Deep Space Nine: 

The Fallen

 

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A Techtite Review

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2000 was a very good year for Star Trek game fans. Not since Interplay's adventures like Star Trek Judgment Rites, or Spectrum Holobyte's Star Trek The Next Generation: A Final Unity, has there been Trek games as good. From Star Trek Armada to Voyager Elite Force, it's been a fun time, indeed. Now, the holidays brings along a third contender for the best-Trek-game-of-2000 throne, based on the Deep Space Nine series. Forget basing your "best of" opinions on what your favorite Trek spin-off is; this was very tough, for Trekkers to decide their favorite Trek game of 2000!

Deep Space Nine: The Fallen involves an ongoing story that is typical of the series. There is an experiment to uncover the power of the mysterious Bajoran Orbs, and as you might expect, this experiment goes terribly awry. However, who is conducting this experiment, and for what purpose? The answer in uncovered via numerous missions, that will take you from the Deep Space Nine station itself, to a derelict Federation vessel's crash site, to deep inside Cardassian space, and on and on. Each mission has its own set of goals, and these mini-puzzles of what to search for, enhance the action-game fun.

The best part of The Fallen is that there are three different ways to view the same story. You can play as either Worf, Major Kira, or Captain Sisko, with different results for each. While many missions are similar for all three, the pathways each one takes are totally different, as are their mission objectives. Some missions are even totally unique for that character, depending on the storyline arc for that person. Major Kira, for example, must help fight an attack on the planet Bajor itself. Captain Sisko must lead away missions to save various wounded federation officers. Worf, meanwhile, must defend the starship Defiant from an invasion force. One of the cooler "exclusive" missions to a character involves Kira's spy mission, made to look like a Cardassian. Many will want to play the game three times to see how each character's missions differ, greatly enhancing the replay value.

Because the game uses the Unreal Tournament game engine, the graphics are understandably spectacular. There are any number of moments when the viewer might understandably go, "Whoh," after seeing such excellently manufactured polygon worlds, with such elaborate textures. At one point, Sisko overlooks the wreckage of a massive starship in a dark cavern of an alien world; a sight almost worth the price of the game in itself. You then go into the crashed vessel via the airlock, and try to re-activate the ship's auxiliary generator so you can better explore; how cool!

People who want less story, more action, should not be disappointed, regardless of the superior story at play here. Most conversations are optional (especially when on the station between missions). On the other hand, many conversations are still worthwhile, thanks to several of the voices from the original cast: Michael Dorn (Worf), Nana Visitor (Major Kira), Rene Auberjonois (Odo), Armin Shimerman (Quark), and even Terry Farrel as Dax. Some might not like how the game is a flashback, prior to Ferrel's departure from the actual series, though I think including her was an excellent move, especially when she agreed to be the voice for the character.

Cutting through such movie scenes would be a mistake, however. With the help of the Miles Sound Engine, the overall storyline and cutscenes are excellently handled. In one scene, Sisko reaches an ancient stone tablet within an old Bajoran temple. As the haunting music plays in the background, the Sisko character moves his hands over the markings on the wall, trying to discern their meeting, as well as to enjoy the awe of what he's witnessing. It's one of many awesome cutscenes that enhance the game's otherwise redundant shoot-all-bad-guys subplot, which can sometimes get a bit tedious.

There are a few flaws in the game. The weapons, for example, are all from the series, though can often seem a bit cliche just the same. Other gamers might not like to take the time to enjoy the Training Mission, to discern this game's unusual twist in inventory control. At many times, you will run low on important supplies, like health kits and ammunition. You must then find a suitable place with your tricorder, that allows for a ship-to-surface transport, and ask the appropriate crewman (Dr. Bashir, for example) for the lacking items. I admit, this can be amusing at first (at one point, I needed to only call Bashir for an antitoxin, when poisoned at the start of a mission). However, when in heavy battle, with less and less inventory to come by, as you wait for your only no-ammo-needed weapon to recharge, finding a suitable beam-down location can slow things down a bit.

Regardless of such unique ways to deliver its excess power-ups, there is a lot to enjoy here. Admittedly, Deep Space Nine was one of my less-favorite of the Trek spin-offs, yet this game is a salute to the best moments of the series, so I still enjoyed it. For true fans of the series, it's a must-have purchase, as the best game-translation of the series that might ever be made.

	Final Rating : Large Crater. Another excellent Star Trek game this year! It may be frustrating in combat at times, and yet it's everything a Trekker wants.
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