Starfleet Command II Impressions

Interplay and Taldren recently dropped by the GameSpot office with a nearly complete version of Starfleet Command II: Empires at War. Most notably, this version is the first we've seen that's implemented the metaverse, a new dynamic campaign system for both single- and multiplayer play. The metaverse is designed to take a larger view of a running war in the classic Star Trek universe. In the single-player game, the metaverse will better represent the economic impact of sectors changing hands, which often has an effect on the cost and availability of starships. In the multiplayer game, the metaverse lets hundreds of players guide the course of the war by their strategic and tactical decisions.

The metaverse strategic game is played on a large hex map that divides the explored quadrants between eight races, including the familiar Federation, Klingons, and Romulans, as well as a few new additions. The campaign has two main branching storylines based on two of the new races, the Mirak and the ISC, and the single-player story features close to 60 tactical missions. Those who preorder the game will also receive a bonus CD that includes four additional missions featuring the voice of George Takei (who played Sulu in the original television series and movies).

The metaverse emphasizes larger scale strategy, so you will undertake some missions simply to alter the balance of power, as raids and patrols now have a distinct effect on which empire owns a given sector. Each sector now indicates its variable economic benefits for the empire, and movement rates will vary depending on whether a sector is in safe interior space or in a disputed border zone. Vying for political supremacy will be the key goal in the multiplayer metaverse, and players can undertake 24 types of missions to exert their influence on the tide of war. The dynamic economy will be of particular importance for online play, as players must bid, eBay-style, for a limited supply of ships.

On the tactical side of things, Starfleet Command II makes a couple of small enhancements to the 3D engine used in the first game and adds new ships and weapon systems. One prominent difference is the wider use of missile weapons - even by the Federation - and of antimissile defense (AMD) countermeasures. AMD systems are standard on some smaller ships and support vessels, which will help defend the larger capital ships and carriers from these powerful attacks. Many new smaller ship designs have been implemented to round out the lower side of the scale, and the metaverse economy will make the destroyers, for instance, much more common. Also, while in the first game only the Hydrans had fighter capabilities, most of the races now have large carrier starships to support swift fighters. The developer has expanded upon the look of the classic Star Trek ships to integrate these expanded capabilities, as you can see in the renderings of the Federation and Klingon carriers in the gallery above.

For more of an overview, read our original preview of the game. We'll soon bring you an updated preview of Starfleet Command II.