This is another space game that is all about trading, mining, questing and space combat. You can play the games story mode or play it entirely in a free roaming mode. Both modes let you pick up missions from various space stations all over the universe but the free roaming mode doesn't have the story missions to pull you along. To understand the game you should play the story mode, since it introduces you gently to a seemingly odd system. From the start Black Market HD looks like it will have a steep learning curve but instead it is actually one of the more basic space games I've seen. Trading is fairly simple, prices vary from each space station and you have a cargo space that can only hold a certain amount, and mining is handled through sending drones to planets, that is all. If you are looking for something with the depth of E.V.E. Online then forget it, but this game does present everything in a way that is easy to understand. Combat is also handled in a very basic way that should be quick to learn for anyone who is familiar with PC gaming in general. Black Market HD is fun and it is "free", but technically the free version is a limited version of the full game. The limited version does still have a lot to do and a decent level cap. The galaxy is huge, enemies are many, missions are everywhere.

 As you progress through Black Market HD you level up, buy better equipment for your ship and do jobs for anyone who offers them. This game does give you choices though, you don't have to jobs for anyone nor do you have to stay silent through shady jobs, you can inquire and you can question many of the npc's in the game. Each station has a bar full of npcs, several of which offer missions and many others just merely talk about seemingly random gossip. You can be a pirate as well, each station has a option to do some pirating, but I wasn't able to figure out how to do that just yet. Presumably you also will get to buy different ships, especially since I've seen missions that require you to have a larger cargo hold than the ship you start with. When you level up you put points into weapons, navigation or a few other options, all of which determine what areas you can explore, what items you can trade and what weapons/equipment you can equip to your ship. There are also factions that you can get reputation with, but I haven't done much with them after a couple hours into the story mode. I also have to commend Big Block Games for some of their witty dialogue, but at the same time some of the dialogue get's rather tedious and of course you may skip over all of it your leisure.  I haven't played this game anywhere close enough to review but I have played it enough to recommend it, at least if you like free roaming space games and especially if you like well made games that are free.



















If you want to download the game you may do so for windows but you may also play it online, only the downloadable version is "HD" though. For Mac users they are making a version of Black Market HD for Mac's as well. I also have to note that the game is free but there is a paid full version. The free version limits your level, limits the number of ship types and puts limits on several other things. Check out the video below and head on over to their website to download the game.
Main Website: http://www.bigblockgames.com/games/blackmarkethd/