Star Trek: Elite Force II
| Star Trek: Elite Force II | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Ritual Entertainment[a] |
| Publisher(s) | Activision[b] |
| Director(s) | Jon Galloway |
| Designer(s) | Christopher A. Stockman |
| Programmer(s) | Steven Peeler, Doug Service |
| Artist(s) | Jon Galloway |
| Composer(s) | Zak Belica |
| Series | Star Trek: Voyager Star Trek: The Next Generation |
| Engine | id Tech 3 |
| Platform(s) | Windows,Mac OS X |
| Release | Windows Mac OS X |
| Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single-player,Multiplayer |
Star Trek: Elite Force IIis afirst-person shootervideo game developed byRitual EntertainmentandpublishedbyActivision.It was released on June 20, 2003 forMicrosoft Windowsand later forMac OS X.Elite Force IIis a sequel to 2000'sStar Trek: Voyager – Elite Force.Whereas the original game was powered by the first version ofid Software'sid Tech 3engine,Elite Force IIis based on a heavily modified version of theQuake III: Team Arenaengine with Ritual's ÜberTools GDK, allowing for expansive outdoor environments and higher qualityfacial animations.
Gameplay
[edit]InElite Force II,the mainprotagonistmakes his way through linear and strictly defined levels, encountering various kinds of hostile creatures along the way. He is often accompanied by members of the Hazard Team who cooperate with him. Thesecharactersoften help Munro enter areas or disable devices crucial for the plot to evolve.
There are total of 15 weapons (including thetricorder) at the player's disposal. All of them facilitate two modes of operation. The primary fire commonly releases a steady stream of shots (or energy bursts) inflicting low damage at a low ammo cost, while the secondary fire expends a larger amount of ammo to fire a much slower and more powerful blast. Allenergy-based weaponscan be recharged using terminals whileprojectile-based weaponsneed to be supplied with appropriate ammo. Health is replenished by activatingnanitesin player's suit using health stations.
AlthoughElite Force IIis afirst-person shooter,solving puzzles is also required. During thewaveformmodulation the player is presented with randomsine waveattributes of which must be exactly reproduced by using thetricorder.There are three options -amplitude,frequencyandoffsetmodulation - that accordingly alter the initial curve. On higher difficulty levels a factor of time is to be taken into account; if the protagonist does not complete the puzzle within the time limit, the waveform is generated again with different proportions. To help the player a composite visualization is present.
Powerroutingis needed when certain devices too difficult for the tricorder to modulate must be turned on. The objective is to connect two nodes on the opposite sides of the grid by manipulating pipes.
On higher difficulty levels, the number of nodes to be connected rises and a time limit is introduced. If player fails to solve the puzzle within the time frame, the pipes are reset to their original positions.
Inscripted situations,the main character may also choose a response from a predefined set which has an effect on the outcome of the discussion and possible repercussions. For instance if Munro offers a prisoner chance to escape, he ends up in prison himself. A preference regarding a love interest is also determined from the choice of dialogue options - the player can accept invitations from one of two femalenon-player characters.
Throughout the course of game, the player is given a possibility to collect golden starships (miniaturemodels of USSExcelsiorNX-2000) to unlock additional content in a form of six additional playable levels. There are a total of 81 starships, 70 of which are required to unlock the six secret maps accessible via the main menu.
Plot
[edit]Unlike the first game,Elite Force IIis largely set on board theUSS Enterprise-Estationed in theAlpha Quadrant.The game's storyline is a semi-sequel to the movieStar Trek: Nemesis,and the end ofStar Trek: Voyagerseries. Many of the members from the original Hazard Team reappear. However, only a few of the primary cast ofStar Trek: The Next Generationdid voice acting for the game, among themPatrick StewartasJean-Luc PicardandDwight SchultzasReginald Barclay.Tim Russreturned to do voice work asTuvok.Several actors fromStar Trekseriesprovided additional voice acting:Jeffrey Combs(Weyoun fromStar Trek: Deep Space NineandCommander ShranfromStar Trek: Enterprise) as one of the main villains;Tony Todd(KurnfromThe Next Generation) as Korban;J. G. Hertzler(MartokfromDeep Space Nine,plus roles inVoyagerandEnterprise) as Lurok; andVaughn Armstrong(Admiral ForrestinEnterprise) who contributed several character voices.
Robert O'Reillyvoices the character Krindo; he plays asGowronelsewhere in the franchise.[4]
In the game, the player reprises the role of Alexander Munro (voiced byRino Romano), aStarfleetlieutenant. During the first several levels Lieutenant Munro returns to the Alpha Quadrant with the rest of the Voyager's crew and is assigned to a teaching position atStarfleet Academy.Eventually he is transferred to the position of a newly formed Hazard Team's leader onEnterprise-Eunder the command of Captain Picard. There are also limited opportunities for exploring the ship between missions, reminiscent of the "Virtual Voyager" feature found inStar Trek: Voyager – Elite Force's expansion pack.
The game begins withVoyagertraveling through aBorg transwarp conduit(as seen in theVoyagerseries finale, "Endgame") when aBorg spherecaptures the ship. The Hazard Team, led byLieutenantMunro, is dispatched to destroy the sphere's dampeningfield.Voyagerthen breaks free from the Borg Sphere and returns to the Alpha Quadrant.
Considered to be redundant, the Hazard team is split up; Munro is assigned to teachsmall unit tacticsatStarfleet Academy.Two years later and after the events ofStar Trek: Nemesis,Captain Picard witnesses his performance and requests that Munro re-establish the Hazard Team for service on board theUSSEnterprise-E.Shortly after the reinstatement, theEnterprisereceives a distress call from theUSS Dallas,where Telsia Murphy, a former member of the Hazard Team, has been assigned as a security officer.
Once aboard, the Hazard Team encounters a race of aliens (later dubbed Exomorphs) who have commandeered the ship. After saving the remaining crew, Munro is reunited with Telsia, who joins the team. A nearby Attrexian station which theDallashad sought to aid is still besieged by the Exomorphs. When the defense systems are reactivated the remaining invaders abandon the station, leaving ion trails which theEnterprisefollows to the planet Idryll.
There the Hazard Team locates anarchaeologicalpost manufacturing the Exomorphs under control of Krindo, his father, and Kleeya (an optional love interest of the main character). The Idryll explain that the creatures turned hostile because of a malfunction. Kleeya later decides to stay on board theEnterprise,which upsets Krindo. His forcesinvadetheEnterprisein proximity of another Exomorph-infested colony, Taravar 7.
TheEnterprisefends off the attackers and the Hazard team is beamed to Taravar 7, where it aids the inhabitants. In a nearby factory, Krindo's crashed ship is discovered. Munro is captured, but is set free when Krindo witnesses his father's death at the hands of the Exomorphs he created, which no longer obey him. Munro then persuades him to help stop the Exomorphs and the two escape together.
On theEnterprise,Krindo confesses he made money by selling Idryllartifactsto aFerenginamed Omag. He surmises that Omag decoded the location of Master Control Facility, a place with the ability to override all other centers controlling Exomorphs. With Krindo's help, Omag is tracked to a nearbymercenarybase and captured.
During his interrogation, Omag reveals that the coordinates to the facility were sold to a secretRomulangroup called the Empty Crown. Munro infiltrates the base in a Romulan disguise and with the help of a spy retrieves the location of the Master Control Facility. However, when the informant declares her true allegiance to the Empty Crown, a fight ensues. Gonzalez, one of the Hazard Team members, subsequently sacrifices himself so that Munro can be transported to safety.
The final battle takes place in theRomulan Neutral Zone.Munro enters the facility where the remnants of Empty Crown forces reside under the leadership of Commander Suldok. While theEnterpriseis threatened byRomulan Warbirdsfor violating the Neutral zone, the final confrontation commences on the surface. It culminates with Munro defeating Suldok and confronting the overmind of Exomorphs, a creature called Archeopendra.
After the battle, Munro returns to theEnterprise,where Picard hands over the evidence regarding the Empty Crown and peacefully leaves the Neutral zone. He is also extremely pleased with the Hazard Team's performance and recommends the incorporation of similar units within Starfleet. In the last scene Alexander Munro is seen kissing either Telsia Murphy or Kleeya, depending on whose invitation he chose during the exploration of the ship.
Development
[edit]Towards the end of March 2002, rumors were reported that a sequel toElite Forcewas in development.[5]Activision confirmed these rumors at the beginning of April,[6]officially announcingStar Trek: Elite Force IIon April 4, 2002.[7]The game was the lastStar Trektitle to be developed under Activision's supervision, following a dispute withStar Treklicensing holder Viacom,[8]and was produced byRitual Entertainment.[9]LikeElite Force,Elite Force IIwas developed on the id Tech 3 game engine, one of the last games to do so.[7]Aportdeveloped by Westlake Interactive and published byAspyrforMac OS Xwas released in November 2003.[10]
In November 2003 Ritual Entertainment released thesource codeof their server-side code base for multiplayer gaming under a non-commercial license.[11][12]
Reception
[edit]| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | 78/100[13] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Computer Games Magazine |    [14] |
| Computer Gaming World | [15] |
| Edge | 6/10[16] |
| Eurogamer | 7/10[17] |
| Game Informer | 8.5/10[18] |
| GameRevolution | B+[19] |
| GameSpot | 7.9/10[20] |
| GameSpy | [21] |
| GameZone | 8.4/10[22] |
| IGN | 8.4/10[23] |
| PC Gamer(US) | 86%[24] |
| TheGamer | 78/100 |
Star Trek: Elite Force IIwas a commercial failure, and became Activision's finalStar Trektitle. Jon Galloway of Ritual Entertainment later said, "[W]ithin weeks of launch, we had several rounds of layoffs and it was a tragedy." Galloway and Activision attributed the game's poor sales to Viacom's handling of theStar Treklicense, which they argued had led to "stagnation" by the time ofElite Force II's release. Activision subsequently sued Viacom, which responded with acountersuit.James Hoyle ofDen of Geeklater summarized, "The parties settled in secret and the licence passed to other publishers."[25]Despite the poor sales,Elite Force IIreceived "generally favorable reviews" according to thereview aggregationwebsiteMetacritic.[13]
In 2017,PC GamerrankedStar Trek: Elite Force IIamong the bestStar Trekgames.[26]
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^Sulic, Ivan (2003-06-24)."Elite Force II Review".IGN.Retrieved2023-03-27.
- ^"What's New?".Eurogamer.net.2003-06-20.Retrieved2023-03-27.
- ^"Aspyr ships Star Trek Elite Force II".Macworld.Retrieved2023-03-27.
- ^Hudnall, Ken; Mercer, John (2004).Where No Car Has Gone Before.Omega Press.ISBN978-0-9754923-0-7.
- ^Sulic, Ivan (March 29, 2002)."Elite Force 2 (Preview)".IGN.Ziff Davis.RetrievedAugust 25,2018.
- ^Walker, Trey (April 2, 2002)."Elite Force 2 confirmed".GameSpot.CBS Interactive.Archived fromthe originalon July 18, 2012.RetrievedJanuary 5,2009.
- ^abSulic, Ivan (April 4, 2002)."Elite Force II Official".IGN.Ziff Davis.RetrievedAugust 25,2018.
- ^Thorsen, Tor (March 15, 2005)."Viacom and Activision end Star Trek squabble".GameSpot.CBS Interactive.RetrievedAugust 25,2018.
- ^Walker, Trey (April 4, 2002)."Star Trek Elite Force II announced".GameSpot.CBS Interactive.RetrievedAugust 25,2018.
- ^"Aspyr posts Elite Force II details".Macworld.Retrieved2023-03-27.
- ^"Elite Force 2 - Quellcode veröffentlicht".PC Games.November 6, 2003.
- ^"Elite Force I and II Tools and Files: Star Trek Elite Force I & II".GameBub.com.
- ^ab"Star Trek: Elite Force II for PC Reviews".Metacritic.CBS Interactive.RetrievedAugust 25,2018.
- ^"Star Trek: Elite Force II".Computer Games Magazine.theGlobe.com.September 2003. p. 75.
- ^Luo, Di (September 2003)."Star Trek: Elite Force II"(PDF).Computer Gaming World.No. 230. Ziff Davis. pp. 92–93.RetrievedAugust 25,2018.
- ^Edge staff (August 2003). "Star Trek: Elite Force II".Edge.No. 126.Future plc.
- ^Bramwell, Tom (June 24, 2003)."Star Trek: Elite Force II".Eurogamer.Gamer Network.RetrievedAugust 25,2018.
- ^Brogger, Kristian (August 2003)."Star Trek Elite Force 2".Game Informer.No. 124.GameStop.p. 100. Archived fromthe originalon November 22, 2008.RetrievedAugust 25,2018.
- ^Dodson, Joe (July 2003)."Star Trek Elite Force II Review".Game Revolution.CraveOnline.Archivedfrom the original on September 24, 2015.RetrievedAugust 24,2018.
- ^Kasavin, Greg (June 25, 2003)."Star Trek Elite Force II Review".GameSpot.CBS Interactive.RetrievedAugust 25,2018.
- ^Accardo, Sal (June 24, 2003)."GameSpy: Star Trek: Elite Force II".GameSpy.IGN Entertainment.RetrievedAugust 25,2018.
- ^McElfish, Carlos (August 4, 2003)."Star Trek: Elite Force II - PC - Review".GameZone.Archivedfrom the original on January 25, 2009.RetrievedAugust 25,2018.
- ^Sulic, Ivan (June 24, 2003)."[Star Trek] Elite Force II Review".IGN.Ziff Davis.RetrievedAugust 25,2018.
- ^Osborn, Chuck (September 2003)."Star Trek: Elite Force II".PC Gamer.Vol. 10, no. 9.Future US.p. 70. Archived fromthe originalon March 15, 2006.RetrievedAugust 25,2018.
- ^Hoyle, James (May 3, 2018)."Star Trek: The Activision Years and the Making ofElite Force I&II".Den of Geek.Archivedfrom the original on September 30, 2020.
- ^Cobbett, Richard (2017-09-25)."The best Star Trek games".PC Gamer.Retrieved2019-07-20.