Freelancer takes an old genre, the space sim, and brings it new life with its streamlined interface, newfound sense of openness, and strong artwork. You can jump in and get instant gratification hunting Rogues, trading Optical Chips, setting out for Rhineland, or trying to get in good with the Bounty Hunters. It looks great and it’s thoroughly immersive, as long as you stay in your ship.

But there’s a lot of work that went into parts of the game that land with an embarrassingly loud thud. It’s a shame this work wasn’t diverted to making the dynamic universe less of a smoke-and-mirrors act and more of a truly interactive world. Because Freelancer could have been so much better with a little more work. But in the end, it serves its purpose: you’ll have a great time burning a dozen hours or so and looking forward to how many great things Digital Anvil could do in a sequel. Where do I put my money down for a pre-order?