PROFITEER, developed by David Shaw of Glass Tower Studios, is a browser-based PC MMO that lets you explore the universe while accumulating wealth and reputation.

Did you catch what I said in the previous paragraph? The game is entirely browser-based which means there is no download involved and no box to buy! Simply spend a few minutes with account creation followed by Character Creation and away you go – off into the farthest-flung reaches of space with a starter ship and 10,000 credits in your bank account.

Character Creation is fast and simple (as are all things within PROFITEER), the only sticking-point is deciding just which of the classes to choose. Choices range from Trader or Courier to Navy or Marine to Pirate, Smuggler and others. I went with Scout as I love exploring a fresh persistent world.

Next up, name yourself and your ship, select one of 35 available avatar icons (or import your own), auto-generate your stats (Health, Intelligence, etc.) until satisfied and you’re good to go.

PROFITEER offers a helpful tutorial (skipable!) which lays out the how-tos of hauling freight, making merchant contacts and the all-important planet-hopping know-how. A built-in Help System is also available for any questions that may come to mind during your adventures.

Since I went with the Scout class I was awarded with access to free gas and 50% off repairs at any Naval Base. All classes come with their own special perks – a nice idea.

The overarching goal of PROFITEER, as you might imagine from its moniker, is to amass as much moolah and power as possible, becoming the veritable Trump or Rockefeller of the Galaxy. Of course, no one is forcing you to become a fat, cigar-chomping star-lord but it’s good fun going for gold in the expansive universe provided. One of the easiest ways to get started on this path is to move freight from planet to distant planet. You may also choose to buy and sell commodities or ferry NPCs to exotic locales.

If you go with commodities, as I did, you’ll find your powers of persuasion (Conversation and Trade Skills) will come in handy when attempting to secure contacts and grab the best deals. Getting ahead can be a bit daunting at first , but skills rise with use and you’ll eventually begin to prosper - slowly but surely.

I quite enjoyed searching out unexplored stars and receiving my reward of credits (in-game currency) for surveying wild planets. Even better, be the first ever to land on a planet and your name and portrait will be seen forevermore as the first to arrive. Go crazy Columbus!

Random events and missions occur with some regularity helping to keep the gameplay varied and interesting. For example, your ship may incur unexpected damage or you may luck-out and capture a wanted space pirate – receiving cash and a boost in reputation in return. Mission-wise, you may be asked to pick up and deliver rare valuables for a nice fee.

Once players sport a serious bankroll they may begin building up and running their own planetary empires – constructing and placing training facilities, banks, restaurants, universities and much more. Just be sure to hire as many security guards as you can afford as others may attempt to attack and take over your lovingly-nurtured establishments.

Ship to ship combat is an aspect all pilots will need to deal with from time to time and as a starting Scout I wasn’t much of a sky-warrior. Thankfully, ships can be upgraded with all manner of armor and armaments. Your personal fighting skills can be trained up as well and will also rise in power with use. Just be careful out there and avoid those dastardly pirates! You don’t want to see your fledgling character flying (?) the ol’ River Styx.

What other cool things can one get up to in PROFITEER? You can create your own quests for others to undertake, help uphold pan-galactic law as a Marine, attempt to visit all 8,506 stars, build up and terraform a barren planet and rule it as Governor or uncover ancient alien artifacts – the list goes on and on.

Do be warned - if you’re a graphics-junkie looking for bleeding-edge imagery and mind-blowing sound you’ll want to pick up a copy of...well...another game entirely. The graphics in PROFITEER are simplistic and largely static (though I still find them charming) and the sound is non-existent. I didn’t find the lack of sound to be too much of a problem though as the game runs in a browser and you can always blast your own choice of music while you play.

A limited account for PROFITEER is free so there’s really no reason not to head on over and check the game out for yourself. A full account runs about $10 bucks a month.

If you’ve got the wanderlust of a Magellan, the propensity of a space pirate or the sarcastic ‘tude of a star smuggler – you’d be well advised to fire up this quality, indi-produced mini-MMO today.