Players disappear into vastness of space game

The best thing about Freelancer, Microsoft's science-fiction space combat game, is the freedom. You take up arms as a freelance space pilot, flying ships throughout a galaxy loaded with space pirates, traders, crime rings, bounty hunters and police forces.

It is like playing in a vast space with no event horizon, a similar feeling you get from the enormously popular Grand Theft Auto series. Every direction you go brings forth new enemies to fight, dozens of characters to meet and dozens of planets to visit.

You can follow the game's story and execute mission after mission, teaming up with Liberty Security Force commander Jun'ko Zane, if that suits you.

But you can also stray from the missions and just explore the universe. The game provides you with side quests to make more money, such as running freight from one system to another or taking on jobs as a mercenary.

You are even encouraged to pursue these missions by looking for odd jobs in bars so you can earn enough money to upgrade your spaceship with more advanced shields and weaponry, allowing you to handle the tougher missions in the story. But if you take on a mission that is too hard, the enemies will fry you.

A trip to the equipment dealer on the different planets is enough to bring out the shopper in every gamer. But it is also a lot of fun collecting the junk from ships you blow up in space. You can even target a ship's engines to disable the ship and then loot it. But if you develop a reputation as a pirate, the police ships will come after you.