A 1 Disc Surprise

I recently picked up Freelancer after reading the Preview in GamePro, and was a bit surprised when it was only 1 disc, seeing as most of the better games of today are 2 - 3 long. But I was pleasantly surprised when I installed it and started playing, it takes a bit to get started but once you do, it's pretty intense action all the way through. The dogfights are awesome and well animated; Enemy AI is challenging but not overly so. There have been mixed feelings about not supporting a joystick but I see no problem with the mouse/keyboard combo. After the first mission its second nature, although, I think joystick options might have been nice for other who are used to them, as well as those looking for force feedback. Game music isn't amazing but keeps up with the game, Melodic at times of travel, and upbeat and fast during combat. However my voices drop out half the time, so I think I'm missing important dialog. The graphics are what impress me most since this is a single disc game. The character models are crisp and well shaded, the ships, though a bit modular, are well designed and look good overall. Graphics are where this game shines. Overall, it's a great game, even if the mission structure is a bit repetitive.