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This thread has been linked to the game 'X3: Reunion'.
Ever wondered what it's like to explore the universe? or fancied trying to sell a cargohold of your hard sought after goods to a whole host of different alien species spanning through hundreds of sectors and living every Ferengi's dream? Well fear not my space dwelling entrepreneurs and explorers because in X3 Reunion just about anything is possible.
You can either follow the brilliant storyline which is based on the Argon homeworld, Argon Prime. Or alternatively you can make your own story and start a new game without the storyline. There are many different species in X3, some old and some new but when you first start the game you have several character choices, each of which start with their own ship and set amount of credits, which is tailored to each character. Whether you choose to defend Argon against the Xenon threat, explore the galaxy as a humble merchant or become the Dr Chaotica of the X-3 Universe as a broke pirate hell bent on anarchy, shiver me' hull plating.
What sets the X3 Series and in particular Reunion apart from other games in this genre is the fact that you quite literally control the game and make it your own, with every decision you make and every action you take having a direct impact on the virtual universe around you. Making for hours and hours of gameplay and endless different outcomes, it's every man, woman and pirate for themselves.
One of the things which brings X3 Reunion into it's element is the comprehensive trading system which boasts a huge range of features as well as a huge range of different wares for you to buy, sell and barter including, energy cells, raw material, weaponry and even space snails (Maja Snails), yummy. Most of the different wares have their own purpose built factories producing them which each require different types of raw material to operate which means that the X3 Universe has it's very own self sustaining eco system which works just like a real one, with every action having a direct impact on the eco system. If you have the same IQ as Paris Hilton then let me explain it to you, say you start a war in one sector this will obviously increase the demand for weaponry and components but not only that it will also increase the demand for the raw materials required to produce the weapons such as cloth rime, silicon and ore. The complexity of this system really is staggering and in my opinion makes X3 Reunion one of the most addictive and enthralling games you will probably ever play.
If the thought of becoming an intergalactic mogul appeals to you then you will probably find yourself, like I did, racing against the AI ships to every station to get the cheapest price on the energy cells and then screaming at your monitor when you realise that slimey little Teladi that docked just before you filled his cargo with YOUR energy cells. Fear not, if your a particularly lazy trader then once your wealthy enough X3 Reunion allows you to build your very own space stations and thanks to special equipment you can build huge networks of self sustaining space stations meaning that you wont even have to lift a finger once your network is set up however you may find that it can cause the sector your network is in to lag on slower computers if your network of stations is particularly large. If all that still seems like to much effort you can program your own fleet of cargo ships to find and collect the cheapest supplies they can find, you can even dictate how far afield you want them to travel to obtain supplies, well theres no point in wasting precious energy if you can pop to the neighbouring sector is there? Be careful you don't get too lazy though because sooner or later it will bite you in the ass and you will find that your ships have come under attack or have been destroyed all together, just remember the 265th rule of acquisition “The fear of loss may be your greatest enemy or your best friend - choose wisely “
X3 Reunion also boasts an impressive array of different ships, each serve their own purpose and vary in size and combat capability. The ships are categorised into different classes, which I still find confusing but you will get used to it after a while but they range from M4 Interceptors such as the Argon Buster to the M1 Capitol ships such as the Argon Colossus and Transport ships such as the Boron Orca. Personally I find that the Boron ships are generally the most pleasing to look at but all the ships in the game have incredible attention to detail and will make you feel like your watching a multi million dollar science fiction film.
In X3 Reunion there are well over 100 different sectors for you to explore, exploit or wreak havoc in, in fact there are so many I haven't even found them all so it's very easy to get completely lost. Each sector is as breathtaking to look at as the next, with a few exceptions and despite what you may think each sector is made up of real objects and particles, even the planets are real objects. A particularly nice addition is that many sectors have their own music or background sound effects which give them even more depth and atmosphere, even stations have their own sound effects and announcements whilst your docked, immersing you in the game even more. This astonishing attention to detail makes X3 Reunion one of the best looking and most playable games of its genre but that's not all.
If you get bored of your usual trade runs you will also find an extensive array of mini-missions which you will find on the notice board when your docked at a station if any are available, these vary in difficulty and length and of course, danger but upon completion of your contract you will receive a nice juicy paycheck in the form of credits which will come in very handy for that shiney new jumpdrive you've been drooling over. Some missions can be more lucrative than others so it's well worth checking out the other stations first, but you have to be careful you have the right kind of ship for the job but also having the right equipment will make it much easier too.
One of the most innovative features i've seen in any game is the purpose built, in-game scripting feature which will allow you to make your own software or command programs for your ships and stations, your own missions or if you choose, just plain cheat. The one downside however is that the scripting language does take a while to learn and can get quite confusing but i'd say its a cross between visual basic and php. In my opinion the script interface is also quite clumsy but you will get used to it eventually. You can also share your scripts with others on the egosoft website but you'll find that most custom scripts are roleplayed as software for ships and such released by fictional corporations but this just adds to the immersive nature of the game and adds even more playability to an already massive game.
You may have thought that once you have explored all the sectors and have everything an intergalactic entrepreneur could want that that would be it right? Well you're wrong. With the right software X3 Reunion allows users to add just about anything to the game such as completely new ships, stations, wares, missions and even sectors. If your name is Mr Brainy Pants then you can even create your own ships using 3D Modelling software and import them to the game which I have tried doing myself but with slow progress but if the thought of making your own ships sends shivers up your spine then there are literally hundreds of different ready-made mods for you to add, which is a fairly easy process and there is something for everyone whether you are a Startrek fan or a Battlestar Galactica addict you won't be spoilt for choice. The limitless possibilities that being able to mod the game brings extends the lifespan of the game exponentially and with the sheer amount of mods available is worth buying the game for on it's own.
Conclusion
X3 Reunion is one of the most addictive games i've played to date, I would even go as far as to compare its addictiveness to Tetris. Visually it is breathtaking from every angle with painstaking attention to detail and it will look the bees knees even on a low end computer system like mine, however unless you have the latest updates for the game it can unfortunately crash quite a bit, specifically after entering sectors through gates but if memory serves me correctly later updates solve this rather annoying issue and also add a new race, ships and missions to the game, so it's well worth downloading the updates which I think are still available for download.
The GUI interface is very user friendly and easy to navigate although on first play may be a little confusing but you will soon get used to it, this is one of those games where you will probably want to read the manual before you play it. The ship controls are fairly easy to master but at times I have found them to be a little slow to respond but this has a lot to do with the type of ship your flying but if your a novice gamer then you will probably find it a tad confusing, especially the weapons system, which even i'm still confused by. Although X3 Reunion is suitable for all ages younger children may struggle to understand the concept as may even some adults due to the complex and ever changing nature of the game.
Overall X3 Reunion remains one of the best games i've ever played and is crammed full of features and has a virtually limitless lifespan thanks to the “Artificial Life” system which brings the X3 Universe to life so much so that you would even think it's real. All this is helped along further by the ability to create custom scripts and add modifications to the game. Egosoft really have squeezed every last drop of juice from this stunning game to turn it into an immensely enjoyable and in my opinion a must have game for any science fiction freak.
A well earned 9/10
You can either follow the brilliant storyline which is based on the Argon homeworld, Argon Prime. Or alternatively you can make your own story and start a new game without the storyline. There are many different species in X3, some old and some new but when you first start the game you have several character choices, each of which start with their own ship and set amount of credits, which is tailored to each character. Whether you choose to defend Argon against the Xenon threat, explore the galaxy as a humble merchant or become the Dr Chaotica of the X-3 Universe as a broke pirate hell bent on anarchy, shiver me' hull plating.
What sets the X3 Series and in particular Reunion apart from other games in this genre is the fact that you quite literally control the game and make it your own, with every decision you make and every action you take having a direct impact on the virtual universe around you. Making for hours and hours of gameplay and endless different outcomes, it's every man, woman and pirate for themselves.
One of the things which brings X3 Reunion into it's element is the comprehensive trading system which boasts a huge range of features as well as a huge range of different wares for you to buy, sell and barter including, energy cells, raw material, weaponry and even space snails (Maja Snails), yummy. Most of the different wares have their own purpose built factories producing them which each require different types of raw material to operate which means that the X3 Universe has it's very own self sustaining eco system which works just like a real one, with every action having a direct impact on the eco system. If you have the same IQ as Paris Hilton then let me explain it to you, say you start a war in one sector this will obviously increase the demand for weaponry and components but not only that it will also increase the demand for the raw materials required to produce the weapons such as cloth rime, silicon and ore. The complexity of this system really is staggering and in my opinion makes X3 Reunion one of the most addictive and enthralling games you will probably ever play.
If the thought of becoming an intergalactic mogul appeals to you then you will probably find yourself, like I did, racing against the AI ships to every station to get the cheapest price on the energy cells and then screaming at your monitor when you realise that slimey little Teladi that docked just before you filled his cargo with YOUR energy cells. Fear not, if your a particularly lazy trader then once your wealthy enough X3 Reunion allows you to build your very own space stations and thanks to special equipment you can build huge networks of self sustaining space stations meaning that you wont even have to lift a finger once your network is set up however you may find that it can cause the sector your network is in to lag on slower computers if your network of stations is particularly large. If all that still seems like to much effort you can program your own fleet of cargo ships to find and collect the cheapest supplies they can find, you can even dictate how far afield you want them to travel to obtain supplies, well theres no point in wasting precious energy if you can pop to the neighbouring sector is there? Be careful you don't get too lazy though because sooner or later it will bite you in the ass and you will find that your ships have come under attack or have been destroyed all together, just remember the 265th rule of acquisition “The fear of loss may be your greatest enemy or your best friend - choose wisely “
X3 Reunion also boasts an impressive array of different ships, each serve their own purpose and vary in size and combat capability. The ships are categorised into different classes, which I still find confusing but you will get used to it after a while but they range from M4 Interceptors such as the Argon Buster to the M1 Capitol ships such as the Argon Colossus and Transport ships such as the Boron Orca. Personally I find that the Boron ships are generally the most pleasing to look at but all the ships in the game have incredible attention to detail and will make you feel like your watching a multi million dollar science fiction film.
In X3 Reunion there are well over 100 different sectors for you to explore, exploit or wreak havoc in, in fact there are so many I haven't even found them all so it's very easy to get completely lost. Each sector is as breathtaking to look at as the next, with a few exceptions and despite what you may think each sector is made up of real objects and particles, even the planets are real objects. A particularly nice addition is that many sectors have their own music or background sound effects which give them even more depth and atmosphere, even stations have their own sound effects and announcements whilst your docked, immersing you in the game even more. This astonishing attention to detail makes X3 Reunion one of the best looking and most playable games of its genre but that's not all.
If you get bored of your usual trade runs you will also find an extensive array of mini-missions which you will find on the notice board when your docked at a station if any are available, these vary in difficulty and length and of course, danger but upon completion of your contract you will receive a nice juicy paycheck in the form of credits which will come in very handy for that shiney new jumpdrive you've been drooling over. Some missions can be more lucrative than others so it's well worth checking out the other stations first, but you have to be careful you have the right kind of ship for the job but also having the right equipment will make it much easier too.
One of the most innovative features i've seen in any game is the purpose built, in-game scripting feature which will allow you to make your own software or command programs for your ships and stations, your own missions or if you choose, just plain cheat. The one downside however is that the scripting language does take a while to learn and can get quite confusing but i'd say its a cross between visual basic and php. In my opinion the script interface is also quite clumsy but you will get used to it eventually. You can also share your scripts with others on the egosoft website but you'll find that most custom scripts are roleplayed as software for ships and such released by fictional corporations but this just adds to the immersive nature of the game and adds even more playability to an already massive game.
You may have thought that once you have explored all the sectors and have everything an intergalactic entrepreneur could want that that would be it right? Well you're wrong. With the right software X3 Reunion allows users to add just about anything to the game such as completely new ships, stations, wares, missions and even sectors. If your name is Mr Brainy Pants then you can even create your own ships using 3D Modelling software and import them to the game which I have tried doing myself but with slow progress but if the thought of making your own ships sends shivers up your spine then there are literally hundreds of different ready-made mods for you to add, which is a fairly easy process and there is something for everyone whether you are a Startrek fan or a Battlestar Galactica addict you won't be spoilt for choice. The limitless possibilities that being able to mod the game brings extends the lifespan of the game exponentially and with the sheer amount of mods available is worth buying the game for on it's own.
Conclusion
X3 Reunion is one of the most addictive games i've played to date, I would even go as far as to compare its addictiveness to Tetris. Visually it is breathtaking from every angle with painstaking attention to detail and it will look the bees knees even on a low end computer system like mine, however unless you have the latest updates for the game it can unfortunately crash quite a bit, specifically after entering sectors through gates but if memory serves me correctly later updates solve this rather annoying issue and also add a new race, ships and missions to the game, so it's well worth downloading the updates which I think are still available for download.
The GUI interface is very user friendly and easy to navigate although on first play may be a little confusing but you will soon get used to it, this is one of those games where you will probably want to read the manual before you play it. The ship controls are fairly easy to master but at times I have found them to be a little slow to respond but this has a lot to do with the type of ship your flying but if your a novice gamer then you will probably find it a tad confusing, especially the weapons system, which even i'm still confused by. Although X3 Reunion is suitable for all ages younger children may struggle to understand the concept as may even some adults due to the complex and ever changing nature of the game.
Overall X3 Reunion remains one of the best games i've ever played and is crammed full of features and has a virtually limitless lifespan thanks to the “Artificial Life” system which brings the X3 Universe to life so much so that you would even think it's real. All this is helped along further by the ability to create custom scripts and add modifications to the game. Egosoft really have squeezed every last drop of juice from this stunning game to turn it into an immensely enjoyable and in my opinion a must have game for any science fiction freak.
A well earned 9/10
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Ever wondered what it's like to explore the universe? or fancied trying to sell a cargohold of your hard sought after goods to a whole host of different alien species spanning through hundreds of sectors and living every Ferengi's dream? Well fear not my space dwelling entrepreneurs and explorers because in X3 Reunion just about anything is possible.
You can either follow the brilliant storyline which is based on the Argon homeworld, Argon Prime. Or alternatively you can make your own story and start a new game without the storyline. There are many different species in X3, some old and some new but when you first start the game you have several character choices, each of which start with their own ship and set amount of credits, which is tailored to each character. Whether you choose to defend Argon against the Xenon threat, explore the galaxy as a humble merchant or become the Dr Chaotica of the X-3 Universe as a broke pirate hell bent on anarchy, shiver me' hull plating.
What sets the X3 Series and in particular Reunion apart from other games in this genre is the fact that you quite literally control the game and make it your own, with every decision you make and every action you take having a direct impact on the virtual universe around you. Making for hours and hours of gameplay and endless different outcomes, it's every man, woman and pirate for themselves.
One of the things which brings X3 Reunion into it's element is the comprehensive trading system which boasts a huge range of features as well as a huge range of different wares for you to buy, sell and barter including, energy cells, raw material, weaponry and even space snails (Maja Snails), yummy. Most of the different wares have their own purpose built factories producing them which each require different types of raw material to operate which means that the X3 Universe has it's very own self sustaining eco system which works just like a real one, with every action having a direct impact on the eco system. If you have the same IQ as Paris Hilton then let me explain it to you, say you start a war in one sector this will obviously increase the demand for weaponry and components but not only that it will also increase the demand for the raw materials required to produce the weapons such as cloth rime, silicon and ore. The complexity of this system really is staggering and in my opinion makes X3 Reunion one of the most addictive and enthralling games you will probably ever play.
If the thought of becoming an intergalactic mogul appeals to you then you will probably find yourself, like I did, racing against the AI ships to every station to get the cheapest price on the energy cells and then screaming at your monitor when you realise that slimey little Teladi that docked just before you filled his cargo with YOUR energy cells. Fear not, if your a particularly lazy trader then once your wealthy enough X3 Reunion allows you to build your very own space stations and thanks to special equipment you can build huge networks of self sustaining space stations meaning that you wont even have to lift a finger once your network is set up however you may find that it can cause the sector your network is in to lag on slower computers if your network of stations is particularly large. If all that still seems like to much effort you can program your own fleet of cargo ships to find and collect the cheapest supplies they can find, you can even dictate how far afield you want them to travel to obtain supplies, well theres no point in wasting precious energy if you can pop to the neighbouring sector is there? Be careful you don't get too lazy though because sooner or later it will bite you in the ass and you will find that your ships have come under attack or have been destroyed all together, just remember the 265th rule of acquisition “The fear of loss may be your greatest enemy or your best friend - choose wisely “
X3 Reunion also boasts an impressive array of different ships, each serve their own purpose and vary in size and combat capability. The ships are categorised into different classes, which I still find confusing but you will get used to it after a while but they range from M4 Interceptors such as the Argon Buster to the M1 Capitol ships such as the Argon Colossus and Transport ships such as the Boron Orca. Personally I find that the Boron ships are generally the most pleasing to look at but all the ships in the game have incredible attention to detail and will make you feel like your watching a multi million dollar science fiction film.
In X3 Reunion there are well over 100 different sectors for you to explore, exploit or wreak havoc in, in fact there are so many I haven't even found them all so it's very easy to get completely lost. Each sector is as breathtaking to look at as the next, with a few exceptions and despite what you may think each sector is made up of real objects and particles, even the planets are real objects. A particularly nice addition is that many sectors have their own music or background sound effects which give them even more depth and atmosphere, even stations have their own sound effects and announcements whilst your docked, immersing you in the game even more. This astonishing attention to detail makes X3 Reunion one of the best looking and most playable games of its genre but that's not all.
If you get bored of your usual trade runs you will also find an extensive array of mini-missions which you will find on the notice board when your docked at a station if any are available, these vary in difficulty and length and of course, danger but upon completion of your contract you will receive a nice juicy paycheck in the form of credits which will come in very handy for that shiney new jumpdrive you've been drooling over. Some missions can be more lucrative than others so it's well worth checking out the other stations first, but you have to be careful you have the right kind of ship for the job but also having the right equipment will make it much easier too.
One of the most innovative features i've seen in any game is the purpose built, in-game scripting feature which will allow you to make your own software or command programs for your ships and stations, your own missions or if you choose, just plain cheat. The one downside however is that the scripting language does take a while to learn and can get quite confusing but i'd say its a cross between visual basic and php. In my opinion the script interface is also quite clumsy but you will get used to it eventually. You can also share your scripts with others on the egosoft website but you'll find that most custom scripts are roleplayed as software for ships and such released by fictional corporations but this just adds to the immersive nature of the game and adds even more playability to an already massive game.
You may have thought that once you have explored all the sectors and have everything an intergalactic entrepreneur could want that that would be it right? Well you're wrong. With the right software X3 Reunion allows users to add just about anything to the game such as completely new ships, stations, wares, missions and even sectors. If your name is Mr Brainy Pants then you can even create your own ships using 3D Modelling software and import them to the game which I have tried doing myself but with slow progress but if the thought of making your own ships sends shivers up your spine then there are literally hundreds of different ready-made mods for you to add, which is a fairly easy process and there is something for everyone whether you are a Startrek fan or a Battlestar Galactica addict you won't be spoilt for choice. The limitless possibilities that being able to mod the game brings extends the lifespan of the game exponentially and with the sheer amount of mods available is worth buying the game for on it's own.
Conclusion
X3 Reunion is one of the most addictive games i've played to date, I would even go as far as to compare its addictiveness to Tetris. Visually it is breathtaking from every angle with painstaking attention to detail and it will look the bees knees even on a low end computer system like mine, however unless you have the latest updates for the game it can unfortunately crash quite a bit, specifically after entering sectors through gates but if memory serves me correctly later updates solve this rather annoying issue and also add a new race, ships and missions to the game, so it's well worth downloading the updates which I think are still available for download.
The GUI interface is very user friendly and easy to navigate although on first play may be a little confusing but you will soon get used to it, this is one of those games where you will probably want to read the manual before you play it. The ship controls are fairly easy to master but at times I have found them to be a little slow to respond but this has a lot to do with the type of ship your flying but if your a novice gamer then you will probably find it a tad confusing, especially the weapons system, which even i'm still confused by. Although X3 Reunion is suitable for all ages younger children may struggle to understand the concept as may even some adults due to the complex and ever changing nature of the game.
Overall X3 Reunion remains one of the best games i've ever played and is crammed full of features and has a virtually limitless lifespan thanks to the “Artificial Life” system which brings the X3 Universe to life so much so that you would even think it's real. All this is helped along further by the ability to create custom scripts and add modifications to the game. Egosoft really have squeezed every last drop of juice from this stunning game to turn it into an immensely enjoyable and in my opinion a must have game for any science fiction freak.
A well earned 9/10
You can either follow the brilliant storyline which is based on the Argon homeworld, Argon Prime. Or alternatively you can make your own story and start a new game without the storyline. There are many different species in X3, some old and some new but when you first start the game you have several character choices, each of which start with their own ship and set amount of credits, which is tailored to each character. Whether you choose to defend Argon against the Xenon threat, explore the galaxy as a humble merchant or become the Dr Chaotica of the X-3 Universe as a broke pirate hell bent on anarchy, shiver me' hull plating.
What sets the X3 Series and in particular Reunion apart from other games in this genre is the fact that you quite literally control the game and make it your own, with every decision you make and every action you take having a direct impact on the virtual universe around you. Making for hours and hours of gameplay and endless different outcomes, it's every man, woman and pirate for themselves.
One of the things which brings X3 Reunion into it's element is the comprehensive trading system which boasts a huge range of features as well as a huge range of different wares for you to buy, sell and barter including, energy cells, raw material, weaponry and even space snails (Maja Snails), yummy. Most of the different wares have their own purpose built factories producing them which each require different types of raw material to operate which means that the X3 Universe has it's very own self sustaining eco system which works just like a real one, with every action having a direct impact on the eco system. If you have the same IQ as Paris Hilton then let me explain it to you, say you start a war in one sector this will obviously increase the demand for weaponry and components but not only that it will also increase the demand for the raw materials required to produce the weapons such as cloth rime, silicon and ore. The complexity of this system really is staggering and in my opinion makes X3 Reunion one of the most addictive and enthralling games you will probably ever play.
If the thought of becoming an intergalactic mogul appeals to you then you will probably find yourself, like I did, racing against the AI ships to every station to get the cheapest price on the energy cells and then screaming at your monitor when you realise that slimey little Teladi that docked just before you filled his cargo with YOUR energy cells. Fear not, if your a particularly lazy trader then once your wealthy enough X3 Reunion allows you to build your very own space stations and thanks to special equipment you can build huge networks of self sustaining space stations meaning that you wont even have to lift a finger once your network is set up however you may find that it can cause the sector your network is in to lag on slower computers if your network of stations is particularly large. If all that still seems like to much effort you can program your own fleet of cargo ships to find and collect the cheapest supplies they can find, you can even dictate how far afield you want them to travel to obtain supplies, well theres no point in wasting precious energy if you can pop to the neighbouring sector is there? Be careful you don't get too lazy though because sooner or later it will bite you in the ass and you will find that your ships have come under attack or have been destroyed all together, just remember the 265th rule of acquisition “The fear of loss may be your greatest enemy or your best friend - choose wisely “
X3 Reunion also boasts an impressive array of different ships, each serve their own purpose and vary in size and combat capability. The ships are categorised into different classes, which I still find confusing but you will get used to it after a while but they range from M4 Interceptors such as the Argon Buster to the M1 Capitol ships such as the Argon Colossus and Transport ships such as the Boron Orca. Personally I find that the Boron ships are generally the most pleasing to look at but all the ships in the game have incredible attention to detail and will make you feel like your watching a multi million dollar science fiction film.
In X3 Reunion there are well over 100 different sectors for you to explore, exploit or wreak havoc in, in fact there are so many I haven't even found them all so it's very easy to get completely lost. Each sector is as breathtaking to look at as the next, with a few exceptions and despite what you may think each sector is made up of real objects and particles, even the planets are real objects. A particularly nice addition is that many sectors have their own music or background sound effects which give them even more depth and atmosphere, even stations have their own sound effects and announcements whilst your docked, immersing you in the game even more. This astonishing attention to detail makes X3 Reunion one of the best looking and most playable games of its genre but that's not all.
If you get bored of your usual trade runs you will also find an extensive array of mini-missions which you will find on the notice board when your docked at a station if any are available, these vary in difficulty and length and of course, danger but upon completion of your contract you will receive a nice juicy paycheck in the form of credits which will come in very handy for that shiney new jumpdrive you've been drooling over. Some missions can be more lucrative than others so it's well worth checking out the other stations first, but you have to be careful you have the right kind of ship for the job but also having the right equipment will make it much easier too.
One of the most innovative features i've seen in any game is the purpose built, in-game scripting feature which will allow you to make your own software or command programs for your ships and stations, your own missions or if you choose, just plain cheat. The one downside however is that the scripting language does take a while to learn and can get quite confusing but i'd say its a cross between visual basic and php. In my opinion the script interface is also quite clumsy but you will get used to it eventually. You can also share your scripts with others on the egosoft website but you'll find that most custom scripts are roleplayed as software for ships and such released by fictional corporations but this just adds to the immersive nature of the game and adds even more playability to an already massive game.
You may have thought that once you have explored all the sectors and have everything an intergalactic entrepreneur could want that that would be it right? Well you're wrong. With the right software X3 Reunion allows users to add just about anything to the game such as completely new ships, stations, wares, missions and even sectors. If your name is Mr Brainy Pants then you can even create your own ships using 3D Modelling software and import them to the game which I have tried doing myself but with slow progress but if the thought of making your own ships sends shivers up your spine then there are literally hundreds of different ready-made mods for you to add, which is a fairly easy process and there is something for everyone whether you are a Startrek fan or a Battlestar Galactica addict you won't be spoilt for choice. The limitless possibilities that being able to mod the game brings extends the lifespan of the game exponentially and with the sheer amount of mods available is worth buying the game for on it's own.
Conclusion
X3 Reunion is one of the most addictive games i've played to date, I would even go as far as to compare its addictiveness to Tetris. Visually it is breathtaking from every angle with painstaking attention to detail and it will look the bees knees even on a low end computer system like mine, however unless you have the latest updates for the game it can unfortunately crash quite a bit, specifically after entering sectors through gates but if memory serves me correctly later updates solve this rather annoying issue and also add a new race, ships and missions to the game, so it's well worth downloading the updates which I think are still available for download.
The GUI interface is very user friendly and easy to navigate although on first play may be a little confusing but you will soon get used to it, this is one of those games where you will probably want to read the manual before you play it. The ship controls are fairly easy to master but at times I have found them to be a little slow to respond but this has a lot to do with the type of ship your flying but if your a novice gamer then you will probably find it a tad confusing, especially the weapons system, which even i'm still confused by. Although X3 Reunion is suitable for all ages younger children may struggle to understand the concept as may even some adults due to the complex and ever changing nature of the game.
Overall X3 Reunion remains one of the best games i've ever played and is crammed full of features and has a virtually limitless lifespan thanks to the “Artificial Life” system which brings the X3 Universe to life so much so that you would even think it's real. All this is helped along further by the ability to create custom scripts and add modifications to the game. Egosoft really have squeezed every last drop of juice from this stunning game to turn it into an immensely enjoyable and in my opinion a must have game for any science fiction freak.
A well earned 9/10