Star Trek Bridge Commander Updated Preview

By Scott Osborne, GameSpotPosted Jan 31, 2002 5:43 pm PT

We dive into an alpha build of Larry Holland and Totally Games' first entry into the Star Trek universe. Read our impressions inside.

Star Trek Bridge Commander could end up as a match made in heaven, or rather, among the stars. Here's a space sim being created by a master of the genre, set in one of the most popular science-fiction settings ever. New Star Trek games seem to appear faster than tribbles in a grain silo, each covering some aspect of the Trek universe from a different angle. There have been shooters, strategy games, adventure games, and more. Now Bridge Commander is in a position to add a new shining star to that gaming constellation by focusing on one of the highlights of the Star Trek franchise. It's a game that will put you in command of Star Trek's inspiring capital ships, letting you lead the battles right from the bridge for real control and immersion. It's not merely the approach, but rather the developer that should help set Bridge Commander apart. The game is being created by Totally Games, best known for its Star Wars X-Wing space combat games, which have become modern classics of the genre.

Bridge Commander should capture the essence of the TV shows.

The first thing you'll notice about Bridge Commander is how much thought and effort Totally Games is putting into immersing you in the experience. From the start, the game looks and feels very cinematic and dramatic. The game opens with a brief intro movie showing a devastating catastrophe in the Vesuvi system. You're there as first officer of the USS Dauntless when the system's star explodes, destroying a colony and killing your captain, who's out in a shuttle. It's now up to you to fill the captain's shoes and get to the bottom of the mystery behind this tragic event. Needless to say, some vital clues hint that the disaster might not have been a natural one.

When the first mission begins, you'll find yourself walking onto the bridge of the Dauntless and taking the captain's chair. From there, you'll interact through a first-person perspective with your officers on the bridge, each of whom controls one of the ship's major systems. Through the ship's forward viewscreen, you'll communicate with Starfleet Command officers, ship captains, colony administrators, and other important characters.

Viewscreen communications will help advance the plot.

With your ship repaired after the Vesuvi incident, you're ready to head out, but not before Captain Picard joins you on the bridge. You'll need to take this distinguished guest to speak at a symposium at another station. Along the way, he'll introduce you to your new first officer and help you learn the ropes of commanding the ship.

As you leave space dock and begin your first mission, Picard's presence works like an interactive tutorial as he offers advice and explanations. What's striking about this is how smoothly it's integrated into the early missions and how natural if feels. Instead of some dry, abstract PowerPoint-style tutorial like you find in some games, Bridge Commander offers lessons that keep you fully immersed in the fiction of being on the bridge and interacting with real people.

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1 Comments

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jakeboudville
Posted Sep 21, 2006 7:21 pm PT

kinda impressive
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