DarkStar One: Broken Alliance

Gamers of a certain age will remember Elite. The space combat/trading game was – literally – light years ahead of the simplistic gaming fodder of the early 80s. More than two decades on, the similarly space-based DarkStar One is unlikely to have the same impact. However, this is solidly entertaining stuff and Xbox 360 owners have nothing else like it on their console.

Much like Freelancer and other post-Elite titles, DarkStar One see the player given the chance to shoot pirates and indulge in some interplanetary trading. The not-totally rubbish plot plays a bigger than expected part too. But it is the space-based action that is the meat of the game. Missions range from killing pirates to escorting random merchant ships to, er, shooting some more pirates. Some plot missions are more varied though and there is always the addictive pull of upgrading your ship and earning money via lucrative trade runs.

DarkStar One also lacks the true sense of freedom often found in these games. Yes, you can go off exploring the further reaches of your particular bit of space but wider exploration is fenced off until you have found the artefact needed to progress. In practice though this works quite well with the game bobbing long at a languid but quietly absorbing pace. There is always something to do – escort or kill, mainly – and there is a nice sense of progression as you upgrade your organic spacecraft.

DarkStar One is pretty enough without being astonishing. The powerful visual impact of a planet or star is offset by repetitive enemies and craft. For a big galaxy, there really isn't the variety of alien or ship you would expect. Luckily, considering this is a genre almost exclusively found on PC, the controls here work well, with combat especially satisfying.

DarkStar One is a rough diamond. The amateurish voice-acting – complete with the most unplaceable range of accents ever – and low-grade cut scenes betray the game's aged development (it was originally released on PC in 2006). The menus are fiddly to access too, while the on-screen text is small and difficult to read even on an HD screen.

Despite this, DarkStar One is recommended to patient Xbox 360 owners who fancy a game that involves something different to sniping or scoring.