Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force Review

Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force is (nudge, nudge... wink, wink) set in the Star Trek Voyager Universe. The player is cast in the role of Ensign Monroe (Alexander or Alexandria - Federation gender-blind policy at work), well trained and skilled, but lacking discipline to a degree. Munro doesn't often feel that going by the book or playing it safe is the best answer. Ensign Monroe is a member The Hazard Team -- a group of highly trained Federation officers formed by Lt. Tuvok, supposed to mix it up when the shit hits the fan...

Captain's Log, Stardate 53854.7

After Voyager responded to an urgent distress signal, we discovered what appeared to be a derelict vessel drifting in space. An intensive scan from our sensors triggered an automated defense program in the ship. The vessel proved to be a ruse, a trap laid by a malevolent intelligence that has yet to reveal itself. It attacked Voyager with a sphere of unknown energy that transported the ship and the crew to an uncharted region of space filled with a fleet of drifting, dead ships.

A powerful gravitational dampening field pervading the chasm has rendered Voyager powerless to escape. All attempts to free our ship from the grip of the field have proven unsuccessful. At the heart of the gravity field, like a spider in the center of its web, is an ominous alien mechanism. Our sensors have confirmed that this mechanism is the source of the gravitational field.

To protect the crew and free Voyager, I am authorizing Lt. Commander Tuvok to activate his newly formed elite Hazard Team. Their extraordinary abilities and expertise might be the only chance Voyager has to continue its journey home.

The Quake 3 Engine Beauty

A thing of beauty is a joy forever...

You know, being a huge Counter-Strike fan (i.e. I like realistic weapons) I had my doubts about the Elite Force arsenal. I had a chance to check out many screenshots, and even play the game a bit at E3, so I knew that the level design was pretty-much authentic Star Trek, but I had my doubts if it will all come together for the final version. Being that none of the Star Trek games got it right so far... On the other hand, none of the ST games ever utilized the power of Quake III engine. And it's not the tools, but the artists and coders that molded the code which deserve all the credits. No matter where your affinities lie (M4 or a Phaser), firing the weapons is loads of fun, with fantastic effects that should appeal to both UT/Quake and CS-type-o-game fans alike. (Those who enjoy a good single player game.)

The Elite Force levels are a real tribute to the FPS genre! The design is imaginative, versatile, dynamic, and immensely atmospheric. During your time as Ensign Monroe, you'll explore environments ranging from organic alien ships to medieval castles and western towns (Holodeck) ... to the most brilliant maps of all, including the Borg Cube and final levels. The fantastic level design is accompanied with gameplay dynamics that are worthy of being called Half-Life-like. Elite Force definitely goes to show what a great storyline coupled with meticulous and innovative design can do for a single player FPS. If I were to predict future, and guess where PC games are heading, I'd definitely go with the "interactive movies" idea. Some years from know, Half Life, Elite Force, and the likes will be considered as the pioneers of the next-gen PC games.