Elite: Dangerous

 PC
User Score
6.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 1913 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,150 out of 1913
  2. Mixed: 209 out of 1913
  3. Negative: 554 out of 1913

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Duanedibly
    Jan 28, 2015
    9
    I never played the original elite. I was old enough to though. I do have a DK2, so my review will be based of using that. This game is the absolute pinacle of my gaming experience. By far the game that whilst not playing, I have thought about the most.

    Using the DK2, I feel like I am a a starship pilot, I am fully emersed the 3d and graphics are gorgeous. The reason I scored it a 9    I never played the original elite. I was old enough to though. I do have a DK2, so my review will be based of using that. This game is the absolute pinacle of my gaming experience. By far the game that whilst not playing, I have thought about the most.

    Using the DK2, I feel like I am a a starship pilot, I am fully emersed the 3d and graphics are gorgeous.

    The reason I scored it a 9 is that there is of course room for improvement and this is an evolving game. Frontier still have a long way to go in terms of making the game a complete package.

    Right now, the penalty for dieing to pvp combat is far too expensive (1 death costs me around 2 hours to recoup the cost) and as has been mentioned, finding other players can be a little tedious...but thats because there are 400 billion systems in the galaxy and not that many players.

    I want to see a little bit more of the story unfold also. things are moving a little slow and large scale combat is hard to get into.    … Expand
  2. CptUndies
    Dec 16, 2014
    3
    tl;dr - A beautiful game which is not easy to learn, nor fun to play.

    I purchased Elite Dangerous at the beta stage and I was overwhelmingly disappointed. Having been a fan of the space sim genre since Wing Commander in the 90s, I had high hopes for this game. The game was obviously created to be best played on a $500+ throttle/joystick/pedals setup, not mouse/keyboard or even just a    tl;dr - A beautiful game which is not easy to learn, nor fun to play.

    I purchased Elite Dangerous at the beta stage and I was overwhelmingly disappointed. Having been a fan of the space sim genre since Wing Commander in the 90s, I had high hopes for this game. The game was obviously created to be best played on a $500+ throttle/joystick/pedals setup, not mouse/keyboard or even just a joystick. The flight model is based on aeroplanes and not what you'd actually expect a spaceship be.

    In addition, the game felt sterile and boring, and has a huge lack of built in help to learn. For me, removal of their promised ability to play offline even in single player was the final nail in its coffin.    … Expand
  3. ityeapgnome
    Jan 28, 2015
    10
    Fantastic game, and it's only going to get much better. If you're even remotely interested in space sim games, this is a must-buy. Frontier have done an amazing job. Goodbye real life, hello Elite.
  4. qhfhqfiaqe
    Dec 16, 2014
    10
    Marvelous, a fresh air into space sim gaming!
    As per 2.07 (last pre-launch update) it feels good, looks better and plays great. The foundation is very solid and it can get only better with the promised development after release that will continue to expand the base of the game while also working on major improvements
  5. razorthintan
    Jan 26, 2015
    10
    I normally would give this game at least a 8, because although most of the features you would expect are there, the mission system is just a starting point, it's still great fun to play and dogfights in PvP are just amazing. But because of all the stupid 0, it gets a 10.
  6. bukueOner
    Feb 13, 2015
    0
    This game was cool for the first few hours when all the planets and stars were new and exciting, but then you realize there's really not much to do. It felt like GTA: Vice City all over again. Tons of building everywhere and no doors open. It's all about this amazing universe that's meant to feel so alive, yet all you can do is scan, trade or kill. The instanced multiplayer is a joke.This game was cool for the first few hours when all the planets and stars were new and exciting, but then you realize there's really not much to do. It felt like GTA: Vice City all over again. Tons of building everywhere and no doors open. It's all about this amazing universe that's meant to feel so alive, yet all you can do is scan, trade or kill. The instanced multiplayer is a joke. There's basically no tools for players to create their own content. You can't even group yet. This game is a good time killer until something better comes out.… Expand
  7. ridercupy
    Jan 21, 2015
    10
    So looking forward to the wings expansion, and the first person and landings after that. So far it s been tremendous fan onboard of my ship. Really looking forward to be able to wak in it!
  8. aspDude
    Feb 17, 2015
    10
    Great graphics, better sound, second to none control, lots of variety for control options, this game is awesome.

    If you like space sims this is for you.

    And this is just the beginning.
  9. ollieclark
    Feb 18, 2015
    10
    Love this game! I like the way it doesn't lead you by the hand but basically dumps you in a random star system somewhere in the Milky Way and then, well, no real hints about what to do next! There's plenty to do but the game is not going to tell you what. It's your decision, your imagination is the only constraint.

    I don't really understand the complaints about lack of content. There's    Love this game! I like the way it doesn't lead you by the hand but basically dumps you in a random star system somewhere in the Milky Way and then, well, no real hints about what to do next! There's plenty to do but the game is not going to tell you what. It's your decision, your imagination is the only constraint.

    I don't really understand the complaints about lack of content. There's literally too much going on for me to get involved in all of it. Trading, bounty hunting, combat zones, running missions, exploration, mining, community goals. If you get bored of one thing, do something else.

    It's not a game for everyone - there's a very steep learning curve but persevere and it will richly reward you. Especially so if you dive into role playing a character rather than just playing the game. I can see myself still playing 10 years from now. Probably longer.    … Expand
  10. mcuser
    Dec 16, 2014
    3
    Great graphics and sound, boring gameplay. Once you've done the few things there are to do a few times you realise how shallow and empty it is. Released a year too early.
  11. Baalsmistress
    Dec 16, 2014
    10
    Perhaps the smoothest release of a large scale on-line game I've ever witnessed. The decision by Frontier to use Amazon cloud services for their server base is utterly justified by the total lack of overloading so common to release days.

    The game itself is on an epic scale, with over 100 billion star systems, containing over 400 billion stars to play in. You play a commander of a small    Perhaps the smoothest release of a large scale on-line game I've ever witnessed. The decision by Frontier to use Amazon cloud services for their server base is utterly justified by the total lack of overloading so common to release days.

    The game itself is on an epic scale, with over 100 billion star systems, containing over 400 billion stars to play in. You play a commander of a small craft, able to move smoothly between trading, bounty hunting, exploring, even piracy if you wish.

    Watching the game develop over the past several months, it's been noticeable how dedicated and competent Frontier have been in implementing new features and debugging existing systems. There's been missteps along the way, as with any project, but what has come out of the process is a solid game with a lot to offer, and a huge huge potential for expansion.

    If you are a fan of flight simulators and space games, don't miss this amazing update of the ultimate space trading game. Elite.    … Expand
  12. atlas97
    Dec 16, 2014
    10
    Wonderfull game, graphics and sound are top. Flying in a oculus DK2 is marvelous. Game is meant to be played with Virtual Reality, killed all other PC game for me. Frontier did a wonderfull job and plan to continue development.
    Hope you guys implement "wings" quicly and it'll be perfect.
    I plan to give it a 9 but seriously looking all the 0 for ne reason and brainless bashing made me    Wonderfull game, graphics and sound are top. Flying in a oculus DK2 is marvelous. Game is meant to be played with Virtual Reality, killed all other PC game for me. Frontier did a wonderfull job and plan to continue development.
    Hope you guys implement "wings" quicly and it'll be perfect.
    I plan to give it a 9 but seriously looking all the 0 for ne reason and brainless bashing made me change to 10 ^^    … Expand
  13. varietygamer
    Dec 18, 2014
    9
    Disclaimer: The rating refers to the foundations that this game sets, and is not reflective of the final content-which is yet to come.

    This is not the kind of game you can review on launch, and it was never meant to be. The development model has called for extensive player alpha and beta participation, and despite this being release version 1.0, that has not changed. Ultimately the    Disclaimer: The rating refers to the foundations that this game sets, and is not reflective of the final content-which is yet to come.

    This is not the kind of game you can review on launch, and it was never meant to be. The development model has called for extensive player alpha and beta participation, and despite this being release version 1.0, that has not changed. Ultimately the funding model is progressive, like Star Citizen it is to be released in stages, and this includes post-official 'launch'.

    What has changed post-release is the fact that we now have an extremely solid foundation for a PC Space Sim on a scale that is unprecedented. Visual and sound design are top notch. The simulation model is the best I've seen in the genre. From the various in-game systems one can see this was built to be expanded upon.

    Subsequent expansions will add;

    -Exploring ships and stations in 1st person, alongside associated interactions.
    -Planetary landings and exploration on full scale worlds, with proper atmospheric modelling.
    -Much more.

    If you want an idea of what Elite aims to be, give SpaceEngine a try. It is free. Now imagine a game built within that, and polished to a standard one would expect from a Space Sim.

    Enjoy.    … Expand
  14. dualist
    Dec 20, 2014
    3
    Pretty game, boring end-game, lots of broken promises.

    Here there is a list of things "that will be added during Beta" https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=19639 Well, is now released and many of them are not in the game. I backed this game from the beginning. I wanted it to be the next game I'll spend half of my life playing, but it has turn out that, like many    Pretty game, boring end-game, lots of broken promises.

    Here there is a list of things "that will be added during Beta" https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=19639 Well, is now released and many of them are not in the game.

    I backed this game from the beginning. I wanted it to be the next game I'll spend half of my life playing, but it has turn out that, like many Kickstarter and Early Access games, it was a bunch of lies.    … Expand
  15. fl3shy
    Dec 16, 2014
    9
    A great game if you love exploring, long for the space sim, and are looking for a good excuse to put your joystick to use. If the idea of cataloguing planets and stars to sell to interstellar cartographers excites you, you will probably enjoy E:D. If the idea of floating in space in a beautifully crafted hauler, lugging tonnes of metal to a dangerous pirate outpost excites you, you willA great game if you love exploring, long for the space sim, and are looking for a good excuse to put your joystick to use. If the idea of cataloguing planets and stars to sell to interstellar cartographers excites you, you will probably enjoy E:D. If the idea of floating in space in a beautifully crafted hauler, lugging tonnes of metal to a dangerous pirate outpost excites you, you will probably enjoy E:D.

    If you're looking for a twitchy, action packed, story driven space adventure, you will likely be disappointed.    … Expand
  16. KWAiRT
    Apr 3, 2015
    9
    Graphics
    -Beautiful detailed graphics with a strong sense of immersion
    -Massive galaxy to explore with epic 1 to 1 scale and perpetual motion including gravity. No skyboxes or backgrounds. What you see is the Milky way in all it's vast glory 100K LY across in any direction. -Detailed planets, star descriptions and information based on current scientific data -Beautiful starships    Graphics
    -Beautiful detailed graphics with a strong sense of immersion
    -Massive galaxy to explore with epic 1 to 1 scale and perpetual motion including gravity. No skyboxes or backgrounds. What you see is the Milky way in all it's vast glory 100K LY across in any direction.
    -Detailed planets, star descriptions and information based on current scientific data
    -Beautiful starships ranging from small fighters to capital ships that are fully animated with detailed interiors and lighting

    Engine
    -Stable 32-bit Cobra engine with internal 64-bit precision and procedural implementation
    -Excellent multicore CPU optimization and GPU usage
    -Comprehensive mouse + keyboard controls yield one if not the best implementation to date
    -Full support for gamepads, joysticks, HOTAS, trackers, voice activation
    -Best Rift support and implementation in a PC game to date that allows for optimal image quality and performance

    Sound
    -Lucas quality 5.1 audio by Jim Croft with amazing sound fx and OST
    -Built in VOIP for direct and group chat complete with it's own special fx
    -Every ship sounds different and everything is fully audible from the scraping of asteroids to buzzing of fighters flying by

    Gameplay
    -Play the way you want when you want
    -Combat, exploration, mining, smuggling, trading, and missions all give way to community faction based events and background story
    -Multiple factions and different government types for various star systems including minor factions and corporations background simulation
    -Amazing physics and collision detection give way to a flight model designed for balanced gameplay and superb control across any device
    -No fast travel with never before seen Supercruise travel mechanics using the Frame Shift Drive to accelerate to speeds from 30 Kps to FTL speeds while not subject to relativity
    -Good selection of ships and modules to experiment with on your ships effecting everything from mass to heat
    -Easy to learn hard to master but won't hold your hand gameplay with a massive sandbox to play in
    -Manual docking and full hands on spaceship control
    -No pay to win and bought items are purely cosmetic with several paid expansions in the works
    -No subscription fees

    Multiplayer
    -Massively multiplayer with the ability to play solo, group, and open game modes (Instances limited to 32 peers)
    -Solo and group modes are still connected to the metaverse allowing players to influence and join in on community events across the galaxy
    -Wing support is now in allowing up to 4 players to form a wing or group and stay connected while linking nav computers, dropping beacons, and sharing the fruits of their labor. Custom wing assist and targeting icons allow for excellent group functionality and teamwork.
    -Cross platform multiplayer will allow PC, Mac, XBONE, and PS4 players play together.

    NOTE
    The game continues to evolve with frequent updates and bug fixes including new content. 1.3 is in the works now which will bring a bunch of improvements to mining and some other changes with two new ships on the horizon. The Federal Corvette and the Imperial Courier and we already have two other new ships in the 1.2 update.

    CONS
    With offline being dropped there is no chance for mods to explore a more custom and personal version of the game. Of course this means online is also required (Solo play however only sends meta data and is all run on your local PC)
    The game could also use a more refined comprehensive tutorial to explain some of the finer details (the community is there to help though)
    Default controls are somewhat awkward without some customization
    Instancing issues can be a hassle at times due to some NAT restrictions
    p2p nature of the networking code can lead to poor host quality with no region locks or filters    … Expand
  17. Matnik
    Dec 20, 2014
    3
    Short review - This game is unfinished, and suffers greatly as a result. I'm also going to have to go by my memory of a pre-release version, as I'm one of many people who've been unable to play since launch due to the sheer number of bugs.

    I was a huge fan of Elite 2 back in the day, but I'm not going to just fervently defend this game based on misty-eyed nostalgia. At best, this is a    Short review - This game is unfinished, and suffers greatly as a result. I'm also going to have to go by my memory of a pre-release version, as I'm one of many people who've been unable to play since launch due to the sheer number of bugs.

    I was a huge fan of Elite 2 back in the day, but I'm not going to just fervently defend this game based on misty-eyed nostalgia. At best, this is a tech demo. The graphics are great, the soundtrack beautiful. Space is modelled well, in that it is vast - and almost entirely empty.

    The launch trailer is nothing like the experience of the game. If anything, I'd say this is probably the most accurate portrayal of the likely future of life in space. Obtain ship. Obtain cargo contracts. Ship cargo from system to system. There is combat, yes, but it's more shoe-horned in than feeling an integral part of the game.

    And right now, that's it folks. You go to a starport, either buy a contract or a cargo mission (or if you spend the credits, find out the best trade routes) and go. Earn money. Once you've earned enough, go and buy a bigger ship. Continue until you have the biggest ship you can get and earn credits into all eternity.

    The ship designs are great - but you'll rarely see your own ship in game, as the whole game takes place from inside the cockpit. This is by design, but ultimately makes you feel like you're watching a TV programme about space, whilst fumbling around the menu system. The menus work very well, which is great as this is where you'll spend most of your time.

    But the bugs. Oh, the bugs. I can't even log in. The forums are full of angry customers and no sign of the support team. It reflects very poorly on the company and the future of this title.

    It could be great, but it feels like a race with the likes of Star Citizen and No Man's Sky, and Elite Dangerous is off the line early and half-dressed, with no warmup.    … Expand
  18. doublescreeman
    Jan 27, 2015
    10
    The game is well designed and "moreish" in it's current state and certainly worth its full price title. Space sim games of this opennes and quality range were sorely missed from the market.
  19. wipeout2014
    Dec 30, 2014
    5
    If you buy this game, watch out. It has an extremely nasty little feature in it.

    If your spacecraft gets destroyed and you don't have enough money on you at that very moment for insurance or a loan, your spacecraft doesn't respawn. It's gone forever. Since some spacecraft may take weeks or months of work to buy -- depending on how you play -- this perhaps the most brutal gameplay    If you buy this game, watch out. It has an extremely nasty little feature in it.

    If your spacecraft gets destroyed and you don't have enough money on you at that very moment for insurance or a loan, your spacecraft doesn't respawn. It's gone forever.

    Since some spacecraft may take weeks or months of work to buy -- depending on how you play -- this perhaps the most brutal gameplay mechanic I've seen in decades of playing videogames.

    Potentially all your work is gone for failing to watch one number on one page of one of the many ship displays.

    There's no warning when you are in danger of losing your ship. And that number's importance is never explained.

    I have to wonder what the hell the developers were thinking to make this even possible.

    Players naturally want to fly their new ships the moment they have scraped together enough money to buy them. And if they do, this insurance feature will punish any mistake mercilessly.

    It's a good game overall, a bit empty at the moment and there's much that can and will be added and improved.

    But whatever you do, be aware of this ridiculous insurance feature.    … Expand
  20. Dinbar
    Dec 16, 2014
    10
    The game I've been waiting for nearly 30 years. 400 Billion star systems and a full space sandbox to do what you want. Nothing on rails, so don't come expecting to be hand held. Amazing game and it can only get better with planetary landings, big game hunting. The scale of this game is beyond belief.
  21. salmonrushdie
    Jan 27, 2015
    10
    The only negative scores I see are from people who just miss a feature they just prefer. However, if a new player gets into the game based on the scores here (players or critics), it will totally work. The game is amazing.
  22. wonderingwhynot
    Jan 24, 2015
    9
    Combat and flight model in Elite really bring it home. It will never be an IL2 or DCS for obvious reasons but Elite is as best as it can get in space.
  23. tf65
    Mar 10, 2015
    1
    Nice graphics and sounds, Everything else is poor. Lacking content, just a test beta version really, released way too soon. Wait a year or two or three.
  24. Asianeye
    Jan 28, 2015
    10
    Just got in the Elite bandwagon and I am really happy with my purchase so far. Elite is a complex space simulator that will not help you much at start and that will let you experiment a bit until you "break out" of sorts. The rewards of keeping at it are great as upgrading and improving your ship is very exciting and fulfilling. Chasing pirates in resource extraction sites or beingJust got in the Elite bandwagon and I am really happy with my purchase so far. Elite is a complex space simulator that will not help you much at start and that will let you experiment a bit until you "break out" of sorts. The rewards of keeping at it are great as upgrading and improving your ship is very exciting and fulfilling. Chasing pirates in resource extraction sites or being interdicted while in SuperCruise will bring you amazing "highs" of activity in the middle of "relaxing" promenades among the beautifully recreated Milky Way. Highly Recommendable game.… Expand
  25. Nats
    Feb 13, 2015
    10
    Superb game sequel to the Elite(which I never played), Frontier: Elite II, and Frontier: First Encounters games.

    Things I love about this game - the sense of speed, the vastness of space, the audio, the combat, the ships and cockpits are very well designed, its a beautiful game and with promised expansions covering planetary landings, first person action, boarding ships etc this game is    Superb game sequel to the Elite(which I never played), Frontier: Elite II, and Frontier: First Encounters games.

    Things I love about this game - the sense of speed, the vastness of space, the audio, the combat, the ships and cockpits are very well designed, its a beautiful game and with promised expansions covering planetary landings, first person action, boarding ships etc this game is only going to get better over time.    … Expand
  26. Phallex
    Aug 7, 2015
    4
    I'd love to love this game. Unfortunately, once you've gotten used to cruising around and looking at stars, docking, dogfights etc it just becomes really boring. There's not really anything to drive you in game. Finding your teammates is very hard to do properly, and even if you do manage to meet up within the hour, you're stuck with the same problem...what shall we do? Shoot some moreI'd love to love this game. Unfortunately, once you've gotten used to cruising around and looking at stars, docking, dogfights etc it just becomes really boring. There's not really anything to drive you in game. Finding your teammates is very hard to do properly, and even if you do manage to meet up within the hour, you're stuck with the same problem...what shall we do? Shoot some more AI...er....ok....??

    If you're looking for a new X-Wing vs. Tie Fighter type game, hold your breath for Valkyrie, just maybe they'll pull it off.. Elite is just a beautiful simulation showing how big space really is, even when you have a really fast ship.    … Expand
  27. MadMaxx
    Apr 3, 2015
    4
    Beautiful game, horrible monotony. Awesome game to play for a week or two. Most users don't last much beyond that. I've played since December 2014, but I must admit I have to urge myself to log in, or even find a reason to log in and play. I've also brought many friends to the game who did not last more than one week.

    It seems even the old Star Wars Galaxies and older games had many    Beautiful game, horrible monotony. Awesome game to play for a week or two. Most users don't last much beyond that. I've played since December 2014, but I must admit I have to urge myself to log in, or even find a reason to log in and play. I've also brought many friends to the game who did not last more than one week.

    It seems even the old Star Wars Galaxies and older games had many more fun things to do. In this game, it's Trading, and Combat. Missions are broken to a large extent, and even if they worked fine, there is nothing to progress to other than a title. Content additions are very slow to be put into the game, and it ends up creating a continual revolving door of players.

    Things that were considered feature additions (multiplayer) should have been added back in beta, and the mission system should never have been released in this state. Even something as simple as adding more ships seems to take twice as long as any other 3D space sim I've ever played.

    In general, it's a fun game to play for a couple weeks between games, but that's about it.    … Expand
  28. 4squaredump
    Jan 24, 2015
    10
    Great real 3D experience with the Oculus Rift DK2. Probably the best game to try it with. The sheer size of the ships and level of detail in modelling every little thing in the cockpits, has really impressed me.

    Graphics in general have been really optimized and the game just "cruises" literally. Gameplay wise it has all elements required to succeed and multiplayer hopefully will    Great real 3D experience with the Oculus Rift DK2. Probably the best game to try it with. The sheer size of the ships and level of detail in modelling every little thing in the cockpits, has really impressed me.

    Graphics in general have been really optimized and the game just "cruises" literally.

    Gameplay wise it has all elements required to succeed and multiplayer hopefully will bring it all together.    … Expand
  29. Cuantarramera
    Jan 28, 2015
    10
    Best graphics, better sound, 4K ready and probably the best game out there to use Oculus Rift DK2. Full 1:1 scale galaxy with actual milky way known planets etc in. Combat is very engaging and the balance between ships, weapons and flight model is the best out there. Immersion and freedom in this sandbox galaxy is unrivalled.
  30. mojave15
    Jan 24, 2015
    10
    Best space sim in recent memory! Covers all the basic's well trading/piracy/bounty hunting/exploring etc. It's got a fair learning curve and I would say a decent joystick is almost a necessity.

    Takes some time to learn but once you've got the basics down it can be quite forgiving.
Page:

Awards & Rankings

65
#65 Best PC Game of 2014
5
#5 Most Discussed PC Game of 2014
2
#2 Most Shared PC Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 54 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 46 out of 54
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 54
  3. Negative: 0 out of 54
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jul 8, 2015
    80
    First minute the game takes your breath away and then it entertains you for another couple of hours to end up like a meditative tool for hard working individuals. What a waste and shame for a game in such beautiful environment. [Issue#253]
  2. Ragequit.gr
    May 11, 2015
    90
    Everyone who played the original game back in the 80's, should be right at home. It's the 21st Century version of "Elite." But newer, uninitiated players may find it strangely desolate and repetitive. A grand space simulation, aimed at the series' hardcore fans.
    Read full review
  3. Games.cz
    Apr 23, 2015
    80
    You can focus on the journey, not the destination – even when some "road work" signs will bother you for the time being in the reincarnated Elite. But their numbers are declining with every new update so a thirty-year-old vision becomes more and more complete.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »