X3: Reunion

About

"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."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

65%

Audience ScoreBased on 550 reviews

story38 positive mentions

stability24 negative mentions

X3: Reunion offers a vast and immersive universe with a deep economy system, allowing players to build trading empires and engage in exploration and combat.
The game features easy automated ship navigation and fast travel, making it accessible for players who prefer keyboard or mouse controls.
The graphics and atmosphere are praised for their beauty, contributing to a relaxing space opera experience.

The game suffers from a steep learning curve with no tutorial, making it difficult for new players to understand controls and gameplay mechanics.
Many players report frequent crashes and bugs, particularly on modern systems, which can hinder the overall experience.
The user interface is often criticized for being clunky and unintuitive, making navigation and management cumbersome.

story
208 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
73%
9%
The story in the game is described as a mix of engaging elements and frustrating execution, with some players finding it interesting and relatable while others criticize its writing and lack of coherence. It serves primarily as a backdrop to the gameplay, allowing for a largely optional experience where players can focus on exploration and empire-building instead. While the narrative includes memorable moments and character arcs, many reviewers note that the steep learning curve and poor user interface detract from the overall enjoyment of the story.
- “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.”
- “Anyway the plot introduces a number of new characters, it has a few curveballs, and it ends in a final battle that is probably a little more epic than the final one from the first game and is much more engaging than the final one from the second game.”
- “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.”
- “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 (on normal, the Argon Buster), which throws the storyline even more to the sideline.”
- “The story missions available are in true X style utterly forgettable and easily missable.”
gameplay
74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
73%
5%
Gameplay in this title is characterized by a mix of trading simulation, business management, and space combat, but is marred by glitches, a poor user interface, and a steep learning curve due to the lack of tutorials. While some players appreciate the depth and immersive experience, others find the mechanics frustrating and the gameplay slow, leading to a polarized reception. Overall, it is recommended for dedicated fans of the genre, particularly those who enjoy sandbox-style gameplay, but newcomers may struggle with its complexities.
- “A great 4X game for would-be spacefarers - 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.”
graphics
62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
44%
5%
The graphics of the game are generally praised for being visually appealing and a significant improvement over previous titles in the series, with many noting that they still hold up well despite being somewhat dated. However, some users have reported issues such as crashes when adjusting settings and a lack of view distance in certain areas. Overall, while the graphics are considered a highlight, they are accompanied by a few technical drawbacks that can detract from the experience.
- “The graphics were fantastic.”
- “Graphically, this 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.”
stability
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with players reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and bugs that significantly hinder gameplay. Despite some users expressing hope that future updates will resolve these issues, many find the current state of the game frustrating and unplayable. Overall, the consensus is that the game suffers from severe stability problems, impacting the overall experience.
- “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.”
- “In fact, it's probably the most buggy version, with ships crashing into asteroids, gates, stations, and each other on a regular basis (even without seta), missions (both story and incidental) not loading as intended or not configured properly.”
music
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
68%
14%
The music in the game continues the series' tradition of quality soundtracks, featuring a mix of familiar tracks from previous titles and new compositions that enhance the experience. While some players appreciate the calming and atmospheric qualities of the music, others feel it doesn't significantly innovate or differentiate from past installments. Overall, the soundtrack is well-received but may not stand out as a major highlight for those seeking fresh auditory experiences.
- “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 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.”
- “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.”
- “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.”
- “Luckily, it is easy enough to disable the in-game music and put whatever you feel is appropriate on the stereo.”
atmosphere
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
17%
17%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its relaxing space opera vibe, engaging storyline, and relatable characters, which many players find nostalgic and immersive. However, some users express disappointment with the direction of the series, feeling that recent changes have detracted from the original atmosphere that captivated them in their childhood. Overall, the game offers a rich environment with plenty of activities, enhanced by intuitive controls that improve the 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.”
- “Best and last good X-series game after which developers turned to the wrong direction, arcadifying the game more and more, giving free stuff to players which kills all the atmosphere and the reason I got hooked by this series in my childhood.”
- “It's atmosphere was just a bit different; its interface control was quicker, and you weren't forced to use a mouse occasionally. You could do everything much quicker through keyboard or a flight stick/gamepad (which I really recommend for X3).”
grinding
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a double-edged sword; while it involves extensive trading that can feel tedious and slow, particularly in the early hours, it also offers a sense of satisfaction and relaxation once progress is made. However, the cumbersome interface and steep learning curve detract from the overall enjoyment, making the grinding experience feel more like a chore than a rewarding endeavor.
- “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.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as situational and potentially age-dependent, with some players finding it amusing while others may not relate as strongly. The immersive environment, including humorous stories on message boards, adds a lighthearted touch that players can engage with at their own pace, enhancing the overall experience.
- “I love how you can do things at your own pace; the game always felt really immersive, with the station comments in the background. 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.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Reviews indicate that "Reunion" offers better performance compared to its predecessors, "TC" and "AP," which have higher system requirements. Players recommend "Reunion" primarily for its plot and improved optimization.
- “The only reason to play Reunion is for the plot or for better performance, as TC and AP are more demanding in terms of system requirements.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Despite being an older title, the game boasts high replayability, often surpassing that of many contemporary games. Players find it engaging enough to return to multiple times.
- “It is an old game, but it's very replayable, more than most modern games.”