Descent Freespace (1998) and Freespace 2 (1999) are musts for that list, I'd argue booting Wing Commander off for them. No space combat sim before brought the feeling of capital ships being so massive to life like it did. The first game and its story just getting more and more desperate, Freespace 2 and the cut off colonies of Earth. Nebula effects, freaking beam cannons, great wingman controls. Both games still hold up very well (as does X-COM).
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