Seriously - what is a good space exploration/trading game that doesn’t require a huge learning curve? (I’m not a fan of flying stuff and too much trading is boring, but I do like exploring)
No. Not by a long shot. You’re better off playing Fallout 4.
what is a good space exploration/trading game that doesn’t require a huge learning curve?
Freelancer. It’s old (2003), but it’s still effectively the Explore/Trade/Fight space sim that every other game gets compared to. I’ll note that it’s focus is on getting good combat ships and flying around, exploration exists but is the least developed aspect, I’d say. Gotta get it thru the high seas, tho.
Evochron Legacy is an indie game that might scratch your itch, it also lets you fly into planets’ atmospheres and it accounts for the friction, so while you can fly fast, doing so will damage your ship. I don’t think its learning curve is too steep, but it can take some time to get used to. Try the demo before buying it, as one negative review suggests
Lastly, check out Underspace’s demo. Still in Early Access, but seems promising.
Freelancer sounds interesting - I started searching and landed on the Amazon page for it, which told me " You last purchased this item on 29 Apr 2005". I have no recollection of the thing, but then I have played a lot of games. Still, worth a revisit - I’ll take a look. Thanks.
But if you want something a lot more serious, a proper simulator, but also requires time to learn (for when you get bored of the simplicity of No Man’s Sky), maybe give X4 a shot.
I bought NMS when it was released, and hated it. Ok, it’s legendary as something that was released before it was ready and that undoubtedly spoiled it for me - endless running and nothing to do, and I’m sure it’s better now.
Elite Dangerous was quite fun for a while, but I got frustrated with the flying aspect quite a bit and after several deaths I gave up. I’m old enough to remember the first Elite, which was even more unforgiving.
E:D has a pretty steep curve, there’s a ton of external information that needs to be absorbed to get the most out of the game, and then once you get into it, you discover that “it’s lightyears wide, and one inch deep”. That said, I gotta hand it to the devs who are constantly trying to keep it interesting. I earned my carrier, thought “and then…?” and that was kinda it. Might give NMS a try just for something different.
<Reads all the other comments>
Ok, but apart from that, it’s okay, right?
Seriously - what is a good space exploration/trading game that doesn’t require a huge learning curve? (I’m not a fan of flying stuff and too much trading is boring, but I do like exploring)
No. Not by a long shot. You’re better off playing Fallout 4.
Freelancer. It’s old (2003), but it’s still effectively the Explore/Trade/Fight space sim that every other game gets compared to. I’ll note that it’s focus is on getting good combat ships and flying around, exploration exists but is the least developed aspect, I’d say. Gotta get it thru the high seas, tho.
Evochron Legacy is an indie game that might scratch your itch, it also lets you fly into planets’ atmospheres and it accounts for the friction, so while you can fly fast, doing so will damage your ship. I don’t think its learning curve is too steep, but it can take some time to get used to. Try the demo before buying it, as one negative review suggests
Lastly, check out Underspace’s demo. Still in Early Access, but seems promising.
Freelancer sounds interesting - I started searching and landed on the Amazon page for it, which told me " You last purchased this item on 29 Apr 2005". I have no recollection of the thing, but then I have played a lot of games. Still, worth a revisit - I’ll take a look. Thanks.
I second No Man’s Sky.
But if you want something a lot more serious, a proper simulator, but also requires time to learn (for when you get bored of the simplicity of No Man’s Sky), maybe give X4 a shot.
Have you tried No Man’s Sky or Elite Dangerous?
Where do they land on your scale?
I bought NMS when it was released, and hated it. Ok, it’s legendary as something that was released before it was ready and that undoubtedly spoiled it for me - endless running and nothing to do, and I’m sure it’s better now.
Elite Dangerous was quite fun for a while, but I got frustrated with the flying aspect quite a bit and after several deaths I gave up. I’m old enough to remember the first Elite, which was even more unforgiving.
E:D has a pretty steep curve, there’s a ton of external information that needs to be absorbed to get the most out of the game, and then once you get into it, you discover that “it’s lightyears wide, and one inch deep”. That said, I gotta hand it to the devs who are constantly trying to keep it interesting. I earned my carrier, thought “and then…?” and that was kinda it. Might give NMS a try just for something different.