The Federation is trying desperately to preserve ataraxis in a disorderly galaxy shattered by warfare . Violent Klingons and bizarre foreign invaders threaten . Sounds like the earliest days of Star Trek , but this is the Galax urceolata ’s future in Star Trek Online .
Star Trek Online begins in the yr 2409 , 30 years after the events of Star Trek : scourge . More importantly , it ’s just over 20 year since Spock traveled back in time after the destruction of the Romulan homeworld . That issue destabilized the galaxy , cascading into a chain of events that puts an emphasis on warfare rather than peaceful exploration .
While the game incorporates elements of the J.J. Abrams Star Trek film as they impress the “ quality ” Trek timeline , there is no reference to “ nu - Kirk ” and the other rebooted characters . As soon as Spock go back in time , he create a divergent timeline . The activity of the reboot characters do n’t feign events in the long - established Trek canon . Still , the Federation is left to mete out with the aftermath of Romulus ’ death , which did materialise in the prime timeline .
That backwash includes the Klingons reverting to their former strong-growing stance , rifle to warfare against both the Romulans and the Gorn . To further complicate matters , the Klingons trust the Federation has been infiltrated by the Undine , a backwash you in all probability know well as Species 8472 . The Undine have build up some variety of shapeshifting technology , and have credibly infiltrated the Klingon Empire as well . That gives the whole position a nice loony toons of Cold War paranoia .
The Klingons are n’t the only antagonists , however . The tutorial mission ingest you through a sudden , bizarre attack by some malfunction Borg . The somewhat uproarious amour propre that every histrion gets to captain his or her own ship directly out of Starfleet Academy is play off as , “ It ’s wartime , kid . ” Fair enough .
It ’s an challenging set - up , and directs the Star Trek mythos in a more action - oriented direction ( although it begins to feel like the extended Star Wars universe , with the endless cycles of benevolent Republic becoming corrupt Empire being overthrown by plucky Rebels who forge a freehearted Republic ) . Are the case in Star Trek Online official canon ? Really , nothing beyond TV episodes and film is “ prescribed , ” and even then there are contradictions that cause some lover to indicate against sure episodes reckon toward canon . It is honorable to deal the secret plan “ soft canon , ” like the novels and comic books .
Of course , you ca n’t in reality cease the storyline in an online biz ; there can never be any true cathartic sexual climax that gives you any sentience of resolution . As one player with a lot of experience playing in Star Trek Online ’s unfastened beta put it :
I got the sense that the story is moving to where they can almost - but - not - quite seamlessly infix two paid expansion packs allow you represent Romulans and Cardassians and/or Changelings . The Borg are going to be bugaboo to be pulled out for goal - game content whenever they have a hole that needs to be plug .
So the status quo of the Trek cosmos was shifted drastically prior to the game ’s launch , but do n’t expect thing to exchange much as long as people are paying their monthly subscription fees .
The story is interesting , if a bit open - all over , but is it any playfulness to toy ? At times it feels like the culmination of every Trek fans ’ ultimate dream , to walk around the residence hall of Earth Spacedock interacting with Federation officials , fit Sulu ’s awkwardly distinguish expectant - grandson , in reality being in Starfleet . When you depend out the notice deck window and see the limitless gulfs of place , it ’s reasonably cool . When you ’re warping across the galaxy and receive a hail from the full admiral ask you to ascertain out a spacial anomaly in the Paulson Nebula , that ’s pretty cool . Also cool : the ability to customise your lineament , including creating your own alien raceway ; customizing your ship ’s design , including the lighting on your bridge ; developing a specialized solidifying of attainment within your chosen discipline ( scientific discipline , engineering or tactical ) .
Less cool is the unwieldy ground combat on aside missions , which all seem to drop into a basic shoot - pica em - up that feel very un - Trekky . The lack of full three - dimensional space combat is also a pull . Starships maneuver like underpowered airplanes , ineffective to loop , roll or deviate from the arbitrary flat “ sheet ” of space by more than 45 degrees . Ultimately , grind through blank fighting to increase membership got boring very quickly . My Vulcan scientific discipline officer ( T’Rell … and it took a major act of willpower to not name her T’Pain ) felt dead outmatched in armed combat , both on the ground and in space . Since that seems to be the secret plan ’s major focus , most missions left me frustrated .
If you do it Star Trek , or just the idea of captain your own spaceship , Star Trek Online is worth a look . At its core , it offers a way to interact with a beloved mythos in a way we ’ve never really had before . Will the thrill of shifting baron to the advancing carapace , firing fusillade of photon torpedos at a Bird of Prey and clicking your engineer ’s “ emergency buckler power ” button while shout , “ I ’m givin ’ ‘ er all she ’s got ! ” make up for the mechanical frustration ? I guess it depends on how much those rank pips on your Starfleet uniform mean to you .
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