Darklight Conflict (1996)

Darklight Conflict is a 1997 space combat simulator created by Rage Games and published by Electronic Arts for DOS, PlayStation, and Sega Saturn. This game draws comparisons to Wing Commander and X-Wing, as players take control of a fighter pilot kidnapped by aliens and forced to battle two warring alien factions to survive. It features over 50 missions with a mix of objectives, such as dogfights and survival challenges. While the artificial intelligence for enemies is somewhat simplistic, the game compensates with overwhelming enemy numbers, creating a high level of difficulty. 

Darklight Conflict is notable for its detailed 3D graphics, which were achieved entirely through software rendering rather than hardware acceleration—a technical feat at the time. The graphics, including explosions, lighting effects, and colorful space scenes, were widely praised. However, its gameplay was criticized for limited control configurations and the absence of advanced targeting systems, which made aiming more challenging. Despite these shortcomings, the game received positive reviews for its visuals and straightforward, action-packed gameplay.