Star Trek: Legacy

"Doesn’t quite capture it"

I'm a mild fan of Star Trek. I liked the Next Generation and Deep Space Nine. Star Trek Legacy follows the different series and allows you to engage in massive fleet battles. The best time in Star Trek to me was the Federation/Dominion war. There were large fleet battles and constant action. That was the biggest draw for me to pick up this game. Following the different Star Trek eras, you will get to command some legendary ships. This is a service to the fans, although it does little justice as the game plays fairly shoddily.

The main problem with the game is the control interface. The controls were extremely sluggish. The button placements were a poor choice as well, as it affected key moments. The entire interface ruined the game. The vessels also control extremely sluggishly. Moving your vessel around in a battle is a chore. The movements don't reflect the slick movements seen in Star Trek vessels. Although the campaign mode had different aspects that try to incorporate the Star Trek feeling, it doesn't quite capture. The source material simply does not translate well into video game form.

What I mean by that is some of the tedious task at hand. Aspects like scanning become a hassle rather than an enjoyment. Furthermore, the horrible ship movements detract on the game's enjoying ability. It really detracts from the game's overall atmosphere. And while photon torpedoes and phasers are cool concepts when you're watching it, it doesn't quite reflect that when you're playing. The weapons available feel slow to act and are difficult to keep up with enemy ships, which renders the game's feeling inappropriate in a sense. With all that high tech, you would expect some better action from this, but it didn't work out that way.

From a graphical standpoint, the game isn't very impressive. The ships aren't all that impressive. It doesn't do anything to really shine on a system like the Xbox 360. Some of the cut scenes aren't very well made either. For the most part, it felt like a low budget title. One positive though is the game's smooth frame rate. With all that is going on, the game runs well. The voiceover did little to enhance the atmosphere, even though it features real voiceovers from some famous Captains. Even with that, it couldn't redeem the game's shortcomings.

I wouldn't say I am surprised that the game wasn't that good. I'm a little disappointed because I hoped for a good Star Trek game. It didn't turn out that way. There isn't much to like about Star Trek Legacy. If you're a fan, a rental should suffice. If not, then don't even bother looking for this title.

Reviewer's Score: 3/10, Originally Posted: 07/18/07