PC | 3DS, DS, PSP | Wii | PlayStation 3 | Xbox 360 | Retired: GBA | GameCube |PlayStation 2| Xbox |

News | Reviews | Previews | Features | Classics | Goodies | Anime | Video (NEW!)

Score: 7.5 / 10

Releasing a game under a license such as the Star Trek one can be a double-edged sword.  On the one hand you will have all the fans from the television series almost automatically onboard.  On the other hand you risk alienating all the people who are not fans of the TV series and who see Trekkies as a lower form of life.  That being said, it is truly a testament to the developer when they are able to overcome that obstacle and create a game that will appeal to both fans of the series and those looking for a good game that doesn’t stand solely on the support of its original material.  The original Star Trek Elite Force managed to do this, and this sequel is a worthy successor to the first installment.  

You play as Alexander Munro, leader of the Hazard Team, an elite away team (landing party in Trekese) that handles exceptionally dangerous missions.  After some doubt about the continuation of the hazard team, Captain Picard, voiced by none other than Patrick Stewart, comes to the rescue of Munro and his team by recruiting them for missions aboard the Enterprise. 

No sooner than recruited, Munro and the Enterprise are called to duty in a remote system where previously un-encountered aliens are threatening a peaceful species.  Not the most original storyline, the aliens themselves are very much reminiscent of 

 

- PC Game Reviews - Shooter Game Reviews - Reviews of Games Published by Activision

the H.R. Giger Alien design in movement, behaviour, appearance, and in their involvement with the plot elements.

Unfortunately copying a well developed enemy design from another successful game (i.e. Aliens vs. Predator) doesn’t guarantee a successful clone.  Elite Force 2 does however have quite a few other qualities that set it apart from most FPS games.  Throughout the game, 

Advertisement

there are quite a few interactive interludes where you will be expected to meet with certain people onboard the Enterprise, or perform various tasks.  These provide a nice break to the action and help to provide a truly involving feel to the game and its story.

Furthering the storyline even more, at critical plot moments, you will be give a choice about what Munro says to other NPC characters.  Maybe not the most elaborate thing to program into a game, but it does help to involve the gamer even more.

During missions, you will encounter various obstacles that manifest themselves as mini puzzles.  Mostly having to do with routing power, these are accomplished using your tricorder (handheld electronic multi-tool, in Trekese) which again, provides a nice complete feeling to the Star Trek experience.  Throughout the game you will also find yourself having to work towards different objectives.  These mostly consist of trying to reach a certain area, open a certain door, or protect an NPC.  This variety in objectives does help in breaking up the monotony that some FPS fall into.

The action of the game though remains fairly pedestrian, and doesn’t have any of the creative flair of a Serious Sam or the intensity of a Max Payne.  With the rest of what it has to offer though, STEF2 doesn’t need to have unforgettable action although it would have been nice.  That being said, the multiplayer does have good gameplay options even by today’s standards, and will definitely extend the playable life of the game for anyone looking to invest the money. 

Combined with a rich storyline, excellent involving gameplay, this Star Trek game makes good use of its license and continues the success of the first Elite Force game.  The graphics are nothing to gawk at, but they are good, the enemy and NPC AI compliments the rich storyline, and there are decent multiplayer offerings.  It only falls short of the peak of excellence due to the somewhat unoriginal enemy alien design.  Hopefully there will be an Elite Force 3 that continues to make good use of the Star Trek license.

- Mark Leung

(August 3, 2003)

Digg this Article!  | del.icio.us 

Advertise | Site Map | Staff | RSS Feed           Web Hosting Provided By: Hosting 4 Less

Affiliates:

 - CivFanatics-   - Coffee, Bacon, Flapjacks! -    - Creative Uncut -      - DarkZero -     - Dreamstation.cc -   

 - gamrReview-     - Gaming Target-    - I Heart Dragon Quest -    - Mario-Kart.net -   - New Game Network -

- The Propoganda Machine -    - PS3 : Playstation Universe -     -TalkXbox -    - Zelda Dungeon - 

All articles ©2000 - 2013 The Armchair Empire.

All game and anime imagery is the property of their respective owners.

Privacy Statement - Disclaimer