One of the many reasons why I love doing a Throwback Thursday post is because when I look back at some of my earlier blog posts, I rediscover so many games that I had forgotten about and it brings back a lot of memories. Not only that I love seeing how far I’ve come since I started blogging about games too. Today’s Throwback Thursday post is all about the space exploration game Elite Dangerous.
It has been a little while since I last played but looking back and reading through this old post made me really want to give it another go at some point. I could continue from where I left off on the PC version of Elite Dangerous or switch to playing on Xbox One and start a new adventure I’m not sure yet.
Without any more hold-ups, here is this week’s Throwback Thursday!
Elite Dangerous is a game I was extremely unsure about to start with. I’ve watched a few friends and family play this game and raved about how much fun they have with the game and how it’s kept them wanting to more. Exploring the galaxy to discover new stars and systems. Taking on a variety of missions and so much more. I caved and grabbed the standard edition off Elite Dangerous from Steam for £19.99. Elite Dangerous Horizons is currently selling at £39.99 but it is listed as Early Access.
So let’s talk first impressions.
There was a lot to take in. Controls to learn. Features to understand. It felt a little overwhelming to start with. I tried to complete the training missions using keyboard and mouse controls but found it too difficult so swapped to using my trusty Xbox 360 controller. Swapping controllers have made it a lot easier to navigate the game overall. Every now and then when I’m trying to land I still end up boosting because I wasn’t quick enough with the button combination but I’m getting there.
Controls aside. Training missions aside. It’s game time. I opted to start on the solo play even though the percentage of seeing another player in open play and in such a huge galaxy is slim but it does happen. I started by just doing a few simple missions to get some credits. Easy. Not completely. The galaxy map when you first open it seems daunting.
There are locations everywhere which you somewhat expect but after a while, everything seems to click and make sense. You then go on to jump from system to system completing missions and hope you don’t run out of fuel. Of course, I wasn’t paying attention to my fuel level and I did run out of fuel. However, this wasn’t the end of the game.
After a little bit of Googling, I discovered the Fuel Rats. The Fuel Rats are just other Elite Dangerous players who if needed will come to rescue you by giving you the fuel you need to get to the next station. They are the loveliest and friendliest people I have spoken to in an online game. It doesn’t matter if you are on PC or Xbox. Two jumps away or a hundred jumps away they will get to you. They talk you through everything. What they need you to do and what they are doing. Who’s going to come to get you and everything.
The first time I was rescued I had three Fuel Rats come and help me as they were all fairly close to my location. A few hours later when I ran out of fuel again one of the original three who helped me wasn’t far away and came back and gave me enough fuel to get to the next station. They also could tell I was a new player and gave me some great tips to ensure I kept going for longer when I set off on my next adventure.
Overall though, I have found my self asking “why did I not buy this game sooner?” Although it was a little tough to get into to start with I soon as getting the hand of the controls and features with no problems. If you are interested in Elite Dangerous, I recommend that you take a look at the trailer for the game, watch some livestreams on Twitch or even some YouTube videos. Don’t forget, if you get into trouble the Fuel Rats are there if you need them.
LeeksPlays 