I like the X3 series (though I haven't tried the controversial rebirth). It has an interesting mixture of building empires, dog fighting and doing missions. The

I like the X3 series (though I haven't tried the controversial rebirth). It has an interesting mixture of building empires, dog fighting and doing missions. They learning curve is a bit steep, but there are lots of enthusiasts modding it. Edit: I just looked up when X3: Terran Conflict was released, which was 2008, so it's not exactly new!