Notes:

I was wondering when the anniversary for TIE Fighter was coming up this year, as this marks 30 years since the game was released. Turns out it was back in July! TIE Fighter was based on the same engine as the previous year's X-Wing, but by and large was considered the better game of the two. The mechanics were a bit more refined, graphics and particularly sounds were improved, and there was a lot more flexibility in the gameplay.

TIE Fighter pulled no punches: You were fighting for the Empire, no ifs or buts about it. You could also pursue side goals to become part of the inner core of the Emperor's circle, furthering his goals over those given through the military chain. Yet by and large, most of the game is spent doing good things, like hunting down pirates and stopping civil wars. You started with the basic array of TIEs, with the hexagonal Fighter, then Bomber, and Interceptor, but gradually got to better equipment like Gunboats, Missile boats, Advance, and Defender. This made for a big challenge early on, as a kick in the shin would blow your craft up!

It's available on Steam and GoG in both the original flavors and the remastered version, but unlike X-Wing, the remaster has additional campaigns and content.