![]() Spelling the impact of choices out more clearly in the pause menu makes things more engaging (and tense) than the anodyne “That character will remember your decision,” indicator which became the, er, telltale sign of a Telltale game. If anything, it appears that they’ve internalized some of the more persistent criticisms of the Telltale game experience. This approach to blending narrative and mechanics, therefore, is well within the team’s wheelhouse. Dramatic Labs, after all, is made up of former Telltale Games staff who opened a new studio in the wake of Telltale’s sudden 2018 implosion and subsequent mass layoffs. ![]() If this style of game sounds somewhat familiar, that shouldn’t be a surprise - Star Trek: Resurgence is a narrative adventure title in the vein of Telltale Games’ many licensed series adaptations. Like the TV shows’ famously soft action chops, these parts of Star Trek: Resurgence aren’t the most exciting examples of cinematic gameplay, but they’re never so awkward or overlong that they damage one’s will to continue. Other sequences have characters scanning anomalies and alien structures with Tricorders, or conducting rudimentary combat and stealth actions. The minigames take advantage of Star Trek‘s unique approach to user interfaces, with characters (usually Carter) manipulating LCARS screens to clear interference from a transporter signal or reel a distressed shuttle into the Resolute’s hangar bay. The decisions and dialogue are interspersed with more active stretches, usually involving minigames or QTE-style button prompts. It’s a user interface feature I wish I had in real life - my interpersonal relationships would be much clearer if I could immediately tell which of my actions enraged people or left them with “mixed feelings.” Resurgence makes this focus quite clear from the outset, and at any time, players can pause and see a detailed description of every character’s reaction to their choices. Most of the choices involve making a decision and then seeing its effect on Jara and Carter’s relationships with the people around them, both friend and foe. Carter is torn between his unenviable tasks doing the ‘dirty jobs’ assigned to the lower decks crew and his ambition to have a greater role in the ship’s operations. Jara must balance the need to be loyal to Captain Solano while forming bonds with the rest of the senior staff and her duty as a Starfleet officer. Whereas the TV series of old were more ensemble affairs, the Resolute’s mission centers around the activities, choices, and relationships of Jara and Carter. It’s in this way, and via its focus on two viewpoint characters, that Star Trek: Resurgence‘s storytelling style takes its cues more from newer Trek like Discovery and Picard. ![]() But for the most part, Resurgence is a fresh tale that makes its own mark on the larger canon established by the shows. The core plot draws from the premise of the TNG episode “The Last Outpost”, and features cameo appearances by Trek alumni William Riker (played by Jonathan Frakes) and Ambassador Spock (played by the strikingly spot-on voice performance of Piotr Michael). Looming even larger than this issue is a crisis at the edge of space - two formerly peaceful alien races are on the brink of war, and the Resolute is the only ship available to help them reach a peaceful solution. The Resolute herself isn’t in the best shape, as the aftermath of a deadly incident prior to the player’s arrival tore a rift in the trust between the crew and their leader, Captain Solano. Players are thrust into the uniforms of two original characters - The Resolute’s newly-assigned First Officer, Commander Jara Rydek, and an Engineering department go-getter, Petty Officer Carter Diaz. Resolute, a Centaur-class vessel operating at the edge of Federation space. Taking place in the Star Trek: The Next Generation timeline and set sometime after the conclusion of Star Trek: Nemesis, Resurgence follows the Starfleet ship U.S.S. Rather than basing it on an established TV series, Dramatic Labs opted to center their work around an entirely new ship and cast. One point where Star Trek: Resurgence sets itself apart from other Trek games is that it tries to make something original out of its familiar framework, both in terms of gameplay and narrative. I’m happy to say that despite some stumbles, Dramatic Labs’ Have come out over the years, few can be said to have truly felt like a Trek Into the ultimate geek medium have resulted in an array of titles spanning Decades of attempts to channel the ultimate geek franchise ![]() Space may be the final frontier, but videogames based on Star Trek are WTF Why isn’t there a model of the U.S.S. LOW …that’s marred by technical hiccups and a familiar approach to narrative game design. HIGH A gripping adventure experience that perfectly captures the best parts of Star Trek… To Boldly Go Where This Kind of Game Has Gone Before ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |