Freelancer developed by digital anvil and published by microsoft game studios is a spiritual sequel to Starlancer.

Overview: Freelancer is a space combat game set in the far future around the 24th century. mankind was split into two sides The Alliance and The Coalition they had been fighting for quote "so long that no one remembered what we where fighting for" unquote. the coalition manages to gain the upper hand and forces the alliance to flee to a new galaxy to start again. this happened 800 years before the game begins.

Graphics: Freelancer did come out quite some time ago but for the time the graphics look ok, there not dazzling or terrible but a happy medium draw distance is excellent in part being that there's a constant background of stars and nebula's to look at, and planets can be seen from far away. one problem though is planets and space stations pop in when you get close enough and disappear if your to far away. the graphics could have been better but there satisfactory.

Audio: Freelancer sounds very good the weapon, impact, engine, and shields on your ship sound as realistic as sci-fi can be. not only that but when you bring up your nav-map or inventory the sounds that are made make you feel like your actually navigating a futuristic computer.

Storyline: without spoiling the storyline i can say that it is interesting a few plot twists, and deep characters make it a sci-fi triumph.

Gameplay: unlike some games Freelancer allows you to control your ship in real time as if you where flying it. the entire game is real time and there is no pauses where you contemplate your next move. a huge galaxy to waits to be explored, how big? with approx 50 solar systems to visit and explore each being about 100,000 Sq kilometers (a kilometer is approx Half a mile) there very big. with a playing field this big how do you get around quickly? Your ship travels at a speed of 80 kilometers per hour at max Engine output, but by purchasing a thruster your ship can accelerate to 200 kilometers Per hour for a limited time, for an even faster travel activate your cruise engines to zip through space at 300 kilometers per hour. but that's only what your ship can do, by useing "trade lanes" you can follow the lane from point to point at around 1000 kilometers per hour. jump gates and jump holes are used to travel from solar system to the next where as trade lanes are just from planet to planet or space station. but just because your in a trade lane doesn't mean your safe, pirates can "disrupt" the trade lane which pulls you out of it and back to normal speed. there the pirates will shoot at you or leave you alone depending on if your hostile, neutral, or friendly with them. with around 45 or so Factions/organizations that will be hostile, neutral, or friendly towards you based on who you shoot, who is hostile, neutral, or friendly to you and where you buy equipment or trade with. after and during the story of the game you are allowed to free-roam limited at first but after the main storyline is finished you can go anywhere. you can trade, and take missions from planets and space stations, with over 50 different ships to choose from. ships range from Civilian Fighter Light, Heavy and Very Heavy, Military Fighter light, heavy and very heavy, Various fraction specific Fighters and Freighters, And Civilian And military freighters. Fighters are for direct combat with much smaller cargo holds then freighters. Freighters lack in combat but can carry A hell of a lot more then fighters. AI in the game is pretty good for the time, house police will scan your cargo bay for illegal artifacts, if they find any they will shoot at you, but police just don't appear out of know where every ship you encounter has a Patrol or trade route that they are following or they may just be going some where completely random. weapons come in four classes: Gun- are laser weapons that have unlimited ammo but do not seek there target. Missile- projectile weapons that do have ammo but seek there target. Mine- are dropped behind the ship and explode we a ship fly's by. and Torpedoes- larger missiles that do far more damage but are slow and don't seek a target.

Overall i would recommend Freelancer to anyone be you a Sci-fi person or not if you can find it give it a try.