Star Trek (Video Game)
Amanda Dyar
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Developed by: Digital Extremes
Published by: Namco Bandai
Rated T for Teen
Available for Xbox 360 (reviewed), PS3 and PC
In the year 2009, we saw a successful reboot in the Star Trek franchise thanks mainly to JJ Abram and Trekkies everywhere. From that success rose the current release of Digital Extreme’s Star Trek: The Video Game which promised to give us another taste of the movie’s intriguing characters and canonical story.
Star Trek: The Video Game was to act as a tie-in to the films that reluctantly managed to miss a few key points along the way. The game was brought to life through its action-packed cutscenes, fun co-op gameplay and detailed locations but somehow lacks in presentation.
The game allows you to take on the role as either Spock or Kirk in either co-op play or alone. Actors Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto return to voice their characters and form a bridge between the first cinematic release and the upcoming squeal. The story begins with the Enterprise Crew answering a distress signal that leads to a galactic calamity with huge repercussions. The menacing race of Gorn have utilized sophisticated technology to control the Federation citizens in order to escape with a powerful device and a few scientists. Now it is up to Kirk and Spock to save the day and stop the evil attempts of the Gorn.
Some of the main problems with Star Trek is its wonky camera and latency issues. These frustrating elements manage to slightly diminish gameplay but is made up for with the game’s sophisticated puzzles and assortment of weaponry. The puzzle sequences often require our two man protagonists working hand-in-hand which add to the drama and visual excitement of the story. However, it can often get frustrating when playing online with someone who continuously misses a jump or sequence, and to repeatedly be taken back to the checkpoint to start again.
The game’s graphics are rendered well when it comes to the game’s locations and environments but is somewhat lacking in the character animation department. Often you find that the character’s facial animations did not quite match up with their speech which was a little off putting. However, Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto brought such enthusiasm to their characters that this could sometimes be overlooked. The best part of Star Trek: The Video Game is being able to explore the Enterprise in great detail which is a highlight for any fan of the Star Trek franchise. Using the transporter to travel around to areas of the ship was also reminiscent of what we grew up knowing about Star Trek and was a fun aspect of the game. Spock would even say that it was rather fascinating.
Star Trek: The Video Game has over 10 hours of gameplay that can be extremely fun with a co-op partner. Many fans may find the game’s price a little too steep for the amount of glitches and frustrating moments it has–but a true die-hard fan of Star Trek will be able to overlook these aspects to travel into deep space with their favorite characters. To sum it up, Captain Kirk said it best with, “One of the advantages of being a Captain is being able to ask for advice without necessarily having to take it.” Rather you rent or buy this title is up to you, but there is still some enjoyable aspects here despite the game’s many flaws.
Star Trek: The Video Game is now available for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC for $59.99. Star Trek: The Game is rated T by the ESRB for Animated Blood, Language & Violence. To learn more, check out the official Star Trek: The Game website.
Game Features:
3 out of 5
Categorized:Reviews
