Heya,

I like the idea of having a big universe and freedom. But what I need is either a challenge or a golden thread telling a story. That means that Minecraft is not type of game, neither is sims. But I like to try to survive in dwarf fortress and I also like to experience the story of skyrim.

So what I am wondering is, if Smugglers 5 provides any of these. Is it just a huge sandbox where you grow and get stronger much like in Diablo or is there any challenge or story?

Hum, I thought this is a very easy question. Or does this game has so little players that nobody can answer it?

Challenge it's got, as the game has 5 classes of ship(There's a sixth, but only involved in fleet battles), and each on that's a step up on the power scale. The firepower of each ship keeps going up as you find them, and the final class of obtainable ship, Batteships, can only be gotten by stealing one from an enemy using boarding action. Quite the hard battles await players.

The second point is the sticker. This game has only about as much story as Master of Orion II. There's events to be sure, but plot is something it lacks. For the most part, you start out in the capital of a faction, do some missions, then get a better ship/equipment to get more missions, make more money, and eventually start traveling to other systems. After a few repeats, you can engage in Fleet Battles, Invasions, or War Actions to help your faction conquer the galaxy. 24 systems total, I believe, with the first faction to 16 winning the game. You can create your own faction if you play as a pirate, and that's amusing if nothing else.

Sadly, the customization is limited. For the most part t here's...7 missiles, 6 guns, 4 Targeting computers, 6 Cargo Enhancements, 6 engines, and 6 Missile Defense, with about 20-25 ships total to pick from, each one getting to pick from a list of 4 for each category specified by the ship. It's not bad, but more options wouldn't hurt.

Thank you for your summary!

Didn't expect that you can even "win" the game.

Yep, you can win. Also, there's a sort of turn limit. Every day is a turn, and you age as the game goes on. You start at 21, and there's ways to slow down the aging process with drugs, but about 70, you start losing skills, and have to retire. Oh, and you can turn off aging in a hidden cheat menu.

Turn limit or not, I was able to "win" the secession wars for my Coalition at an age 29 years as a Bounty Hunter Admiral. I had to reload some unlucky events but should you decide to play safe the age of 70 years is more than enough to get what you want.
An independent Trader might need more time because he needs to aquire more funds and can't rely on huge bounties.

Heh, I don't think I could do that. Took me a year just to haul my Cruiser to the yard to sell. Mind, got a deal for it, but still, I find turn limits in TBS games annoying, and turn them off when I can.