No, its just funner with people. Imagine playing MMOGs alone. Its just not the same as with people.

Repetition is a matter of opinion with this game...Yes, missions are somewhat generic, however, in random exploration a given system is never the same twice. I find the chugoku system a secure and pleasant place...with a really cool base...But if the blood dragons don't like you...you're going to be scrap metal quickly because there are tons of them. I have finished the single player campaign...I'm sad it's over because it was really intense and involving, and I didn't think the game would be like that again...well today I found out I was wrong...First of all...our friends with the pretty ships are not really gone(If you don't know what I'm talking about, buy the game)...Second...coming out of a jumphole this evening, I was unpleasantly suprised by a wing of stilettos plowing into my shields. It was a tough fight. I still have only explored about 30 of the 50 systems..and some of those not completely. So the bottom line is this...if YOU take the same missions from the same places over and over again YES the game is repetitive...on the other hand if you explore a lot...you will almost never run out of new discoveries...My suggestion is to play with your rep...makes sure you're neutral with everybody at least once so that you can see all of their bases.

I don't know, though I appreciate the honest review, and as said, everyone is entitled to different opinion. Anyone following the forum knows that I-M and I have different views.

First of all, I spent days, weeks, months, exploring SP in other games. SP for me has always been the big thing. On-line is great, don't get me wrong, but honestly, I get to the point where I face the realization that some people just have way more time than I to put into games. That being said, they end up knowing a lot more, doing a lot more and being a lot more capable than I. So I usually keep it down to a few friends on private servers.

I play games for a reason, that being a chance to relax, kick back and enjoy the fact that for a few hours I am the master of my own fate. No-one tells me what to do and if they try, well, face it I AM the center of this universe, so: take a couple of tach blasts in your rear and shove it.

Games like Privateer, PII, I-War II:EOC with that semblance of go off, do your own thing, explore the limits of the game, and come back to it when you can are my favorite genre, hence the reason I am looking so much forward to FL.

It is a very selfish viewpoint, but the fact of the matter is, gaming for me is recreation.

So- here it is- two different viewpoints. If you are looking for cutting edge graphics, state of the art this or that, yaddi yaddi yadda.......well you'll probably be a little disappointed in FL. However keep in mind that not many games make it through years of development before publishing. The work has to go somewhere and where you'll find it is in the depth of gameplay.

So if you are looking forward to the hundreds (or like some people: already have logged *cough..cough* STINGER...ahem) of hours lost in a universe thats yours to explore, exploit or whatever, then FL's for you.

So I-M you obviously have a lot to say, and I'm sure that once you've BOUGHT the RETAIL VERSION you'll have even more to say, and I'm sure we'll hear all about it. I am thankful that you wrote an honest review. Just keep in mind that there are many different people out there with different reasons for playing games. Tone down the "holier that thou" attitude a little bit and you would make a very good reviewer.

K

"If this is what you want to do, you'll do it, no matter how long it takes..........and usually the longer it takes the more fun you've had!"

I feel like you do Kivuli.

Freelancer will not be the game for everyone. Privateer was not a game that "everyone" liked. I play a lot of golf and to some...golf is a boring game. But I love playing it. I never cared about Quake or Unreal..but many liked it.
I still think iron_monkey is overlooking the fact he has only played the beta and the full release is going to add some stuff he never got to see or do in the beta.
It is the "unknown" in the retail version that will keep me interested for a long time. And when the expansion pack comes out and tweaks to the game are made by DA...this game is going to be great and I have not even played it yet! LOL.

I think Iron Monkey is just looking for attention

on another note, joysticks dont make games immersive, they make em cheesy.

Now now, let's not sink into mice-bashers' level. Each peripherals have their own advantages and disadvantages, and each has its own games suitable to it. Now class, repeat after me: All peripherals are created equal

Thanks for the review, IM. I found it to be pretty level-headed and don't really agree with other posters' opinions about the review. But that really doesn't matter.

Obviously beta code does not contain the full features of the release version, but I think many of IM's points are still valid because I doubt the nature of the gameplay will differ from the beta to the final.

Also in an ideal world, both joysticks and mouse flight would be supported. I haven't played the game yet and I have no idea if it would have been possible to implement both. Personally, I'm looking forward to flying with the mouse. There is a certain immersion with sticks, but I just don't think it makes a lot of sense in a space sim on certain levels.

Anyway, I would love to hear more extensive reviews from PR Copy players.

Well awedougherty

It is really a "preview" and not a "review". I will wait until the game has been released for about 2 months and then read the 'reviews". By that time I will have my own opinion and for me personally...it will be the only one that counts.

CGDreamerX,

Don't worry from what I have seen so far FL is much, much, much more nonlinear that Mafia.

Mafia was a great game and it had about the best implementation of a story I have ever seen in a game so far, but it was very linear, I have not seen the story in FL yet though. Now all in all I think a open ended game like FL is the best.

Well said WT!

Well the review was not to persuade people not to buy the game. And I didnt mean to be snobbish. I can understand that some of you guys have been waiting for the game to come out for looooooonnnnnnggggg time ( 4 years or so), and want it to be the next big thing in space sims. I posted the review trying to reveal the facts about the game. But that doesnt mean the game has to be received favorably by others. Like I said, its my opinion. But I think, it will be received well by die hard fans. But I dont want people to buy in the HYPE that this industry generates. No hard feelings.

Just wanted to saw a big THANKYOU for the review - my kind of review definately. Now I feel more informed, and ultimately more likely to get the game probably - hearing something that you only don't like a little makes you trust that there isn't anything in there that you don't like a LOT, if you get what I'm saying.

WT, I agree that the only opinion that matters in the end is that of the individual player but I do find informative blurbs like IM's to be helpful. As for review and preview, that seems more like a point of semantics.

As I said, since I doubt the gameplay of Freelancer will change from the beta to the final (sure, there may be more of that particular gameplay, but it's still that particular gameplay nonetheless), I would welcome more reviews of how the game plays from of PR Beta players.

For my personal taste, I enjoy hearing potential negatives to help deflate whatever hype might surround an upcoming title. Thanks again to everyone contributing information to those of us eagerly awaiting this game. Keep the info coming.