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Elite
force is based on the populare tv-series Star Trek: Voyager. In
Elite Force, you play as Alex, or Alexandra and you are part of
the Hazard Team, which is part of the starship Voyager's crew. You
have to go on all kinds of dangerous missions and, of course, you'll
encounter a lot of blood-thirsty enemies.
If
you're a Star Trek fan you'll love this game, because you'll meet
all the characters from the tv-series and in certain mission you
can explore parts of Voyager.
Gameplay
Elite
force plays very well. The controls are pretty straightforward and
very easy to use, And like a typical FPS, the levels are made for
easy navigation. Don't expect Tomb Raider style jumping and climbing.
The interface looks like a star-trek style computer console and
works very well. One strange thing is that you have to start a seperate
program for multiplayer games.
The
levels are very nice. There are clear differences between the different
environments and you'll have to solve simple puzzles throughout
the game. Most of them are quite easy to solve, but fun nonetheless.
One
thing that sets this game apart from others is the team-play element.
Even though this is not quite as good as Raven Games promised, it
gives you the feeling of being part of a team. All the team members
have a different character and when you finish the game you really
have the feeling that you know them well.
The
story unfolds through in-game cutscenes. These are done very nicely
and do a good job putting the levels together. The story is very
good, much better than the usual FPS stories.
SCORE:
4.5
(Very good, perhaps the best since Half-life storywise)
Game
Engine & Mechanics
Graphically
the game is great. It uses the Quake 3 engine, which is known to
be very good. Level architecture is great, texturing is also good.
Overall the environments are dark and SciFi. And there aren't too
many big open spaces. The laser beams and explosions look very realistic.
A 3D Graphics Accelerator is required though.
The
computer AI is mediocre. Sometimes the enemies just stand in place,
waiting for you to kill them. Also, a team member gets stuck occasionally
and they're not too bright in combat.
Multiplayer is very nice. The standard game types are all present
and there are plenty of levels to play in. As a nice addition the
game features bots, computer controlled opponents. Unlike the single
player equivalent these are quite intelligent.
To
play online without lag though, you'll need a broadband connection.
Some players might have problems starting the game, because the
game uses OpenGl instead of the usual choice DirectX.
The sound quality is very good. The voicing is also done very well.
For the crew members that appear in the tv-series the real voices
are used, something fans will appreciate.
On
the whole Elite Force is easy to play. There are three difficulty
settings and you can learn the game by playing a tutorial.
SCORE: 4.5
(Very good, but again not exceptional)
Christian
Sense
The
game is pretty Christian friendly. There is no gore at all and there
are no references to christianity (not that anything in Star Trek
would ever consider that Christianity survived into their century,
or any earth religion for that matter). There is an occasional reference
to telepathy and meditation, which is typical for a star trek related
thing. Both telepathy and meditation are presented as normal human
(or non-human) abilities.
SCORE:
3+
(not christian un-friendly, except for some references to telepathy
and meditation)
Overall
Score
This
is a fun game and definitely worth buying, especially if you're
a Star Trek fan. Except for some minor problems like the bad AI
and the fact that the OpenGL engine can cause problems, the game
is perfect. Elite Force is also a great game for mainstream gamers,
because the game is not too difficult and there's no gore.
OVERALL
SCORE: 4
Hilko
Block
Final
Score
Highlights: Excellent
Graphics and great gameplay and story arc.
Lowlights:
Bad AI and OpenGL can be a problem for some system setups. Online
play needs a fast connection to be fun.
Hints:
Stealth is sometimes
very important.
Recommendation:
If
you are a fan of the TV series or Star Trek, this is a good choice..
Age Appropriateness:
Teens +.
Christian
Sense (CS): 3+
- One of the more Christian-friendly of the First Person Shooter,
not because it presents anything specifically Christian but because
of what it doesn't do: No blood/gore, not a dark and evil feeling
game.
Game Engine
(GE): 4.5
- Uses Quake 3 engine very well.
Game Play
(GP): 4.5-
Nothing incredibly inovative but it does most everything very well.
Overall:
4
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