PSP - Star Trek: Tactical Assault

Format
PSP
Publisher
Bethesda Games
Developer
Quicksilver Soft
Country of origin
US
Release date
October 2003 (US)
Genre
Real time strategy

First Look at Star Trek : Tactical Assault

By David Rasmussen
17th Sep 06

Do you remember the LAST time we sat here talking about a Star Trek video game?
It wasn’t a happy time, as I remember it. Most definitely was NOT a happy time.
The victim… uh, I mean the GAME was Star Trek : Shattered Universe (PS2).
The Trek star at the helm of the game was George Takei.
The problem with the game… was it was a generic space shooter that really didn’t shine like the series it was based on (despite the fact the whole “game” was laid out to resemble a batch of “episodes” right down to the “trademark” ending credits at the end of the game.

You know what? When Star Trek originally came out Gene Roddenberry wanted an intellectual Trek, take note of his first batch of pilots if you don’t believe me. First we had The Cage (which didn’t see the light of television day in it’s original form as opposed to it’s two part incarnation as The Menagerie until years later) which was deemed too cerebral. Then we had Where No Man Has Gone Before which also didn’t cut the TV mustard… it wasn’t until The Man Trap did we finally get a “pilot” up that worked, though (technically speaking) The Man Trap was several episodes into the series and not Episode 1 despite the fact that it was the first episode aired this September of 40 years ago (if memory serves me correctly).
I guess then, well, it made sense that Gene Roddenberry would later mock the system in his episode “Bread & Circuses” where Kirk & company found themselves on a planet of the Roman Empire where TV was dominated by the need for ACTION over intellectual thought (in this case in the form of gladatorial combat).

Sadly, it seems the people who make Star Trek games never really caught on to the whole Gene Roddenberry dissatisfaction with the overtly action driven genre despite the fact several Trek episodes had a nice action punch to it because they seem to ONLY fixate on making games about shooting things, and making things die (something I’m sure Gene Roddenberry is not all too happy about from his place on high).
And yes, if you thought the 40th Anniversary of Trek would be a great time to change the pace and bring back a game like Star Trek : Judgement Rites where exploration, role playing and good old fashioned Trek comradery in the form of one Kirk, one Spock and one McCoy would make a comeback… well, sad for you that ain’t happening.

Because apparently nobody learned much from the failing of Star Trek to become the next Star Wars : Rogue Squadron we present to you Star Trek : Tactical Assault… because somebody must. Pray the game is at least more fun than my coming criticism of it. Please.

This might be playable though (moreso on the PSP since you can go out to Star Trek conventions and challenge fellow or rival Trekkies to a little one on one). Unlike it’s big console counterparts which mingles all five franchises of Trek into one game, this one (thankfully) remembers that we’re in the middle of Star Trek (the original) 40th Anniversary by giving us a whole game set entirely in the original universe setting of the 23rd Century. Set, apparently, in the time of the movies (because all ships seen in screenshots seem to be Movie era ships though I’m hoping this game features unlockable TV Series ship content) you leave behind the prewritten and overly scripted pace of Shattered Universe for a more freeform tactical realtime strategy game for 1 to 2 players.

Featuring a wide array of authentic Star Trek races are here, of which five (Federation, Klingons, Romulans, the seldom used Gorn and the Orion Pirates) are at your disposal during gameplay. With each of these you’ll find a full fleet of vessels will be at your disposal, each packing the weaponry of the original Trek universe for your shooting pleasure. From taking command of the Federation, to rolling roughshot as the commander of a Klingon taskforce, you’ll be heading out into the wide galaxy to outthink and outduel your rivals. This, of course, means the game’s AI better be at top condition because any flaws in the AI will mean flaws in gameplay which will drag down the experience.
This, by the way, is carried out either through Single Player mode (Campaign mode) or head to head in wireless multiplayer action (though I have to admit being abit sad that multiplayer isn’t as exciting as it could be as only 2 players can go at it).

Other things of note.
The game IS based on the six Star Trek movies (The Motion Picture, Wrath of Khan, Search for Spock, Voyage Home, Final Frontier and Undiscovered Country) so you’ll get to see quite abit of things from those including new vessels (since, of course, the Romulans, Gorns and Orions never appeared in the movies in terms of ship appearances).

Ride shotgun with Kirk in command of the Enterprise… now they didn’t say that you’d be riding shotgun with William Shatner though, just Kirk. I.e. if William Shatner isn’t reprising his role as Kirk here then don’t be surprised and all. However this MIGHT signify that there’s unlockable content that might open up a TV Series campaign or the ability to use classic TV Series vessels (including new designs for Gorn/Orion vessels).

Multiple starships can have at it at the same time with realtime combat that can withstand having that much tonnage of spaceship on the field at the same time.

Because this IS realtime strategy it means you won’t have the option of thinking out every move (unless you, I don’t know, pause the game or turn your PSP off to think) because realtime means realtime, and every second counts as you attempt to outmove and outwit rival forces gunning for weak spot while protecting your own vunerabilities.

Two full Campaign modes are available, but this (it seems) is not so much TV Series and Movie Campaign as it is Federation/Klingon Empire campaign… no, apparently not enough was thought of the Romulans, Gorn and Orions to give them their own campaigns (if this was a Star Trek:TNG game you‘d get Romulan Campaign mode for certain), they’re just for multiplayer and filler races for campaign missions.

Missions come with abit of freeform gameplay as outcomes branches your Campaign into different tangents, meaning that playing the same Campaign may NOT net you the same missions and results as the slightest variance can send you down a different road with each playing of the game (each changing the aspects of the campaign as well as the ultimate outcome of your campaign… in theory).

Head to Head gameplay, however lacking in this version is a true multiplayer where more than two people can have at it (a missed opportunity).

Skirmish mode (probably for single player useage) as well as multiplayer gives you the option to pick from Federation, Klingon, Romulan, Gorn and Orion for some quick and dirty one-on-one fighting. Each fleet has their own combat philosophy as well as strengths and weaknesses, which is vital to note as no two races here will react the same meaning a tactic used to success for one of these five will not work for the other (meaning you’ll need to have a different mindset when approaching each of these in turn).

This is a first look, but the game has already leaped forward with abit of promise and a few flaws right off the bat.
The realtime strategy, coupled with a sense of freeform gameplay (where the game can change depending on your choices made in battle) and the individuality of each of the five powers (meaning you have to take each power’s strengths and weaknesses into account in order to properly manage them in combat) stands out as positive things that might make this the PSP game to own for Star Trek fans.
However the fact that it’s ANOTHER shooter set in space, and the lack of a real multiplayer option drags down the game at the same time.

Let’s hope the pluses outweight the minuses and the needs of the many outweighted the needs of the few or the one as we look forward to Star Trek : Tactical Assault in a few weeks. Until then, live long and perspire… uh… prosperos… uh… oh, just come back in a few weeks for the full review! Bye!

-- David Rasmussen 17th Sep 06

PSP Star Trek: Tactical Assault Images