Evochron Legacy SE
I am a newcomer to 3D space and flight games, so I will start by explaining what I liked about a different space game, which inspired me to seek out Evochron Legacy. In Endless Space, I shoot across a 2D galaxy in custom-built ships, turn by turn, exploring solar systems. Each one is like a Christmas present as I approach, and the red, yellow, blue and white stars are the bows on top. When I get there, a window opens up revealing multiple planets. It is possible to guess beforehand what types of planets are in the system based on the type of star, but there is no accounting for the variety of anomalies, resources and conditions that each planet might reveal. Each one is a present unto itself, filled with envisioned potential. In times like that, I think someone should make a whole game just about this. Well, Evochron Legacy is almost that game.
– Real player with 180.9 hrs in game
Read More: Best Exploration Online Co-Op Games.
Edit 10.9.2019
My house is now the rest of my ship. While flying to the Red Circle, I can cook, do laundry, and wash dishes while contemplating how to take over the sector with my fleet.
Been flying for 2 years now, I’ll be in my bunk.
Edit 4.15.2017
After almost 40 hours it felt like time to update this. In short, this game has sunk it’s teeth really deep and it’s still biting hard. None of the wow factor outlined previously is gone…in fact, it has increased the longer I’ve played. Bear in mind I’m in no hurry to complete anything, get the best gear or ships, or become dirty rich - and I’ve stayed away from tutorials as much as possible. I think this is where this game really shines for me - it rewards patient exploration of it’s mechanics, and they run deep…I only just became a good enough pilot to win my first race!
– Real player with 127.8 hrs in game
Elite Dangerous
I’ve played this game a wee bit, but using words to describe how I feel is difficult, so I’ll just go ever each aspect and things I find important to mention.
Point #1, Starting Out:
Steep learning curve. The game is extremely difficult to get “good” at at base level. The first couple of weeks (Yes, weeks!) were spent looking up tutorials and flying around aimlessly. Learning that you have to plot routes on the galaxy map took me a while too! Really learning the little details and small things about this game will take a lot of time, and it can be frustrating trying to figure out why your ship constantly overheats when fuel-scooping, or what “Jump Exceeds drive fuel use limit of 5 Tons” even means. This complexity makes the game feel like you are actually flying a spaceship, which I quite like, but some people may not like that steepness to the game.
– Real player with 2423.7 hrs in game
After 2000 hours of gameplay, I feel like I did almost everything I could on the game. The truth is, I probably didn’t.
I’m not a fanboy and I do store this game from time to time in my library giving it some time to allow me to miss it. But I can ensure you that this is the kind of game that you would actually miss, indeed.
From the beauty and tranquility of mining on frozen rings of distant planets, to surface exploration on the most daring and unexpected places, asteroid belts 10x bigger then the biggest gas giant, alien life on different forms and places, stuff that you spend hours amazed defying what you thought it could be possible.
– Real player with 2233.0 hrs in game
Aerofly FS 2 Flight Simulator
Very Highly Recommended. As a retired real world pilot that spends most of the day with flight sims I have now found the best of the best. Sure, it is still growing and has a long ways to go but, for now, nothing else does what Aerofly FS 2 does for me.
I have two full hardware setups. My original triple monitor / Saitek hardware 6th gen rig that I have used for the last 12 months and a Volair Flight Sim cockpit with a brand new Alienware 8th gen Intel processor with a 1080 Ti card. This was purchased during the Christmas holidays along with a Oculus Rift VR.
– Real player with 8629.5 hrs in game
Read More: Best Exploration VR Games.
I have an embarrassing amount of time in flight simulators, dating all the way back to sublogic’s product in the early 80s. I am a real convert to Aerofly, and I bought my VR gear specifically to handle it - and it was absolutely worth the investment.
I’ve been using this sim now for months, and let me begin by saying what this is… and isn’t (at least yet).
For me, this sim has achieved what I’ve wanted all these years; the actual illusion of flight. I wanted the chance to feel the size and layout of the cockpit and to feel that pull in your guy when you dive through mountains, or make a daring landing. I love the fact that in the P-38 I have to look around the control column to see some of the gauges. I love the feel of the airplanes and how each has a unique character to flight. Of course, any of you using FSX,P4D, or Xplane have had these features for a long time. Aerofly and VR really recreates the feeling of flight. I’ve had a bunch of people try out my rig of course, and the reaction is always the same; incredible excitement, followed by the freedom that comes from flying anywhere you want. In short, it’s what I always wanted flight simming to be.
– Real player with 307.1 hrs in game
Euro Truck Simulator
As a person who has been a flight simulator addict for going on three decades now… ( I cut my teeth on a green screen IBM bootleg copy of Pilot trainer circa 1988 ) I have often been skeptical of the ‘ground runners.’ Trains, racing cars and boats all have the same singular fundementle flaw on the virtual stage. Primarily that no matter how much you REALLY want it to be true, you are NOT going to get a realistic perspective view of … well … ANYTHING. Land and city scapes will always be a generic reflection of what you just saw and are about to see again. SO; having established my rational for skepticesm, what am I doing here? To put it plainly. I’m cheap and my entertainment budget can be bought. In short for $20 I got the whole euro-truken-paint joben collection. You should too, hopefully here is why….
– Real player with 48.6 hrs in game
I’m torn on this one. There’s no neutral option, so I’ll go with thumbs up.
This is the second game by SCS that I’ve played, the other being 18 Wheels of Steel: American Long Haul. For having released only 8 months later, the improvements between that game and this one are incredible. I would go so far as to say that the graphics, the way the gameplay feels, and the detail of the in-game economy are all objectively better than the previous game. Trucks don’t randomly snap loose like in the previous game. You get fair warning before your character starts dozing in this game. AI traffic uses the right lane now, and it doesn’t turn right from the left lane anymore. The money you earn has more use in this game vs the last one; you buy business licenses to expand your operation into more countries, and you can buy hazmat permits to haul more dangerous (and thus more valuable) cargo. The road system has a more natural feel than the previous game, with smoother turns and smoother elevation changes. There are even subtle new additions like being able to hear ambient noise at certain places like farms and lumber mills.
– Real player with 26.9 hrs in game
Euro Fishing
Ok, as a mature gamer and a UK course fisherman, i was intrigued the moment i saw this title. Mainly because it wasnt based on lure fishing for bass, which it seems 99% of fishing games are. The first thing that struck me on playing it was the beautifull training lake, it was a while before i even cast a rod out as i was strolling round the lake in awe of the lush scenery. I struggled a bit at first with the fishing mechanics, but soon got used to it, and with practice it became very natural and pretty dam realistic. Im so glad i stuck with it for a couple of hours and got to grips with the controls, because now after several updates and much practice i am enjoying this game more than ever and would highly recommend it to anyone.
– Real player with 164.7 hrs in game
Another much looked forward too title that sadly missed the mark. A lot of apologies for not keeping the community up to date and the threadbare team that has 3 platforms to work across. My heart bleeds. ( Don’t bite off more than you can chew). It is a very basic game with a casting the tackle to the water module that you would need a university degree to understand what the hell posessed them to make it so difficult.
The idea of hooking a fish no matter what size it is and watching it fall asleep half way across the lake also nulifies any reality as does the use of bubble Icons to tell you what the lake bed looks like,that you actually have a fish on the line!(err my rods bent and a fish is taking line I think I grasped the point I have hooked a fish). Casting your bait too a spot you want it to be at and then watch the bait move all on its own from 30 yards to under your feet or the line just suddenly goes slack.
– Real player with 93.7 hrs in game
ZUSI 3 - Aerosoft Edition
This is IMO the de facto state of the art train simulator as far as realism goes. What makes this one an absolute sell even at the comparatively hefty price is that there is no paying for routes or rolling material, every future content is part of the current price. Furthermore the inclusion of the EBuLa and ZuSi Display (which allows one to open instrument panels, MTD, MFA/MFD, EBuLa and backpanels in new windows that can be resized and/or put on other displays) gives it a huge advantage over the simulators by Dovetail Games. It even supports GNT and ETCS and has routes making use of this.
– Real player with 821.9 hrs in game
I thought I would write a few thoughts, as it has been sometime since anyone posted for Zusi 3.
Is Zusi 3 worth the money (currently £54.50 Aerosoft Edition on Steam).
Well, it perhaps depends upon your point of view of what you want from a simulator. If you want fancy graphics and easy game play then perhaps Zusi 3 is not for you. If you want adequate graphics (I will return to that subject later) and intense study level game play then perhaps Zusi 3 may be for you.
I have played 236 hours and still only scratched the surface. I am sure there are people who have played hundreds of more hours. It can still catch me out and proves very challenging.
– Real player with 243.5 hrs in game