MiG Alley (video game)

MiG Alley is a combat flight simulation game, developed by Rowan Software for PCs with Windows, and was published by Empire Interactive in 1999.

MiG Alley
Developer(s)Rowan Software
Publisher(s)Empire Interactive
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
ReleaseNovember 30, 1999 (US)
Genre(s)Combat flight simulation game
Mode(s)Single player

Description

MiG Alley is a historical simulation which focuses on early jet fighter combat in the Korean War – specifically, the so-called MiG Alley in northwestern North Korea, for which the game is named. One of the interesting aspects of the game is the closeness in overall performance between the main combat fighter aircraft – the MiG-15 and the F-86 Sabre. Another is that the game was one of the earliest in the genre to incorporate a 'dynamic' campaign, in which the player's missions are influenced by in-game events rather than being presented in a predetermined order.[1]

History

MiG Alley was developed by Rowan Software and published by Empire Interactive in 1999. In 2001, when Rowan was shut down by Empire Interactive, the developers released the source code to allow the community to continued the game's support on their own.[2] The release happened with permission from Empire Interactive under the "Empire Interactive License", and didn't include the textures and landscape detailing.

Reception
Reception
Review score
PublicationScore
Next Generation[3]
Awards
PublicationAward
Computer Gaming WorldSimulation of the Year[4]
PC Gamer USBest Simulation[5]
Computer Games Strategy PlusSimulation of the Year[6]
Academy of Interactive Arts & SciencesSimulation Game of the Year (finalist)[7]

Christian A. O'Brien reviewed the PC version of the game for Next Generation, rating it four stars out of five, and stated that "A fine sim with terrific graphics and a great sense of campaign flow. There's something here for just about everyone."[3]

In the United States, MiG Alley sold 4,171 copies during 1999, after its release on November 30 of that year.[8] Jason Ocampo of CNET Gamecenter wrote that it "tanked at retail."[9]

MiG Alley was a finalist for the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences' 1999 "Simulation Game of the Year" award, which ultimately went to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2000.[7] However, it was named the best simulation of 1999 by Computer Gaming World,[4] PC Gamer US,[5] CNET Gamecenter,[10] Computer Games Strategy Plus and GameSpot.[6][11] The editors of PC Gamer US highlighted the game's "outstanding flight modeling, butter-smooth graphics, and rich dynamic campaign structure".[5]

gollark: Why use guthub when you could use gutlab or gutea?
gollark: What?
gollark: Overlay glasses terminal.
gollark: Who wants to enjoy the traffic light experience?
gollark: I have an exemption from traffic law, which makes testing hard.

References
  1. "MiG Alley for PC Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2007-02-04.
  2. Mitchell, Robert (2001-11-19). "The Return of MiG Alley?". combatsim.com. Retrieved 2013-01-06. Bob Mitchell: What has prompted you to release the source code for MiG Alley and Battle of Britain? Dave Whiteside: Because we are no longer doing flight sims [after Empire took us over at the end of 2001], and we would not be able to publish any patches that were required [no money was allocated to this], rather than let MiG die and all the code sit doing nothing it was considered a good idea, a swan song, if you like, for Rowan [after 13 years in the flight sim market].
  3. O'Brien, Christian A. (April 2000). "Finals". Next Generation. Vol. 3 no. 4. Imagine Media. p. 94.
  4. Staff (March 2000). "The 2000 Premier Awards; The Very Best of a Great Year in Gaming". Computer Gaming World (188): 69–75, 78–81, 84–90.
  5. Staff (March 2000). "The Sixth Annual PC Gamer Awards". PC Gamer US. 7 (3): 46, 47, 49, 50, 54–56, 60, 62.
  6. Staff (March 6, 2000). "The Computer Games Awards; The Best Games of 1999". Computer Games Strategy Plus. Archived from the original on March 24, 2005.
  7. "Third Interactive Achievement Awards; Personal Computer". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on September 3, 2000.
  8. Staff (April 2000). "PC Gamer Editors' Choice Winners: Does Quality Matter?". PC Gamer US. 7 (4): 33.
  9. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2000-11-09. Retrieved 2020-04-01.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. The Gamecenter Staff (January 21, 2000). "The Gamecenter Awards for 1999!". CNET Gamecenter. Archived from the original on June 6, 2000. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  11. Staff. "The Best & Worst of 1999". GameSpot. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved April 1, 2020.


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