Effects And Voice Acting Are Where This Game Shines

By Author: Guild Black
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From missing certain jumps due to not being able to aim properly, to getting lost while swimming because the character refused to dive again when you came up for air for some unexplained reason – trying to get them to do what you want can be infuriating. In one instance of jumping from pillar to pillar to get across a chasm my character refused to make the jump from one to the other even though the jump was possible. After several attempts at each of these actions, I finally figured out that this was due to the camera angle. It almost felt as though the developers are punishing you, because you don’t have the camera facing a specific direction before doing the action required. This really did not make for an enjoyable gaming experience, as even basic tasks could not be accomplished with your crew.

The graphics are the biggest factor in Star Trek’s downward slide towards mediocrity – they really were very simple, and the developers could have done a much better job adding more realistic elements into their cutscenes. During the cinematics, where you’d expect to see better visuals than the actual gameplay, ...
... is where you really get a feeling that perhaps the developers decided to cut corners in order to rush this game out to the consumer. When the characters are talking, all you’ll see of the facial expression is fifa coin trader the mouth and jaw moving (think Rocket Robin Hood from the 60s) – and that’s only when the mouths moved in sync with the words (which quite often did not happen)! Otherwise, you are treated to what looks like bad dance moves when the characters stand there discussing their next objective, kind of like Wavy Tube Men, as the characters would sway back and forth. This really didn’t translate well during some of the more dramatic scenes, and made the storyline seem almost comical in nature when it shouldn’t have been.

On a more positive note, sound effects and voice acting are where this game shines, and it’s an added bonus that the actors from the movie are voicing the characters. Spock (voiced by Zachary Quinto) and Kirk (Chris Pine) are both polar opposites when it comes to how they deal with things. You can feel the camaraderie that has formed between the two actors as they bring that friendship to the game. The music, although low-key during the game and often fading into the background, really plays to the atmosphere of each situation. There are points, however, where you’d expect a little more emotion coming from the characters, considering what’s supposed to be happening at the time. For example, in one scene, you’re on your way to the Sickbay to help McCoy, who’s trapped inside while the Gorn are trying to force their way in. You’d expect to hear some urgency from the doctor when he’s asking you to move faster, yet every time his voice-over cuts in, his requests are done in the same manner as every other comment he makes – with very little emotion in his tone.

Star Trek sounded great when it was first announced and the trailer looked amazing, but players will unfortunately find that it falls short from their expectations. Starting with the issues in the graphics department and moving on to control problems, Star Trek just doesn’t seem to have what it takes to be a game that you’ll want to play over and over again. Overall, I would say this game may be worth at least one playthrough, specifically for fans of the Star Trek series, but that’s about it. With all the issues that are going on in this one, I would recommend a rental if it’s available.