The video discusses the top 10 space simulators of all time, highlighting the struggles and successes of the genre. It acknowledges games like Freespace, Star Wars Tie Fighter, No Man’s Sky, and Elite Dangerous, which have made significant contributions to the space simulator genre and have influenced future titles.
The transcription discusses the top 10 space simulators of all time. It acknowledges that the space simulator genre has had a tumultuous journey, with two rises to popularity and two falls. The video begins by highlighting Freespace as an underappreciated game that struggled to find success in a market moving towards more accessible games. It also mentions Freelancer, which was a highly anticipated project but faced budget issues and was ultimately released as a cut-down version.
The video then discusses the impact of Star Wars space games, specifically highlighting TIE Fighter as a refined and visually appealing game. It recognizes the X-series games as a representation of the stagnation of the genre, lacking in graphics and user-interface design but still adhering to core space sim principles. No Man’s Sky is acknowledged for bringing accessibility to the genre and setting a high standard for exploration gameplay.
The video emphasizes the influence of Wing Commander, a visually spectacular game that changed the way games were developed. Kerbal Space Program is included for bridging the gap between space travel and science, while still being a cute and silly game. It discusses the impact of Chris Roberts’ Star Citizen, which sparked a resurgence in the genre and continues to be a success despite being in alpha for nearly 10 years.
Elite Dangerous is regarded as the game that solidified the new era of space sims, being a well-received and polished game compared to its predecessors. The video also mentions the original Elite, which set the blueprint for space sim games and introduced procedural generation and open-world gameplay. The honorable mention goes to EVE Online, despite it being categorized more as an MMORPG than a space sim.
Overall, the video highlights the struggles and successes of the space simulator genre and emphasizes the importance of these games in paving the way for future titles.