By Stevie Smith Feb 22, 2008, 7:20 GMT
As unpredictable as their big-screen Hollywood counterparts, videogames based on the ever-popular Star Trek franchise haven’t exactly matched fan expectations as of late, with one underachieving release following the next.
Bethesda Softworks confirms European arrival of Star Trek: Conquest. Credit: Bethesda.
Of course, that doesn’t mean developers and publishers are closing a creative vein that could gush forth an awful lot of profit and renown (in that order) if tapped correctly.
Long time Star Trek developer Bethesda Softworks (The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion) has this week announced that Star Trek: Conquest, a new sci-fi adventure set in ‘The Next Generation’ era of the series, will be coming soon to European owners of the Nintendo Wii and PlayStation 2 systems.
Now, before Star Trek fans jump up and down with unbridled joy upon seeing Bethesda’s name attached to Conquest, it’s perhaps worth bearing in mind that while Oblivion is a truly standout title, Bethesda has also produced a stream of promising Star Trek titles that all failed to deliver.
Moreover, Star Trek: Legacy, Star Trek: Encounters, Star Trek: Tactical Assault, and Star Trek: Conquest (US) have all found themselves struggling to surpass a Metacritic review average of 64/100... Not a sure sign of critical acclaim.
That being said, Star Trek has its unflappable fans in Europe, so perhaps the sci-fi turn-based strategy of Star Trek: Conquest may fair better in the UK, Germany, France, etc, than it did in North America. Somehow we doubt it.
Either way, here’s what you can expect from the Nintendo Wii version:
Players take control of Federation, Klingon, Romulan, Cardassian, Dominion, and Breen forces and lead them in a campaign to control the Galaxy, one planet at a time. Build and manage your growing empire in turn-based strategy, fully utilising the Wii Remote as you select and maneuver your starships throughout the large, galactic map.Strategically, you must effectively manage limited resources to expand your empire. You decide how to best achieve objectives by managing your fleets and admirals, building support structures, researching technology, and engaging your enemies in combat.Once battle is initiated, Conquest switches to a ship level tactical view allowing direct command of your ships as you engage in real-time combat. While maneuvering your starship with the Nunchuk, take direct aim and fire away with the Wii Remote.Star Trek: Conquest is scheduled for release before the end of March.
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