Summary
One of the best Trek games ever made
The Good
Tone : this game is closest to the "feel" and tone of the Star Trek universe as it exists in TV and film. "Elite Force" may be a more exciting game, but its run'n'gun style is not very Trek-ish.
Gameplay : although not perfect (see below), the gameplay is generally satisfying and logical.
Design : the levels look amazing, and are extremely varied - one takes place on the hull of a crashed starship, half submerged in a lake!
Graphics : the Unreal Tournament engine has never looked better. Moody lighting (with accurate shadows), atmospheric effects all look excellent. An "inverse kinematic" engine (for those of you who care about such things) makes the character animation one of the outstanding touches.
Music : I actually copied a few of the mp3 files onto my hard disk to listen to independent of the game! Top notch stuff.
The Bad
Level design : some of the levels opt for the "hunt the key" scheme, which can lead to repetitive play - but only on some levels.
Story structure : I get the feeling some cut scenes were dropped, leaving some of the plot development less than clear.
Usually, using your "tricorder" scanning device will be done in puzzle-solving sections, but occasionally you'll be asked to put your weapon away during a fight to scan something. This is not as bad as in the "Hidden Evil" Trek game, but can be a little annoying. Must be a "thing" about games designers being one-handed - "Quake III" uses the same limitation with the gun/flashlight choice.
The Bottom Line
Probably the truest reflection of the Trek universe in video game format. If I had to recommend one Trek game to anyone (whether new to Trek games or not), this is it.
