There aren't many other games which can compete with Freelancer.
The name "Freelancer" really supports the game's primary objective; to choose any path you wish, whether it is good or evil. For example, the user can choose to raid trading transports which travel between systems for additional income, or they could do missions for the law forces such as attacking pirate stations. These actions will result in the user gaining or losing reputation with a certain group or alliance, and this can severely affect their choices of where to go and what to do, so the player should consider their actions carefully. That being said, they are still able to do anything they wish, as long as they come out alive in the end. The game also features multiple well designed locations (star systems) in which the player can visit. These systems are very large, so the player will have a long playing time without becoming bored.
Overall, the game is very well balanced in difficulty, playability, and experience. Many more modern space shooters are of good quality, but it is quite hard to compete with a well-made classic such as Freelancer.