>Flying back to port in a chrome Type 9 loaded down with low-temp diamonds and Void Opals
>Just 10ls away from dropping into station space, time to make some of that proverbial "fat cash"
>Suddenly yoinked out of Supercruise by a dude in an Imperial Cutter
>"Gimme your loot"
>no.exe
>Pop chaff and a heat sink, try to run away but you're flying a brick
>Ship explodes and you lose an entire day's work
>Just enough money to rebuy so you hop back in your Type 9 and decide to try again
>Not paying attention and you get the Type 9's fat ass stuck in the mailslot
>The space station kills you for blocking the entrance
>Back to the Sidewinder again

Welcome to Elite.

Those of us old enough to remember the game Scorched Earth will instantly recognize its spirit in ShellShock. Featuring an insane array of weapons, customizable tank bits, and maps, ShellShock will keep you playing for hours.

Unlocking new weapons and other bits doesn't feel like a grind at all. You earn them by leveling up, using other weapons until they get better, or by sheer luck of the draw. The in-game store has a bunch of different addons you can buy for your tank, but THERE ARE ABSOLUTELY NO IN-GAME MICRO-TRANSACTIONS. Period. Everything you can buy in the in-game store is bought using "Gears" that you earn by actually playing the game. In an age where aggressive micro-transactions are seen as a legit business model, it's refreshing to see a game that does things right.

I almost never post reviews, but ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥. This game. This game, you guys. A HUGE number of ships to unlock, useful and craftable ship components that don't feel like an absolute chore to manufacture, worthwhile in-game currency rewards, and the ship tree is pretty nice; you unlock new and cooler ships without feeling like you're wasting your time. You can buy in-game currency to speed things up, but unlike most F2P games, it doesn't feel like you have to buy it to progress beyond a certain point.

TL;DR: War Thunder and EVE had a bastard love child that turned out to be a pretty cool guy.