Reviews / previews
The Star Trek: Voyager universe is about to enter the world of first-person shooters with Activision's upcoming Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force. Playing as a member of the Hazard Team, an elite security force led by Lt. Tuvok, it'll be your job to infiltrate and investigate mysterious spacecraft, battle hordes of enemies, and save the Voyager from destruction.
The roughly 30 missions will take place aboard various spacecraft- including the Voyager itself, which has been faithfully recreated utilizing the fabulous Quake III engine for the most realistic Star Trek experience possible. All the main crewmembers will be there as well, from Captain Janeway to Seven of Nine, and some will even accompany you on away missions. Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force is scheduled for a spring release. In the meantime, check out these spectacular screenshots.
-- Brian Wright / GamePro
The Star Trek license hasn't always received the best treatment when it comes to computer games. Trek games have usually ranged from mediocre to just plain bad, but now it looks like Activision is about to change all that. Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force is not only shaping up to be a great Star Trek game, it might prove to be the best first-person shooter since Half-Life.
During a seemingly routine mission, the Starship Voyager is transported, along with its entire crew, to a desolate spaceship graveyard somewhere in the far reaches of space. In order to find out how to escape, Lt. Commander Tuvok puts together a squad of specially trained agents known as the Hazard Team. As members of this special group, you and your teammates will beam aboard other ships in the area to investigate the mystery.
The developers at Raven are no strangers to first-person shooters, having previously worked on Heretic, Hexen, and Soldier of Fortune, and along with some clever level design, they have given Elite Force an engrossing story that moves the game along at a brisk pace. Rather than just running down a series of corridors shooting everything in sight, Elite Force will have you exploring derelict vessels and using stealth and cunning to achieve your goals. Of course there will be plenty of shooting to do, as well. Apart from your trusty Phaser, your arsenal will include a Compression Rifle, Grenade Launcher, and an I-MOD prototype for taking out the Borg.
Raven has done an amazing job capturing the look and feel of the Star Trek universe, from the dark corridors of a Borg cube to the bridge of the Voyager itself. Even casual Star Trek fans will feel immersed in the world as they wander the halls of the Voyager and run into familiar faces like Tuvok, Captain Janeway, and Seven of Nine. The Quake III Arena engine brings these surroundings and characters to life with a realism that has never before been seen in a Star Trek game. The sound effects come directly from the Paramount audio library and include the familiar sounds of Transporters and Phaser fire, and actors from the series have lent their voices for further authenticity.
Multiplay will take place on the Holodeck in a variety of locations from a Wild West ghost town to a medieval castle. So now's your chance to take on the role of a Borg and finally assimilate those Federation goody-goodies once and for all.
It looks like Trekkers might finally get the game they've been waiting for when Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force beams into stores in September.-- Brian Wright / GamePro
Finally, there is a game worthy of the Star Trek license! Star Trek: Voyager - Elite Force takes cues from Half-Life to create a first-person shooter with a captivating story and plenty of Phaser-blasting action.
The U.S.S. Voyager has been captured by a mysterious alien species and transported to a spaceship graveyard in an isolated part of the galaxy. As a member of the newly formed Hazard Team, an elite security force commanded by Lt. Tuvok, your job is to infiltrate the nearby ships and find a way to save the Voyager and its crew.
Though the object of most missions is simply to get from point A to point B, the levels are held together by an engaging story that moves the game along at a brisk pace. The world feels alive with characters carrying on conversations and scripted moments that add to the cinematic effect. Various crewmembers, including Tuvok and Seven of Nine, accompany you on certain assignments and the quality AI combined with good level design means that your teammates rarely get in the way and become a nuisance. Missions range from the usual run-and-gun variety to those that require a more stealthy approach, and gone are the complex jumping puzzles that often bog down other games of this type.
Thanks to the power of the Quake III engine, the Star Trek universe has never looked better. Trek fans will feel right at home walking the halls of the Voyager and even non-fans will marvel at the amount of detail in the ships and characters. The entire Voyager interior has been faithfully recreated from the bridge to the sick bay. Atmospheric music backs up the familiar sounds of Star Trek and all the key actors from the series have provided their vocal talents for added realism.
Although the single-player game is a little on the short side, the multiplayer options will keep your Phasers blasting for quite some time. Mulitplayer games take place on the Holodeck for a variety of locations, from a Klingon Temple to a medieval castle, and game options include the standard Free-For-All, Capture the Flag, and Teamplay. You can choose to play with the included 'bots or hop online to take on some live opponents.
With its high production value, smart level design, and impressive story, Star Trek: Voyager - Elite Force is simply one of the finest first-person shooters to come out this year. You don't even have to be a full-fledged Trekker to appreciate the gaming goodness that Elite Force has to offer.
-- Brian Wright / GamePro
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