This has to be the work of Khan, right? "KHAAAAAAAN!"
You'd think that the ability to play in co-op would be a saving grace for Star Trek, as you can have a friend join in and "help you out". In some cases, it is rather innovative, like when Kirk is lying on an operating table, shooting Gorn soldiers, while Spock plays a mini game to revive him. But it's flawed in two different areas. First off, when trying to reach new areas or open doors, the object indication is finicky. You have to be standing in EXACTLY the right spot for it to activate. Second, the online connectivity is iffy. Those of you who tried the PC version of the game know just what I'm talking about. Console connectivity doesn't fare too much better. When it clicks, it's all right, but it's hardly perfect.
Considering what a great job Digital Extremes did on its last game, The Darkness II, I expected Star Trek to be a glimmering example of the films in video game form. Eh, it's okay. The Gorn do look quite menacing, and some of the level designs are interesting (like one where you have to run around an anti-gravity hull while flame waves shoot out at you), but mostly it's a clunky mess, with too many glitches and bland textures to point out. Even the characters don't look that good. Yes, Kirk and Spock are represented by their real-life actor models, Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto, but once they start talking, they look like first-generation tech pieces. The confusing space sequences don't help, mainly because of camera hang-ups and very few indications of incoming enemies. This could've been polished so much better.
The audio is an improvement compared to the visuals, mostly due to Pine and Spock, who deliver their dialogue in a fair, humorous manner, as they do in the films. But you hear their bits and pieces all too often, and in the most obvious of places. There are times you'll realize you need something to open a door (like a power cell) and, over and over, these guys will tell you, "Hey, we should get a power cell to open the door." But then there are other times you need a prompt to figure out where to go – like across that bridge, for example – and they say nothing. So they're useless in some cases, and completely non-helpful in others. Thanks, guys. The music's not bad and the sound effects are authentic enough, but you'll be too busy drowning out the volume on the repetitive dialogue to take it all in.
I expected more from Star Trek, probably because of my excitement for the upcoming Into Darkness sequel (due in a couple of weeks) and the way I loved the original 2009 film, lens flares and all. But Namco Bandai failed to capitalize on a good thing, thanks to shoddy bugs that may never be fixed, bad level design that mixes far too often with the very few good ones, and iffy co-op that never lives up to its innovative potential. If you're a true Trek fan, proceed with caution and rent it from Redbox. Otherwise, skip it. Making a purchase would be, as Spock puts it, "illogical."
Score: 4 / 10
