FreeLancer

After long years of waiting and anticipating, FreeLancer is finally on its way in, and everything you thought you knew about space-dogfight sims is on its way out.

Truly hardcore PC gamers can remember where they were the first time they heard about FreeLancer. Wing Commander: Prophecy was just hitting the bargain bins, and space-shooter fans were unknowingly staring at many long years of starfighter starvation. FreeLancer represented the promise of a true, massive universe filled with options, choices, and, most of all, action?the announcement of such a huge starfighter sim made everyone wonder if it would be the last game they ever needed.

Well, it?s almost here, and based on the preview version, it looks like it?ll be everything you were waiting for.

FreeLancer has become known as a ?StarPG.?EYou?ll have access to a huge universe of adventure, which has been divided into three main sections by the descendants of humanity who colonized this area of space. Liberty was settled by colony ships from the USA, Rheinland was built by settlers from Germany, and Bretonia is the home of the descendants of the British. While a detailed story line will lead you through the whole game universe, you?ll also be able to accept missions from characters and job boards on planets and space stations. You?ll use money and equipment from those missions to upgrade your ships or even buy new ones.

Aside from its freedom and scope, FreeLancer?s most striking feature is the way it controls?you?ll never use a flightstick with FreeLancer. The entire game is mouse-and-keyboard driven, and while the preview version?s controls were a bit confusing, they quickly became second nature. Once you get used to it, you?ll wonder why you ever needed a joystick before. Mouse-driven menus in the HUD enabled quick selection of select weapons, targets, and waypoints; and keyboard shortcuts made it even easier.

Already looking impressive in beta, FreeLancer could be just the thing for starfighter enthusiasts this March. If developer Digital Anvil can stay on target, it could just have a lock on the space-shooter genre.

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