Wing Commander: Academy

Wing Commander: Academy was created as a spin-off from the main numbered series, and instead of a linear story it offered players a set of training missions set at a Confederation training facility. It was built on the second game's engine, but focused on replayable gameplay – instead of a scripted campaign with cinematic cutscenes and a fixed plotline, the player worked through individual missions that tested piloting skills in various types of combat against the Kilrathi fleet.

The framework of the game was simple: the player took on the role of a cadet going through training, and the individual missions functioned more as standalone scenarios than as a continuation of a narrated story. This made it possible to offer a wider range of combat situations and enemy types without having to shoot additional live-action cutscenes, which were a costly and time-consuming part of production in the series' main installments.

The title was cheaper and more accessible than the series' main installments, which matched its role as a training add-on rather than a full-fledged story continuation. Even so, it contained a set of missions with graduated difficulty and let players return to the beloved space combat system of Wing Commander II without having to follow another chapter of the main Confederation-versus-Kilrathi story, making it an accessible entry point into the series for new players.

This is precisely how Academy differed from the rest of the series – it placed no emphasis on the cinematic storytelling Wing Commander was famous for, but on the core substance of the gameplay itself, namely space fighter combat. For players who mainly wanted to fly and fight without having to follow an extensive story with characters, it was an interesting alternative to the numbered installments.

Why play it: For players who came to love the combat in Wing Commander II and want to relive it in a set of standalone missions without any commitment to further story. Also a good choice for those looking for a cheaper way into the series at the height of its popularity who wanted to try pure piloting combat without the cinematic trappings.