Star Trek the Game

I recently saw a trailer for a new Star Trek game coming out next year.  And I have to say, I’m not at all impressed. That could easily be any other generic FPS game in existence.

Now, what will make this game a good Star Trek game is the story. That’s what did it for Mass Effect, KOTOR, etc, after all. Will this game take a que from a game like that and have an involved and complicated story? Or will it be like the last movie.

The last movie was a good movie but a second rate Star Trek movie. Though, to be fair, most of the movies have lacked a good Star Trek story element. Undiscovered Country was the best one, as it had good action, good plot and the theme was about putting hate behind you; very Star Trek. Wraith of Khan was the best movie hands down, but it did lack any kind of Star Trek moral message. The central theme was Kirk is awesome even if he’s old. The Genesis device at least gave it sci-fi Science! plot elements.

What will be the story of this new game? Based on the video I’m thinking “Kirk and Spock shoot stuff!”. I hope to be wrong but that’s what most ST games boil down too. Which is just so sad. They don’t need to be. Mass Effect, Fallout, Elder Scrolls, KOTOR, etc etc all prove you can have a good game with a good story that people buy. Why do no, recent at least, Star Trek games have good story, and instead focus on blowing shit up?

An open ended game like the above set in the ST universe could be an awesome game. Plenty of opportunity for “Explosions!” but also good story telling and moral ST conundrums. You could be evil and that could be part of the story. Make to many rogue decisions that violate Starfleet principles and they send the Enterprise after you. Then Picard unleashes the “Picard Speech” attack and its an uber boss fight.

Being more serious, set the story during the DS9 era and you could have to face the Maquis. Then you have to choose to back Starfleet or the Maquis. That would be an awesome story.

ST is also perfect for a KOTOR/Mass Effect style companion system. Your bridge crew are your companions. You start out with some and if you join the Maquis, they either stay with you or leave you based on their “Loyalty” score when you make your choice. Maybe some of them defect if you stay in Starfleet and you get to hunt them down ala Sisko v Eddington.

Damn. Now I’m excited for this game which will never exist.