Dec/080
X3 Terran Conflict Review
Set in the endless depth of space X3 Terran conflict is filled with many interesting possibilities. You are given the opportunity to get behind the helm of a space fighter or should you choose to take the slower route, pilot a lumbering freighter. Depending on your temperament you can lead an action packed adventure of dogfighting and survival or nerd it up in a world of exploration and trade. X3 is a dark world filled with with human and alien civilizations each with their own personalities. To make matters worse a deadly technology has once again been unleashed upon the universe.
While the plot itself is fairly cliché the game play is open ended and the environments are gigantic. A powerful artificial intelligence has once again been unleashed onto the galaxy. This action sparks a conflict between those who outlawed the use of artificial intelligence and those who intended to use it. A conflict breaks out between both sides and the people of earth are forced to fight off the artificial intelligence and its creators. This conflict is to be known as the Terran Conflict.
The biggest drawback for the game is the very steep learning curve. Many who are new to the X3 series will constantly find themselves frustrated with the overly complex controls and the volume of information dumped into their laps. However, once you have spent a significant amount of time learning the interface and the mechanics of the engine the game slowly begins to open up.
Most of the ships controls are centralized around the WASD keys and the mouse is used for most all of the combat controls. This is another area that I feel the game really could have improved upon. The keyboard and mouse controls are just horrible by default. While you can spend hours remapping them to your liking it is much easier to just plug in a joystick.
The game itself is essentially a giant sandbox. However in an attempt to add a little more structure you are given the option to choose between a small handful of characters. Each character has his/her own strengths and weaknesses. Beginners to the game will find it a lot easier to play as one of the merchant characters, while those more familiar with the game may choose to play as an assassin or fighter pilot.
Terran Conflict manages to provide a very stunning visual experience for those who have the hardware to handle it. On the highest settings the game is spectacular and very engaging. However, those without the hardware will find the lower settings a little less appealing. Unfortunately even the most powerful system will find itself grinding to a halt as hundreds or thousands of units display on the screen during large firefights or busier areas. Medium settings offer a pretty good balance of performance and detail even on more powerful systems.
Egosofts' X3 saga continues to add to the complexity of space combat simulation games. The game features a very in-depth economic system and plenty of room for exploration and discoveries. The story in the game is mission based so fans of games such as Eve-Online will feel right at home. The attention to detail is staggering and it is obvious to anyone that this series is very much a product of years of dedication and passion from the developers.
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