The idea of a video game based on the classic sci-fi series Star Trek is nothing new; In fact, they’ve been produced since the early 1970s. What makes the new Star Trek game from Namco Bandai — due on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC in early 2013 — different is its third-person shooter gameplay and, as we saw during a theater presentation at E3 2012, its two-player cooperative aspect.
Away team
In this game based on director J.J. Abrams’ 2009 cinematic reboot of the franchise, you’ll have the chance to play as U.S.S. Enterprise captain James T. Kirk and his first officer, Mr. Spock. The deadpan Vulcan joins in when you play the game with a friend, and assists Kirk in unique ways, such as scanning for enemies through walls with his Tricorder and using the device to determine the weak points on alien foes.
In the demo we saw, Spock relies on taking down enemies using moves like his Vulcan nerve pinch and can reveal details about the story by mind melding with other characters. Kirk, on the other hand, is every bit the gung-ho, phasers-blazing type seen in the film. The interactions between the two characters in the game really echo their rapport in the movie, too, with Spock serving as the deadpan foil to Kirk’s wisecracking. This is helped by the fact that Kirk and Spock are voiced by Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto from the films, respectively, with the rest of the core movie cast reprising their roles as well.
Strange new worlds
The E3 demonstration of Star Trek unfolded on New Vulcan, home to the fledgling Vulcan race following the destruction of their home world in the 2009 film. The Enterprise is sent to investigate a loss of contact with the colony, beaming Kirk and his first officer down to see what’s become of the settlers.
It wasn’t long before we found out they’d been attacked by the Gorn — lizard-like aliens first seen in the first season of the original Star Trek series in 1966. Far more fierce and animalistic than their TV counterparts, these beasts put up an intense fight against the two Starfleet officers, forcing Kirk and Spock to make ample use of cover and tactics such as diving behind pillars to avoid charging Gorn. More than once, the developers controlling Kirk and Spock had to come to each others aid, whether it was shooting a Gorn to free their comrade, or grabbing them before they plunged to their death.
Set phasers to stun
Not only does the game capture the look of the film and its 2013 sequel extremely well — the story’s supposed to fill in the gap between the movies, too — but it also manages to sound just like them. From the music to the sounds of the transporter, communicators, and weapons, the game’s audio is already one of its stand out qualities.
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