There's no doubt that Star Trek: Bridge Commander is one of the most novel space combat games in recent years. Veteran sim developer Totally Games, best known for the X-Wing and TIE Fighter games, made storytelling and interaction between bridge officers a central focus of the game. Having plenty of noncombat situations makes Bridge Commander one of the first games to adopt the spirit of exploration that has separated the Star Trek television series and movies from other space operas.

However, as you'd expect, much of Bridge Commander's gameplay does revolve around combat, and the game doesn't disappoint. There are plenty of intense battles between the large, complex capital ships Star Trek is known for, and these sequences are deeply tactical in nature while remaining fairly easy to control with the mouse-driven interface. It's in combat that the game's graphics are most impressive, as the ships are rendered in very high detail and dramatically show the damage they are taking from close-combat ship brawls. It's even occasionally possible to tear large chunks out of enemies with torpedoes, an effect not infrequently seen in the movies and that's just as satisfying here. Fans of the genre and those who still have a soft spot for Star Trek should definitely take a look at this game.