• Publisher: Egosoft
  • Release Date: Nov 30, 2018
X4: Foundations Image
Metascore
59

Mixed or average reviews - based on 7 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
6.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 155 Ratings

Your Score
0 out of 10
Rate this:
  • 10
  • 9
  • 8
  • 7
  • 6
  • 5
  • 4
  • 3
  • 2
  • 1
  • 0
  • 0
  • Summary: X4: FOUNDATIONS, the long awaited sequel in the successful X series, brings our most sophisticated universe SIMULATION ever. Fly every ship, EXPLORE space or manage an empire; TRADE, FIGHT, BUILD and THINK carefully, while you embark on an epic journey.
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 7
  2. Negative: 1 out of 7
  1. Dec 18, 2018
    80
    If you dream of a single-player Star Citizen, or loved games like Freelancer, then this space sandbox will be a breath of fresh air in a much too sparsely populated genre. However, even though X4 is more accessible than X1–X3, it’s not a casual game. You have to work to figure out the mechanics behind Foundations, and if you put in the time, you’ll be rewarded with an experience that can last 100 hours or more.
  2. Dec 28, 2018
    75
    Foundations is more of the same niche-scratching space exploration from previous iterations with a more immersive feel and I can't wait to dive back into my personal galaxy. For those that have been watching the X series from the outside, Foundations is a great entry point, provided you meet the beefy system requirements.
  3. Feb 19, 2019
    70
    An ambitious, complex sandbox space game that allows you to do almost anything from spacewalking to commanding a carrier with a fleet of ships onboard. A steep learning curve and an inconsistent interface mar an excellent return for Egosoft’s flagship series.
  4. Jan 14, 2019
    60
    Miles better than the technical disaster X Rebirth, X4 is still far away from its clearly recognizable ideal state.
  5. Dec 25, 2018
    55
    X4: Foundations is a far superior game to the last outing and is already on the right path to success, thanks to Egosofts diligent work in fixing issue s and enhancing the game. However, in its current state, it's still lacking core elements that help to make the game what it could be. Thanks to a broken in-game economy and an almost non-existent story, it can force you down paths and become boring, quickly. However, improvements to the war system has nullified this to an extent. It's a game on the rise and one to keep an eye on, likely worth buying in the near future.
  6. Mar 5, 2019
    50
    Just as its name says, this game is a great foundation for a really massive and great open world sandbox space adventure, where it's your choice to write your own destiny and play any way you want. But the massive and game breaking bugs simply stop players from delving more into it.
  7. Dec 4, 2018
    33
    Make no mistake: This is still better than Rebirth. Having said that, Foundation not only is flawed in so many areas, but also is light years away from the series former glory and definitely not a game to shorten the waiting time for Star Citizen...

See all 8 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 34 out of 73
  2. Negative: 29 out of 73
  1. Dec 4, 2018
    10
    TL;DR : the reports about bugs are just propaganda by Elite Dangerous fan boys or by those that refuse to learn the game. X games are aTL;DR : the reports about bugs are just propaganda by Elite Dangerous fan boys or by those that refuse to learn the game. X games are a simulation and as such require you to be intelligent.

    X4:F is best thought of as X:Rebirth v2. It has the features that made the classic X-series great like able to pilot multiple ships; fleets; fleet commands; wingman; gates; auto pilots; whilst also having some of the good features in X:R like a more modern look. Station scanning is still there but is no longer a requirement. Gone is the requirement that you have to dock and rely on the awkward FPS walking sim to do all trading. Once you dock you can do trading from your cockpit and later if you have a trading computer can do so from space and even tell your fleet to go pick it up.

    The part I love the most is the map. It is fantastic. The ability to look for best buy-sell just by applying powerful filters and zooming out the map is very efficient, fast and a fresh take on doing trading.
    Expand
  2. Dec 3, 2018
    10
    And again it's a little buggy, but it's awesome no less! X Universe is back on rails. Finally i can delete my X3, yes it's more complete andAnd again it's a little buggy, but it's awesome no less! X Universe is back on rails. Finally i can delete my X3, yes it's more complete and has more lore with all the mods, but X4 has much more potential, better piloting, better management, better Ai, everything is better and "deeper". So fellow star crawlers have a little patience, cause we have yet another masterpiece on our hands. Expand
  3. Dec 1, 2018
    9
    This is Egosoft back to their very best. Yes, there are a few initial teething issues, but knowing how dedicated to fixing issues the smallThis is Egosoft back to their very best. Yes, there are a few initial teething issues, but knowing how dedicated to fixing issues the small German developer is, it's nothing to worry about.

    If you like something that allows you to sink multiple hundreds of hours into a game, then you can't go wrong with X4. After 10 hours of play, I have only fully explored a few sectors uncovering all of the stations in them and made a few trades. The X games have always been slow burners though, so if you want quick returns on your time invested then the X games are not for you. However, if you want a game that allows you to truly claw your way up from nothing, whether that's from trading, mercenary work, scavenging, or many other possible routes, then move over Elite Dangerous because Egosoft is back.
    Expand
  4. Dec 8, 2018
    7
    Is release egosoft... so is "beta" release.
    First impact:
    Much bug, much thing not work, much content not avaible (manual,description
    Is release egosoft... so is "beta" release.
    First impact:
    Much bug, much thing not work, much content not avaible (manual,description weapon)
    I hope in 2-3 months will a good game, and get good vote.
    My vote for now is 6
    First week after release:
    Egosoft patch 4 times, game now is playable and much bug fixed.
    Much content not avaible (manual,description weapon)
    By 6 to 7
    Expand
  5. Dec 3, 2018
    4
    I remember in a previous century when I played the first X game. I thought wouldn't it be great if the game interface could be integrated intoI remember in a previous century when I played the first X game. I thought wouldn't it be great if the game interface could be integrated into the cockpit. A big ask back in 1999 but today it is implemented for the most part in Elite, while games like DCS have fully integrated information systems. So I had high hopes for X4. Alas in this area X4 has barley evolved at all. Whilst the cockpit is full 3d with big monitors, those monitors just show gibberish. Information is presented to the player as floating screens, and it is the minimum of information. For anything more detailed it's use the mouse to access menus at the top of the screen. These menus require constant use so you are forever having to stop flying to access them. It is only one aspect of the game but shows either a severe limitation of the dated game engine or a series of poor design choices.
    Another thing I like to see in space games is a touch of reality. I want to feel I am flying an actual ship. Unfortunately there is no organic feeling to flight, it feels like a poor simulation, roll in particular has no acceleration. As soon as you press the key to roll, the ship is rolling at its maximum rate and stops just as abruptly. The controls add to this artificial feel. HOTAS is almost a no go, requiring lengthy setting up that in my case ended in failure. I can map everything but some axes are reversed, with no option to correct them. Except for the throttle, but reversing it just cause it to stop working altogether. It is clear ego are tied to the mouse/keyboard method and are finding it hard to properly implement a control method the game so badly needs.
    Graphically the game looks quite good. There are areas that I hope will change and knowing the unoptimized buggy mess ego likes to release its games in maybe they will. After all they clearly stick with a game long term. For this reason I wont bother mentioning the bugs, stutters and crashes I have experienced, because they were not a disaster. I wont praise ego for it either like some fanboys seem to think is appropriate. There is a bare minimum quality a game should have for full release that ego clearly struggles with. If only there was a system of beta testing or early access they could make use of.
    When at a station I have to travel very slowly so as to avoid a collision and to play their silly landing mini game. So it is annoying to see ships moving around, landing and taking off at high speed. Just slow things down to a sedate and realistic pace. Yes I said I like realism, so why is it I can only boost for a short period before I am out of energy, but in travel mode I can travel even faster indefinitely? What's the deal with the scan modes? Why do I need to be within a few 10s of meters of a station to scan it when I can scan many km of space? Why do I have to play the silly scan mini game and then have to use the awkward menu system to access the map to see what the scan turned up? Why not just let me scan from the map screen?
    I could go on complaining about all the things that annoyed me, but I know many of them are things that many wont care about. Like the asteroids that are stationary in space in defiance of the gravitational forces they must be under. As too are the mysterious clouds that pop up. I am sure there is something about a vacuum in space, and don't talk to me about nebula. Those are large scale gravitationally bound objects.
    So can I say anything positive? I liked the mostly seamless transitions. This too was something I fantasised about all those years ago, and blow me away ego only gone and did it. It is not perfect but pretty good all the same. I said almost seamless as going from ship to space and back in suit is not. I loved that aspect too. Its a little to difficult to control the guy in space but inching your way along the hull of an abandoned ship to access the airlock was a joy for me. If it was not for the silly method of floating toward a glowing hissing signal that instantly allows you to take control of the ship, via the awful menu system of course. Why not have the ability to hack the ship from yours or even via a terminal you plug into the derelict as I once saw on Firefly.
    From the little combat I have done it appears to be just point your mouse at the opponent and press fire. Not great but passable. Trade I have done none, every station I went to had prices above the average and I feel I would need to explore extensively before I could know where to buy and sell. I expect the economy to be as robust as in previous titles.
    Overall I feel the game is average. Its UI is pathetic, its controls barely acceptable, its graphics are good but not elite level good, good too are many new features. Unfortunately there is a problem with egos design team, silly mini games and immersion breaking design choices hamper this title. And whoever is responsible for the feel of the ships as they respond to your inputs needs his p45.
    I cant wait for X5 though.
    Expand
  6. Dec 6, 2018
    2
    It's too buggy for a 'hardcore' run but you can muddle through restarting and saving. Crashes Constantly.

    Mining drones are necessary for
    It's too buggy for a 'hardcore' run but you can muddle through restarting and saving. Crashes Constantly.

    Mining drones are necessary for large mining ships. They are fun to watch, but the game doesn't tell you that they're needed to avoid having a 4m credit doorstop.
    Expand
  7. Sep 1, 2023
    0
    Egosoft are swindlers, they falsified Reddit content to censor my bug posting by account suspension under the cover-up of lies. Only criminalsEgosoft are swindlers, they falsified Reddit content to censor my bug posting by account suspension under the cover-up of lies. Only criminals do this. All censorship is illegal in public space by tribunal ruling. Name of Reddit developer who falsified the censorship cover-up: linolafett

    I already demanded his dismissal if Egosoft want to delimitate itself from this, and notified by email at info@egosoft.com

    Their product is literally a rotten tomato ridden with TENS upon TENS of bugs, and worse, by buying into Egosoft you are buying into FASCIST behavior of its developers.
    Do not feed the fascists

    https://www.reddit.com/r/X4Foundations/comments/15351xu/more_implementation_incoherence_or_criticism_v2/
    Expand

See all 73 User Reviews