X3: Reunion

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X3: Reunion

Release date:	November 10, 2005
Developer:	Egosoft
Publisher:	Deep Silver
Series:	X Series
Platforms:	Windows, MacOS
Technology:	X3 Reality Engine
Media:	CD-ROM

Summary

X3: Reunion (2005) is a space trading and combat game developed by Egosoft for Windows. It has been ported to Linux and Mac OSX; both for release in August 2007.

X3: Reunion is the third full game in Egosoft's award-winning X series. It is the sequel to X2: The Threat (2003), which in turn followed X: Beyond the Frontier (1999). The X series is often compared to the classic Elite, in that these first-person space adventure games focus on trade and exploration, as well as combat.

This game began as project X2: The Return, Egosoft's planned extension for X2: The Threat. However, as the project advanced, it soon outgrew the constraints of the 'X2 Engine'. In April 2005, Egosoft announced that X2: The Return was canceled; the next game - using the new X3 Engine - would become X3: Reunion. A month later, they demonstrated the power of the 'X3 Reality Engine' in May's Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), stunning industry insiders with high-definition moving render of space stations, planets, and other scenes. X³ was released five months later in October.

It quickly emerged that a number of flaws existed in the retail version of X3 - including a bug which prevented the player from completing the game. Egosoft quickly released a series of patches to fix it, but some reviewers - and players - remained critical, suggesting Egosoft had released the game before it was ready.

Egosoft have continued to expand and develop this game since release: adding new ships, new equipment, a new kind of station, new modding tools, and a new series of missions. New material for this game - official and fan made - is frequently released through Egosoft's Official website.

On the 3rd of February 2008, X3: Terran Conflict was announced, a new standalone game, planned as the culmination of the series. The game is currently scheduled for a Q3 2008 release.

Gameplay

The X-Series - with the slogan "Trade Fight Build Think" - is often noted for providing a large amount of player freedom, and promoting open-ended play. In X3, the player spends the most time in control of a ship, doing tasks of their own choosing. Different ships are available for various tasks - there are small, fast scouting ships; freighters; powerful battleships; and massive carriers for moving a fleet. Most ships seen in the game can be bought or captured, and flown by the player. The player is free to go anywhere in the X-Universe at any time; to explore, to complete plot-related goals, or to fulfill their own personal goals.

Plot

For X3's plot, Egosoft hired an experienced game and TV writer, Andrew S. Walsh.

The player reprises the role of Julian Brennan - Julian Gardna from the previous game. Following on from events of the previous game, Julian's friend Ban Danna, of the Argon Secret Service, contacts Julian. Danna informs him that the Argon military has suffered heavy losses in war with the Kha'ak and asks Julian to help in training some new pilots. Julian agrees. Soon, a series of events unfold, leading Julian to hunt down the 'seeds' - ancient alien artifacts that may hold the key to making jump-gates, to a reunion with the lost planet Earth.