Video game review: 'Star Trek Online'

Star Trek Online PC/$49.99/Feb. 2

In 1964, screenwriter and producer Gene Roddenberry developed "Star Trek," an NBC science-fiction series that followed the adventures of the Starship Enterprise and its crew. Over the next four decades, the franchise, including its many spinoffs, evolved from its humble beginnings as a campy adventure show to become one of the most recognizable pieces of sci-fi entertainment in the world. Now after six series, 11 feature films and enough memorabilia to cover the surface of Mars, Cryptic Studios is ready to send fans into space to experience their own epic adventure thanks to "Star Trek Online."

Set your phasers to stun, grab some dilithium crystals, and prepare to delve headfirst into the legends and lore of the "Star Trek" universe. This massively multiplayer online role-playing game will have you saving the galaxy as a captain of a Federation starship or conquering it in your Klingon Warbird. As you pursue your mission to either help or hurt the Federation, you'll fly at warp speed from planet to planet visiting iconic places and making contact with strange, alien species.

In "Star Trek Online," you are the captain. While on your ship, you'll choose the missions that your crew will tackle, whether it's an explosive space battle or a journey to unexplored places. While space combat and universe-spanning travel would be enough to satiate any Trekker's appetite, that's only half the adventure. For the first time in an MMORPG, gamers will have the opportunity to send teams to the planet's surface or to other starships to gain allies and battle enemies. While on the ground, you'll command five underlings who will either survive thanks to your brilliant leadership or die like the many red shirts who came before them.

At the onset of the game, you'll experience Cryptic's amazing customization though both starship and alien species creation. Each ship you command will be fully customizable to meet your needs while still staying true to the source material. By creating your own alien species, you'll be granted the unique opportunity to see your bug-eyed beast strolling among the familiar locales of the "Star Trek" universe.

With its vast universe to explore, strange creatures to meet and epic battles to participate in, "Star Trek Online" is thoroughly prepared to take you where no gamer has gone before.

Media Link: Check out "Star Trek" marathons on Syfy starting with "Star Trek: Enterprise" Monday, Feb. 1, followed by "Star Trek: The Next Generation" on Tuesday, Feb. 2.

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