Freelancer: Ignore the Story Goodyear AZ

Posted by : Donald Pfeffer

Freelancer is a space sim for gamers who don't like space sims, and therein may lie the problem. At times a straight arcade shooter, at other times a space simulator, it is clear that developer Digital Anvil hoped to combine the best aspects of the genre into one cohesive whole. Unfortunately, they mostly created a hodgepodge that will please those who want fierce combat but disappoint those looking for something with actual depth or longevity.

The most radical gameplay decision that sets Freelancer apart from the genre is its rigid reliance on a mouse and keyboard control scheme. While other space simulators are playable with just a mouse and keyboard, most are optimized for use with a joystick or similar peripheral. Of course, most gamers do not own joysticks, so it's easy to understand why Digital Anvil avoided such peripherals, but in doing so they may have alienated or embittered a large segment of the genre's fan base. But once you get past the steep learning curve of the overly floaty and loose flight control, you will find an aerial combat engine that is as deep and fun as the best the genre has to offer.

The control does take some getting used to, and you'll probably have to remap the keyboard controls once or twice until you find something more intuitive than the awkward default layout. Control of the ship is handled in one of two ways: either by holding the left mouse button and dragging the crosshairs, or by steering...

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