GAME: Elite Dangerous
CREATED AND PRODUCED BY: Frontier Productions
Elite was one of those games way WAY back that only certain types of gamer got into. It was never one for those more suited to Mario or Sonic or even BMX Simulator, but it gave a huge sense of scope, of endless possibility and reward, dependent on your risk taking or ability. Three decades later we finally get the spiritual successor to David Braben's classic, as Frontier and Elite Encounters don't really count to the purists. It's been something of a hidden desire to have a go at Elite: Dangerous, as getting a bit older has made me want to find something I could get lost in.
Now, if you're willing to put the time in, and I cannot stress that enough, you will be rewarded. You really do need to get your head into the control system and all the intricacies that make up the game. Everything from raising your landing gear to taking out enemies of states or federations to even making sure you don't fire your weapon in allied space through fear of a fine. These are all the things you have to remember when playing this. I've forgotten the shooting fine twice already and also had difficulty landing, so don't think this will be a walk in the park because it really isn't.
There is a simple beauty with Elite Dangerous because there isn't really a story because you make it all up as you go. You start with a few credits and a ship and you simply point in a direction and go for it. No sub plot, no twists and no dodgy cameo appearances either (unless you count the woman who did the voice for P.O.D. from the hit BBC TV show Snog, Marry, Avoid). Cortana she isn't, but it is more than adequate.
The graphics are really pleasant, considering it is deep space and there isn't a huge amount to look at. The ship layout is beautiful and once you actually get to grips with the system and how it works, it becomes second nature and is actually well laid out for a controller bearing in mind that the series spawned on a personal computer and needed a keyboard to survive. It works through a combination of button holds and the d-pad to get to all of your options, but it will take time, which is why I would strongly suggest looking at the Youtube tutorials before embarking on your own mission.
From that point you can trade, take part in some dodgy underworld missions for those nasty non descriptive types and pick up random things in space that flag up on your screen, amongst so many other things. It seriously is however you want to play it. You can't access a second ship though, as you are restricted to the one story arc. In a way this is good because it means you have to be extra careful with your vessel.
You can play the game in a solo mode, but the best way to enjoy Elite Dangerous is via the online enabled area. You will encounter other human pilots, going about their own business, which gives you a genuine feeling of immersion. You go through space and find others just doing what they do, rather than being on your own and nothing really happening. You may find someone who has done wrong in a different system and is wanted by that federation. You can then take him out and earn the bounty and get some love from the local authorities.
The beauty of this game is that you get lost in how immersive it is without even knowing it. You also have to remember that, as I said at the beginning, this is a game for specific people. Those certain gamers that just want to get lost in a world of exploration and not be bothered about kill streaks or 24 player car races. It is a testament to how something with so little need to throw itself in your face can capture your emotional attention so quickly.
It isn't going to be to everyone's taste, as I've said, but to those who do opt for titles like this will not be disappointed. It is definitely one of those where you need to know what you're doing before you begin and there are no shortages of tutorial to get you started. It is so easy to get into once you get your head round the controls, but a difficult game to master. It may not have Hollywood style big moments or epic cliffhangers, but sometimes you make your own excitement, and it is THIS that made the original as gripping as it was to all of those who played it then and has continued to now to allow new people to the series, like myself, to become converts.
Frontier have finally got the formula combined with graphics that justify the classic recipe. It is an essential for those that want to explore space and waste hours going around the galaxy doing what they like. It's almost like the old days of flight sims and simulators, where you always knew that only a small band of die hards would be the ones that would lap this up like it was out of fashion. Space sims were also big in those days and it is nice to see something like this make a comeback, as the consoles really have been short of something like this for such a long time.
If you can get your head round the controls and you're up for just switching off to the world for a while and creating your own space story then you really cannot go wrong here. It won't be for every console gamer and is more for a select band, but it is something you will really enjoy provided you stay patient and like a challenge.
Highly recommended.
A big thanks to the Xbox Community for allowing us to review this game.