X3: Terran Conflict

 PC
Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 16 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 16
  3. Negative: 0 out of 16
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  1. Meristation
    70
    Egosoft's final installment in the X series, Terran Conflict, delivers a complete space action / RTS / simulator game with plenty of options to choose from and an undefined number of hours of entertainment ready for the gamer to discover. If he can bypass the initial avalanche of information, the still-not-perfect controls and the lack of spanish translation, that is.
  2. Total PC Gaming
    70
    A space sim that fans will enjoy and new players could love. [Issue#13, p.63]
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  3. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    70
    Not many games try to hide the best of its content as hard as X3. Only patient players unveil all its beauty. But overcoming obstacles is most worthy – this game is a real hidden diamond. [Dec 2008]
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  5. PC PowerPlay
    70
    Terran Conflict is not everybody's game. It may be more accessible than previous entries but that is not to suggest much headway has been made in this area. I would have loved to have scored this game higher but it can't be ignored that this a difficult recommendation to make to most people. [January 2009, p.55]
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  6. DarkZero
    70
    The sheer amount of things to do is a key factor that prevents it falling into the trap of the same old routines other space games have fallen into. X3 is deep, complex, insanely huge, annoyingly but yet rewarding.
  7. GameShark
    67
    With that said though, I really can't think of a compelling reason not to recommend it to any space-sim fan - but only because of the depressing fact that there isn't anything else that really compares out there for the moment.
  8. GameStar
    62
    X3: Terran Conflict is the last episode of the space saga from Egosoft. There is a huge war going on, a war against the Xenon and against the game's controls. Terran Conflict looks great, there's more action than before and it's possible to control lots of ships - theoretically. But in reality controlling more than one ship is very complicated, if not impossible. But if you liked the other X-series games, then you might like this one, too.
  9. PC Gamer UK
    60
    X3: TC's inability to progress beyond its series template is painfully clear [Dec 2008, p.82]
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  10. Play (Poland)
    60
    That's an interesting game, if you're a hardcore space sim freak. I mean fan. For us regular Earthlings it's too complicated and simply boring. [Dec 2008]
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Awards & Rankings

71
#71 Best PC Game of 2008
25
#25 Most Discussed PC Game of 2008
25
#25 Most Shared PC Game of 2008

User Reviews

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User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 240 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 177 out of 240
  2. Mixed: 31 out of 240
  3. Negative: 32 out of 240
  1. MrButtermancer
    Mar 26, 2011
    10
    Alright, the learning curve in this game is vertical. If you're going to buy it, understand that. Understand that you're going to have toAlright, the learning curve in this game is vertical. If you're going to buy it, understand that. Understand that you're going to have to learn hotkeys. Understand that you're going to be looking in the manual for a good few hours to figure everything out. But understand that it's worth it. X3 TC is an absolutely fantastic, beautiful, and immersive game. The sheer size of the thing is something along the magnitude of 8 million cubic kilometers spread throughout several hundred sectors. There are varied races each with many unique starships. The economic and combat aspects of this game are spectacular. Trading goods and building factories is immensely satisfying. The music and art makes the entire experience that much more epic. If you're willing to spend the time getting to know her, X3 can take you for one heck of a ride.… Full Review »
  2. I_Am_Turok
    May 22, 2012
    6
    I really want to love this game. Having a decent 2012 PC, the graphics are so smooth and great, music great, open ended, huge universe,I really want to love this game. Having a decent 2012 PC, the graphics are so smooth and great, music great, open ended, huge universe, endless side-tasks, fun battles, and a trading system - so far, what's not to like - but niggles that begin early on become more apparent after 80+ hours of play. With my 10+ freight and 15+ combat ships, I should be having all the fun in the world, but things are becoming a drag. Ships still crash into docks and get destroyed. Auto-trading is too slow that it takes hours to bring in cash. Manual trading is repetitive. With 15+ combat craft in a wing, you can win pretty much anything. And the UI feels like it was written by a Unix developer who hates UIs and likes lists of old. For example, look up who builds say a missile, and it'll give you a list of 30+ sectors alphabetised scrolled down - errr, how about simply pointing out on the universe map which are the closest sectors to me that sell the missiles, I'm not memorising every sector name!!???? At this stage, I am playing the main task/quest, if only to finish the game, which will probably take another 80+ hours of play! It's still very much worth the buy for $15 or less, either this or the generally cheaper X3 Albion Prelude which looks identical. You will enjoy the whole feel and really getting into the universe. I know I do and will probably pick it up for 2 hours of play a week for the next year. That's gotta make it good value for how much I spent on it. But for me, I'd struggle to give it more than a 6 because of how slow it is to get anything done. (to the developers, what if, for the next game, you start with a station, and resource collectors and your own sector, then build up stations and fleets, and either dominate trade by killing off competitors, or dominate the universe by conquering sectors - with those beautiful graphics and combat play, now that would be a fun game indeed).… Full Review »
  3. colintheys
    Dec 27, 2010
    3
    Alright. I love sim games. I love complicated, thoughtfully-paced strategy games. But this is ridiculous. I've played for hours and haveAlright. I love sim games. I love complicated, thoughtfully-paced strategy games. But this is ridiculous. I've played for hours and have achieved precisely nothing. You start the game with an AGONIZINGLY slow ship. I tried three different start scenarios, hoping it was just the one situation. It wasn't. There's a feature that lets you accelerate the game to 600%, which approximates the speed that I would like it to run at normally, but even so, you can literally select the closest object, turn on autopilot and time acceleration, go make and eat lunch, and return to find that you're still not there. Playing this game would be a full time job. I don't know who thought "waiting to get places" would be fun, but it isn't. And making "patrol system" a repeated objective when that basically means sit still and wait until something happens isn't fun either. Least fun I've had playing a game in recent memory. If I want the space sim feeling, I'll just go replay EV: Nova.… Full Review »
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