Gamers Central
June 27, 2000
"For anyone who likes space games, and people just interested in a good, fun game, the total human enemy and friend factor in Allegiance will offer just that, keeping even veteran gamers excited and interested."

Voodoo Extreme
June 27, 2000
"Allegiance is an extra deep game with addicting gameplay that will have you playing for hours. Don't think of it as Wing Commander online; think of it as a new strategy game, in which you are a part of the whole. There are always plenty of gamers online, and you don't have to pay per month (that is optional)..."

32BitsOnline.com
June 23, 2000
"Allegiance stands as a remarkable achievement; perhaps the most revolutionary online game since Tribes, and the most important space sim since Freespace."

Adrenaline Vault
June 16, 2000
"Allegiance, on the other hand, is a resounding success and is easily one of the most addictive and entertaining gaming experiences that I've had in a long time."

Glide Underground
June 15, 2000
"Dogfights are fast and intense, graphics are great, and the sound quality is excellent...All and all, Microsoft has outdone itself in actually making another worthwhile product!"

GamePen
June 12, 2000
"Allegiance is, simply put, a fantastic game. It will appeal most to space sim enthusiasts, but I honestly think anyone that has ever played a flying game with a joystick can find something for themselves in this game."

Sci-fi Gaming
June 9, 2000
"All in all, Allegiance is very enjoyable to play...If you like space sims and are into online multiplayer experiences, definitely don't miss out on this one."

Well Rounded Entertainment
June 5, 2000
"The fundamentals of the game are benchmark quality, too. The ships are beautifully rendered and fit the character of their respective factions. They're even more impressive when they're blown up, as the sweet beauty of the explosions can cause tooth decay."

Thresh's FiringSquad Editor's Choice Award
June 2, 2000
"Allegiance is an almost perfectly-designed team game. It delivers where promised and provides one of the best team experiences we've ever had, holding its own when compared to Tribes."

Games Domain Review
May 31, 2000
"Ultimately, the bottom line is that Allegiance offers something that no other game has in the past. The scale of the game's space warfare exceeds anything that has come before it, and the interaction and coordination required in the online battles will please any fan of multiplayer gaming."

CNET Editors' Choice Award
May 30, 2000
"Part real-time strategy, part action, and all online, Allegiance is one of the best games to hit shelves this year. The easily grasped mechanics, thrilling human-vs.-human combat, and easy-to-learn yet hard-to-master strategy make for an amazing combination. Allegiance draws you in and does not let go. For those who crave a new, exciting, massively multiplayer experience, Allegiance reaches addiction-level status."

Strategy Gaming Online
May 29, 2000
"One of the great triumphs of this game is when a task force is actually assembled and heads out looking for trouble. It's a vision seen rarely outside of epic science fiction films. These collections of capital ships, fighter escorts and interceptors, repair scouts, and bombers can absolutely tear a sector of space apart."

3dfx Gamers.com
May 19, 2000
"Allegiance is a refreshing new way to play games online. The vast depth of the game alone provides countless options for conquering the enemy (or for being conquered), creating an intriguing and exciting experience. 'Complete' is the ideal adjective to describe this game, and 'unique' does justice in describing the game-play. Purchase your copy, strap on your helmet, strap on your spacecraft, turn out the lights, and lose yourself in the fantasy."

The Oxygen Tank
May 12, 2000
"Overall, Allegiance is one of the best multiplayer games in it's own right. As a multiplayer space game, it's the best...Allegiance provides an absolutely kick-ass gaming experience."

IGNPC
May 3, 2000
"Allegiance offers some tough human competition in a gorgeous and intricate universe."

Gamezilla
May 2, 2000
"It may take some time to master and feel comfortable with the controls and movement, but the combination of genres (real-time strategy, space flight simulation, group cooperation, etc) makes it worth the effort. For this reason I have given the game a 91 out of 100."

PC.VGF.com
May 1, 2000
"Allegiance's tight gameplay, deep game modes, and strategic elements help it take team based online play a step further."

Damage Gaming
Apri 28, 2000
"As I mentioned at the beginning, this is definitely one of the hotter titles I have had a chance to play this year, and certainly one of the best online games to come out in a while. If you are into space sims at all, I highly recommend you check this game out. Let me rephrase that: if you are into fun online games with large amounts of people on a team working together, get Allegiance."

GameSpot
April 26, 2000
"Although the game features all of the excitement of a first-rate space combat sim, thanks to its great graphics and its variety of spacecraft, what really sets the game apart is how it meshes real-time strategy elements and various support roles together with the dogfighting to create an original experience."

Computer Games Online
April 21, 2000
"The visuals are terrific. Explosions are robust; the particle effects shine; starbases are huge and panoramic. It is quite amazing that an online-only game can feature visuals of this quality and yet produce very little latency."

GameOver
April 21, 2000
"That's what really separates Allegiance from your average space combat title, each and every ship you come across is piloted by another human player. It's ambitious, unique and undoubtedly sets the standards for future multiplayer games of its kind."

GameSpy.com
April 20, 2000
"Microsoft Research delivers a multiplayer-only, genre-blending blastfest that will please any space combat sim fan..."

PC Gameworld
April 20, 2000
"If this is the wave of the future for multiplayer games, I can't wait to see what's ahead. Allegiance sets forth a goal and achieves it on almost every level."

MakeItSimple.com
April 19, 2000
"Plain and simple... Allegiance ROCKS. Hopefully, players who aren't normally drawn to space-sims or real-time strategy will give the game a chance. They won't regret it. Allegiance is the kind of game that will have you barking taunts (and curses) at your monitor. That's always the mark of immersion, I say."

PCGN
April 19, 2000
"The game offers endless replay value and new challenges around every turn because it only involves real people."

Happy Puppy
April 17, 2000
"An excellent, massively multiplayer setting with enough action to satisfy just about anyone."

Neoseeker
April 17, 2000
"The fact that the game offers strategy, action, tactics, and simulation all rolled into one will strike a positive chord with many gamers."

CheckOut
April 17, 2000
"I played this for days and DAYS. Allegiance has given me more pure PC fun than at any time since Interstate '76 came out. With that in mind, it's my (very) early pick for Game of the Year. A lot can happen in 9 months, and some other game could win my allegiance (get it?) before 2001, but each contender will be measured against the sterling example Microsoft Research has set."

Gaming Age
April 13, 2000
"For space sim and online gaming fanatics, Allegiance is a title that seriously needs to be checked out."

IGNPC Allegiance Designer Diary Part VIII
April 12, 2000
The last in the series of diaries includes hints and strategies for the recently released game.

Games Domain Review Team Interview
April 11, 2000
Games Domain Review interviews several key members of the Allegiance development team on a number of subjects ranging from lessons learned in pioneering a new genre to gameplay balancing.

incite.com
April 10, 2000
"Allegiance is a rich, intense action game that will keep you busier than Han Solo on the Death Star."

IGNPC Allegiance Designer Diary Part VII
April 5, 2000
In this seventh installment of the Allegiance Designer Diaries, 3D artist Pete Arisman discusses the process of creating all the Allegiance game models.

IGNPC Allegiance Designer Diary Part VI
March 29, 2000
Allegiance Executive Producer Joel Dehlin returns from vacation to discuss Allegiance as it prepares to hit store shelves.

IGNPC Allegiance Designer Diary Part V
March 15, 2000
Allegiance Executive Producer Joel Dehlin talks about what it takes to make a great game.

IGNPC Allegiance Designer Diary Part IV
March 8, 2000
IGNPC talks with Allegiance Lead Developer Curt Carpenter about multiplay headaches from a technical standpoint.

Gamesmania at Gamestock
March 2, 2000
"Allegiance is both a space combat game and a strategy game. There is, in theory, a role for every kind of player — fighter pilot, turret gunner, bomber, capital ship captain, base defender, investor and commander."

IGNPC Allegiance Designer Diary Part III
March 1, 2000
IGNPC talks with Allegiance Gameplay designer David Pugh about crafting the perfect balance.

IGNPC Allegiance Designer Diary Part II
February 23, 2000
IGNPC talks with Allegiance Lead Designer Rob Girling about the game concept, play balancing, and the way people play together.

3D Action Planet
February 22, 2000
"Everybody has a part to play in Allegiance, and if there isn't a ship to pilot, hop into the turret of a gunship leaving the base and blast away!"

MakeItSimple.com
February 22, 2000
"If Allegiance is any indication of the talent involved with the Microsoft Research Games crew, then the industry has much to look forward to. There's plenty of depth to go around, yet it's simple enough for Joe Gamer to dive in and enjoy some good'ol shoot-em-up madness. Chalk one up for MSRG."

GameSpot UK
February 20, 2000
"Allegiance is visually impressive, hammering yet another nail into the 'online games look like junk' coffin."

IGNPC Allegiance Designer Diary
February 16, 2000
Joel Dehlin, Microsoft Executive Producer of Allegiance, talks about the game and how it all came about. The diary is a great first-person narrative of how Microsoft Research came to be developing Allegiance and what it takes to get a computer game.

Björns 3D World
February 12, 2000
"It's been a while since I've enjoyed and become so involved in a game. That must be a good sign. I can't wait for this game to be released and I definitely recommend anyone to try it out as soon as possible."

Games Weekly
February 10, 2000
"The surounding space is quite spectacular, and has small amounts of 'StarDust' aound to show some impression of distance. When we (InterSlayer and I) began to engage enemy targets, you could see some of the corkscrews and cross fire as things wizzed by your cockpit."

Eurogamer.net
February 6, 2000
"It's an intriguing mix of action and strategy, with an impressive level of detail and plenty of scope for experimentation."

The HiveNetwork
February 4, 2000
"The graphics in the game are top-notch. Even on an old Voodoo II card, one can see the game in its decreased, yet still magnificent, glory. The engine itself is built entirely in house by Microsoft, and the effort and time put into tweaking the engine translates to some rather tasty eye candy. How tasty is it? There are unique engine trails for each different craft. Distant nebulae and planets look almost real."

Thresh's FiringSquad
February 4, 2000
"Allegiance looks great - it has tons of potential. Gameplay is excellent with a clearly different twist on the space and team-game genres. This coupled with above-average graphics, sound and an excellent interface makes Allegiance look like a sure-fire hit."

GameSpot
February 3, 2000
"What makes Allegiance so special is that it blends all the things we love about real-time strategy games with the bent-for-hell action of a classic space-combat simulation."

Computer Games Online
January 31, 2000
"The beta’s graphics are on par with games such as Homeworld—quite remarkable given the game’s online emphasis. The hangars that resupply the fleet are appropriately massive, as are the floating asteroids."

Gamecenter
January 28, 2000
"To help attract both casual and hard-core gamers, Microsoft will offer gamers both a free server and premium server. In addition, with 3 unique civilizations, 18 types of fighter craft, 20 types of weapons, and huge space stations, Allegiance looks to offer the gut-wrenching fighting that action players crave, as well as deep and involved strategy that will allow for massive, fully orchestrated battles."

Nuclear Winter Gaming Network
January 26, 2000
"One of the great features of this game is the fact that it simulates the futuristic idea of space very accurately. The stars move closer to you as you get closer to them. The environment contains asteroids, planets, novas, nebulas and wormholes to enhance the realism as well as simply make the game look better."

Well Rounded Entertainment
January 24, 2000
"The graphics are top notch. While the ships and starbases are creatively designed, most impressive (no joke) are the explosions. No other game has captured the destructive beauty of a hapless spaceship blowing up nearly as well. Too bad awards aren't given out for such accomplishment."

New Reality Gaming
January 21, 2000
"Allegiance is set to break the bounds of multiplayer gameplay by incorporating the features of a space simulation with teamplay that rivals such games as TRIBES and Half-Life. Did I mention it has some pretty sweet graphics as well?"

Gamershome.com
January 20, 2000
"On the whole, a kick ass game.... I'm totally impressed, and this one will definitely go on the 'MUST BUY' list."

GameWire.org
January 19, 2000
Be sure to read through the recent GameWire.org interview of Microsoft Research and Allegiance development team members Joel Dehlin (Executive Producer), Robert Girling (Lead Designer), and Kendrick Shaw (Audio/UI Developer).

GA-Source
January 14, 2000
"The world of Allegiance is vast and beautiful. Most of the game play takes place in a first person perspective from inside a fighter. In a world that is pretty much without limits it would be easy to get lost if the Allegiance development team hadn't designed a heads up display that gives intuitive and easy to understand orientation devices."

240 Seconds of Gaming
January 14, 2000
The Psuedo.com show - 240 Seconds of Gaming - features Allegiance in one of their latest installments. The show includes some great in-game action sequences in addition to a brief discussion on a few of the many gameplay elements included in this up and coming MSN Gaming Zone title.

Daily Radar
January 14, 2000
Daily Radar interviews Robert Girling, Allegiance Lead Designer/Art Director, and Joel Dehlin, Allegiance Executive Producer.

Daily Radar
December 8, 1999
"Would-be commanders can view the entire theatre of action from the game's ingenious command screen, then bark out orders using the built-in voice commands."

Evil Avatar
November 8, 1999
Evil Avatar discusses Allegiance during an exclusive interview with Microsoft Research Games’s Test Manager Mark Snyder.

E3.Net
May 14, 1999
"The online-only space-shooting game Allegiance looks to be another breakthrough product from Microsoft, showing an intelligence in design that is impressive in its foresight and ingenuity."

PC.IGN
May 13, 1999
"If it does what it promises to do, you can forget doing anything else for the rest of your life."

MPOG.COM
May 1999
"The 1st-person view is amazing, but with a single command your universe will literally flip 180 degrees into a strategic grid where you can command your units in a detailed map super-imposed over the regular starfield."

Happy Puppy
February 1999
"a snazzy interface, solid in-flight gameplay, and some kick-ass graphics...let's cross our fingers that Allegiance lives up to its impressive potential..."

GameStats
February 1999
"If they (Microsoft) can keep things running smoothly then space combat fans may have found their own version of Online Nirvana."