BLUF: Shoot, Trade, Mine, Bounty Hunt, things like that, no having to build economies or manage entire fleets... Building is a maybe. Should be open ended, not level based. Also, I've tried suggesting a few old games to them and they don't seem to take after things like Noctis IV.

So, any suggestions? Preferably on the lower cost end of things.

This is one that's now on GOG:
https://www.gog.com/en/game/endless_sky

I think there's a new remake of this one, but not sure if it's still in development or they stopped.

Escape Velocity Nova and others in it's series is another I can name. Though neither I think has mining though. I think they have everything else. Both are also highly moddable and there are some existing mods as well.

All 3 games have customizable ships and you can gain additional ships, but they do their own thing for the most part. So in that sense you can get a small fleet, but since the AI controls them, there isn't much to manage. There are no building bases or things like that afaik, so nothing to manage like say Starsector.

I think of both as space arcade, with battles, loot (parts, schematics, fuel, cargo, etc., quests, bounty, boarding (ship capture) and so on. They are linear afaik, so you can go anywhere and do anything, but of course, it may be more dangerous to go to places without a properly upgraded higher class ship.

Now if you really want maybe old, old school, try Hard Nova. The graphics are outdated by today's standard and it has ground missions/combat as well, so not a purely space only gameplay. A lot of limits in this game, but it's still very fun and one of the first I played as far as space.

It's kind of like a really, really old Stellar Tactics lol, without much in the way of bells and whistles. But I found it extremely charming. :)

EVN has a dedicated site you can get the game and a few mods there, though the company is gone I believe. Hard Nova is abandonware, the company has also long since faded away. But if any of them are what you're looking for, DM me and I'll link where to get them.
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I think I suggested Endless Sky to them before. They want something more 3D, I think.

Ah, so they are looking for something more modern?
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Here's one I own, but haven't really tried it yet. But is a more 3D type and has many of what your friend stated I think. It's pretty cheap also for an hour or so.
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https://www.gog.com/en/game/rebel_galaxy

I'll look through my list and see if I can find a few more.
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Another one, but not sure it has all those elements though. Skip the 2nd one. The 3rd one has good reviews and is more modern if choosing only one. If your doesn't care about storyline that is. Both are cheap for another hour or so until the sale ends.

https://www.gog.com/en/game/star_wolves
https://www.gog.com/en/game/star_wolves_3_civil_war
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If I had more time, I'd look up a few more in my Library and on the site. But I have a few games I need to get before the sale ends shortly here lol.
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Here's another, but read the reviews. It's a mixed bag and may be good or bad, who knows lol. I actually had it (as a gift code), but decided to give it away (today in fact lol) for a specific reason. I may get it again in the future, who knows.

I'm not even sure I sure even mention this one, based on so many mixed reviews, so I'm doing it cautiously. =P

https://www.gog.com/en/game/darkstar_one
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EVERSPACE has the shooting and a little bit of the mining. It's a roguelite (very well done with that actually being essential to the story), with time pressure for each 'level'/'sector' (think FTL), and frustrating for the first ~5-10 runs where you die veeeeery swiftly which will cause some people to bail before it actually starts being fun - but very much worth it despite all that.

There's also EVERSPACE 2, which does away with the roguelite part - haven't tried it yet as I need better hardware, so not a personal recommendation - but based on the first game, it should be good, too, and might have more of the open ended exploration which people mostly expect when they say space game.

...I mean you try NAEV....but its still rather annoying. Its one of those games you learn the mechanics and then it makes you ask why the f am I playing this??

You can pitch....something with a variety pack and mechwarrior esque options...ill make an edit. Forgot the name....

edit:
https://www.gog.com/en/game/space_rangers_hd_a_war_apart

Like, a fews bucks and you get a mixed bag of optional ways to make money. There is a goal too. To thwart the cybernots, whatever they are called. Chase bounties. Trade as a merchant. Be a pirate!

Cant really say there many good space games. In fact, the only ones that are good arent even on gog.

-Cosmoteer
-Wayward Terran Frontier
-Star Valor.....sort of.....
-Empyrion: Galactic Survival.....also, sort of....

We really need the first 2.

I actually really liked that one, but maybe that's because I suck at usual space flight sims, so the way it handled combat made it perfect for me. It was a lot of fun just flying here nad there blasting my own music, selling cargo, getting better ships. I don't remember much of the main storyline, just that it was sort of ok, enough for me to finish the whole thing.

If you're not opposed to MMOs you might give Star Trek Online a shot. The space combat in that was pretty good, some of the quests had decent, occasionally even good storylines... I didn't stick with for long, MMOs are always boring to me pretty soon, but that's just me. Of course it's been a very, very long time since I played it, the current game may be nothing like what I remember. At least it's free, so there's that.

Some more ideas beside already named ones (like Everspace (2), Darkstar One or Space Rangers) and leaving out stuff that includes Empire building (like SpaceBourne 2).


Rebel Galaxy Outlaw
https://www.gog.com/en/game/rebel_galaxy_outlaw
No more broadsiding but real dogfighting. More like Wing Commander Privateer. Might be the most fitting.

And when talking about the "do what you want" space sim
Wing Commander Privateer
https://www.gog.com/en/game/wing_commander_privateer
Might be a bit outdated though.

Parkan 1 and 2
https://www.gog.com/en/game/parkan_the_imperial_chronicles
https://www.gog.com/en/game/parkan_2
They do a lot and excel nowhere and even include ground combat.
I would advice a deeper dive into what they are beforehand.

Starpoint Gemini 3
https://www.gog.com/en/game/starpoint_gemini_3
Older ones are mote like X with Rebel Galaxy / Between the Stars - Naval Combat style in Space
This one is now real space action combat but kinda unfinished and aims more or less into the Wing Commander Privateer direction too.

A bit outside of your wishes would be Chorus
https://www.gog.com/en/game/chorus
It is more linear and story based.


For free
Helium Rain
https://www.gog.com/en/game/helium_rain
Didn't tried it, but it is free.

And going for the 2D games
Starcom: Unknown Space
https://www.gog.com/en/game/starcom_unknown_space

DeltaV
https://www.gog.com/en/game/dv_rings_of_saturn
Real physics space mining simulation with a bit of combat.

Maybe check out the Spacebourne games.

Second game is on gog as EA title, the first one is not on gog because...reasons.

never mind

yea i'll second 'Spacebourne 2' due to it's ultra coolness to people i usually disagree with...

recently bought 'Everspace 2' and have 'Underspace' on my wishlist

Stardocks 'Star Control' might be worth considering 2?

Oops , I didn't see that you already listed Rebel Galaxy sorry lol.
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I wouldn't completely discount these. There are certain series of missions in X3 and X4 that you can't complete without building an economy, but it's perfectly feasible to ignore those and play the rest of the game flying nothing but a single ship.