Elite? Could you humour me by listing what you like about the game? And if you could, your thoughts on the X series as well (mainly X3 & X4)?
I've been looking at a space game but can't decide which.
Thanks.
Elite: Dangerous will probably always be niche...even within the larger niche. It is an incredibly demanding flight model. People that simply take joy in flying their machines with precision will absolutely adore the way it feels. It definitely errs on the side of "simulation", and many of its mechanics are obtuse (but
mostly in a good way).
Add to that an expansive level of detail, absolutely gorgeous graphics, a huge range of different activities (simple trading between stations, an extremely versatile and challenging mining system, travel and tourism, exploration, seamless planetary landings, surface exploration and combat via a buggy, search and rescue, the ability to join wings, PvE, PvP, faction play [Powerplay] to unlock, a deep engineering system, very unique ships with lots of subtle strengths and weaknesses...), there's a lot to love.
Downsides are that it can be very buggy. Some systems and gameplay elements are needlessly wonky or grindy to a ridiculous extreme. Very steep learning curve. You will eventually encounter situations where you simply cruise forward in a straight line for 15+ minutes of real time. The game is 100% online only -- even for the single-player option. Online play can be viciously toxic (but still fun). The game's marketplace (cosmetics only -- no effect on gameplay) is cheeky to an extreme.
Final upside, though, is that if people like this type of simulation gameplay, there are so many ways to play that you are guaranteed to find something that hooks you.
X3 is still the best when it comes down to sandbox empire management in which anything you see you can own/fly.
Mmm...I have to agree that X3: Albion Prelude is a near-perfect blend of learning curve, complexity, and sheer, satisfying gameplay. Frankly, I'd toss the campaign out the window and just jump into the open world. Plus, it's been polished to a pretty fine sheen nowadays, and should run very well even on lower-end hardware. And, it's only $10 USD on Steam. It's easy to recommend it without reservations.
I'd say that compared to Elite, X3 offers more of a pick-up-and-play experience. Learning curve is steep, but not really aas frustratingly crushing as it can be in Elite. There are a TON of ships to fly, although some of them can feel kind of same-y. (Flying capital ships is pretty awesome, though. With an awesomely huge and awesome sort of awesomeness.) I think many people feel like it's too slow, or that there's nothing to do, but for myself at least, once I learned the nuances of the X system, I'm often rushing around quite frantically to ensure that I'm maximizing trade routes as the markets constantly shift.
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Another one to look at, that I've mentioned before, is Evochron Legacy. It's made by one person and has been worked on for nearly 20 years, now. It's not as advanced or polished as Elite or X, but it's got an astonishing level of cool stuff. And the flight model is pretty good, really. Plus, there are no "ships". You buy components and customize the look and function of your ship to your preference -- right down to designing the 3D model piece by piece. It's got a pretty deep and engrossing navigation system, too. The other activities like trade, combat, or various utility missions are quite interesting, but a bit simplistic and cookie-cutter.
Still, they're very inventive in their own way. For example, a high-paying job to "Clean a Solar Array":
Well, it's high-paying because the array is inside the high-gravity well of a star...so the player will have to actively compensate for the gravitational influence while maneuvering to clean each panel with their tractor beam. In the meantime, they'll be taking continuous damage from being inside the star's corona. So it's a good idea to do things as quickly and efficiently as possible. Then, they'll notice that their fuel reserves are burning faster than normal because of the constant maneuvering...and the player will need to use more than normal to escape the well when they jump. Sure hope the player remembered to plot the escape route into the navigational system before they jumped in...or that could pose an nasty challenge when the time comes to leave...
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...!)
Overall, it's quite inventive and very engaging. I played one of the older versions for hundreds of hours before moving on to other things.