Game review: Star Trek

he 2009 Star Trek movie reboot might have elevated the status of the sci-fi franchise which is more than four decades old. But as far as video games go, this one ends up in the same place that all previous Star Trek games have gone before - aimless and adrift. Set after the reboot and before the upcoming sequel, Star Trek Into Darkness, this game starts its journey in the right direction by having the young cast of the new film lend it their looks and voices. For long-time fans able to overlook the change of cast to Chris Pine as Captain James T. Kirk, Zachary Quinto as Spock and Karl Urban as Dr Leonard McCoy, that strong connection to the movie is enjoyed by few game adaptations. But faster than you can say "warp speed", the game comes to a grinding halt the moment you fire your first phaser. Instead of playing on the strengths of the crew, players get to control only Spock and Kirk. As Kirk, gamers get to be all gung-ho and charge into any battle. While the Vulcan Spock tends to be more discreet, there is little difference in gameplay. Otherwise, players have to cooperate to force open doors and flank the enemies in some battles, because, apparently, that is what the heroes of Star Trek are good at and the developers really want players to experience it. Throw in some puzzles to solve, materials to scan using Star Trek equipment and some space combat involving the Enterprise, and players should be in for a treat. Yet, everything seems muddled, as there is no focus on what each action is supposed to do for players, other than having it added into the game as some sort of lame fan service. But the biggest let-down here is with the Gorn, a reptilian alien race that made only one appearance in the main Star Trek universe on TV. The developers could have turned the hulking lizards into a real threat against the Vulcan colony in the game and put their unique stamp on a fan-favourite aspect. Instead, very little seems to have been spent on the Gorn. The poor graphics make them look even less scary than Yoshi the dinosaur from the Mario franchise and almost as dangerous as the furry Tribbles. Despite having been announced almost two years ago, this game felt as if it was released in a rush. For Star Trek fans, there is some enjoyment in listening to the cast try their best to elevate a boring script, and, yes, there are some good visuals of the Enterprise.

News source: www.asiaone.com

Posted in: Digital Life, The Straits Times