No featured offers available
We feature offers with an Add to Cart button when an offer meets our high standards for:
- Quality Price,
- Reliable delivery option, and
- Seller who offers good customer service
Freelancer - PC
About this item
- Open-Ended Universe - Play missions randomly or follow the storyline. The universe is open for exploration, and the game evolves based on the decisions you make. Demolish pirate bases or supply depots and watch the political fallout. Lane Hackers go after cargo vessels if you disable trade lanes. Support your local cop...or not. The choice is yours but the universe won't wait for you.
- Dynamic Reputation - Your choice in missions, your successes, your failures...they all change your reputation constantly. Play as a Naval Officer and everyone associated with the Navy will treat you better. Become a pirate and hunt down cargo vessels and youll soon have friends in low places. The missions youre offered and the technology you have access to all depend on who you become.
- Distinctive Styles of Play - Chase the almighty dollar, disrupt the corrupt government, enforce the law, chase human prey...every game is different. Want access to easy money? Become a Lane Hacker: take dowenemies blind. Politics and intrigue are everywhere in the universe. If you have what it takes to be a CEO here on Earth....
- Intuitive Interface - Master the intricacies of space combat via mouse. Don't have a joystick? Hate all those buttons anyway? A mouse and a keyboard puts you in the game.
Product information
ASIN | B000085AHJ |
---|---|
Release date | March 4, 2003 |
Customer Reviews |
3.5 out of 5 stars |
Best Sellers Rank | #49,692 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games) #1,449 in PC-compatible Games |
Product Dimensions | 7.76 x 5.24 x 1.26 inches; 1.41 ounces |
Type of item | Video Game |
Rated | Teen |
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | Yes |
Item Weight | 1.41 ounces |
Manufacturer | Microsoft |
Date First Available | January 1, 2003 |
Feedback
Product Description
Amazon.com
In the open-ended space action/adventure game Freelancer you play a ne'er-do-well with a lucky streak, one of two survivors of a space disaster. Penniless and shipless, you venture around a space dock until you find a ship and a job. You'll encounter a heady mix of canned missions that follow one main quest, and a million opportunities to make money or aggravate the various factions that co-exist in the universe. Like an online role-playing game, or Bethesda's Morrowind, you determine who your enemies are and who your friends are by your own actions, and, in another nod to role-playing, you can customize your ship with guns, rockets, and equipment just as you would customize a RPG character with swords, bows, and magic items. Best of all, you can play cooperatively with friends or fight it out with enemies online.
The backstory posits a future where various countries, divided by both nationality and, seemingly, race, have boarded massive colony ships and ventured into a wormhole that appeared within reach of our crude space technology. They found themselves in a galaxy far, far away and they got stuck there when the wormhole collapsed. They quickly colonized new home worlds and named everything with familiar locales that make navigation a breeze. In the American sectors you'll feel at home entering the New York system and landing at a spaceport called Manhattan, for example. While contrived, this device is used beautifully and it's far better than having to memorize a bunch of sci-fi names and remembering where they are, perfect for a massive universe such as this one.
Though Freelancer is set in space, it is technically not a space simulation. The game was designed to be accessible to casual gamers. For example, Freelancer makes you use the mouse for ship control. This is quite a shift for a game genre normally known to require joystick control. But even old-school Wing Commander or X-Wing fans may find that the sacrifice of verisimilitude is made up for with gains in agility. The mouse controls your guns, while you use the keyboard to maneuver around the rich universe that developer Digital Anvil has constructed. Much like a first-person shooter, you can dodge and weave while precisely blasting your enemies.
Despite the game's age, its graphics are spectacular, as is the sound and voice acting, and in that way, fighting and trading with friends or alone, Freelancer proves worth the wait. Just keep in mind that it is explicitly not a hardcore space simulation, and you'll have to leave your joystick on the shelf. --Andrew S. Bub
Pros:
- A deep and interesting universe
- Game adjusts to your choices and affiliations
- Innovative and addictive co-op multiplayer
- It looks like a space sim but plays like a RPG Cons:
- Joystick isn't even an option
- It looks like a space sim but plays like a RPG
From the Manufacturer
Set in the outer reaches of the planetary system, Freelancer combines the action of 3-D space combat; the exploration of a dynamic, living universe; and trading in a rich galactic economy, where a player's decisions drive the adventure.
Developed by Digital Anvil, this epic adventure challenges players to determine their own reputations and choose their own distinctive styles of play. Players can choose to act like police officers, traders, pirates, or explorers for different gameplay experiences. The open-ended style of gameplay gives gamers a choice between following a linear story line or determining how the story will unfold.
The multiplayer component enables players around the globe with their own servers to fly missions or explore space together.
Looking for specific info?
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the quality, appearance and ships of the video game. They mention that it's one of the most immersive games they've played, with plenty of gameplay and fun combat. They also appreciate the top-notch graphics and beautiful to look at. That said, some complain about the storyline and performance.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers like the quality of the video game. They say it's one of the most immersive games they've played, with plenty of gameplay to enjoy. They also mention that the graphics are excellent and there are lots of fun mods to play with. Customers also say the game is a fun little space trade simulator with engaging combat and cool exploration. They describe the game as a wonderful playground for the imagination.
"...Dont get me wrong, there is plenty of gameplay for your to enjoy.My favorite about this game is that there is NO MENU gameplay...." Read more
"...Its a wonderful playground for the imagination and the only place to buy a Magma Hammer MK V for your spaceship, if that's your thing." Read more
"...Freelancer is one of the best games I've played, and I'd recommend it to anyone that enjoys either space sims (which it can be played as) or action..." Read more
"...The addition of the freelance element is perfect. The game gives you free play time along the route of the embedded story, and sometimes it's even..." Read more
Customers find the appearance of the video game software to be beautiful, with top-notch graphics. They also say the game is fast, fun, and full of charm.
"...The game is beautiful. It has great gameplay. It has great story line. The graphics are amazing. At last you have tons of freedom...." Read more
"...although restricting, is at least interesting; and the graphics are really pretty decent...." Read more
"This game is beautiful to look at and really makes a strong effort at being an open-ended space combat/exploration game...." Read more
"...liked to have had more variety in the missions, but the graphics are certainly top-notch and the game seems to be stable - unlike several other..." Read more
Customers find the ships in the video game to be great. They mention that the 3rd party mods are available, and the mod community for the game was huge. They also say the mods really add to the experience, and mention that there are incredible player made mods. Customers also mention that trading a wide array of products from one solar system to another to build enough credits is fun.
"...With plenty of 3rd party mods and available multiplayer, the limits of this game are endless...." Read more
"...Total freedom, Realistic 3D Universe. Trading a wide array of products from one solar system to another to build enough credits to buy larger..." Read more
"...The mod community is also excellent, and there are lots of fun mods to play with, and it seems more coming out every day." Read more
"...The Mods available really add to the experience. But the vanilla version is great by itself. Why oh why can't I live in the future!!!" Read more
Customers find the controls of the physical video game software intuitive, superb, and fluid. They also say the simple instructions allow them to focus on the game play and not a strategy.
"...The game play is very addicting. Simple instructions allow you to focus on the game play and not a strategy on how to get somewhere or how to get..." Read more
"...The controls are intuitive; the storyline, although restricting, is at least interesting; and the graphics are really pretty decent...." Read more
"...The gameplay is incredibly addictive and the control system is really nicely user friendly...." Read more
"...Superb programming, an excellent game." Read more
Customers are mixed about the storyline. Some find the story engaging, interesting, and excellent. They also say the missions are long and exciting. However, others say the story gets annoying in the later missions, is corny, and steep.
"...Then on and on. Her missions are long and exciting missions that take you by the hand and lead you across amazingly made galaxies that include..." Read more
"...This scheme makes absolutely no sense. It generates innumerable Catch-22s where one must complete a mission in order to fly back to the base you *..." Read more
"...Not only was the original game solid, with many excellent gameplay premises, but Digital Anvil/Microsoft also encouraged the modding community,..." Read more
"Freelancer mouse driven mostly, steep story line, even though the story asked you to keep on track with the story it didnt keep you on there...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the performance of the video game software. Some mention that the game still plays well, and the server is well-run. However, others say that it doesn't work as expected, and has no programs to work with.
"...My game would NOT run (black screen) until I configured it to run at high resolutions, and it looks fantastic for its age...." Read more
"...The best of all it has somewhat of a working economy. You can transport stuff between the stations and the planets to make money...." Read more
"...it did work before I rebooted for the last time before having no programs to work now... sad. Shipment was done right and came with box btw." Read more
"...Discovery PTC is a warm, welcoming well-run server with attentive admins...." Read more
Reviews with images
-
Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
The game is beautiful. It has great gameplay. It has great story line. The graphics are amazing. At last you have tons of freedom. The only negative to this game is that microsoft wrapped it up as fast as they could. They did not finish the game so the ending of it is like zzaappp.. that was it? And then you are left on your own which does get boring.
Now, the game is beautiful. Everything from the starting to almost the ending, is beautiful. The game play is very addicting. Simple instructions allow you to focus on the game play and not a strategy on how to get somewhere or how to get moving. The story line is very good. You start off as no body. You meet a LSF woman that hires you to do a job for her. Thats how the game starts. She gives you a cheap ship "on the house". You do mission for her and you get paid. Then on and on. Her missions are long and exciting missions that take you by the hand and lead you across amazingly made galaxies that include rocky nebula's, gassy nebula's, icy nebula's, radioactive nebula's, minefields, tons of planets, tons of space stations and so on. The best of all it has somewhat of a working economy. You can transport stuff between the stations and the planets to make money. You can go mining or kill pirates and so on. Once you kill other ships you get whatever weapons or anything else they have that was not destroyed during the battle. With plenty of 3rd party mods and available multiplayer, the limits of this game are endless.
Like i said the only negative to this game comes in hand when microsoft took over the project. They wrapped up the game as fast as they could and threw it out in the stores. You do this mission, you do the next mission and then all the sudden you are at the ending of it leaving plenty of unexplored galaxies that unless you play multiplayer, you might never even find. Dont get me wrong, there is plenty of gameplay for your to enjoy.
My favorite about this game is that there is NO MENU gameplay. In other words, you change your graphics, you change your sound settings, you change your keys and so forth but for anything for the game play, its all done during playing. If you want to change your ship. You have to fly out in space to some space station or a planet and buy the ship from there. Every station or planet offers different choices of ships that you can buy. To change your weapons, you have to destroy another ship or buy them from the space station or planet also and again every space station offers different weapons. To get and do missions you have to fly from location to location and again each space station has its own little missions besides the big story line. You have the freedom to fly anywhere you want, buy anything you want and destroy any one you want. Its up to you. You are playing the game, the game is not playing you.
I have played X3, darkstar one, and any other space sim game i could get my hands on and freelancer is by far my top choice.
Well, don't waste your money. I simply received a jewel case product, without even liner notes. This version of the product is a complete scam, and you should simply buy the cheaper version that lists itself as the jewel case product.
The game is great, but this is one of the few times I've ever felt that Amazon completely misled me into a fraudulent situation. It's not worth my time to return it (the price difference is only $10), but I figured I'd warn others to try to make sure the same thing doesn't happen to others.
My son still loves Spore, but I was yearning for a challenge.
Along came Freelancer. I googled "space dogfights" and ended up at a download page for Freelancer Trial.
I was hooked. Pretty soon I bought a copy off of Amazon and the rest is history.
I must say that even though there are some lapses in game design (the planets don't orbit the sun, you can't fly in the planet's atmosphere, etc.) for what it is, it's great. I never tire of the game's atmosphere. The scenery is beautiful. Part of the beauty is the weaponry and the ships and the fire bloom they make when they explode, but to really enjoy that part of it you must have a taste for battle. Personally, I never tire of exploring, fighting and trading.
There's alot of information about the history of the planets and nations that you can read on flyby, if you're into the storyline. There is a lot of storyline, but it's not in your face. You have to dig to find it.
And the Discovery mod makes it all better. More systems, more nations, more factions, more opportunities to RP your favorite parts of the storyline. You get to meet new people and then kill them! Or, for the peaceful, there are a bunch of scenic trading opportunities.
Discovery PTC is a warm, welcoming well-run server with attentive admins. People are helpful and there's lots of groups that are eager to accept a new member to RP being a pirate or a trader or police or military or whatever you like best.
It's been several months and this game is still engaging, interesting, fun and a surprisingly nice place to socialize. I know of many video games with slicker graphics and a higher price tag, but I beat them and leave them behind.
Freelancer is a different animal. My interest has only grown with time and what you bring to the game is almost as important as the game itself. Its a wonderful playground for the imagination and the only place to buy a Magma Hammer MK V for your spaceship, if that's your thing.