Every once in a while, a game developer takes a risk and creates a game with a new, innovative idea. Granted, some of these games do fail, making others stray away from new concepts and focus on refining already proven game elements. Sometimes, though, a game with an ambitious idea manages to provide an experience that either redefines an existing genre or successfully creates a new one. Although the multiplayer game community might not remember Microsoft's Alliegance as a "classic" as games such as Quake and StarSiege Tribes have been, it can, if nothing else, be classified as bold title that succeeds at what it sets out to do.

In a nutshell, Allegiance is a team oriented mix of space combat and realtime strategy. The game's story begins when a large asteroid from a belt used for mining purposes slams into the earth without warning, while those in space watch in shock and horror. Since Allegiance is an online only game, the storyline doesn't really have a whole lot of significance, and takes the back seat to actual gameplay.