Starfleet Command 3

Richard raises his shields and charges into this latest Star Trek title.

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The graphics on offer are far short of what has come to be expected from a modern title. The ship models, of which there a large number, are well done but the surrounding effects are poor at best. Space based games have the opportunity to shoot above their station because most of the time the screen is filled by a backdrop. Ships explode in a very dull manner. The backdrops are grainy and uninspiring. Black holes still look square when viewed from above and the energy wave resulting from an explosion is a flat animation that I swear hasn't changed since the first game. If you compare the graphics to something like Independence War 2 it's all the more embarrassing. Go back even further and Homeworld had far superior effects. Homeworld is also a good counter point on how to implement one good camera system rather then offer three bad ones. The graphics engine gets the job done but is in sore need of an overhaul.

The games best achievement is that it has become as much a role-playing game as a strategy game. Instead of a character seeing improvements as you play though it is your ship that benefits. When you succeed in a mission you gain prestige points which you can use to upgrade to a better ship. More than that though, you are now free to customise the systems for your ship making it much more personalised. Your hull class gives you limits on the total mass of any changes which prevents you from having outrageous firepower in a small ship. Each hull class will have a certain number of weapon hard points each with corresponding firing arcs. So maybe you'll want lots of forward firepower for charging into battle or a more balanced spread so you'll be more effective when surrounded. Another role playing aspect is the return of officers that crew your ship. Each has a bearing on an aspect of the game, such as a good helmsman can execute high energy turns, so you'll need to train them up and try and not get them killed in combat. Both of these systems are very well put together and great fun to play around with.

The dynamic universe, or as Taldren calls it the Dynaverse, is irrelevant and buggy for the single player game. What could have been utilised to produce a lot of interesting sub quests and plots mainly just gets in the way of the well put together stories. Why they choose to deviate from standard map conventions and number from the top left instead of the bottom left is beyond me. The Dynaverse's real strength is in the online massive multiplayer games. The universe is divided into a large hexagonal grid and you fight over each hex to aid the economy of your race, which in turn translates into a wider selection of ships and cheaper supplies. The computer generated missions aren't particularly varied but they are balanced to stop you being too outclassed or outnumbered. Depending on the size of the grid it can be hard to find human opponents who are at the same level as you. For those who want to enjoy a long multiplayer campaign it will certainly keep you occupied. For me though online deathmatches were the high point. Using the ubiquitous Gamespy you can enjoy a team game with up to eight players. The games have a good pace, action packed but not too frantic giving you time to think, and think hard because there are some crafty players out there. Three vs. three battles online produced the best moments the game had to offer. When your team has lost a member of the fleet, your phasers are inoperative and your officers call out that a ship is decloaking off the port side you almost want to shout out "go to auxiliary power" or "I need warp power in three minutes or we're all dead."

Starfleet Command 3 is very much an evolution of the series and it's clearly in good hands with Taldren. They have a firm grasp of the main gameplay and hopefully they can turn their attentions to the graphics and getting rid of the myriad of bugs. They've also shown the community good support by allowing ship models to be imported and there is even a Nemesis plugin that coincides with the film. I'm a huge Star Trek fan and it's from that perspective that I got most of my enjoyment from this game because it offers up a quintessential Star Trek experience. It's not a perfect game but it's carved out a niche audience who have seen far worse things with the Star Trek brand. I'm sure the series will only get better and better.

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By Richard Clifford