X: Beyond The Frontier - Gameplay

Gameplay

There are fifty-four star systems in the X Universe, and within each one there are numerous installations. There is at least one space station in each system, and they range from ordinary factories like solar power plants to shipyards. By trading with them the player makes a profit, which allows one to upgrade the X-Perimental Shuttle with new weapons, better shields, and increased cargo space.

It is possible to trade within a single system, but greater profits are to be made by exploring other systems via the jump gates. Eventually the player will be able to buy factories and thus earn much greater income.

Although each system has at least one planet, it is not possible to land on any of them. Factories, space stations, and other installations are located far from the planets and stars.

X: BTF was praised for its open-ended gameplay and the large number of systems to explore. The economy in the X Universe is dynamic, with the price of goods varying with supply and demand. For example, selling a large amount of one particular product to a single station will result in the price for further consignments dropping in proportion to their demand. The atmospheric musical score of the game was also praised, as was the varied dialogue one can have with many different aliens. However, several reviews complained that the voice acting, while atmospheric, was hard to understand and could make it difficult to follow the plot.

X: BTF was also praised highly for its "spectacular background graphics", such as "gorgeous colored lighting effects and the highly detailed rotating planets".

However, X: BTF received criticism from some for giving the player so little equipment to start with. For example, the X-Perimental loses its weapons in the accident that brings it to the X Universe. These can be purchased once the player acquires sufficient credits to do so. Until then, the player is defenseless. The ship is also quite slow, and traveling between installations at first takes a long time. A time-accelerator device reduces the transit time, but the former needs to be found and purchased, which means the game moves at a frustrating "snail's pace the first 10-20 minutes". Still, "fter as little as an hour of gameplay, with some shrewd trading... you should be able to outfit your X ship with a pair of lasers ... and the time-accelerating 'singularity time distortion engine,'" said one review

The combat system was lightly criticized as "being more of a goal to be overcome than a challenge to be relished", especially given the "suicidal as hell" "kamikaze" nature of enemy pilots, who appear constantly to wish to ram the player.

A final criticism was X: BTF's "skimpy manual", which leaves the player to work out most things for themselves. However, others felt "the documentation was extremely well done" and that "the game actually uses your complete ignorance of what's going on around you to add a sense of adventure and mystery to the tale."