February 15, 1996
Web posted at: 9:50 p.m. EST
From Entertainment Correspondent Dennis Michael
(CNN) -- It may look like one of those summer science fiction blockbusters, but it's not playing at any local theaters. This thrilling adventure is all happening on your CD-ROM drive. ORIGIN/Electronic Arts have come out with "Wing Commander IV," and so far, it's the biggest interactive CD-ROM of its kind.
The action is fast-paced, and the special effects make the game look like a very expensive Hollywood product. Creator Chris Roberts said the company ended up spending $10 million producing it.
"It was eight million on the filming side and two million on the software side to get the Sony and PC versions out," Roberts says. "So it's bigger than anything ever done on the computer side, (though) it's pretty small compared to the bigger-budget features."
The film parts were shot on 35mm film using real movie stars on four full-size sound stages in Hollywood. Mark Hamill leads the cast, which also includes John Rhys Davis and Malcolm McDowell as the evil Tolwyn.
Playing "Wing Commander IV" takes a fast processor and fast reflexes -- but that should be expected when you're playing a game that's state of the art.
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