Wing Commander II: Vengeance of the Kilrathi

aka: WC2
Moby ID: 823

Description official descriptions

Your carrier, the Tiger's Claw, is destroyed by Kilrathi stealth fighters. You are blamed for the loss of the ship. After being demoted you are transferred to a space station far off the front lines where you are supposed to spend the rest of your career.

However, ten years later, you are able to save the Confederation flagship, the Concordia, from a Kilrathi attack. On the ship, you meet many old friends. Back in the cockpit, it's up to you to stop the Kilrathi and prove your innocence in the destruction of the Tiger's Claw.

The basic gameplay of Wing Commander II is very similar to that of its predecessor. There are all-new ships for both the Kilrathi and the Confederation, however - only the Rapier returns from the previous game, in an upgraded version.

While many of the weapons (including both missiles and energy guns) are also reused, new technology (used by both sides) requires new tactics: Since capital ships now employ "phase shielding", making them immune to normal weapons fire, only special torpedoes can damage them. Only heavy fighters and bombers are able to make torpedo runs. Before a torpedo can be fired, the shields of the target must be analyzed to find a way to get through, which results in a long locking phase during which the bomber must not move. The bombers are equipped with one or more gun turrets to protect them from enemy fighters during the lock-on. Another new technology are chaff pods, which can be deployed to lure enemy missiles off the target.

The Wing Commander series' trademark cinematic storytelling is greatly expanded in Wing Commander II, with many animated cutscenes continuing the story between missions.

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Credits (DOS version)

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[ full credits ]

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 87% (based on 12 ratings)

Players

Average score: 4.0 out of 5 (based on 56 ratings with 6 reviews)

The game that has arguably put the PC as a serious machine for gaming.

The Good
Wing Commander II Vengeance of the Kilrathi (WC2) was the first game I have had the privilege to buy myself. It was during this time I was inundated with adventure games. There were few space simulators that debuted at this time but I can only recall playing games such as Stellar 7, Nova 9, or even the very first Mechwarrior. After playing the original Wing Commander, my expectations heightened when I heard the sequel was coming out.

Before Heart of the Tiger took the series into FMV and full 3D, and long before Prophecy topped off the space combat franchise of franchises with a whisper against the likes of Descent Freespace and X-Wing, Vengeance of the Kilrathi opened the door to a little heard of genre and the masses ran in drooling. Wing Commander II was engaging, dynamic, and full of life! It was everything its predecessor was, only better and more impacting. With its multiple upgrades, the title that was cool became the title that was awesome. For being so memorable, recognizable, enjoyable, polished and sweet, Wing Commander II easily earns its rank among classic games. WC2 still placed emphasis on presentation - the elements that surround the gameplay and imbue it with meaning.

WC2 continued with the style of hand drawn characters, its unnamed character and unique space fighters. This time they added the ability of speech. It was during this time WC2 rewarded PC gamers who had the coveted Sound Blaster. WC's tradition of elaborate launch sequences are still here and there is always the option of skipping them. The tradition of dynamic music makes its second installment and it is well conceived and composed. In this sequel, the intergalactic war between the Terran Confederation and the Kilrathi Empire continues but this time there are plot twists within the Confederation itself! Ooh! Aah!

WC2 still has the neat missile tracking crosshairs since WC1 but one of nicest additions to WC2, which also happens to be the most enjoyable moments in the game, is the replay camera which can be played back as a whole single mission. In addition, angles of the replay camera can be used to replay the torpedo runs or even missile cams! Although the replay cannot be rewinded, it is a nice touch for a game that was done to exploit its cinematic tone.

Another feature I've always liked about WC2 is its ship designs and the ability to use turrets on specific fighters and bombers. The ship designs are original and purposeful but not so much that they are unappealing.

The Bad
WC2's only weak point is its sappy story. Some parts of the story was cliched drama and clumsy make-out scenes but at least the hand drawn characters help subside some of the cheesy parts of the story. Other than that, the story was enough to immerse the player. Despite some of the weakness in the story, WC2 was definitely a faithful follow up from Wing Commander.

The Bottom Line
Each and every Wing Commander game was at the forefront of technology and innovative gameplay when they were released. Games today still rarely exceed the polish and production values associated with installments in the series. This is why Wing Commander fans around the world share a special bond. WC2 exudes in a very well thought out single player experience that can't be beat.

radcastro.com

DOS · by diglot.net (27) · 2005

Lightning strikes twice: Another PC gaming classic

The Good
WC2's graphics and sound, like the previous version, were way ahead of the competition. At the time of its release, this was THE graphics extravaganza for gamers.

The play balance and mission design are simply outstanding; only "TIE Fighter" has such well-balanced, interesting, and exciting missions. The fighters are varied and awesome. The backstory is terrific.

As atrocious as the "Wing Commander" movie was, you can see, playing the games, why they made a movie about it; playing WC2 felt exactly like being the main chaacter in a science fiction epic. No dogfighting game has ever had the immersive, you're-in-a-movie feel like WC and WC2, and the game itself is perfectly suited for it.

The Bad
Like WC, this can be a hard game to get the right memory requirements for. Other than that, this is a perfect game in every respect, and a big step over the first Wing Commander game.

The Bottom Line
One of the true granddaddies in PC gaming history, a magnificent achievement and a joy to play.

DOS · by Rick Jones (96) · 2001

An excellent sequel to Wing Commander

The Good
I enjoyed the storyline and felt the graphics, particularly the explosions, were very good. The folks at Origin also dida great job increasing the difficulty level. There were a few missions I had to repeat many times to beat, but each one was beatable. I love the Wing Commander series and this was another good game in it.

The Bad
It ended.

The Bottom Line
Exactly like the Wing Commander game where you lead the Confederation through a series of missions against the Kilrathi. Leading may be a misnomer here since you aren't actually in charge, but your mission results do dictate the course the story follows.

DOS · by Spectre (126) · 2000

[ View all 6 player reviews ]

Trivia

Cancelled SNES version

A SNES port of this game was created in 1994, to follow the previously released Wing Commander and Wing Commander: The Secret Missions SNES games. All indications are that the game was completed and shipped to the factory to begin manufacturing. However at the very last minute the game seems to have been cancelled. The only indications that it ever existed are the April 1995 issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly and the May 1995 issue of GamePro, both of which published reviews of the game. More information can be found here.

References

One of the mission series in Wing Commander II takes place in the Niven system. This is a tip of the hat to science fiction writer Larry Niven, whose felinoid aliens, the Kzinti, inspired Wing Commander's antagonists, the Kilrathi.

Awards

  • Computer Gaming World
    • November 1994 (Issue #124) – Introduced into the Hall of Fame

Information also contributed by Terok Nor.

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  • MobyGames ID: 823
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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by Terok Nor.

Additional contributors: Shoddyan, Ricky Derocher, Cantillon, Patrick Bregger.

Game added February 4, 2000. Last modified January 19, 2024.