Sat Feb 22, 2003 8:32 pm
Played retail version. My impressions -- SPOILERS
Hi everyone !!!
I am glad to say that I played the retail version of FreeLancer. I only did the first two missions and I would like to give you my impressions on the game. Be aware of some spoilers on the plotline ... !
Before you read, let me tell you... it is not StarLancer 2. The difference is huge.
Intro
------
First, the movie intro is absolutely fantastic ! I will not describe it entirely, but we do have some flashbacks on StarLancer, regarding the Alliance and the Coalition. We are introduced to the five ships that were launched....
Graphics
-----------
I run a PIV AMD ATHLON 1.4GHZ , with 512MB DDR-266 RAM and an ATI Radeon 7200 64MB DDR.
I did not put maximum details, but the game's graphics are obvisouly very nice. Explosions and textures are extremely well handled even by my old video card. The game is very fluid and honestly impressed me. The game's engine was really well designed.
Even into fights, the game does not slow down. I was a little disappointed with the phasers / missiles effects, but maybe this is because my details aren't high enought.
GamePlay & Controls
--------------------------
Now, it ROCKS ! When I first learned that the game was designed to run with a mouse, I was extremely disapointed. I loved playing with my joystick in StarLancer ! However, the controls were very well thought of. Shooting enemy ships is easy as 1-2-3 . You can control throttle with the mouse wheel which makes it easier. Missiles are launched using numbers (each slot on your ship has a number). Guns can be fired using the right mouse button.
You can use Free-Flight mode (pressing spacebar) which makes your ship go in the direction you point your mouse. The Free-flight 2nd mode forces you to press left button to go in the direction you want. Obviously, the first method is more suited for fights.
Then, you have the cruise flight ( ****+W) which brings your engines to full powers (about 300% of your free flight speed). Very useful to travel distances from a waypoint to another.
Disapointment here: no jump key. You simply "dock" transporters rings which initiate some kind of wormholes when you travel between regions. Jump gates are used to travel between systems. Those who liked to warp and jump in StarLancer wont have that pleasure in FreeLancer (or maybe I'm just far enought, but I don't think the option will become available).
Plotline and story
-----------------------
The flexibility of the game is outstanding. You have lots of choices to make which change the story completely. You are absolutely to pick the missions you want, bargain with anybody, sell stuff you salvage from space, etc... each time you talk to someone, a video scene appears and if you have to make choices, a text window will appear. I think you can enable subtitles, however, I am uncertain.
After we are put into the story, since it happens 800 years after the 5 ships launched, you do not feel like you are in the StarLancer's universe.
Conclusion
---------------
Having played the game for only a few hours, I can tell you right now that this game is absolutely great ! It has an enormous potential and looks extremely well done. The long wait was well worth !
I hope this will help you the 9 days left before it gets into stores. If you have any questions, feel free to ask, I will answer them as I go further in the game. Sorry for any spelling mistakes, language isnt my 1st language.
Long live FreeLancer !
TigerLord
I am glad to say that I played the retail version of FreeLancer. I only did the first two missions and I would like to give you my impressions on the game. Be aware of some spoilers on the plotline ... !
Before you read, let me tell you... it is not StarLancer 2. The difference is huge.
Intro
------
First, the movie intro is absolutely fantastic ! I will not describe it entirely, but we do have some flashbacks on StarLancer, regarding the Alliance and the Coalition. We are introduced to the five ships that were launched....
Graphics
-----------
I run a PIV AMD ATHLON 1.4GHZ , with 512MB DDR-266 RAM and an ATI Radeon 7200 64MB DDR.
I did not put maximum details, but the game's graphics are obvisouly very nice. Explosions and textures are extremely well handled even by my old video card. The game is very fluid and honestly impressed me. The game's engine was really well designed.
Even into fights, the game does not slow down. I was a little disappointed with the phasers / missiles effects, but maybe this is because my details aren't high enought.
GamePlay & Controls
--------------------------
Now, it ROCKS ! When I first learned that the game was designed to run with a mouse, I was extremely disapointed. I loved playing with my joystick in StarLancer ! However, the controls were very well thought of. Shooting enemy ships is easy as 1-2-3 . You can control throttle with the mouse wheel which makes it easier. Missiles are launched using numbers (each slot on your ship has a number). Guns can be fired using the right mouse button.
You can use Free-Flight mode (pressing spacebar) which makes your ship go in the direction you point your mouse. The Free-flight 2nd mode forces you to press left button to go in the direction you want. Obviously, the first method is more suited for fights.
Then, you have the cruise flight ( ****+W) which brings your engines to full powers (about 300% of your free flight speed). Very useful to travel distances from a waypoint to another.
Disapointment here: no jump key. You simply "dock" transporters rings which initiate some kind of wormholes when you travel between regions. Jump gates are used to travel between systems. Those who liked to warp and jump in StarLancer wont have that pleasure in FreeLancer (or maybe I'm just far enought, but I don't think the option will become available).
Plotline and story
-----------------------
The flexibility of the game is outstanding. You have lots of choices to make which change the story completely. You are absolutely to pick the missions you want, bargain with anybody, sell stuff you salvage from space, etc... each time you talk to someone, a video scene appears and if you have to make choices, a text window will appear. I think you can enable subtitles, however, I am uncertain.
After we are put into the story, since it happens 800 years after the 5 ships launched, you do not feel like you are in the StarLancer's universe.
Conclusion
---------------
Having played the game for only a few hours, I can tell you right now that this game is absolutely great ! It has an enormous potential and looks extremely well done. The long wait was well worth !
I hope this will help you the 9 days left before it gets into stores. If you have any questions, feel free to ask, I will answer them as I go further in the game. Sorry for any spelling mistakes, language isnt my 1st language.
Long live FreeLancer !
TigerLord
