Star Trek: Elite Force II

So if you like to shoot fancy lasers, beam, and pulse weapons, explore strange planets, bounce around the outer hull of the Enterprise, wade through murky swamps, jump across lakes of bubbling lava, or sneak through the gutted remains of a drifting Starship then look no further.

The "Quake III" engine has been stretched to its limits here, but it still gets the job done. [Sept 2003, p.70]

Elite Force 2 is a solid FPS sequel that improves on the original game in all areas.

Delivers with an expert mix of action and suspense, and a robust array of weaponry. [Aug 2003, p.100]

The combat can get a little mundane at times and some of the weapons seem truly outlandish by Star Trek standards, but the cinematic pacing, outstanding storyline, and addictive multiplayer modes should keep fans of the FPS genre and Star Trek alike happy as a Ferengi in a Latinum-plated bathtub.

Front to back, with a few mind numbing gooey portions in the middle that should be spat into a napkin aside, EFII is a solid, fast, but always dumb action romp.

The game plays out like an extended TV episode in which you have to solve a great mystery - only this mystery gets solved mostly with guns and ammo. [Sept 2003, p.63]

Full of impressive features and offers very solid FPS fun. A strong sequel all the way, and with a little attention given to linearity and dialogue options/romances, this series could go where no FPS has gone before.

Star Trek fan or no, there is plenty of fun to be had in this shooter that takes a tired concept and makes it a joy from beginning to end.

This game just feels like Star Trek. Star Trek with big, death-dealing guns. Star Trek that kicks some ass. [Aug 2003, p.72]

It may not be especially revolutionary, but Elite Force II is an often entertaining and consistently solid shooter that no Star Trek fan should be without.

Just make sure you tell people you didn't realize it was a Trek game, considering how cool it looks and fun it is to play. [Sept 2003, p.69]

With an immense amount of work into the storyline as well as the detail added to the game engine, EF 2 is a definite must have for any Trek fan, as well as other gamers alike.

The imaginative use of the tricorder for exploration and the wonderful assortment of enemy creatures are high points for me, and the multiplayer portion is impeccable.

It doesn't quite match the brilliance or originality of the first game, and it is looking a bit dated thanks to the Quake3 tech, but the core game is still loads of fun and well worth playing whether you're a casual gamer or a hardcore Star Trek fan.

Elite Force ranked solidly OK as far as I was concerned, and, with very few changes to it, Elite Force 2 is OK as well. I would have liked to see some improvements for a game that was this close to something special.

Although Star Trek fans may have liked a stronger use of the license and FPS fans would have preferred a more intelligent AI, as long as you don’t come in with lofty expectations you should at least get out of it what you put in.

Even though some weird level design decision and venerable AI code may present a fairly serious drawback, the aforementioned qualities of EF2 outweigh the bads. Shooter fans that appreciate the Star Trek universe should go out and buy this game.

The game packs enough pure action to make it appealing to those who like first-person shooters in general, and it's got plenty of Star Trek science fiction in it for those more interested in the source material.

It only falls short of the peak of excellence due to the somewhat unoriginal enemy alien design.

It’s a strangely deflating experience. There’s the bare bones of a good title here, and as a FPS, Elite Force II does dish up some satisfying action. It’s certainly an improvement on the first instalment. But it should have been far more than a game fighting to get out of the paper bag, rather than one that was ultimately suffocated by its own franchise.

A pretty respectable FPS, but like "Unreal 2" it's the game's inability to innovate consistently that compels us to give up.

The fact that this game flies under the Star Trek banner is almost ridiculous. It’s really just a shooter, but it’s a damn good shooter. It just doesn’t belong in the Star Trek universe where cooler heads prevail.

Just competent, not compelling. [Sept 2003, p.92]

Despite how much it improves on the original, this game could and should have been so much more. Because 3 years have passed, Elite Force 2 is a breath of fresh air for any trekkie, but also because three years have passed, it’s not quite fresh enough to gain the accolades of the original.

It's not great or inspired and almost everything in the game has been done many times before, but the action is engaging, the level design is impressive, and the weapons and aliens look good.