Now that this venerable old game system is nearing retirement, I wanted to get everyone's thoughts on the Star Trek games that have graced this console. I have to say, it's always been my impression that Trek gaming is very PC-oriented, with console releases being few and far between, and often of less-than stellar quality. I think it's a shame, though, as I'm more of a console gamer myself. Well, here are my 2 cents...
Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force (2001) - A big hit on the PC back in the day, Elite Force was ported to the PS2 a year after its initial release. A lot of people have criticized this version as being a poor port of a superior PC game, but I tend to disagree. I think it compares favorably to other shooters on the PS2 - granted, it's not TimeSplitters, but it is Star Trek, so that counts for something!
Also, the dual-analog controls are quite customizable, so I don't quite understand the hullabaloo over the control scheme. I'm not the biggest fan of Voyager, but this game so loyally replicated the show that I have a hard time knocking it down on content. One may also wonder about how appropriate it is to have a shoot-em up in Star Trek and how that may conflict with Roddenberry's generally peaceful view of the future - but this is an issue which plagues almost all Trek games. The only exceptions that I played were 25th Anniversary and Judgment Rites, but unfortunately I don't think the adventure game is coming back any time soon. The only improvement on Elite Force that I would have really appreciated would be a level select - it would certainly help replay value.
Star Trek: Shattered Universe (2004) - I appreciated the premise of this game - revisiting the time period of TOS (as well as the mirror universe) was quite a novelty at the time, before it became all the rage with the new Abrams movie. I'm sure it also made a lot of Captain Sulu fans happy! In my mind, this game had a lot going for it - I mean, it's just cool to fly around the Excelsior, see the Fesarius, enter the giant space amoeba, etc... The problem with this game, however, is fundamental - the gameplay. Flying your starfighter is okay, but combat is broken. I'm a fairly good video game marksman, but hitting an enemy fighter in this game is almost pure luck. No matter how much TOS nostalgia there is, it's tough to enjoy a shooter where you can't seem to hit anything.
Star Trek: Encounters (2006) - For being a bargain bin game, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this. It makes no bones about being a fairly simple arcade shoot-em up,and that's what it does well. It's like playing with model starships. The top-down view and the dual analog control work surprisingly well, although it does take a bit of getting used to. My favorite thing about this game, however, is that it covers all five TV series with missions and vessels unique to each era. It's also a nice touch to have Shatner narrate, even if he does sound a little bored and a bit raspy. That being said, it's not terribly ambitious and there are certain parts of the game that are frustratingly difficult.
Star Trek: Conquest (2007) - Based on the same gameplay engine and mechanics, the difference that Conquest makes is the strategy angle. It's not terribly deep, but it's still enjoyable to pick a Trek race and try to conquer the galaxy. Depending on whether or not you like strategy, this game can be seen as an improvement on Encounters, but it's clearly an evolutionary step. That being said, the combat system is almost exactly the same, so a lot of the pros and cons of Encounters carry over to this game.
Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force (2001) - A big hit on the PC back in the day, Elite Force was ported to the PS2 a year after its initial release. A lot of people have criticized this version as being a poor port of a superior PC game, but I tend to disagree. I think it compares favorably to other shooters on the PS2 - granted, it's not TimeSplitters, but it is Star Trek, so that counts for something!
Also, the dual-analog controls are quite customizable, so I don't quite understand the hullabaloo over the control scheme. I'm not the biggest fan of Voyager, but this game so loyally replicated the show that I have a hard time knocking it down on content. One may also wonder about how appropriate it is to have a shoot-em up in Star Trek and how that may conflict with Roddenberry's generally peaceful view of the future - but this is an issue which plagues almost all Trek games. The only exceptions that I played were 25th Anniversary and Judgment Rites, but unfortunately I don't think the adventure game is coming back any time soon. The only improvement on Elite Force that I would have really appreciated would be a level select - it would certainly help replay value.Star Trek: Shattered Universe (2004) - I appreciated the premise of this game - revisiting the time period of TOS (as well as the mirror universe) was quite a novelty at the time, before it became all the rage with the new Abrams movie. I'm sure it also made a lot of Captain Sulu fans happy! In my mind, this game had a lot going for it - I mean, it's just cool to fly around the Excelsior, see the Fesarius, enter the giant space amoeba, etc... The problem with this game, however, is fundamental - the gameplay. Flying your starfighter is okay, but combat is broken. I'm a fairly good video game marksman, but hitting an enemy fighter in this game is almost pure luck. No matter how much TOS nostalgia there is, it's tough to enjoy a shooter where you can't seem to hit anything.
Star Trek: Encounters (2006) - For being a bargain bin game, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this. It makes no bones about being a fairly simple arcade shoot-em up,and that's what it does well. It's like playing with model starships. The top-down view and the dual analog control work surprisingly well, although it does take a bit of getting used to. My favorite thing about this game, however, is that it covers all five TV series with missions and vessels unique to each era. It's also a nice touch to have Shatner narrate, even if he does sound a little bored and a bit raspy. That being said, it's not terribly ambitious and there are certain parts of the game that are frustratingly difficult.
Star Trek: Conquest (2007) - Based on the same gameplay engine and mechanics, the difference that Conquest makes is the strategy angle. It's not terribly deep, but it's still enjoyable to pick a Trek race and try to conquer the galaxy. Depending on whether or not you like strategy, this game can be seen as an improvement on Encounters, but it's clearly an evolutionary step. That being said, the combat system is almost exactly the same, so a lot of the pros and cons of Encounters carry over to this game.
