X2: The Return

Format PC

Developer Egosoft

Publisher Koch Media

Genre Sim / Strategy, Flight Sim

The past few months have been busy ones for the team at Egosoft, as you'd expect when you're trying to create a universe. OK, it only took the fella upstairs seven days (one of which he bunked off), but then he didn't have to take the most comprehensive space-based trading/shooting/building game of last year and add planet-based missions, racing events, player headquarters and a brand new
targeting system.

The most recent work has been on the planet missions. We were lucky enough to be shown an early, unfinished Alpha-state version showing two ships ducking and weaving between a series of futuristic skyscrapers. Unfortunately for fans, you won't actually get to fly around on the planets, rather you're given controls of the ship's gun turret and have to try and shoot down a fleeing criminal. Limited maybe, but it, like half the new missions, has been designed to further the story, introduce game elements that might not otherwise have been discovered and break up the monotony of sitting in space.

Another recent addition is the aforementioned races. Ever hungry for new ideas, the team were playing Vice City and marvelling at the way you could get all sorts of extra tasks just by exploring. To that end X2: The Return has trod a similar path, one such being the racing leagues. Either just for fun or as a way to raise much needed revenue, the races feature different leagues for different ship types and see you rocketing from one point of the galaxy to the other fending off natural and unnatural enemies along the way.

On a much larger scale are the player HQs, finally taking shape after months
of testing. Acting as a focal point for your burgeoning trading/bounty hunting/pirate empire, an HQ expands your overview of the whole game and gives you all manner of strategic commands such as 'Invade Sector X.' You're only allowed one mind you, so use it wisely.

Luckily, all these recent additions haven't had any noticeable effect on
the timescale of the game, still due for an April release. It has meant that work
on the much talked about online game (codenamed X2OL) hasn't really progressed much, although we're assured that ideas and concepts are continually being jotted down and that once The Return has arrived, work will begin in earnest. Unless the team decides to work on X3 instead. Decisions, decisions...

PC Zone Staff