Big Fry revisits Star Citizen after two years and acknowledges its visual ambition and improvements but criticizes persistent issues like low frame rates, AI glitches, clunky animations, and prolonged development. While impressed by the game’s scope and crowdfunding success, he remains skeptical about when it will become a polished, fully playable product, especially concerning the upcoming Squadron 42 campaign.
Big Fry, a popular YouTuber with 350,000 subscribers, revisits Star Citizen after about two years to share his impressions of the game’s current state. He approaches the game with a fresh perspective, acknowledging that while there have been improvements, many issues persist. His experience highlights ongoing problems such as low frame rates, AI combat glitches, and clunky animations that detract from the gameplay. Despite these frustrations, he recognizes the visual spectacle and the ambitious scope of the game, but ultimately feels the game still feels like an unfinished tech demo rather than a polished product.
One of Big Fry’s main critiques centers around the game’s AI and server performance. He notes that although the AI has improved compared to previous years, it still behaves erratically at times, with enemies glitching or desyncing. Server meshing, a highly anticipated feature meant to improve performance and scalability, has not resolved many of these issues from an outsider’s perspective. This discrepancy highlights the different expectations between long-term players who follow incremental improvements and newcomers who expect a smoother experience.
Big Fry also comments on the game’s animation system, which ties every action to a detailed animation sequence. While this adds realism, it can feel tedious and clunky, especially in fast-paced combat situations. This design choice reflects the developers’ commitment to immersion, but it can frustrate players used to more streamlined controls. Despite this, the game’s ship flight mechanics and inventory system have seen positive changes, with the latter being a significant improvement over previous iterations, even if it still feels slower than other games.
Financially and development-wise, Big Fry acknowledges Star Citizen’s impressive crowdfunding success, having raised nearly a billion dollars, yet he questions the prolonged development timeline. He expresses skepticism about when the game will reach a fully playable and polished state, particularly with Squadron 42, the single-player campaign, expected to launch soon. While he believes Squadron 42 will be good, he doubts it will meet the high expectations set by polished contemporary games, reflecting a broader concern about the game’s ongoing evolution and delivery timeline.
In conclusion, Big Fry’s critique is balanced and fair, reflecting the viewpoint of an outsider returning to a complex, ambitious project still in development. He appreciates the progress made but remains critical of the game’s rough edges and lengthy timeline. His perspective underscores the challenges of managing expectations for a game that is simultaneously a crowdfunded passion project and a massive, evolving universe. The video ends with a call for the community to share their thoughts on the future of Star Citizen and Squadron 42, highlighting the ongoing debate around this unique but polarizing game.