I picked this game up on a random sale, and expected to file it away for a rainy day. It looked interesting, with nice graphics and an intriguing hook, but I was unconvinced. I was snowed in the very next day, and broke it out on a whim. The next three days would be a marathon session of epic proportions. And I would go on to put 60 hours into this game. To be honest, it's still calling me back to try a new ship, or a new strategy. This game made me feel like I was a ship captain with the freedom to do what I wanted. It was simple to pick up and play, which is refreshing in the days of over-complication. It even has an "attract mode" like old-school arcade games. However it has great depth, and I find new wrinkles all the time (like unique pirate lords randomly showing up in a system with legendary gear if you defeat them, or a mission where you are asked to make a militia officer look good by saving the best enemy for him to destroy). I cannot stress enough how much fun this game really is. Blowing flaming, debris-spewing holes in the side of a capital ship with a viridian-beamed broadside never seems to get old. And then of course, watching them explode in a flaming ball of space junk and detritus while broadcasting their last words is exhilarating. You will always want to fly just one more mission to get you closer to that beautiful Arcturus-class destroyer, or perhaps some rare ship component that will make it just right. I can pick it up to play for 20 minutes, or five hours, and I'll have a blast either way. Some people will knock it for the fact that it's on a 2D plane (your capital ship handles much like an ocean going vessel in many ways). I was worried about this, but it turns out this is actually for the better as it keeps the game accessible, fast paced, and easy to manage. If you ever wanted to be Malcolm Reynolds or Han Solo, and enjoy big ships with your science fiction, buy this game. You will not be disappointed.
