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 PLATFORM: PC
FLIPPING THE BIRD (OF PREY)

don’t by any means count myself as a Trekkie, but I liked The Next Generation and hated Voyager as much as the next guy. As with Command’s precursors, this fact made little to no difference in how much I enjoyed the game. The story was compelling not because I knew the intricate workings of the political climate between the Federation and the Klingons, but because it was well written, and expertly implemented. The three campaigns (Klingon, Romulan, and Federation) acted as sounding boards for different sides of the same story, and there was never a time when the plot suffered so there could be an equal number of missions for each campaign. Additionally, the RPG-like elements of starting with the command of a small ship, then working your way up through the ranks and buying better ships and equipment with points gained through successful mission completion are inspired. Sure, it’s not groundbreakingly original, but it works, and that’s what counts.

On the other hand, there are some rather irritating bugs in this game. Some are graphical, and some are balance related, but those of you without an Internet connection will be cut off from the patch that will doubtlessly make its appearance rather soon. You’ll also have to go without the wild multiplayer side of the game – a feature that is not to be missed.   



MATTHEW KATO   8
My first act as commander was, "Warp seven to Kirk's Planet of Green Women!" This wasn't possible, because Starfleet Command III is now set in the Next Generation universe. Besides, this series excels at sinking your torpedo into Klingons. I can't say enough about how cool and easy the interface was. At no time was I scratching my Tribbles in confusion. From landing marines to managing my firing arcs, it was a blast. This latter tactic was key in battle. I liked to perform the "ass shot," where I'd swivel around and fire my rear-facing weapons. By the time I completed my revolution, my forward armaments were ready to go. Best of all, recruiting new officers helps you optimize the performance of your ship, as do the MechWarrior-esque customizations of your craft. Now that my blood lust is satiated, where are those alien women with the phasers set to stun?
9.25
CONCEPT:
Enjoy a robust single and multiplayer Star Trek title with none of the guilt
GRAPHICS:
Great damage modeling, but there were some bugs and glitches that I could have done without
SOUND:
As with the other titles in this series, a lot of the audio from the shows and the films made its way into the
PLAYABILITY:
The camera and controls are still rather clunky, but that’s the nature of the beast
ENTERTAINMENT:
An excellent buy for both Trekkies and the PC faithful
REPLAY:
High
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