REVIEWS
This page consists of reviews of Privateer 2: The Darkening.
Reviews Catalog
Reviews
Review by John Carpenter
- Graphics=9
- Sounds and Music=7
- Replay Value=10
- Acting=8
- Overall Enjoyment=9
- Final Rating=9
The first Privateer game, which Origin released in 1993, was and
still is my personal favorite. With Privateer 2, the fun and excitement
of a non-linear, story rich game, set in the Wing Commander universe,
has been extended. This is a great game[period]
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Review by Rob Hanson
I think that Privateer 2 is a great game. I love the combat, the new
flight screen took a little getting used to. I was used to having to
worry about the ship being in the way, and at first it seemed a little
empty. I have one major (at least IMHO) complaint in the flight mode
design. I know that you can't target planets, and that is okay with me,
but I loved being able to tell how far away I was from one in Privateer 1.
I cannot stand not knowing how far I have to travel. It is just an
irritant, but I don't understand why they removed this. I also don't know
why they changed the missiles and torpedoes from buying a launcher and
having ten missiles (or torpedoes) and now only having ONE per spot. Big
flub IMHO. MORE missiles was always MORE fun!
Last Words: Great game, new graphics and ship choices are great, and the
interface of the CCN and the PAD are the future of computing!!!
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Review by Jan Baumann
Privateer 2 is certainly one of the best games I have ever played. It's
got fantastic graphics, a nice plot, and an enormous range of different
commodities, ships, planets and so forth. They make the game so flexible and
realistic, and give you every possibility of individualising your game. However,
The original Privateer game is still my favorite. Why? Well, first, I quite enjoy
being able to actually fly to a nav-point without jumping (auto-piloting), and
being able to see how far away I was from that nav point. Perhaps flying from
nav-point to nav-point is possible in Privateer 2, but as you have no way of
knowing what direction to fly, doing this would be difficult. The launcher
system in Privateer 1 is defenitely better than having room for only 7 or
so missiles. The afterburners are too limited in Privateer 2, as well. They
are depleted almost instantly, so you have to use them in a limited capacity.
In Privateer 1, afterburner upgrades increased energy use only.
Also, the missions in Privateer 2 are not random enough. You get to play
the same missions over and over. The same nav-points, same objectives, same
pay. I got the impression that there is no random mission generator, only a few
missions already generated on the CD's. The random mission generator in Privateer 1
was one of the game's finest features.
Last but not least, I think that the missions were a little bit too hard.
I mean, high paying missions should be difficult, but 16 enemy fighters in three
waves (8+4+4). Plus a military destroyer or enemy cruisers? A little bit exaggerated.
All in all a good deal of potential was wasted in privateer 2, but still there is quite a lot left.
Perhaps when employing cheats found on this page, the game finally catches up with it's
predecessor. Going past Privateer 1 seems, however, quite impossible.
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Review by Scott Maruska
Privateer 2 is a great game. Great graphics, great acting and a great flight simulator, but I don't think it
comes close to Privateer 1. I think that Privateer 2's gaming platform is too small. Privateer 1 had four
quadrents with 20 or so systems in each, and the systems had from 3-10 navs each. Also I hate the
fact that Privateer 2 has no RMG, Random Mission Generator. Playing the same missions over and over
and over again becomes monotinous and takes away from the game. I also don't like the in flight screen
I like having to look out windows in the ship, not having this takes away from the realism a bit.
Privateer 2 beats Privateer 1 in a few areas though. One big improvement is ships jumping in system
when you are at the nav point. Also, The ship variety was a lot better and so was the planet variety.
All in all I think Privateer 2 is a great game, but Origin has a lot of work to do if they want to make a
Privateer better than the first when and if they come out with a third Privateer.
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Review by MeRcYKiLLeR
I must be the only person alive to like Privateer 2 better than the
original. Privateer 1 was a great game and I played it often. I beat it
5 times and the expasion pack about 3. I love and always will love that
game. But....I think that Privateer 2 is better. Here's why. First of
all you only had 4 ships to choose from..well 3 who the hell
wants a Tarsus? I found that there was really no choice even in those.
It seemed to much work to beat the game in a Galaxy or Orion, making the
Centurion the only choice. In Privateer 2 you have 18 ships to choose
from. Even though there is a "best ship" you can beat P2 with. there is a varaity
of them. Another thing I like is the limited missiles. Most people would
say they would rather have 20 or so. Privateer 2 puts more importance in
guns not missles. It's more of a dog fighting game. You have to get in
there and blast it out...Which I like better than unloading tons of
missles from a distance. There is no comparison with P2's combat system.
It is smooth, fast, and action packed. There is nothing like being in the
middle of 10 or more ships brawling with lasers flying left and right! I
would go through all the other qualities of Privateer 2 but the other
reviews got most of them down. Now, There is one thing I did not like
about P2. I REALLY WANT TO BEFRIEND THE BAD GUYS!!! It would been much
more fun if you could have have chosen a path to hang with one of the
pirate clans and do raids on merchant and military vessels. That is one
thing I always loved about the original Privateer. I had it so I was
hostile with all but the Kilrathi and Pirates. Besides that fact
Privateer 2 rates a perfect 10 in my book! It does need one more
thing...INTERNET PLAY!!!!!
Review by Curt Howland
While I enjoy the "movie" of P2 greatly, and what a
cast of actors(!), I must agree with those that prefer
P1, because of the random mission generator and the
"look and feel" of being in a space ship. Also the
ability to be friends with the bad guys, which made
it possible in one replay for me to end up being
friendly with *everyone*. (Don't ask me how...I dunno
either.)
The improvements in P2 are speed and smoothness of the
flight engine, and the variety of ships. While being
able to hire a freighter is all well and good, I would
very much like to FLY ONE too. I'm sorry that such a
choice was not included. I played nearly all the way
through P1 in the Galaxy, just because it felt good to
fly the "Milenium Falcon(TM)."
Indeed, had options only been ADDED to P1 to end up
with P2, it would have been a wonderous game. As it is,
I think Origin sacrificed "game play" for the "movie",
and I had this feelling right from the moment I began
playing P2. A great game doesn't need a "movie", but
I ain't paying no $50 no matter how good the "movie"
is, if the game sucks.
This doesn't mean I don't like the game, I'd buy P2
all over again. I just think Origin needs to take a
look at what they're selling: Movies or Games? Why did
they have to sacrifice one to the other? If Privateer
Online is ever created, "game play" is all there will
be to keep the players interest. P1, at least in spirit,
will have to live again.
Review by Stanley Klemme
WOW!
I missed a game like elite since i broke my Amiga 1000 back in 89.
But p2 is the best complement i've ever seen.
Having main plot and film sequences (what a cast!) p2 is my alltime-
favorite in computer-games - bigtime!
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---MAIN
---SHIPS
---HINTS AND CHEATS---
---WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT
---WINGMEN
---PLANETS AND STATIONS---
---COMMODITIES
---ACTORS/ACTRESSES---
---ENEMY CLANS
---TUTORIAL
---LINKS!---
Privateer2 is a registered trademark
of Origin and Electronic Arts.