- publisher: Activision
- developer: Totally Games
Star Trek games have sucked, no doubt about it… but ST: Bridge Commander brings new hope to the Trek genre. Activision is trying to finally bring a decent game to Trekkers who have been patiently waiting for a good Trek game.
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The last couple of forays by Trek into the world of gaming have… how do I say this lightly… crashed and burned. Lets see, Star Trek Armada? Showed promise, looked kinda neat with lotsa cool battles. How'd it do? Err… ouch. Next, we have Star Trek new worlds. Well let's just say Star Trek wont be going RPG again. However lately Trek has shown a little bit of hope with the graphically fantastic Elite Force. Still, EF is not catching the eye of reviewers, who are still sticking to old fave FPS's like UT and Q3.
Now with the new game being developed by Totally Games, Trek is going back to its origins. Adventure. In Bridge Commander, you will play the captain of a galaxy class starship (like the Enterprise-D from The Next Generation). Currently the name for the ship is the Icarus (not a good name if you know anything about the Icarus myth). Anyway, the starship will have loads of massive firepower, great strategic maneuverability, and it will be equipped with highly configurable defenses. There will be small dogfights between smaller ships that you can command, or huge guns blazing all out power wars with large and less maneuverable ships such as Galaxy class ships.
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Finally we can pit a Romulan Warship against the Galaxy class. To help out all this action, Totally Games have made Bridge Commander into one of the most graphically intense games around.
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No doubt the coolest thing about this game will be the graphics. Just looking at the screenshots, which are IN-GAME!!! Shots (as opposed to Video shots), this game just is incredible. Check out the shot of the Cardassian warship blowing up (if you can't see it, check the screenshot index). Wow.
As the game unfolds, you will assume the role of Captain and command both Galaxy and Sovereign class Federation ships (basically the Enterprise-D Enterprise-E). Best of all, this game will feature some real characters from Star Trek. Much like Elite Force, you will be able to receive your orders from characters like Captain Picard and Data. In addition, Patrick Stewart and Brent Spiner will be lending their voice talents to the game, to provide for an ultra-realistic experience.
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You will take your ship and your crew and will aid colonies in a remote area of space in the wake of a stellar catastrophe. There will be over 30 different mission and you will need to become an expert in defense, combat, diplomacy, exploration, rescue, and scientific discovery. You will undoubtedly be fighting against Romulans, Ferengi, Dominion and maybe even a new species.
You will be able to interact with your crew; issue orders receive reports from and even have the option to take direct control of individual bridge stations. Your crewmembers all have colorful individual personalities and shape your game experience. Also with the ever-so-important Trek license, which grants Activision and Totally Games the rights to use the likenesses of Trek characters, ships and previously unavailable elements from the Trek universe, Bridge Commander is going to be seem more like being Captain Picard (except with hair), and less like another old pseudo-X-Wing rip off.
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Here's to Bridge Commander. Please Activision, I beg you, don't let this game suck. Star Trek fans have had to put up with far too much Trek crap, and now they are just pining for a really excellent game. With what Bridge Commander has going for it; kick ass graphics, the Trek license, Patrick Stewart and Brent Spiner, awesome graphics, fantastic 3D modeling, great graphics, this game could really take off.
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And did I mention the graphics? Just in case you missed it. The screenshots have really blown me away. Wow.
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And check out the screenshot gallery, for more kick ass graphics from the game!
