Freespace 2 turns 20 next week. Instead of lamenting the passage of time and our fleeting mortality, I'm choosing to mark the occasion by directing you to GOG, where the classic space dogfighter is currently free.
It's lost some of its sheen—though it still looks better than GOG's unflattering screenshots—but ageing graphics can't hide what a superb cosmic combat game it was and still is, combining some of the best bits of space sims and arcade shooters with battles of dizzying scale.
I remember it being one of the first games where the space battles felt like they were properly, intimidatingly massive. Nothing looked as good as capital ships clashing, unleashing devastating broadside attacks that lit up the void. That's not a novelty these days, but Freespace 2's missions still amount to some of the genre's best.
We republished our old Freespace 2 review when it was released on Steam in 2014, so give it a read. Or just download the game and start playing.
GOG is also hosting an interstellar sale with more than 80 space games and bits of DLC reduced by up to 85 percent. It's a broad list, with everything from Stellaris to Wing Commander. I highly recommend Objects in Space, which treats space travel like a tense, stealthy submarine ride.
You've got two more days to snatch up Freespace 2, while the interstellar sale will run until Monday.
