So, I've got about approximately 6 hours w/ X Rebirth so far, and I'm still trying to assemble my thoughts on this game. My thoughts so far on this game: it's a mess, just like these thoughts likely will be. It's hard to say how I really feel about this game - since there's a lot to this game (like most X games, it's complex) and I feel like I've barely scratched the surface of this game even after some 6 hours; a lot has changed since X3 series of games (X3: Reunion, X3: Terran Conflict, and X3: Albion Prelude); and there's the technical issues that are driving me nuts. At times, this game is a brilliant open-world space-sim with outstanding graphics (when in space); and at other times, it's down-right awful b/c of technical issues + its (lack of) production values.
Technical issues are my biggest problem and hurdle w/ this game. Trying to get this game to perform well has been - hell. And it still is, on my rig (i7 950; 1 GB VRAM of GF GTX 560 Ti; 8 GB DDR3 RAM; Win 7 64-bit OS). With stuff set on High at 1080p, this game was a disaster - expect framerates of 15 to 30 frames per second, on the regular. With a more Custom setting and no framerate-limiting program - framerates could dips can go from 50 frames per second to 30 frames can happen in an instant. So, if you have a framerate limiting program that gets along with this game (EVGA Precision X 15 doesn't seem to and would cause crashes whenever; yet EVGA Precision X 16 does work fine here and was causing no problems when running it with X Rebirth) - you might want to limit the framerate, so you don't have too many stutters and can get the game moving in a much more smooth + fluid manner. Going for a Custom setting in-game and tweaking things a bit - with in-game settings in 1080p, with some stuff on, some on Normal, VSync Off; and with a combination EVGA Precision X 16 limiting the framerate to 35 frames maximum - I've been able to achieve around 25-35 frames per second consistently. This is much more acceptable than the inconsistencies and wild framerates before that I was getting at any moment in time.
This isn't the end of technical issues. I have experiences some bugs, as well. One bug was the sound disappears from the game completely, causing me to get somewhere to save, close the game out, and then reboot the game - just to get things back in order. Sometimes when entering highways from going to one part of space to another - the game will stutter, lock-up, and freeze-up: whether it's for a few moments; or entirely cause the game to need to be closed-out. I had to drop my sound-card settings a bit, just to stop the crackling of sound issues.
Graphics in this game are a mixed bag, both technically and artistically. Namely, when out in space, flying around, seeing stations, and seeing details galore of ships and stations - this game is downright gorgeous. You'll spend most of your time probably doing that stuff, thankfully. Now, when you're on a station or ship: areas and character models + environment often look generic, not that detailed at all, and often repeated + recycled - as if they were an after-thought.
Let's get to some of the stuff about the Campaign. The game's voice-acting and dialogue b/t the two main characters (you and your co-pilot): it's just not good at all. Certainly, a lot of this stuff b/t your main character and your co-pilot is just either not interesting for actual dialogue, poorly voice-acting, or a combination of both.
The thing is this: you really should play the Campaign first - especially if you're new to the X series; and actually even if you're a X series veteran. While some elements of X3 series have returned, not everything has. Some things have been removed (it seems like you're stuck here with only one ship to purchase - at least so far, anyways) or changed entirely (though, your one ship is seems to have more upgradable pieces + parts than in the previous X3 games). B/c things have been changed or removed, even players of the X3 games might want to learn what's changed - and the best way to do that, is to experience the Campaign.
Free Form Mode feels like the game expects you to actually know how to already play the game. Free Form Mode feels like something those who are looking for a End-Game open-world should experience, since it is not teaching you how to play the game. I started with this - and it felt like a mistake, barely holding your hand at all and barely giving you any instructions. And certainly, if any games needs to hold your hand and teach you how to play - the X games certainly do need this, since they are so complex and very deep.
X games are always very complex, have a steep learning curve, and ain't always the easiest to learn - but X Rebirth's campaign does a good job of actually teaching you this stuff. All of the X3 games have not done even close to remotely as well as what's done here in X Rebirth, when it comes to teaching the player how to play the game. Campaign Mode is mixing both a tutorial on how to play the game; and the so-called story & character development b/t the two main characters + the galaxy and conflicts they're stuck in. So, if I think the Campaign is a good place for new players and X series veterans to start.
Also, you're going to have to actually fly around to different sections of these huge stations, dock on there, get off your ship to enter the area, meets NPC's, and do your business with them face-to-face in a first-person perspective. Besides the game's story when in Campaign mode, there's also tons of side-quests to do and perform, if you so desire. While NPC's ain't often loaded w/ personality (since there are lots of them, since this game is ridiculously huge in scope) and are often generic (think like Morrowind here, but with actual full-blown voice-acting), it does get the player more so into the atmosphere and style of the X Universe more so than ever by allowing such interactions w/ NPC's. This game isn't just loads + loads of menus and menus galore anymore - since in previous X3 games, you just docked somewhere - and then had tons of menus to access on what to buy, sell, trade, who to deal with, etc etc.
When out in space, you could fly your way into combat. And these seems to be happening more so than the previous X3 games. You'll just run into enemies when on a mission; sometimes they might just in an area surrounding a station; or there could be something just happening out in the middle of nowhere in space in some sector - and this stuff is fantastic. Combat feels pretty good, when dog-fighting, rolling, dodging, and moving around in space in your ship, all out in space. Simply put: it's a blast to shoot enemies out of space, whether by guns or missiles. It feels much more fluid, visceral, and satisfying here in X Rebirth, when compared to previous X3 games.
By default, your camera is locked when you're in your ship. While the cam is locked, you are doing this to normally either fly straight ahead or backwards, sit still in space, and/or access many of the numerous menus. You can hold left-mouse (by default) to make the ship and cam move free-form for as long as you hold it to make the camera and your ship fly straight ahead. When unlocked, you can hit the space key (by default) as a toggle - which feels like the free-form ship movement toggle, where you can control and move your ship mostly with just the mouse in Freelancer, moving the mouse in any direction to move in any direction. All of this stuff - looks and feels great with a keyboard + mouse.
Also, if you want to - I've barely tested this, but it actually does feel decent + streamlined for it: this game has gamepad support; and it works fine with the X360 GamePad. I still prefer the insane amount of hot-keys on the keyboard and precision of shooting when in space with the mouse, when compared to the lack of buttons on the gamepad + lack of precision for shooting with the analog sticks on the gamepad.
When the technical + production values issues aren't getting in my way, which seems to be too often currently to my liking, there is this: a fun Campaign here with a good deal of awesome action and a completely open-world space-sim going on here. It's hard for me to currently given my entire thoughts on the game, as I do feel I've barely scratched the surface on what I can do in this game - namely, because I'm still roaming around the game-world and it's still also teaching me how to play. I've barely got into getting drones and assembling a team for my ship that also will run beside me, for example. This game surely could use some more patches to fix optimization issues, bugs, and other nonsense.
EgoSoft has been constantly patching this game for around a year already, so that's definitely a step in the right direction - I wish more companies would try to fix their issues and overhaul their games, when they're releasing the game in a not-so-good state. Plus, EgoSoft was wise and have this game is part of Steam's own Steam Workshop - there are mods available for this game, from modders. Let's hope for the best, from both EgoSoft + modders; since this game's in both of their hands. Until then, though - I still need much more time with this, before I can come to some kind of verdict with X Rebirth.
