While Star Trek: Invasion never quite reaches the
lofty heights of the Colony Wars games, it's still worth a look even if
you're not a green-blooded trekker. Set in the time line of
the Next Generation TV and film series, Invasion has you cast in the role of a fighter pilot
destined for a big part in the upcoming war against the Earth-bound
Borg. The Borg is not the only Trek race to show up
in here; the Cardassians, Klingons, and Bajorans are all along, too.
Speaking of the Trek gang, actors Michael Dorn as
Worf and Patrick Stewart as Captain Picard contribute good voice acting
to an all-around solid production. The visuals in Invasion are uniformly sharp and show an attention
to detail that almost makes the old PlayStation beg for mercy. The
planets, the ships, the explosions (especially the explosions!) are
topnotch. The music, however, is painfully repetitive. Disturbingly,
the controls in Invasion are way too sensitive for
all but the most die-hard space jockeys. The Valkyrie space fighters
often make too wide a turn, resulting in constant misfires and untimely
deaths. Perhaps because it is set in the more politically
correct universe of Star Trek, Invasion does lack the Colony Wars games' level of
intense, gritty combat, and its story isn't nearly as engaging. Yet,
for a laser blast-filled journey into the final frontier, it's still a
fun ride.