game review by johan ljungman. publisher:microsoft developer:digital anvil type of game:space rpg...

Game Review by Johan Ljungman

Publisher: MicrosoftDeveloper: Digital AnvilType of Game: Space RPG and SimulationSystem Requirements:

• Windows 98/ME/2000/XP• 600 MHz processor• 128 MB RAM• 900 MB hard drive space• 16 MB 3D graphics card• CD Drive, Sound Card

Price: $19.99

Quick Overview• 4 Major Governments

– New Liberty (Based on the US)– Bretonia (Based on the UK)– Kusari (Based on Japan)– Rheinland (Based on Germany)

• Outlying Areas filled with pirates with remnants of what’s left of the Hispania

Story LineYou play as Edison Trent trying to restart your life

after the attack. You get recruited by the New Liberty Security Force and they give you your first ship to get you started again. The game has a main story in which you try to figure out who attacked you and what’s happening to the leaders of the nations. The main story is used to unlock new ships and ship upgrades but once the main story arc is completed you get full access to the universe.

ScoringThe game has two ways to measure success.• Levels are gained by following the main story

line• Money is gained by doing missions and trading

between planets and space stations.• The two are linked in the way that some of the

levels in the main story require you to gain a certain amount of personal wealth.

Artwork

The game itself has gorgeous space environments in which the player can use what he can see as visual aids for navigation in each system. The planets themselves have a set landscape that ties into its location in the universe.

Sound and MusicFreelancer using a dynamic sound where things

that happen farther away sound like they actually are farther away whereas if someone crashes straight into you you’ll definitely know.

The music is made not by just one composer but by many to give the game a feeling of depth. The New Liberty space will have a different score from say Kusari space.

Manual

The manual has 42 pages and contains a run down of how to install the game, HUD layout and the basics to flight and combat.

Bugs

• Because the game has been out a little over three years most of the bugs have been fixed.

What’s Fun

The open ended game play lets you choose whichever path you want to take. After the main story ends you have the opportunity to go back into the game and make it into whatever you wish

What is bad

Game can get a little repetitive if doing missions and the long merchant hauls are not very entertaining unless you’re into the thrill of escaping from space pirates in a big lug, doing a particularly dangerous route can be very frustrating

How does it compare

I have not played any game that’s similar to this one. The open ended game play is very hard to find in games now and the space genre is no longer a good market for developers.

Appropriate Audience

• Any Space Adventure fan

• Players that love a good story

Overall Strengths and Weaknesses• Strengths:

– Open ended game play– Great graphics in the space environments– Great combat sound and interaction– Mouse steering, no need for clunky joysticks

• Weaknesses– Game play can get repetitive– Niche market

Worth buying?

Definitely, it has one of the best stories of any game I’ve played up to date with many mods to download to continue the experience, there’s also multiplayer servers for pvp and guild management.

How to improve on it

• Adding a better multiplayer system

• Adding a mod creator to the system for easy modding