https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei_Y1_cpJX4
I think I can sum up my feelings below (my response to the above IGN review)
I'm a big fan of the game, but I have to concede this much - I think he's being fair all things considered. Some reviews I've seen gush about the game, while others pan it, and both come across as a bit self-serving and not very open minded.
Fact is, Elite Dangerous is not for everyone, and this IGN review shows why. He's not wrong about any of the downsides mentioned, but to me, they're simply not downsides. When explaining he used the expression "all killer, no filler" to explain what Elite isn't, but to me that filler is a necessary part of the immersion. If things were more scripted or if forced encounters more numerous, basically the very thing that draws you to the game in the first place (piloting your own spaceship) would be ruined. To people like me, this game is fantastic as is, and will only get better as they expand on it, but we're not what you'd call an average breed of gamer. We're a niche in the grand scheme of things.
And remember, despite his misgivings he also said things like "what kept me coming back" - which is in itself a form of praise.
Oh, and of course if the reviewer WANTED balls to the wall action, he simply should have played in one of the areas the online community are currently warring over. Tons of PVP going on in some systems I hear. I stay the hell away from those places.
And yes, it's sad that he failed to recognize that Elite came out BEFORE Freespace and Privateer, but oh well
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) according to some basic parameters, together with some in-game credits and the next time you dock, your ship goes into the paint shop for a new sign job. After all, whats the use of being a part of multi-player when you can't tell one from another except by scanning. Having said that, if you're a notorious PC smuggler or pirate, you wouldn't want to advertise your notariety by a fancy paint job!