Developed and published by Interplay Productions in 1992, this game immerses you in the iconic Star Trek universe. You’ll assume the role of Captain James T. Kirk, leading the USS Enterprise and its courageous crew on various missions.
This gaming masterpiece continued its legacy with the release of its 1993 sequel, Star Trek: Judgment Rites, which offered an epic conclusion to this two-game series.
Gameplay: Captaining the USS Enterprise
In Star Trek: 25th Anniversary, you step into the boots of the legendary Captain James T. Kirk, taking command of the USS Enterprise, the Starfleet vessel known from the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Original Series.
The gameplay seamlessly switches between two primary modes:
The Main Bridge View
From the main bridge view, you’ll navigate your starship through the cosmos. The bridge operations are divided across various crew members, each with unique responsibilities. Montgomery Scott manages the shields and power controls, Pavel Chekov takes charge of navigation, and Hikaru Sulu governs the ship’s orbit, among others.
Away Missions
When an away team is dispatched to a planet or space station, the game switches to a third-person perspective. This mode comes to life when the crew explores the unknown, but it can also become the battleground for thrilling encounters.
Key Gameplay Features
- Engage in epic space battles with control over the USS Enterprise.
- Interact with the iconic characters of Kirk, Spock, and Leonard McCoy.
- Assemble your away team, which includes one of eight different redshirts (be warned, many may meet their doom during missions).
- Utilize a point-and-click interface via your mouse to navigate and interact with the game.
Plot
The game is structured into a series of episodes, each commencing with a message from Starfleet Command. The missions within the episodes blend ship-to-ship combat with third-person adventure segments featuring your away team.
Here are the captivating episodes you can expect:
1. Demon World
In the “Demon World” episode, settlers from a religious sect report mysterious attacks by “Demons” near their mining operation. Captain Kirk must unveil the truth behind these otherworldly assaults.
2. Hijacked
When the USS Masada fails to report in, it’s up to the USS Enterprise to uncover the mystery. The ship has been captured by Elasi Pirates, holding the crew hostage. Kirk must devise a plan to recover the ship and its crew without harm.
3. Love’s Labor Jeopardized
Romulans have breached the Neutral Zone, launching an attack on the Federation Research Station Ark 7. This attack triggers a biohazard crisis that Kirk and his crew must manage while dealing with the Romulan threat.
4. Another Fine Mess…..
Responding to a distress call from a ship under pirate attack, the USS Enterprise finds none other than Harry Mudd involved. Follow the trail to a derelict alien spacecraft, as Kirk’s crew unravels the connection between the derelict, the pirates, and Harry Mudd.
5. Feathered Serpent
A Klingon battle fleet is poised to breach Federation space in pursuit of a “War Criminal.” The USS Enterprise must locate this fugitive to avert a potentially devastating war.
6. That Old Devil Moon
Unexplained energy readings emanate from a colossal asteroid on a collision course with a pre-warp star system. Kirk and his team must contend with an ancient nuclear missile base that remains oblivious to the fact that the war ended a millennium ago. Their mission is to prevent it from obliterating the native civilization once more.
7. Vengeance
Answering a distress call from the USS Republic, the USS Enterprise discovers the ship on the brink of destruction. Kirk’s formidable task is to decipher the cause of the destruction and thwart those responsible from striking again.
Notably, the CD version of this mission offers a longer and more complex experience compared to the original floppy version, which primarily consists of a brief away team segment followed by an extensive ship-to-ship combat sequence.
In the CD-ROM edition’s aftermath, a title card pays tribute to Gene Roddenberry, accompanied by a voiceover by William Shatner, who celebrates the legacy of the man who brought this iconic universe to life.
Play Star Trek: 25th Anniversary online
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