GameplayBeing a free-to-play MMO, I'm sure that most people decide that this game is garbage without even trying it.
The paid elements of this game are actually very discreet. It's mostly cosmetics, like extra bits for your uniforms or having actual show characters as bridge officers. Some people will still take issue with even that, I know, but I think it's a fair exchange. You get a decent amount of the premium currency for your buck, and it can even be exchanged between other games under the same company (I believe Neverwinter is one).
I really, really like the space combat. I primarily played as a Science captain (the support class), and it takes some pretty serious maneuvering to make it through mid-game missions, and careful management of your abilities; when your tachyon beam takes a full minute to recharge, you REALLY want to make it count!
The ground combat is mediocre though. Get it done as soon as possible. At least there's a "shooter mode" so you can pretend you're playing a more exciting game.
You have between five and seven NPC bridge officers (or "boffs"), who are the supporting characters in many of the quests. These are how you manage your abilities; each of them have their own levels, stats and equipment, and you'll occasionally have to visit Earth Spacedock in order to train them in more advanced versions of basic abilities. These guys are fun. You're given some default ones, but you'll eventually be able to swap them out, or you can just totally remake them in the character creator for free.
Later on there's also the Duty Roster, which simulates the minor members of your crew completing missions as you're logged off. A mission will require some supplies and crew members that fit certain requirements, so it's a good idea to keep tabs on those if you want crafting materials.
Another fun thing is the "Foundry Missions", which can be picked out at any time for something fun to do. These are missions created by players, for players; some are better written than others, but they're always really fun. They're also rather difficult compared to official missions. Keep in mind however that you'll have to pay for the privilege of creating your own missions.
On top of these are all the typical MMO mechanics, such as questing, factions, PvP and PvE instances. It mostly tends to be solo-focused, with a heavy emphasis on story-driven single-player missions; while PvP zones exist and massive cooperative space battles can be queued for, the online aspect is merely a backdrop for your own space adventures. That is fine by me.
I only reached the midgame, so I didn't get the full experience, but I had a blast. Eventually there's just a
ton of stuff to do, like the aforementioned Duty Roster, which is either awesome or burdensome depending on what you're looking for.
GraphicsThis game is beautiful. It's just a tiny bit cartoony, but for the most part it stays true to the look and feel of Star Trek. There's dozens of customization options, and you can customize your
entire crew. I spent my first hour of gameplay just designing my captain and picking out my uniform. Almost every humanoid Star Trek race is available, as well as some races new to the game which can be selected for premium currency. If you don't like any of those you can even create your own using a more extensive set of options and tools, which has led to an overpopulation of fursonas and "original species do not steal" in the Foundry missions. You have a ton of options, even before looking at the paid bits. The paid items mostly consist of faithful recreations of classic Trek attire, including Original Series miniskirts and lore items like Seven of Nine's catsuit.
One drawback, however, is that the Federation has the most options, many times over. Romulan faction players have a moderate selection of clothes, and Klingon players get hardly anything at all. That's kinda bullshit, but the Federation is also the most popular faction by far so it's understandable.
Space is lovingly rendered with particles and flares galore. It generally runs at 60fps no problem, but things can get crazy. One mission in particular involves dozens of ships versus a Doomsday Machine (yes, the one from TOS) and that chugged a bit.
Interior locations look pretty good as well. There's the vacation planet of Risa, which hosts the game's summer seasonal events, Seedy Desert Planets Which Are Most Definitely Not Tatooine
tm, space stations, Starfleet Academy, snow worlds, jungle worlds, military installations and minor colonies. It's all pretty good-looking and provides a nice, varied backdrop for events.
SoundIf you've even heard Star Trek in passing, then you know what this game sounds like. Occasionally there's voices by actors from the shows and films, reprising their roles. Occasionally there's voice acting for the original characters, and not a single soul cared. It's alright.
Other CommentsI really like the overall tone of this game. You get crafting materials by scanning anomalies and collecting clouds of particles. You locate quest objectives by scanning with your tricorder. Quests will almost always involve a puzzle or two; some quests are almost entirely puzzles, with very little combat. These are usually the better-written ones. This game
feels like you're a captain in the Star Trek universe, which I like a lot. It's not perfect, but it's probably the best since Bridge Commander nearly two decades ago. I heartily recommend it to any Trekkie.
The writing, although miles ahead of any other MMO, still falls prey to MMO writing syndrome: the quality, tone, and even overall direction of the story varies depending on what stage of the game you're at. As you'd expect, the more interesting missions come once you get out of the beginner stages. Of course, one of this game's major strengths is the Foundry Missions, which allow you to choose your own adventure at any time.
For every thing that it gets right, however, there's a few minor gripes. Quests occasionally bug out, and you'll have to reload a checkpoint to fix them. The tutorial drags on way too long, making it hard to get a friend into the game. Some animations are a bit awkward and unnatural. As mentioned, the excellent space combat is marred by the dull, unsatisfying ground combat. However, these aren't huge problems; this game is a diamond in the rough, and can still be easily appreciated by any Star Trek or MMO lover. Good thing I'm both!
Overall rating: 8/10