Few science fiction canons have as many adherents
and detractors as the Star Trek universe. Ever since Kirk and Spock traveled the
cosmos going where no man had gone before, books, movies, TV series and video games
have been written to take us back into that universe. With the games, until
recently, they have always been pretty bad. One of the first video games I ever
played was a Star Trek simulator where my ship was an asterisk and the Klingons
were 0’s and X’s. They have come light years from that point and recent years
have seen the release of Elite Force 1 and 2, Bridge Commander, Starfleet
Command, and now Shattered Universe. Each of these games presents a different
aspect of the Trek universe, but Shattered Universe has succeeded in creating a
new part of the canon.
Normally, Trek spaceflight has been done by large
starships, with combat most closely resembling large naval encounters between
massive battleships. This game rips you from the normal universe and thrusts you
into an alternative universe where everything is reversed. The Federation is now
the enemy, Captain Chehov is out to kill you, and your benign ship’s shuttles
are transformed into slick, heavily-armed fighters. Your missions range from
protecting the Excelsior, your mother ship, to searching out rare minerals and
blasting waves of fighters and capital ships. While the 19 missions are varied
and difficult enough to keep you playing, they are not especially unique in the
space combat area.
The entire game has been developed with as much
cinematic aura as possible. Dramatic fly-bys, cut shots of major capital ships
warping into the system, etc add to the overall cinematic feel to the game. An
important point, especially for those players trying to beat the bonus times, is
that the cinematic shots are done in real-time, which means your ship is still
responsive to your commands. A neat tip is to point towards your objective and
accelerate towards it BEFORE the cinematic shot kicks in, which will give you a
jump on the action.
It seems that most people either love this game
or hate it. Fan boards are fairly evenly split, with many so-called experts
coming out and panning the game, but the important criteria to me is whether the
game is fun. I believe more people will enjoy this game for its production
values and approachable gameplay. Since this is set in the Trek universe, there are
thousands of fans out there ready to pore over every detail of the game, the
accuracy of the voiceovers, etc. As a casual fan, I can tell you that the game
is enjoyable and difficult enough to keep most gamers occupied for hours. If you
are a space combat ace, you may find the combat to be a bit too repetitive and
easy, but I consider it to be a fun way to spend a few hours.
Gameplay: 7.1
Certainly not groundbreaking, but easy to
play and a lot of fun.
Graphics: 8.1
This game looks very good, with stunning space visuals of nebulae, planets,
meteors, etc. Try dipping into the gravity well of a planet and see the streams
of heated gasses flowing around the meteors and other ships. Very cool.
Sound: 8.0
Walter Koenig and George Takei
reprise their famous roles and the soundtrack adds to the atmosphere, with
audible hints when your fighter is in trouble.
Difficulty: Easy
If you have played
any space combat game in the last five years, you know what to expect here.
Shattered Universe doesn’t break any new ground, but it is fun for the casual
player.
Concept: 7.5
Again, no new ground here, but they have a believable reason for introducing
small single-seater fighters to the universe and for that, they should be
commended.
Overall: 7.4
Star Trek: Shattered Universe looks good and is easy to
play, but may not have enough substance to please the more advanced gamer.
