Elite: Dangerous on Xbox One

Perhaps we were unlucky the first time we booted up Elite: Dangerous on Xbox One, because in the space of four hours, the game had crashed four times. We were going to stick the boot in after that frustrating introduction to Frontier's space sim on console, but after revisiting the game again for a second extended play session, we're happy to report that there's been no crashes. At least, none yet.

We played and reviewed Elite: Dangerous on PC at the start of the year; we really liked it then and we still feel the same way about it now. Like its space-based setting, it can be a bit cold at times, but then again, Frontier seems to have rubbed some additional personality into the menus since we last looked and it feels a little more welcoming than before.

To call Elite empty would certainly be inaccurate, but nevertheless it's a feeling that persists as you travel great distances between space stations, exploring the depths of space in your trusty ship. We'll not delve into the mechanics of the game too much, you can read more about them here, but we will say that the simulation aspect is retained despite the jump to console. This is a demanding title, and learning the ropes is a challenge in itself.

This initial difficulty actually leads us to our first criticism, and how that complexity clashes with the game's inclusion in the new Xbox One game preview program. Frontier's sim is at the vanguard of the new console feature that sees in-development games released to the public much as they already are on PC (most notably on Steam Early Access). One of the key differences on Xbox is the "try before you buy" policy that has been setup.

Forgetting the fact that the game crashed multiple times during the first couple of hours of open play, the hour you get to trial the game before it's locked and must be purchased, well, it's nowhere near enough time to get to grips with the controls. It's enough time to get through some of the tutorial missions, but nothing more than that. If you want to know what the actual game is like, and whether it's in a state worthy of your time and money, you'd have to jump into the main game but be absolutely clueless when you get there. In our opinion the tutorials should be exempt, and players should get their free time in the main game.

Gripe aside, and forgetting the crashes (that seem to have gone away - fingers crossed), there are a couple of other issues related to performance. Most notably we're talking about slow down when coming in and out of both supercruise and hyperspace (your means of travelling around solar systems and between stars), and when accessing the menu system: it's clear that there's still work to do as they optimise the game for its new home.

But when it works, just as is the case with the PC original, Elite: Dangerous absolutely nails it. This is, for the time being at least, the ultimate space simulator, and it does a fantastic job at immersing the player in its universe. A big part of this is the way that the game has been mapped to the Xbox One controller. Blasphemy it may be, but we played on PC using an old Xbox 360 pad, and so transitioning to console was fairly straightforward. There's a lot of inputs to remember, but once you've got to grips with the setup, it's intuitive and easy to remember.

It feels like the basics, things like docking your ship, have been made ever so slightly less punishing (either that, or all that practice has paid off), but there's still a level of complexity here that'd make other games blush. There's not many titles that require this level of mastery, but once the work has been put in and you're fluent with the controls, you're left with the ability to pilot a spaceship, engage in battles, scoop up contraband, and haul freight across the galaxy. However you want to play from within the confines of your ship, Frontier have facilitated it.

Without a doubt Elite's biggest strength is the blank canvas that it provides for players. There's billions of stars out there, the vast majority of which are there to be explored by those willing to find them. The rest, those who want to exist within charted space, will find errands to run and distractions aplenty, and even if these tasks could be delivered with a dash more dynamism, the fact remains that this is a hugely impressive game with plenty to do. The fact that it's now out on Xbox One (and eventually PS4) is great news for console fans looking for a new addiction.

"It's an amazing opportunity to do it," Frontier chief David Braben told us when we talked to him about bringing the game to console during this year's E3. "I'm really excited to be bringing Elite to the console, full 1080p, not dumbed down, absolutely the full game. All of the updates we've already seen on PC are in there, including Wings, including Powerplay. So very, very rich."

Those hoping and waiting for the console versions will no doubt have been following the game since it was fully released on PC at the end of last year. One might wonder why the game didn't just release on Xbox One when it was finished and ready, but the early access launch is no doubt so the studio can tinker while they trial the incoming PvP mode, The Close Quarter Championships. It'll include Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, and CTF for up to twelve players, and it's also heading to PC and Mac before the end of the year.

"The reason we're doing that on Xbox first is actually because it's a better fit to the people who are playing it, the play-style; seat back in the living room rather than at a desk," Braben explained, before later adding that "it's sit down, have a quick session play and then stop, which actually lends itself to console types of play. And I know a lot of PC players want it... it'll come to PC as well." We're certainly looking forward to some competitive space shooter action, and we'll let you know what it's like once it has launched on Xbox One in July.

Hopefully by then Frontier will have continued to optimise their space sim, because like its brethren on PC, this a fantastic game with huge potential. The version we've played might not be as polished as it could have been, but it certainly hasn't been dumbed down or simplified for the console crowd. Having said all that, this is still an early access game, and our buyer's advice remains the same for anyone contemplating spending money on a game that's not quite finished: only pick this up if you don't mind the odd technical issue. If that's you, and you can forgive the occasional crash or stutter, Elite: Dangerous has a whole universe of possibilities to offer.