Freelancer: The Videogame
Genre: Cosy Life-sim/ Dungeon Crawler
It's a bit like: The Sims, Unpacking, Stardew Valley
Gameplay
The core gameplay loop begins in Lucy’s flat, where she browses job requests on her computer. Each job has a location and goal, and is randomly generated with various modifiers, which could include:
- Time limit
- Having to use a particular weapon
- Environmental hazards such as time of day, weather, etc.
Modifiers represent the capricious whims of Lucy’s clients, and alter the job's value.
Example: Kill 30 Gooblins in 4 minutes in the café (pm). You can only use things you find on site - and don't break anything!
Before the mission, a load-out screen determines what Lucy will take with her, and how she will reach the job. Buying additional equipment makes the job easier, but reduces how much money you have left afterwards. Some transport will get you to work faster, but is more expensive; the bike is slow, cheap, but you have less stamina when the job begins! Will you take out insurance to protect you against loss and damage?
Example: The job is a long way away, so it's best to get the train this time, even if it costs more. However, you decide to buy a rain poncho - killing Gooblins is messy, and having to get the train while looking a total mess affects Lucy's happiness.
While completing jobs, gameplay contains both exploration and combat sections. Some locations are large with multiple rooms, and enemies must be hunted down; others are a single combat arena.
Example: The café consists of multiple rooms in the form of a small maze. Gooblins constantly flee, making this more of a navigation/ herding puzzle.
Combat gameplay is hack-and-slash, with a focus on timing. Lucy has a combo attack, and a roll for evasion. The roll doesn't have invisibility frames, so the emphasis is on correct spacing with the enemies - like a dance. If she takes too many hits, Lucy will bale on the mission, and fail the job - you can't "die". Some missions are incredibly difficult, and marked as such. The idea is that gameplay can be "grindy" - completing many easy jobs - but also offers rewards for players willing to learn the mechanics and risk more.
Environments are reactive, which can help or hinder you – the client won’t be happy if you use their TV as a weapon to beat the monsters. or break their favourite plant!
Example: For this job, the client has set you a near impossible task, as you'll need to use objects round the café as weapons, but you can't break anything! You find a baseball bat behind the till, but you also break a few teapots...
After deductions, Lucy receives the remaining money, and the life-sim section begins. Lucy has to balance her basic need Sims-style, but these also includes broader mental health meters. Buying things online decreases “existential dread”, but drains your bank balance.
Example: You got a reasonable payday - minus travel, the rain poncho, and damages. It's just enough to pay your internet bill, and still have enough to buy some roller skates. Maybe they could come in useful on the next job? The room looks a bit empty - should you you order some plants?
In this dystopia, everything is delivered immediately to your door. Objects have to be physically placed into the flat, Unpacking style, so you can’t buy too much! This section of the game can be more relaxed, as players buy things to build their dream abode. With more income, there is the chance to move to a large home, though these bring new problems: randomised events can occur, such as infestations, leaks, or the landlord turning up. These may affect your budget, stats, or open new side missions. Is your landlord a monster literally as well as ethically?
Alongside the randomly generated missions, Lucy can take up pre-designed Story Missions from The Company. These involve narrative sections with The Boss and other characters, which progress the game plot. Completing these missions unlocks new things to buy, and leads to an ultimate narrative climax scene, so the game can be conclusively completed. However, a large catalogue of items for the life-sim section mean that players have an incentive to keep playing more difficult randomly generated missions for higher cash rewards.
Multiplayer
The game allows you to visit other players' flats, Animal Crossing-style, so that you can admire their home decoration skills. Players can also compete against other monster hunters in some missions, with the winner gaining even greater rewards. This feeds into the long-term playability of the game, though it may mean players have to use a custom avatar rather than Lucy!