X3: Reunion
- July 21, 2006
- Egosoft
- 6h median play time
Get on Steam"X3: Reunion is a single-player Role Playing game with a good plot, improved game mechanics, and exceptional visuals, offering a complex economy and evolved A.L. system for a dynamic universe. Its DirectX 9 technology creates realistic starships and an ever-changing universe shaped by player's actions. The X³ 2.0: Bala Gi Research Missions expansion adds even more features and missions."
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Reviews
- The game offers a vast and immersive universe with a dynamic economy, allowing players to build trading empires and engage in various activities like combat and exploration.
- Controls are easy to learn, and the game supports both keyboard and mouse configurations, making it accessible for different play styles.
- The storyline is interesting, featuring relatable characters and a relaxing space opera atmosphere.
- The game suffers from a steep learning curve with no proper tutorial, making it difficult for new players to understand the mechanics and controls.
- There are frequent crashes and bugs, particularly on modern systems, which can disrupt gameplay and lead to frustration.
- The user interface is often criticized for being clunky and unintuitive, making navigation and management cumbersome.
- story104 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The story in this game is described as a mix of engaging elements and frustrating execution, with a space opera atmosphere and relatable characters. While some players appreciate the narrative's depth and its connection to previous installments, others criticize the writing quality and convoluted mission structure, making it feel secondary to the gameplay. Overall, the storyline serves as a backdrop for exploration and empire-building, with varying opinions on its memorability and coherence.
“It's also has a nice relaxing space opera atmosphere and the storyline is interesting with relatable characters.”
“The story of Reunion is really good for a game made in 2005, and trust me it is really worth the price.”
“The story itself is just as interesting and informative as one would expect from the previous installments and it extends it really nicely.”
“The entire UI is different, there are no cockpits, the story has nothing to do with the rest of the game mechanics, the writing is very poor, and if you clear your message log you lose access to an extremely large side quest which is really the only reason to play this game.”
“If you want to know what happens in the story, I recommend watching a review on YouTube and saving your time.”
“The main story, however, does not yield any reward other than an ore mine in Paranid space, but can be played in full with the ship you start with, which throws the storyline even more to the sideline.”
- gameplay37 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
Gameplay in this title is characterized by a mix of trading simulation, business management, and space combat, but suffers from significant bugs and a frustrating user interface. While some players appreciate the depth and immersive experience, others find the learning curve steep due to a lack of tutorials and counterintuitive controls. Overall, the game offers a rich sandbox experience for dedicated fans of the genre, but may deter newcomers due to its technical issues and complex mechanics.
“A great 4X game for would-be space farers - in-depth universes, good trade mechanics developed over many years of upgrades and DLCs, nice flight modeling, and plenty of online tutorials.”
“I love the deep immersive gameplay, vibrant stellar backdrops, in-game economy, and above all else, the battles.”
“This is my first X game and I have to say I was pleasantly impressed with the gameplay. The game features the ability to create your own fleet, trade with stations, barter with other pilots/merchants at trade stations, epic space battles, and a ton of galaxies to explore (over 100). If you're a fan of immersive space sim games, then X3 Reunion is for you!”
“Gameplay was so glitchy I lasted 10 minutes and couldn't take it anymore.”
“Actually, it might be, but between the atrocious interface, the bugs, and the downright massively slow gameplay, I found it to be just a completely frustrating experience.”
“It took me a while to start playing the game as there is no proper tutorial and getting used to complex mechanics and control takes a while.”
- graphics31 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their beauty and detail, especially when compared to earlier titles in the series, with many players noting that they are impressive for their age. However, some users mention issues such as crashes, limited view distance, and a clunky user interface that detracts from the overall experience. While the visuals are considered a highlight, they are accompanied by a steep learning curve and gameplay that may not appeal to newcomers.
“The graphics were fantastic.”
“Graphically, this is where the game is truly impressive; never before has space looked this beautiful and the objects that inhabit it looked this crisp.”
“X3: Reunion is simply one of the best space sims out there; it's complex, the graphics are still amazing, and the sandbox aspect allows for many hours of play without getting bored.”
“Can't adjust the graphics settings without it crashing.”
“My complaint about the graphics is the view distance in certain sectors.”
“It's what I'd expect out of a novice doing a project for a bachelor level graphics class, and even then they probably wouldn't get a good grade.”
- stability12 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with users reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and bugs that significantly hinder gameplay. Despite some players expressing hope for future fixes from the developers, many describe the current experience as frustratingly unstable, with issues affecting both performance and mission functionality. Overall, the game is perceived as one of the more buggy versions in the series, detracting from its otherwise enjoyable elements.
“Now the first minutes of the game - critical freezes, crashes.”
“I tried playing again recently and for some reason, even on a fresh install, the game crashes, freezes, and hangs up.”
“As much as I love this game, something has changed and it crashes, freezes, and hangs up a lot.”
- music11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many praising its calming and atmospheric qualities, consistent with the series' reputation. While it features a mix of familiar tracks from previous installments and some new compositions, some players feel it lacks innovation and doesn't significantly enhance the overall experience. However, the option to customize or disable the in-game music allows players to tailor their auditory experience to their preference.
“The music is pretty good too, but that's always been something the series has been known for.”
“These were always the core features of the X games, just like its amazing and calming soundtrack, detailed and unique sector backgrounds, and intricate 3D models, making it a piece of art.”
“You will notice many tracks ported from the previous X games, as well as many new ones - my favorites are 'Home of Light', 'Kingdom's End', and 'Seizewell' sector music.”
“Fortunately, I quite like the music, so at least there's that, but it would be nice if there were more differences from the previous game, since I am shelling out for a whole new game, not an upgrade.”
“The soundtrack is the standard space opera opus that we have heard so many times before; it doesn't detract anything from the experience, but it doesn't add anything to it either.”
“Luckily, it is easy enough to disable the in-game music and put whatever you feel is appropriate on the stereo.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its relaxing space opera vibe and engaging storyline, featuring relatable characters. Many players appreciate the immersive environment and the variety of activities available, although some express concern that recent changes in game design have detracted from the original atmosphere that drew them to the series. Overall, the atmosphere remains a strong point, enhancing the gameplay experience.
“It's also has a nice relaxing space opera atmosphere and the storyline is interesting with relatable characters.”
“X3: Reunion is my first X series game and I like the atmosphere.”
“Great atmosphere and many things to do.”
“This was the best and last good X-series game; after this, the developers turned in the wrong direction, making the game more arcade-like and giving away free stuff to players, which kills all the atmosphere and the reason I got hooked on this series in my childhood.”
“The atmosphere was just a bit different; the interface control was quicker, and you weren't forced to use a mouse occasionally. You could do everything much quicker through the keyboard or a flight stick/gamepad, which I really recommend for X3.”
- grinding5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while it can be satisfying to farm for credits through trading, many describe the process as tedious and slow, particularly in the early hours of gameplay. The awkward menu commands and steep learning curve contribute to a sense of frustration, making exploration and combat feel less engaging. Overall, the grinding can detract from the enjoyment of the game despite its relaxing elements.
“I don't remember what the x2 interface was, but this one seems to be quite bad, with actions such as commanding your ships requiring awkward menu commands that can't seem to be assigned to keys, and the gameplay is tediously slow for the first 58 hours I have played so far - struggling to make enough money with trades to even get my ship fully repaired, let alone upgraded.”
“It seemed really tedious and boring, and when you make space combat and exploration boring then something has gone horribly wrong.”
“Unfortunately it's hobbled by a steep learning curve, a bland story and tedious exploration.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as situational and potentially more appealing to older players, with some finding it amusing while others may not connect with it. Players appreciate the immersive environment, which includes humorous stories on message boards that add a lighthearted touch to the gameplay experience. Overall, the game allows for a balance between relaxation and excitement, enhancing the comedic elements.
“If you do not know X, the start of the game might be somewhat confusing. Shift+D = auto dock. Just select a target and dock at it. I love how you can do things at your own pace. The game always felt really immersive, with the station comments in the background, etc. You can take it slow and read all the funny stories on the message boards or go into space to blast some stuff away. You can make the game as relaxing or exciting as you want it to be.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -300 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that "Reunion" is primarily recommended for its plot and improved performance, as it offers better optimization compared to its predecessor, "TC," which has higher system requirements.
“The only reason to play Reunion is for the plot or for better performance, as the technical and artistic aspects are more demanding in terms of system requirements.”
“The only reason to play Reunion is for the plot or for better performance; the technical and artistic aspects are more demanding in terms of system requirements.”
“The game suffers from severe optimization issues, making it nearly unplayable on lower-end systems.”
“Despite its potential, the optimization is so poor that it detracts from the overall experience.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Despite being an older title, the game offers high replayability, often surpassing that of many contemporary games.
“It is an old game, but it's very replayable, more than most modern games.”
