X: Beyond the Frontier - PC Games

This is not to say that X is a bad game--far from it, in fact. The game is designed to be played in a freeform fashion, much like the classic Elite. Players begin the game in a strange new universe, marooned in space after a failed test flight of Earth's first hyperspace-capable spacecraft. Alone, defenceless, and broke, players must figure out how to make money and equip themselves to fight off pirates and a warlike alien race known as the Xenon, all while exploring their new galactic surroundings.

X can be trying for newcomers, since it moves along at a very slow pace. Even simple travel from one space station to another is tedious and boring until you save enough cash to upgrade your ship with time acceleration capabilities. The charm of the game lies in this pace, however, since it breaks completely from the style of Freespace 2 and the Wing Commander series.

The graphics are a mix of staggering beauty and amateurish 3-D design. While some effects--spinning planets, glowing engine coronas, slick space stations--are truly stunning, others are not so impressive.

Still, X can be a very appealing game, especially for anyone looking for a break from the adrenaline-charged space shoot-'em-ups that pervade the gaming market. The game's open-ended design and unique space-entrepreneur features make X a compelling alternative to the typical space combat game. --Michael E. Ryan