The story takes place long after Cal's dad dies in the first Independence War. Cal is motivated to confront evil corporations, to avenge his dad's death. To do this you'll have to pirate and make allies with those that can help. You'll also have the help of the AI version of Jefferson Clay. He'll help get you acquainted with the ship and its workings.

You'll have missions to complete, although you may also freely explore space. You don't have to just complete missions, you can also play in multiplayer mode against others over a LAN or the Internet, and there is an instant action mode.

I suggest you buy a joystick also, if you don't already have one. You can play the game just using the keyboard. I don't recommend it, because it'll take time to remember where all the controls are and takes away from the fun.

Overall, this is a great game for those who like flight or space sims, and are looking for something new to play. Beginners will need patience to learn the quirks and interface.