This space flight sim is over 6 years old has hasn't been topped yet! This is the best in its genre.
User Rating: 9 | Freelancer PC
Every once in awhile there is a game so good that it stands out in your mind as great years after you have played it. Freelancer is such a game for me. The game came out in 2003 (6 years ago from when I am writing this review) and I still can remember all the details and fun I had playing the game. In a nutshell you are a pilot taking jobs for money in space. You own a spaceship that you can upgrade with better weapons and the like with things you salvage in space or you buy from the many many ports around the galaxy. You fly around on missions, usually killing off some pirates and earn money for upgrades or better base ships. There is an over-arching story you can follow if you like about a strange alien race invading that has a really tough finale to it (I had to use a cheat to beat the finale). The fun that comes from the game is flying around attacking enemies, or collecting resources, or trading, or doing your own thing. The space flight model is really easy to learn (mouse directed). I enjoyed making money off finding cheap resources at one port and moving them to another planet to sell (I am an economic nerd). I have to mark the game down for missing some aspects that would make it a complete winner like no real planet interaction (most ports are pretty similar), similar missions, and nothing to do after you win the single player game. Still, I have yet to come across a game I have found this fun to play in space since this one. If I had the time or money, I might give EVE Online a try, it seems similar. I am really hopeful that Microsoft will develop a sequel to this game, or release this version on one of the download sites like Steam. It deserves to be played by the next gen!
