Star Trek the Game tells an original story which takes place between Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness.
Traditionally, video games that try to tie-in to films have been rather lacking, but studios are starting to learn what makes a good tie-in game. Specifically, the game needs to have engaging mechanics, and a story which is independent from the film itself. Adapting a non-interactive film into an interactive medium, no matter the mechanics is problematic, and has nearly always failed. Thus this game will not try to do that, and now that we’ve learned more about the mechanics, I’m pretty excited for this one.
The base gameplay itself is pretty derivative, not that that’s uncommon in the video game world. Primarily the title is a third-person tactical shooter. Players take on either Spock or Kirk, and work together to take down the enemies by tactically utilizing their weapons and the environment. There are cover mechanics and various attack types, though the weapon selection seems to be limited to phasers, the staple ‘gun’ of the Star Trek world. The exciting part is that the game is designed for co-operative play. Two players can join up, each taking on one of the main characters, and the co-op mode is not a tacked on afterthought; it’s how the game is meant to be played. If there is one sure-fire way to get me to want to try a game out, that’s it.
As for the story, we’re still pretty much in the dark. This new trailer, however, seems to reveal the main enemies.The baddies here seem to be a modern interpretation of the Gorn, a bipedal sentient race of lizards from the Start Trek TOS universe.
We do have a synopsis from the studio, but there isn’t much to it:
Kirk and Spock uncover a mysterious piece of technology on New Vulcan, which will either save or destroy all life in the galaxy!
That could be pretty much anything, but I guess no one can say the stakes of the conflict are too low.
Star Trek the Game hits shelves for all major platforms on April 23, 2013, just a few weeks before the new film, Star Trek Into Darkness hits theaters.
