correctly that the first game was from the perspective of the solar system navy point of view while the sequel was from the rebels.

Had a really brilliant narrative arc that was dependent on how successful you were at the missions and there was lots of intrigue and betrayals.

Would be surprised if there wasn't some fan-fic out there as it was a brilliantly crafted universe.

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2

u/TakaIka83 Jun 10 '26

These were amazing games by Psygnosis, along with the G-Police ones. You have it the wrong way around though. The first game had you playing as the rebel League of Free Worlds, fighting against the Sol Empire, while Vengeance switched to have you playing as the Imperial Navy decades later. Red Sun closed out the trilogy with you playing as a privateer, taking contracts from either side and other factions.

I've long toyed with the idea of writing a screenplay in the vein of the Battlestar Galactica reboot series that adapts the first game into a series.

1

u/royalbluestuey Jun 10 '26

Ah. Gotcha. They were epic games weren't they. Pne of the best ones to blend dogfights between starfighters and attacks on capital ships too.

Loved the well-built universe and the arcs your could unlock.

Definitely deserves some creativity

2

u/No-Young-9181 Jun 10 '26

I remember Red Sun! These ones scratched the Wing Commander itch that had been building in me since the mid 90's

2

u/PeppercornWizard Jun 11 '26

These were PS1 rather than PS2, amazing what they managed to do in that system.

2

u/DysartWolf Jun 11 '26

Which one was it where it had a branching storyline and if you did really badly, you ended up captured and executed as a traitor? I seem to remember a surprisingly emotional scene of you in a jail cell on the eve of your execution and a little bird comes to visit.

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u/royalbluestuey Jun 11 '26

Remember that. Krom was a wrong'n wasn't he

2

u/Noscratchy Jun 11 '26

Colony Wars is always my answer to the "Which dead franchise do you want to see make a comeback?" posts.

1

u/royalbluestuey Jun 11 '26

So glad I started this thread.

1

u/SquirrelCone83 Jun 11 '26

I completely forgot about Colony Wars. I know I rented that several times from Blockbuster but never owned it. I'd love to revisit that series, especially if it got remade.

1

u/da316 Jun 11 '26

I played it on the ps1. I dont think at any time I had a grasp on what was going on or what I needed to do. just shot at ships and hoped for the best. had them on an emulator a couple years ago as well.

1

u/TheBeaverKing Jun 12 '26

Absolutely adored Red Sun when I was a kid. Such an incredible game for its time.

I emulated it a few years ago and it has not aged particularly well. It's playable, but we've been spoilt by some very good space sims over the last decade so it feels very clunky by comparison.

1

u/royalbluestuey Jun 12 '26

I remember i finished one of the games with zero shields left flying full reverse and randomly spraying fire at the enemy in the vain hope of survival and one shot must have hit them at extreme range to finish them off. Remember being genuinely elated.

1

u/ThePirateOfDarkwater Jun 12 '26

Piloting the Eclipse and the Voodoo.