Rating: 
Summary: What can we say?
Review: A great game. Awesome graphics and contradicting what others might have said, the combat is great too. The story line will keep you interested and guessing. But what happens after storyline? Anything you want. After the hours of game play go take the experience you have and take out old enemies. Or maybe try and make more money by trading. And if you really want to make new enemies. And maybe the best thing in this game, You dont have to be the good guy! Go take out some trade convoys or smuggle drugs into the New York system. Heck, when i get bored i go take out the whole New York police force. Anything is possible in this game but i do suggest finishing multiplayer so you can reach full potential getting some very cool ships and weapons. Now we get to the online play. Up to 128 players but NOT RECOMENDED. Microsoft (on drugs at the time) left the servers to be run by people. Bad Choice. Lets say you jump on a server the first day and do pretty good playing for a few hours getting a new fighter..horray! You dock at the nearest station to save and log off. The next day, however, if the host isn't on (saying it was not a dedicated server) you couldn't get on that character and would have to wait or find a new server and start over. And even some of the 24/7 servers are bad. Laggy, sometimes not even on! Wheres the 24/7? 16 players can lag a non dedicated server and sometime 32 can lag a dedicated one. Microsoft should have coughed up the money and established a decent server. I believe if this would have been produced with same exact game but MMORPG would be the best game out there. The only reason this game deserves 4 stars is the lack of effort put into by Microsoft (though i do like the anti-hack code)
Rating: 
Summary: Best game of the year, obviously
Review: I've played just about every space-combat sim released for the last 5-8 years and this is, hands down, the most complete experience. Everything I've ever wanted to do in a space sim is accomplishable here in this game, from trading to killing to exploring. I was really sad when I found out that Firefly was canceled, but this game makes me feel MUCH better. As for the joystick scandel... sure, I'd like to be able to use my Saitek Force Feedback, but I am getting buy with my mouse just as easily. Really, the only possible improvement would be voice.
Rating:
Summary: Good, but one feature is missing.
Review: I have been playing this game for about 4 hours, and so far I like it. But one thing is glaringly evident. It needs joystick support. It wouldn't have been that hard to offer a joystick option. If players wanted to play with a mouse and the keyboard, that is fine. But for experienced space combat sim pilots, who are used to a joystick, there just is something missing. That thing is control. We have spent money for a joystick, and are used to using it in other space combat games, and it should be supported in this one. Especially considering that Microsoft is a joystick manufacturer. I would have expected support for the sidewinder precision 2, the Force feedback sticks, and other joysticks. Without them, this just becomes a twitch game, a first person shooter in space. The joystick adds elements of feel and control that the mouse can't match. Plus the buttons on a programmable joystick frees things up, and makes them easy to find, right at hand. I like the game so far, despite some of the conversations with characters being repetitive, and the lack of in game music on some of the screens, but I would give might left thumb for joystick support. Microsoft, if you read these reviews, please, please, add joystick support when you patch this game. Or please allow some developer to add it. Space combat sims have been few and far between lately. This could be a good one, but only if joystick support is added. Why not add it. It will not take away from the game, and it will add attraction for many users.
Rating:
Summary: Unlimited possibilities
Review: There's so much to do in this game. I'm glad it's not a space sim, but a game with limitless depth.
Rating:
Summary: Who stole my joystick?
Review: This game came alone just at the right time to save the world from the disappointment of Master Of Orion 3. Actually, I'd give it 3.5 stars if I could. It's good and the storyline has a lot of depth. It is similar to Privateer 2 in both setting and storyline. The interface is managable and the game keeps the player well engaged throughout. The weapon selection is nice and the AI opponents are hard, but not impossible, to beat. All in all, its a very thoughtful game. It still ain't no Privateer 2. The main thing missing is the joystick and force feedback that adds that "little something extra" to the kill. There's nothing like doing loops and rolling out to get on the enemy's tail and then firing your afterburners and smoking the opposition. Unfortunatly, there are no rollouts in this game. The ship selection is also pretty lame. (Where's Chris Roberts when you need him?) Still, the game is worth a day in court if you liked Privateer. The only thing I can't understand is how Microsoft, who also sells the Force Feedback Sidewinder joystick, didn't think to include even a joystick option in this game. It would have been SOOOO much better with.
Rating: 
Summary: Game that had potential
Review: I'll get to the most important part of ANY game... the gameplay aspect. Combat - Boring, one-dimensional, and forced third-person view. Using ONLY the mouse (thats right, no joystick) you must blast away enemy spacecraft while traveling from point A to point B. Fighting is not involving. Also, if you don't do what they say within a certain time period, you are automatically awarded "Mission Failed" (so you can't plot your own course to avoid enemies...) If you've fought one battle, you've fought them all. Think of a downgraded version of StarLancer. AI - Your wingmen don't really do enough to prove their worth. They fail to effectively support you when your taking a lot of fire. You get most of the kills, making you wonder why you even have wingem to begin with. Enemy AI is weak (when you aquire a target, he doesn't seem to fight back or surprise you to the point of being satisfied from the fight. When your not fighting - Your either docked at a base, or your planet side. Sounds cool right? Well, it would have been great, but the stupid developers decided to limit your movement and your exploration abilities. You are forced to select from 5 areas on all the planets (the bar, The docking bay, the two equipment dealers, the ship dealer). To move from place to place, all you do is click the icons on your display (thats right, not walking to and from areas). The Story - The only good thing about the game, and even it's somewhat lacking. A good story draws you in from beginnning to end, but this game leaves you behind, and you wonder why you should even care about whats going on... after all its a "Freelance" type game, and you should be able to do what you want (create your own story, so-to-speak). Overall, don't expect this game to be like Morrowind, or have the combat of a Wing-Commander/Starlancer/X-Wing type game.
Rating: 
Summary: Not for Cockpit Jock oldtimers
Review: Visually, this game is extremely good. The freedom of the plot line will remind you of Privateer. However, once you get into the cockpit, it is not this same. There is no joystick support at all. If you enjoy first person shooter games, you will probably adapt to the mouse only interface pretty quickly and enjoy the game. However, if you are looking for more of a flight combat sim, you came to the wrong game. I don't want to be unfair. Everything else about this game is top notch. I just could not get over flying without the joystick and using my programmable buttons. Firing and manuvering was just too cumbersome and I was forced to return the game. If they ever added joystick support, I would definitely buy it again. In the mean time, I'll stick to my existing sims.
Rating:
Summary: Freelancer a little HOLLOW
Review: I downloaded and played the Demo.. I thought great, what a kicka$$ game.. The storyline is great, the graphics are awesome if your video card is compatible or Recognized by the game(Radeon 9700 is not).. If not MAJOR BUGS from slow windows inside the game to rough game play!!! It only took 15hrs to beat single player mode, Multi-player [smells].. You have to restart a new character every time you play or change servers..You lose your money and ship!!! SO much for progress.. My system XP2500+ Nforce 2 Radeon 9700 1GB 333DDR.. Save your money for something else!!!...
Rating:
Summary: Great Graphics, Nice Sounds, Plausible Plot, but No Controls
Review: I downloaded the demo, and after a few initial hiccups in getting the thing to even launch (Had to dl DirectX 9.0 and new graphics drivers) the game looked beautiful. I would have to say that I was stunned by the graphics. It made waiting for the 15MB DirectX actually worth the wait. The opening plot seemed plausible and intriguing, but when it got down to the first mission, I was floundering in a sea of enemies with only a mouse to point and click on them. The mouse control is pointed out as a "Pro" in some articles, but these guys must not have had a Joystick so they are happy just to play a space sim. I do have a joystick, and wish Freelancer had supported using it, because the movement and shooting with the mouse is just too inhibitive. Earth and Beyond had it right with the mouse only on the other hand because you don't do the targeting, but add in the targeting and the controls make you feel like you are trying to balance a spoon on your nose while reading. Bottom Line - Game with potential to be very fun, but the controls make it unplayable.
Rating: 
Summary: Pretty but repetitive
Review: For those of you who have played games like Elite, Privateer, BattleCruiser, Wing Commander, Independence War, etc. This game is a prettified version of Privateer. I was hoping it would be a replacement for Frontier: Elite 2 (released in 1993!)
But nope. It really isn't much better than Independence War. Very disappointing for a 2003 title.
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