Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force

I'm a big fan of the Star Trek Franchise as well as first person shooters. This game delivers on all fronts. It's a story taken from the perspective of the Voyager series. Tuvok has trained up an elite unit of starfleet officers to handle the harder situations. Voyager finds itself stumbling upon a shipwreck and coming head to head with a rag tag group of scavengers, with aliens from multiple different races. There's a lot of nostalgia in this game and I certainly liked that they utilised the original cast, which adds to the authenticity of the gameplay and narrative. They need to make a part 3!

Well, I kinda liked it, though it took me less than 2 days to complete it the first time, and about 8 hours the second time. There are some strange plotholes in there, like why do the team have to beam in miles away from the destination, when it's perfectly possible to beam out from anywhere in the ships. I have to agree with Mr.Chan that towards the end, the game becomes a bit boring, with all sorts of nasty aliens charging directly at you, with no apparent advanced A.I operating them. Nevertheless, I give this game 8/10, because it actually entertained me, and I wanted to complete it, instead of just playing a couple of levels and then throwing in it in my "uncompleted games" CD-heap.

First things first.

Are you going to like this game more if you are a Trekkie? Of course.

Can it stand on its own merits and be enjoyable for those not indoctrinated by the Federation? Absolutely.

Elite Force has amazing graphics(no hiccups or hitches on a PIII 900), great musical score (reminiscent in places of the DS9 opening music) and a tight knit story. As a FPS it has both challenging exploration puzzles and fast and furious shoot 'em ups. For the Trekkies in the crowd it has the added bonus of being able to interact with Voyager regulars. The Bonus pack add-on only enhances this by adding the exploration mode, which lets you roam freely on 11 decks of Voyager.

The only severe drawback the game has is its length. Put bluntly, its way too short. For gamers used to Halflife it will seem like your just warming up by the time you finish off the final boss. It's a shame because there is a lot more potential here that goes untapped.

This drawback, however, is not enough to pull the game off your purchase list. This is especially true since it has by now made its way to the discount bins. (I picked up my copy for $9 US.) For all those who feel that there haven't been enough people reduced to orange light in recent Star Trek episodes, this games for you.

This game isn't that bad for a FPS. The graphics, courtsey of the Quake III engine, are really crisp and flow really well. The game designers also noted some good features from other games, such as the alternate weapon function of Unreal Tournament, the BEST FPS IMHO. The plot revolves around you being a member of the newly created Hazzard Team. Your objective is to protect the ship from dangerous aliens. Sort of like the Starfleet Marines. I do agree with the other posters here that the beginning is truly unique and has a fresh feeling, but towards the end, especially once you invade the station, it feels more like Doom than something with some sort of intelligence or challenge. It felt nice to have all the cast members voice their characters, even Chell, a small part that appeared in 2 episodes shows up as one of the major characters in the game.

I found one mistake the designers made was making the game WAY too linear. I wish you had to pay the consiquences for your actions. Say if you disentegraged Tuvok, which I did many times to see what would happen, how the plot would then change. Maybe you could join the pirates and take over Voyager, and then try and free yourself from the forge from there. I think allowing you a little more leway of what you can do and where you can go would have spiced this game up a bit more. I also found the reactions of the bots to be really rude. If I had a weapon I wanted to disintegrate them. So if the designers are thinking of making a sequel, they should try some of the above approaches. I think that could make a very interesting game. That and ditch the Quake III engine, which is nice but not as pretty as the Unreal Tournament engine.

As for the multi-player aspects of the game, they were pretty standard fare for a FPS. You had your capture the flag, free for all, etc. Commanding the bots on your team was a bit of a hassle. It was rare that they listened to you and managed to just stand around. These are some minor flaws however. Over all this is a nice game, and definately something to add to your collection if you're a fan of first person shooters (FPS).

"Star Trek: Voyager - Elite Force" is a nostalgic gem for both fans of the "Star Trek" universe and gamers who appreciate a well-crafted first-person shooter from the early 2000s. Developed by Raven Software and powered by the Quake 3 Arena engine, this game captures the essence of "Star Trek: Voyager" with surprising accuracy, despite the inherent violence of the FPS genre.

The narrative follows the Hazard Team, an elite security force on the USS Voyager, as they tackle various threats in a storyline that feels like an extended episode from the series. While the plot isn't groundbreaking, it's engaging enough and uses familiar characters voiced by the original cast, which is a significant plus. The presence of the beloved crew members adds a layer of authenticity and immersion that's hard to replicate.

Gameplay; here's where the game shines. The Quake 3 engine provides smooth, fast-paced action with a variety of weapons that fit the Star Trek lore, from phasers to photon launchers. The level design, while somewhat linear, is thoughtfully done, with environments that look and feel like they've been ripped straight from the show. The multiplayer aspect, dubbed "Holomatch," is particularly memorable, offering a blend of fun and creativity with custom maps and mods that kept the community active for years.

For its time, the graphics were impressive, with detailed ship interiors and enemy designs. The audio, especially the voiceovers, is spot-on, although the music doesn't include the iconic "Voyager" theme, which was a slight disappointment.

The campaign is on the shorter side, which might leave players wanting more. The AI can sometimes feel dated, with teammates occasionally getting in the way or enemies lacking challenge. There's also the issue of the Borg becoming less intimidating due to gameplay mechanics that make them too easy to defeat.

What really elevates this game is its community. The modding scene was vibrant, offering new missions, characters, and even a pseudo-RPG experience where players could role-play as part of the Voyager crew. Even now, it's possible to find this game on platforms like GOG, where it runs surprisingly well on modern systems with a bit of tweaking.

"Star Trek: Voyager - Elite Force" is a testament to what can be achieved when you blend beloved sci-fi with a solid FPS framework. It's not without its flaws, but the love for "Star Trek," the engaging gameplay, and the community's dedication make it a standout title. If you're a fan of the series or just enjoy classic shooters, this game is worth revisiting or experiencing for the first time. It's a piece of gaming history that still holds up remarkably well, especially with the joy it brings back from the golden age of LAN parties and demo discs.