X: Beyond the Frontier

The year is 2912. Kyle Brennan, an Earth pilot, is testing the new X-Shuttle, which can jump between parts of the known universe through wormholes. During the test jump, something goes very wrong, and Brennan ends up in an unknown part of space. He meets aliens of the Teladi race, who repair his ship and loan him some money. Unable to return to Earth, Brennan is all alone, owing money to an alien race, and yet unaware of the existence of the Argon race, who look surprisingly similar to humans and are threatened by mechanical beings known as the Terraformers.

X: Beyond the Frontier is a space trading and combat simulation, similar in many ways to Elite, set in the fictional X universe. Trading occupies the larger part of the gameplay. There are fifty-four star systems in the X Universe, each with space stations, solar power plants, shipyards, and other installations. By trading with them the player makes a profit, upgrading the X-Shuttle with new weapons, better shields, and increased cargo space. The player is also able to buy factories, which will generate money at regular intervals. From time to time, hostile ships will attack the X-Shuttle, which will force the player to engage in action-oriented space combat, using the weapons on board or ramming the enemy ship.