Here are some space simulation games like Freelancer, which we have listed for your convenience. It’s no wonder that there a craze for this particular type of genre as they give you an actual outer-space kind of feel and give you the ability to experience the entire vast expanse of the universe on a whole different level, sometimes even making it your own cosmic battlefield.
1. X3: Reunion:
This option definitely fits our collection of some of the best similar type of games similar to Freelancer. Developed by Egosoft for your Windows PC, Julian Brennan returns to the X-universe to fight against menacing Kha’ak and other pirates and smugglers. X3: Reunion features newer graphics which will give you an over-whelming view of space when you fly any ship, with the help of their latest Reality Engine, which was especially designed for X3. There are numerous other features which you will find in this one which are different from the previous series, such as the better Head-up display and ability to easily select certain objects with the help of markers. But you will have to take care to maintain a stable reputation throughout, so that you will get access to better weapons and much more massive ships, which you won’t be able to purchase if you have a bad reputation. You can even develop a good reputation by trading with certain races. You also have the option of playing the role of a pirate and going on their missions but continuous acts of piracy may result is loss of reputation and you may lose your privilege of docking at certain space stations.
2. DarkStar One:
DarkStar One is another popular sci-fi pick, developed by Ascaron Entertainment Ltd. for your PC as well as Xbox 360. Here you are playing the role of the main character Kayron Jarvis and assist him in his search to find his father’s killer. You have been given control the ship DarkStar One and after your training you embark on your journey to find Jack Forrester, who is responsible for Kayron’s father’s death. You will have to play the story campaigns where you will explore over 23 sectors and even take-up side quests from various space stations. You will also get a chance to keep upgrading your ship by collecting certain alien artifacts, in order to install more advanced equipment and lethal weapons, which will turn it into a force to be reckoned with. The most important weapon at your disposal is the plasma cannon which deals all sorts of damage to enemy ships and even creates a plasma shield for your ship to avoid damage, but you will have to unlock these features and upgrades only after you progress from one mission to the next.
3. Galaxy on Fire 2 Full HD:
As the name suggests this title provides you with the highest quality in graphics and action-packed space fighting sequences created by Fishlabs Entertainment for your Mac or PC, so it definitely suits this list of Freelancer alternatives. You will be playing the role of the main protagonist by name of Keith T. Maxwell, who is launched into another sector of space far from his homeland, due to a malfunction in his ships hyper-drive system. You soon learn that you are in the territory of a hostile alien species known as the Voids, who want ultimate dominion over all other species and races. So now you have to take the help of some friendly alien species to avoid being hunted by the Voids, but your ultimate objective remains the same, to stop these fierce alien forces from carrying out their destructive plans. Here you will have the opportunity to explore over 20 different star systems and customize 30 different ships; you also have Action Freeze system where you can take screenshots of your travels and adventures.
4. Evochron Mercenary:
This is the fourth amazing sci-fi pick, where you can get to play the role of a mercenary and shape your own destiny in an endless space scenario, beginning in the Sapphire Solar System. You are free to do anything you want here right from choosing to co-operate and work with a clan or go on solo missions. You can participate in pilot races, go mining transport passengers from one place to the other, or just go on an exploration spree and view the entire universe from your cockpit. Here you can also customize your spacecraft based on the mission or quest to select to undertake and also keep upgrading your ships, earn money, reputation and even a whole crew for yourself. You can also check out their multiplayer mode where you along with your friends and other players can group together and form a clan and complete group related objectives. There are immense opportunities available for you to earn money and other rewards in order to progress, you can even mine for diamonds or design and sell ships. With the huge amount of choices and challenges that you can take up and pursue you will never have a single dull moment while playing this one. Even the top of the line 3D graphics and effects add to the wonder and thrill of playing as you travel from one planet to the other in Evochron. There are also a wide range of classier weapons and other equipment which you can even create with the help of the weapons lab, these are sure to come in handy when you take up the role of a fighter pilot.
Conclusion:
The above titles are the closest games similar to Freelancer that we could find. Although there is one more option we highly recommend for you to check out i.e. Faster Than Light, which is another popular space simulation pick which was recently released in 2012 for Microsoft Windows. There are also some older but equally reputed space games like Freelancer namely, Freespace 2, Wing Commander and Allegiance that you could also try.