Last game I purchased was X3:Terran Conflict on steam. I had just dropped out of my 4th year at Uni (due to medical reasons, am now resitting) and had some time to kill. I got stupidly addicted to this game, the learning curve is immense, but so are the graphics and the universe you are thrust into.
However, i didn't actually get to experience the great visuals for long as my 2.4GHz dual core, ATI x1950XT and 2Gb RAM just couldn't haul the load this game was piling on. Even with every adjustable setting at its lowest, my computer couldn't take some of the larger battles.
Regardless of the lag, I muscled on and ended up forgetting about it. From the time I started, sitting in Terran space in my single interceptor to the point where my fleet of destroyers and carriers was devestating the universe I had endless fun.
I didn't just focus on combat, I purchased massive trade ships who would move from factory to factory within a sector (to begin with) buying and selling goods for profit, eventually, they levelled up to the point where they would journey across the entire universe, buying and selling. These guys, in combination with MY network of factories, meant that I had a good steady income and could construct my own ship components (shields etc).
I suppose for an average joe, the main problem with the game would be the terrible story line and terrible voice acting. I'm not sure, maybe the story would have been better had I played previous X games, but that's just not good enough imo. Having said that, the game isn't about the story, it's a massive sandbox universe, which is kind of where I think the problem may lie for some. I personally had a guide beside me for the first 3-4 hours of play so I figure out how to do...umm...anything!
£25 well spent....though I felt pretty peeved when the next weekend Steam put it on deal for £10!
