To make money on freight be prepared to take boring trips to far places.Again and again. The ships you fight against seem to have copied each others moves. You know every bar there is will seem like the one you left in another system. Be careful about who you make mad at you. Doesn't happen often, but is annoying as it happens at inopportune times. Takes wrong route or doesn't respond promptly. I liked going to different places and trying to make money being a bounty hunter and freighter. Yet strength comes in many forms - diplomatic, economic, technological, militaristic - and there is space for many sorts of heroes in Freelancer.
The game's setting is designed to allow a great range of possibilities for profit and development, but it also allows for a frontier mentality, removed from the moral undertones of an over-civilized society, in which the strong take from the weak with relative impunity. Whether they choose to become reliable merchants or secretive mercenaries, pilots must learn the trade lanes that steer the flow of goods and ships, as well as the many factions that steer interplanetary politics. There is also a method of ship control that uses only the mouse, allowing complex combat maneuvers to be directed through simple clicks and cursor movements. Instead of relying on a traditional joystick setup, virtual pilots can steer their vessels using the mouse and keyboard, similar to the setup used in many first-person shooters. In addition to the emphasis on role-playing, Freelancer is distinguished from most earlier space combat simulations by its control scheme. Captains have freedom in choosing their missions, though random events can lead to unexpected situations. The Freelancer story offers a variety of opportunities for players to prove themselves and improve their ships and equipment.
As in earlier games, such as Digital Anvil's StarLancer, as well as the landmark Wing Commander series, this space fighter adventure is anchored by a strong storyline, designed to lead players at their own pace through its many possibilities.
Most players will like this, although those expecting a more demanding game may feel it has been dumbed down too much. The control system has been simplified to the point where you can fly your space fighter at warp speed in minutes. A lot of early PC games had a similar theme, but Freelancer leaves those in its vapour trail in terms of graphics and the sheer size of its playable universe. You play Trent Edison, a freelance pilot who makes a living by inter-planetary trading and carrying out missions of often dubious legality. The game is set in the frontier reaches of the universe in the 30th century, where the remnants of humanity have divided into two factions, the Coalition and the Alliance. It isn't the game to change life as we know it, but it is highly playable and quite addictive. Freelancer has those attributes and fulfils much of the enormous hype which has surrounded its development. Add excellent visual effects and an easy, intuitive control system and you have a great game. By PETER ELEY (Herald Rating * * * * *) Good games have the ability to suspend disbelief and make players feel they are somewhere else.