Overview

Developer: Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Star Trek - Elite Force official page: http://www.ravensoft.com/eliteforce/

More Star Trek - Elite Force resources

Elite Force is the second FPS game to be based on the Star Trek license; I have to say it's looking pretty good so far. Specifically, Elite Force is based on the starship Voyager storyline. You know, the starship that gets tossed 70,000 light-years from any known part of space, only to start a 70-year journey back towards earth. In case you still don't recall, maybe Seven will jog your memory.

Your role in this game comes in the form of a new force called the Hazard Team. (Boss Hog is in no way involved.) As a member of the chosen few, your task is to tackle all the away-missions that might be dangerous, or any situation that might require you to keep those Borg in check. What it boils down to is - if it needs a gun, you are there.

Crack?

Man he always dies

The low down

Story-wise, the game is fairly compelling; it all starts when Voyager responds to a distress signal, only to be attacked. In the ensuing battle, Voyager is somehow transported to a region of space that is filled with derelict starships. As if this wasn't bad enough, raiding parties and an unknown machine keeps them from leaving this region of space.

So far, the single player scenario seems pretty linear. That might change as we go along, but for the time being, the levels are pretty straightforward. Walk down a corridor, make the only left you can make and keep going. Walk to the only door that you can open - open it. Thankfully the cut-scenes and story are keeping this together for me.

Victor?

Eerie

Weapons

This being a first person shooter and all, the topic of guns is bound to come up. Expect everything you've seen in the television series, Star Trek movies, and then some. The ubiquitous phaser is the starting weapon, the shotgun a la Quake. All in all, there are nine weapons that can be picked up; each one has a primary and secondary function. Most seem to be Trekkie-esque versions of tried and true staples such as the railgun, shotgun, and gattling gun. Essentially you take an ordinary weapon such as a shotgun and make it an order of magnitude sparklier - Boom! You have Elite Force weaponry.

Here's where it gets strange. If the developers were to keep the weaponry true to the Star Trek world, you would be dead after one hit. I'm sure we've all seen the phaser or disruptor vaporize its target in numerous shows. To make the game a bit more interesting, the weapons do have quite a bit of leeway. It wouldn't be much fun if every weapon smacked you down to zero health.

Falling...

willow wisps?

Multiplayer

We gave the multi-player aspect a run, with expectations kept rather low. Most new games that aren't hyped as big as Quake 3 or Unreal Tournie don't gather a big multi-player following for some time. To our surprise, we found quite a few servers up and running through the in-game server browser. I think one word would sum up my experiences quite well - psychedelic. All the weapons spew some colorful barrage of death, creating something out of a stoner-hippy flashback sequence. Currently, you can play either deathmatch or capture the flag online, I'm sure this will change as time progresses.

So kick back for a few days, and wait for our full review. Hopefully our thoughts on this game will stay positive. Until then, munch on a whole bowl full of screenshots.