X2: The Threat

About

X2: The Threat is a single player strategy game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Egosoft and was released on July 21, 2006. It received neutral reviews from critics and mostly positive reviews from players.

In X2: The Threat, play as Julian Gardna and experience a new generation of space simulator games. Explore 130+ sectors with improved graphics, discover new ships, and upgrade your systems with a scripting engine designed for X². Engage in combat with new weapons, mine asteroids, and expand your empire through trade and factories.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

80%

Audience ScoreBased on 249 reviews

story16 positive mentions

grinding8 negative mentions

X2: The Threat offers a vast, open-world experience where players can choose their own path, whether it's trading, building, or engaging in combat.
The game features a complex economy that reacts to player actions, providing a sense of immersion and depth as players build their own empires.
Despite its age, the game still has a dedicated fanbase and offers a nostalgic experience for those who enjoy space simulation games.

The game has a steep learning curve, with a confusing interface and controls that can be overwhelming for new players.
Many players have reported game-breaking bugs, particularly related to specific missions that can cause crashes or prevent progress.
The graphics and cutscenes feel dated, which may detract from the overall experience for players accustomed to modern game visuals.

story
114 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
83%
3%
The story in "X2: The Threat" is generally considered average and often overshadowed by the game's sandbox elements, allowing players to engage in trading and building rather than strictly following the plot. While some players appreciate the storyline's progression and the lore it introduces, many find it optional and not particularly compelling, with frustrations stemming from mission design and bugs. Overall, the game offers a basic narrative framework that players can choose to engage with or ignore in favor of more enjoyable gameplay mechanics.
- “The x universe has a rich and deep backstory with game mechanics that make you feel like you are in a living universe.”
- “The storyline is interesting to say the least, but don't expect a happy end...”
- “The story is rather short, which is my only real complaint.”
- “The storyline for this game isn't that long, or particularly enthralling, but X's real draw is its sandbox style outlook to economic empire-building in space.”
- “The game does have a storyline, but it does not get in the way of the sandbox elements to the game; you can return to the storyline at any point.”
graphics
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
76%
7%
The graphics of the game are generally considered outdated and blocky by modern standards, with many users noting that they detract from the overall experience. While some appreciate the nostalgic charm and find the visuals acceptable for the time of release, others criticize the awkward animations and poor character designs in cutscenes. Overall, the game prioritizes gameplay and world-building over graphical fidelity, with later iterations offering improved visuals but still retaining a sense of the original's aesthetic.
- “The graphics are unreal, big world very hard to get the hang of the game but once you do it's amazing worlds with all kinds of things to do, you can just build an empire, or you can fly around trading and fighting pirates, you decide, very awesome game, hardly has an end game at all, it just keeps going.”
- “Graphically, it is naturally an upgrade over what we had in x-tension - greater poly counts, better texture resolutions, bump mapping, stencil shadows for whatever reason.”
- “The graphics are fine and still stand the test of time today.”
- “Graphics, sounds, animations, and general overall presentations are pathetic, especially for the year of release.”
- “By today's standards, the graphics are blocky and tired, but to me, it still holds a place in my heart as one of the more enjoyable ways of wiling away my life behind a computer screen.”
- “The graphics are average, and I didn't like the intro movie.”
gameplay
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
76%
10%
The gameplay of the game is characterized by its complexity and depth, offering a vast space trading simulator experience that can engage players for hundreds of hours. While the core mechanics are solid and rewarding, particularly in terms of sandbox elements and economic management, the steep learning curve and complicated controls can deter new players. Despite some criticisms regarding the story and initial tedium, many players appreciate the immersive atmosphere and the gradual mastery of the game's systems.
- “After playing it all these years later, I actually played it far better and understood a lot of mechanics. It's a very complicated and vast space trading simulator with so much to do, and you can spend hundreds of hours building your space empire.”
- “The gameplay is solid; there are some clever mechanics (capturing Xenon ships is both a challenge and very rewarding), and there is enough to keep you occupied after the main story if you want to become a production mogul.”
- “Although it has a steep learning curve, half the game is played in the menu screens, and certain gameplay elements could use extra depth; it still delivers an overall atmosphere and style of sandbox gameplay that I keep coming back to and haven't found anywhere else.”
- “While perhaps this game may have decent gameplay, the controls are very complicated which makes it very unplayable.”
- “Most people will quit after a few hours of gameplay and label it a mediocre experience, and they'd be right to do so. X2 is not a game that impresses in the beginning; it requires tremendous investment in time and effort before you start to understand and appreciate the scope of the game.”
- “While this is often excusable with decent gameplay, I couldn't even get into the gameplay because the controls are difficult as hell to understand.”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly in the early stages where earning credits is slow and managing resources feels cumbersome. While some improvements have been made since previous iterations, such as the introduction of helpful weapons for ship capture, the overall experience is marred by the need for extensive micro-management and flawed design, leading to frustration rather than enjoyment.
- “Outside of common exploits, that all the guides point you to, the gameplay at the beginning seems tedious at best - you make close to nothing, and everything you can do requires hundreds of thousands of credits invested.”
- “And even then, managing a huge combat fleet can be tedious.”
- “Micro-managing a fleet of just 50 ships and like 2 dozen factories is super tedious.”
atmosphere
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
71%
29%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unique and immersive qualities, with hand-drawn backgrounds and a distinct aesthetic that many players find superior to newer titles in the series. Despite some gameplay limitations, the overall ambiance and sandbox style create a compelling experience that keeps players returning, highlighting the game's remarkable charm and depth.
- “The style and atmosphere is vastly superior.”
- “The later games may be larger and have better combat, but I really miss the aesthetics of X2, and it easily has the most immersive atmosphere of the series.”
- “The x3-games (Reunion, Terran Conflict & Albion Prelude) may have more polish to them, and arguably a bit more content & options - but, and I cannot explain why, I feel like X2 has more 'atmosphere'.”
- “Although it has a steep learning curve, half the game is played in the menu screens, and certain gameplay elements could use extra depth; it still delivers an overall atmosphere and style of sandbox gameplay that I keep coming back to and haven't found anywhere else.”
music
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with a mix of peaceful ambient tracks and humorous soundscapes that add depth to the experience. Players appreciate the strong cyberpunk vibes and the cozy yet moody design, which are complemented by an excellent soundtrack that makes exploration enjoyable. Overall, the sound design significantly contributes to the game's immersive qualities.
- “It was so beautiful and peaceful, and the music was great.”
- “Station design is great, and overall, while X-Tension was cozy and glowy, X2 is darker and moodier with strong cyberpunk vibes, even more accentuated by dark gray UI and new additions to the soundtrack.”
- “X3 takes some of the soundtrack as well.”
- “You have to play the game to hear the humorous soundtracks in the background while docked at space stations.”
- “I can spend hours just floating around space listening to the ambient music and running away from a massive fleet of kick-ass Borg-type aliens.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features no microtransactions, which has been positively received by users, indicating a commitment to a fair and complete gaming experience without additional costs.
- “No microtransactions, which makes the game feel fair and enjoyable.”
- “The monetization model is transparent and doesn't hinder gameplay.”
- “I appreciate that there are no pay-to-win elements in this game.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by classic, absurd dialogue that consistently elicits laughter, such as the memorable line "prepare a disco immediately!" Players also appreciate the amusing soundtracks that play while docked at space stations, adding to the overall comedic experience. However, some players find the final mission frustratingly difficult, which contrasts with the lighthearted tone of the game.
- “This ancient game is hilarious! It has the classic unbelievably stupid dialogue that Egosoft is famous for, such as 'Prepare a disco immediately!'”
- “You have to play the game to hear the humorous soundtracks in the background while docked at space stations.”
- “That one still makes me fall off my chair laughing every time I hear it! The game itself is in fact very good, but the last mission is dreadful. I have only ever completed it once, and it took me sixty attempts to do it. Really not cool.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report significant stability issues with older games, primarily due to their reliance on DirectDraw, which is no longer natively supported by Windows. This can lead to graphical glitches during emulation, and some games are described as very buggy, with poor-quality cinematics.
- “The main problem with these older games is that they require DirectDraw, which isn't natively supported by Windows anymore, and emulation can cause graphical glitches.”
- “A very buggy game; the cinematics were amusingly poor.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players often reflect on their initial hesitation to engage with the game, suggesting a sense of nostalgia and emotional connection that develops over time as they eventually discover its value.