Star Trek Online

 PC
User Score
6.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 743 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 373 out of 743
  2. Mixed: 111 out of 743
  3. Negative: 259 out of 743
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  1. dd
    Feb 24, 2010
    8
    I would echo the thoughts of charlie as STO is a great take on the Star Trek universe. Incredible for fans of ST and of all Sci-fi. Difference of space combat vs ground is nice. PvP, PvE, etc. all welcome. However, Cryptic must devote some amount of time continuing to develop this title as it does suffer from some shallow aspects and some general bugs and unfinished areas. That said, as a I would echo the thoughts of charlie as STO is a great take on the Star Trek universe. Incredible for fans of ST and of all Sci-fi. Difference of space combat vs ground is nice. PvP, PvE, etc. all welcome. However, Cryptic must devote some amount of time continuing to develop this title as it does suffer from some shallow aspects and some general bugs and unfinished areas. That said, as a fan of the series and of sci-fi MMOs in general, this is a genre that is sorely needed with the glut of WoW and DnD clones perpetually on the market. As it stands, I give it an 8 for a classic theme, sci-fi bent of RPG, and quality of play and variety. If cryptic fully supports this game and continues to release content and upgrades, it could definitely move into the 10 range for me. I will be playing and hanging around to see if that happens. No more swords and sorcery for me for a while!… Expand
  2. DekanD
    Feb 18, 2010
    8
    I believe most people agree that the space combat components are the best part of this game (other than the eye candy that is the spacely environment). I myself found the ground combat interesting and it's refreshing to not have to be dependant on other players to accomplish group missions. It's nice to be able to either play with your friends or make your own away team, so I believe most people agree that the space combat components are the best part of this game (other than the eye candy that is the spacely environment). I myself found the ground combat interesting and it's refreshing to not have to be dependant on other players to accomplish group missions. It's nice to be able to either play with your friends or make your own away team, so regardless of your situation you have the basic components to almost every MMO. I also find that gearing up two different Avatars is an addictive concept. Gear is easy enough to get and progresses at a rate similar to leveling. The big down side to this game is the extremely predictable quest line. It has a very elementary feel to it.… Expand
  3. Ramus
    Aug 5, 2012
    5
    I feel its wrong of people to give a game with as many bugs as this 10/10. 10 means perfect and this game is far from perfect. Cryptic have added more stuff since launch but have totally failed to iron out even the simplest bugs. I have made PD games since 1989 and I can see where the developers have been lazy or not thought about design. Eg planets merging with background planes. ObjectsI feel its wrong of people to give a game with as many bugs as this 10/10. 10 means perfect and this game is far from perfect. Cryptic have added more stuff since launch but have totally failed to iron out even the simplest bugs. I have made PD games since 1989 and I can see where the developers have been lazy or not thought about design. Eg planets merging with background planes. Objects placed on the skybox. Overuse of asteroids etc so Cryptic are forced to have really short pop up (just reduce the number of objects Cryptic jeez!). But the main thing that winds me up is your away team using devices out of combat..... I mean why? If you're a Trekky then this game is a must, if you like your games to work and last longer than a week then avoid this game.… Expand
  4. MaggieP
    Feb 3, 2010
    8
    First impression; The game is really complicated. I am, however, really enjoying it. I find that I am able to fill my inventory with unknown objects, quest, and read tutorials, in very tolerable doses. I've only been playing for a few days, but so far so good.
  5. RyanD
    Feb 8, 2010
    9
    Star Trek Online is a blast to play from the very start. You'll command your own starship within an hour. You will be blasting Borg, Klingons, and Orions left and right. Strange new worlds and familiar sights await you. This game is very faithful to Star Trek canon. All series and all movies but Star Trek 5 are accounted for. (ST 5 is an abomination) Some downsides: The game is very Star Trek Online is a blast to play from the very start. You'll command your own starship within an hour. You will be blasting Borg, Klingons, and Orions left and right. Strange new worlds and familiar sights await you. This game is very faithful to Star Trek canon. All series and all movies but Star Trek 5 are accounted for. (ST 5 is an abomination) Some downsides: The game is very buggy when it comes to ground combat on stations but not planets. Currently the Cardassian and Romulan factions are not playable since they are being held until an expansion comes out. Still, this is a game every Trek fan should check out. Tribbles included.… Expand
  6. RealHelghast
    Nov 23, 2018
    5
    I thought this was going to be the Star Trek of all Star Trek games. Being able to explore the Galaxy, find danger lurking within space from enemy players, and great ground combat. It is not that at all. First, the game is not finished. You can play as the Federation or the Klingons. You can also play as the Romulans, but they are a half faction and you have to ally with either the Feds orI thought this was going to be the Star Trek of all Star Trek games. Being able to explore the Galaxy, find danger lurking within space from enemy players, and great ground combat. It is not that at all. First, the game is not finished. You can play as the Federation or the Klingons. You can also play as the Romulans, but they are a half faction and you have to ally with either the Feds or KDF at the end of the Romulan story arc. There is no Cardassian faction, but you can make on in the character creator. There are no Cardassian ships except from old lockboxes. There is PVP, but it's very unbalanced. If you're F2P, you'll be largely outclassed by players foolish enough to spend hundreds of dollars on the ships they pump out. They re-use the same ships in different tiers. For example, tier 1-6. A tier 3 ship will be vastly outclassed by a tier 6 ship. If you're grinding away in a tier 3 ship to get a tier 6 ship, you may as well forget PVP because you'll just get owned. In other MMOs, they have battlegrounds or warzones with appropriate level and gear to practice and play in making PVP balanced more or less. Not happening in STO. In fact, PVP is virtually non-existent at this point. The greedy devs were more interested in creating a huge cash grab to bleed the wallets dry of people who are foolish enough to buy from them. However, there are some nice things about the game. If you like Star Trek you'll probably enjoy it. They made the crafting system better, so you can craft yourself some starting gear. It's no where near as good as end game gear, but it'll get you through the Task Force Ops. The music is OK. Weapon sounds and phaser animations need work. For example, the photon torpedo sounds like a TOS Photon, and the phaser beams are too wide. They don't behave or look anything like phasers from the show.… Expand
  7. tigirius
    Aug 25, 2018
    0
    Before I begin, let me tell all the folks here that I am a founder (supported the game pre-beta did testing galore), and I was also one of the original lifetime members. In my time playing this game they gave false hope by making changes to the game that supported new skills and new ships which was fine until I found out that all of these were behind a pay wall.
    Cons:
    No exploration.    Before I begin, let me tell all the folks here that I am a founder (supported the game pre-beta did testing galore), and I was also one of the original lifetime members. In my time playing this game they gave false hope by making changes to the game that supported new skills and new ships which was fine until I found out that all of these were behind a pay wall.
    Cons:
    No exploration.
    RNG boxes for ships.
    Bugs that have existed in the game since beta have never been fixed.
    Excuses fill the forums as to why these things were never considered.
    Game content is basically on automatic mode which means it's not really high quality.
    Several time sinks taking months to complete such as advancement in reputations crafting etc.
    The last straw, was the forced inclusion of the failed show called STD (aka Discovery).

    Instead of supporting their player base those in charge have been slowly milking them for all they are worth. Every DLC that comes out includes boxes for which you have to buy RNG keys. You don't get enough of the box currency to do anything meaningful like building up a proper set of skip specific items such as console weapon combos. Those in charge are interested only in your money and nothing else.

    If you talk about the precious (aka ST Discovery) you will be attacked by the forum mods. They will call you a bigot and ban you for speaking your mind. That's equivalent to AT&T deciding that they will cancel your service because you said a naughty word. I wouldn't waste your time.    … Expand
  8. BrianR
    Feb 11, 2010
    8
    If I haven't played them all I've played many of the more interesting MMOs out there. Eve Online, Star Wars Galaxies and Lord of the Rings Online all rank in time I've spent living there. For a roleplayer, like me, a game's about living an experience as much as gaming the mechanics. Star Trek Online definitely ranks up with Lord of The Rings Online in an attempt to If I haven't played them all I've played many of the more interesting MMOs out there. Eve Online, Star Wars Galaxies and Lord of the Rings Online all rank in time I've spent living there. For a roleplayer, like me, a game's about living an experience as much as gaming the mechanics. Star Trek Online definitely ranks up with Lord of The Rings Online in an attempt to capture the feel the setting and, more, it incorporates some unique gameplay elements to that end. Space combat feels much like a more simplified but fun, action packed, version of Star Trek games like Starfleet Command. Ground combat has the potential to be tactically interesting as you groom your bridge crew/away team in skills they'll need to help you succeed. There's more than a little X-Com-like attachment to your guys and, well, even more because they can be customized in name and appearance and possess four unique traits beyond skills alone that define their abilities. There's exploration in several clusters that offer a small variety of randomized mission types in a large variety of different graphical environments. More needs to be done here but for daily, pick up n' play, content no MMO comes close to being this entertaining as it is for casual gamers. There's already a big roleplaying community and the influx of dedicated Trekkers certainly helps. While we have ship bridges they're largely non-functional breakrooms and hangouts. There is no bridgeview combat or travel yet and certainly it seems hard to imagine multiplayer ships will be in soon. For those so inclined there is PvP, including a barebones Klingon faction, and one minor Raid instance. In the next update the Klingons are going to get much more PvE and more Raid will be introduced. A continuing sticking point is the sheer amount of combat in the game. While this fits Cryptic's vision of a Federation at war it's not necessarily the kind of Federation many Star Trek fans are comfortable with. The developers have indicated they're definitely expanding on the non-combat aspects and this will be focused into the Exploration/Genesis content. Overall, I'm having a ball and I've been here since Open Beta. Get with some friends that love the setting as much as you do and you'll have fun. STO's not perfect yet but there's room for growth in so many directions and no great flaws that will keep it from getting better with time.… Expand
  9. BrockB
    Feb 12, 2010
    5
    Being a huge trekkie I was so excited about this game. It is fun, has a great Trek like soundtrack, beautiful and interesting. It is just severly lacking in content. This problem in an MMO is huge. There are many people hitting lvl cap already, I'm personally am 3/4 there without playing night and day. The game is very repetitive, and has a terrible crafting system. PvP is really Being a huge trekkie I was so excited about this game. It is fun, has a great Trek like soundtrack, beautiful and interesting. It is just severly lacking in content. This problem in an MMO is huge. There are many people hitting lvl cap already, I'm personally am 3/4 there without playing night and day. The game is very repetitive, and has a terrible crafting system. PvP is really fun, expecially Fed vs Klingon but there are some serious imbalance issues. It was a fun game while it lasted, but there is no way this game is going to keep most people interested more than a month in the state that it is in. It's an MMO though, and will continue to grow over time.… Expand
  10. FredH
    Feb 14, 2010
    7
    Fun, addictive, and totally incomplete. Yet another MMO launch in which the product was evidently rushed out the door by an eager marketing department, ST:O features a great core game obscured by dozens of critical bugs, server failures, and omissions of features common in almost all other MMOs (things like chat spam filters, the ability to sort the auction house, set the home base for Fun, addictive, and totally incomplete. Yet another MMO launch in which the product was evidently rushed out the door by an eager marketing department, ST:O features a great core game obscured by dozens of critical bugs, server failures, and omissions of features common in almost all other MMOs (things like chat spam filters, the ability to sort the auction house, set the home base for your character to use a recall to, etc). Cryptic's support has been totally overwhelmed by the amount of user complaints, and as such it's taking a while to get everything in shape. Still, there's a lot of potential here, and I'm looking forward to seeing it develop. As for gameplay itself, it's a pretty standard MMO design in many ways. Space combat is a lot of fun, and the different ship types really do require different styles. Ground combat is cookie-cutter and boring, and I haven't seen such a dearth of mission environments since the original Mass Effect - almost every ground mission looks like one of 4 or 5 different templates and has the exact same goals. Still, the joy of flying a starship can't be understated.… Expand
  11. RobertD
    Feb 14, 2010
    5
    great game, Lacks content amd game play real clunky ala Button smashing, spaceship controls the vertical controls on the ships need something to be changed as you cant fo stright up or down more of like a spiral, ground combat could be better if you could actually target instead of firing at whatever mob is closest to you, no real information on what the character skills or the stats of great game, Lacks content amd game play real clunky ala Button smashing, spaceship controls the vertical controls on the ships need something to be changed as you cant fo stright up or down more of like a spiral, ground combat could be better if you could actually target instead of firing at whatever mob is closest to you, no real information on what the character skills or the stats of certain modules(char or ship) actually do and the Mouse over tooltips on the items sometimes have other items information appear in them so while your looking at a photon torpedo you see information for a Phaser bank. Last dut not least is the Servers which cryptic can't seem to keep up. In my opinion dont buy this untill 6 to 12 months from now unless you like paying for a game that is...well i was gonna say 20% complete but I will change that to 50% as the game is playable and does entertain for a bit(while the current content lasts).… Expand
  12. ZachR
    Feb 18, 2010
    6
    The game deserve about a 6, it is not finished, plain and simple. The people here giving it 10's are crazy. The content is repetitive beyond belief. The Klingons are not even close to being finished. Its a rushed, buggy game. With such huge potential such as a star trek MMO, Cryptic has really messed up this IP, and no-body will try it ever again, atari will hold onto it and never The game deserve about a 6, it is not finished, plain and simple. The people here giving it 10's are crazy. The content is repetitive beyond belief. The Klingons are not even close to being finished. Its a rushed, buggy game. With such huge potential such as a star trek MMO, Cryptic has really messed up this IP, and no-body will try it ever again, atari will hold onto it and never let anyone make a finished game. Trekies will always give it a 10, but even they will begin to dwindle away after 3 or 4 months, the game will be dead before the end of summer. Expect a few 29.99 "expansions" which really should of been included in the release, such as playable other factions. Its worth the $50, play through the game, probably about a 50 hour game at the most, once you hit Admiral there is literally nothing to do, at all, t he game is finished, sit in a 2-3 hour PVP que, or start another charcter. The game is fun though, i was really looking forward to it, Cryptic has wasted this IP and it saddens me greatly.… Expand
  13. AzrielS
    Feb 21, 2010
    5
    As a huge Trek fan, I will keep my account only in the hopes that it will get better with time. I was immensely excited for the release of the game. I jumped right in when Beta access was granted, and played through head start and launch. I just don't have any desire to play through the content that is currently available. The game, as it stands, is rather dry, shallow, and As a huge Trek fan, I will keep my account only in the hopes that it will get better with time. I was immensely excited for the release of the game. I jumped right in when Beta access was granted, and played through head start and launch. I just don't have any desire to play through the content that is currently available. The game, as it stands, is rather dry, shallow, and underwhelming. Ground combat is bland and uninspired. Character classes/specialties are almost meaningless; you can play through the game as a Tactical Officer in an Escort ship or a Science Officer in a Cruiser in an almost identical manner. The positive is the space combat. It is really engaging, and I really enjoy the times when there are tons of ships battling in close proximity. Wait six months to a year, and this game might be really great.… Expand
  14. GeorgeM
    Mar 1, 2010
    9
    I love the game. The space combat is considerably better than EVE and requires maneuvering and positioning to be successful. The ground combat could be better and the pathfinding is annoying as your bridge officers can often get stuck. The different mission types are refreshing as well since not all require shooting something to achieve the objectives. I still don't know what all the I love the game. The space combat is considerably better than EVE and requires maneuvering and positioning to be successful. The ground combat could be better and the pathfinding is annoying as your bridge officers can often get stuck. The different mission types are refreshing as well since not all require shooting something to achieve the objectives. I still don't know what all the ship equipment does but it's fun learning how to get more performance out of what you do have. The gameplay can get repetitive but you can always get more missions that require exploration if you tire of just shooting things.… Expand
  15. MikeH
    Feb 10, 2010
    9
    I have been with the game since open beta. The game has definatly evolved through beta and now that its live its a totally different game. The space battles have become more challenging, requiring more of a tactical approach. The ground missions break up the monotone of space but still need some polish. I like the game and I feel it has alot of potential, but we are a long ways from that.
  16. NightbringerAT
    Apr 24, 2013
    9
    Solid Game, Free to play, and full level up without paying anything. Fleets, VERY good story missions. Ground and Space Combat, Crafting, Character Creator, Looting, everything in it what it needs.

    And the best part, Prime-Timeline. The original Star Trek, as i love it. It has bugs, and the controls could be better. The support is not bad. Graphics are decent. I really enjoy this    Solid Game, Free to play, and full level up without paying anything. Fleets, VERY good story missions. Ground and Space Combat, Crafting, Character Creator, Looting, everything in it what it needs.

    And the best part, Prime-Timeline. The original Star Trek, as i love it. It has bugs, and the controls could be better. The support is not bad. Graphics are decent.

    I really enjoy this game still, after 2 years of playing it.    … Expand
  17. vsector
    Sep 10, 2014
    3
    I'm a fan of Star Trek, so it saddens me to see the license squandered on such a carelessly built game. There should be a limit to corporate greed, but Star Trek Online is, unfortunately, not the utopia the Federation is based on.

    The story, the heart of main quest lines, is entirely forgettable. The plot points is interesting though cliche (war, shadow enemies, putting down    I'm a fan of Star Trek, so it saddens me to see the license squandered on such a carelessly built game. There should be a limit to corporate greed, but Star Trek Online is, unfortunately, not the utopia the Federation is based on.

    The story, the heart of main quest lines, is entirely forgettable. The plot points is interesting though cliche (war, shadow enemies, putting down rebellions), but poorly executed in game. The story is conveyed in a large block of text below a character portrait, with few animations, facial expressions, voice acting, or cutscenes to breath life into the story.

    Star Trek Online does provide a possible source of engagement: bridge officers. But they also squander it. The bridge officers lack personality, distinctiveness. The same text is repeated just with different portraits. This is partially mitigated by the Romulan expansion with a single permanent crew member, but the game is better served simply having a fixed crew for all missions for the sake of story then allowing the user to select their own after.

    The combat, particularly the ground combat, is a tedious affair. Moving 4 feet, engaging 10 enemies, then move another 4 feet, then engaging the SAME set of enemies. Repeat this for 8 more times before the 1st objective is complete. Then 2 more objectives to go! Nevermind the ground combat's mechanic complexity does not even extend beyond mashing attack and occasionally tossing out a special.

    The scenarios are uninspired; go here scan this, go here kill this, go here protect this. All missions will follow these same patterns; the only difference is order. Playing the game is an exercise in patience; the equivalent of chopping digital trees ad nauseam. Time spent on these missions is wasted.

    But the game breaker is the lack of polish. Icons do not line up properly with their description. Targeting is not fluid. The overall map does not relay where the next mission objective is. Numerous graphical glitches kill immersion. AI path finding and combat is broken. The list goes on.

    Yet, there is still something to love. The space combat IS fun. The details on the ship, even if not in anything else, is great. The concept of bridge officers is interesting. It's unfortunate these features were not fully fleshed out.

    There's still something here for Star Trek fans. But for anyone else, their money and time is better spent elsewhere.    … Expand
  18. BrentD
    Feb 12, 2010
    10
    I have played the game since closed beta and I still love the game. The space combat and graphics are excellent. The ground combat reminds me of city of heroes, but the option to flank, set up ambushes and minefields makes it a bit better. The setup of the game allows for future missions and capabilities to be added without much need for the expansion packs of world of warcraft, just a I have played the game since closed beta and I still love the game. The space combat and graphics are excellent. The ground combat reminds me of city of heroes, but the option to flank, set up ambushes and minefields makes it a bit better. The setup of the game allows for future missions and capabilities to be added without much need for the expansion packs of world of warcraft, just a simple update. Coming from someone who played world of warcraft, this game is superior.… Expand
  19. JamesW
    Feb 16, 2010
    7
    overall the game has some solid points. space combat is fluid and just as much fun as other star trek games like starfleet command. ground combat still has some issues like not having an active cover system. a lot of small things is what kills this game. unfinished tool tips. and the lack of a real starting area.
  20. CharlieL
    Feb 2, 2010
    9
    I thought this game was a great take on the Star Trek license! My friends and I are still having a great time with it. I love the customizable ships too. The combination of ground and space combat is a great addition to the MMO genre.
  21. MasonLt
    Feb 4, 2010
    8
    I give this game an 8 and not a 10 because there are 2 areas where this game clearly lacks. The ground combat is boring and is this is a multi-player game. And yet it focuses on the single player experience. That being said the good points are.. The space combat is like nothing you've played before in a MMO. Its thrilling and fast paced. The idea of having other characters you can I give this game an 8 and not a 10 because there are 2 areas where this game clearly lacks. The ground combat is boring and is this is a multi-player game. And yet it focuses on the single player experience. That being said the good points are.. The space combat is like nothing you've played before in a MMO. Its thrilling and fast paced. The idea of having other characters you can give orders too and level up is a novel idea and it works really well. Lastly but not least, It is Star Trek after all. If you like star trek then you'll like this. If you love star trek then you'll love this. final comments are its a fun tactical mmorpg with some clear failings but dont let that spoil your fun.… Expand
  22. AndrewB
    Feb 7, 2010
    8
    Pretty good game. It could still use a lot of work and polish, but it's got a solid foundation. Space combat is REALLY fun, but ground combat could definitely use some work. The customization of your ships, avatar, and even officers is really amazing.
  23. J.A
    Feb 7, 2010
    8
    It's got some way to go before I could honestly give it a 9; it needs more content and bug-fixing. But the game itself I enjoy, including the ground segments that other people seem to dislike. It's also apparent that they put a lot of work into making this a canonical sequel to Nemesis (and the start of Star Trek XI), and they should be applauded for that. I could just do with It's got some way to go before I could honestly give it a 9; it needs more content and bug-fixing. But the game itself I enjoy, including the ground segments that other people seem to dislike. It's also apparent that they put a lot of work into making this a canonical sequel to Nemesis (and the start of Star Trek XI), and they should be applauded for that. I could just do with some more fixes, please.… Expand
  24. AdamW
    Feb 10, 2010
    8
    As a Star Trek fan this game is enjoyable to play. The ships are well designed and the choice of colours makes your ship unique. The ground combat can be difficult at times, but I have enjoyed it. I think the game will improve as time goes on. the bugs will vanish and hopefully some new content will add to the experience of Star Trek.
  25. WalterB
    Feb 11, 2010
    9
    This is one of the best MMO's that I have ever had the pleasure of playing. The graphics are great and it really feels like you are in control of your own Star Trek show. My only complaint is that they didn't spend enough time developing the game before release and it has quite a bit of bugs, needs more content (Read content for Klingons here) and they need to balance the 2 This is one of the best MMO's that I have ever had the pleasure of playing. The graphics are great and it really feels like you are in control of your own Star Trek show. My only complaint is that they didn't spend enough time developing the game before release and it has quite a bit of bugs, needs more content (Read content for Klingons here) and they need to balance the 2 factions a bit better. On the Federation side you get a ton of quests and just from running your quests you will be well equipped shortly after reaching the next rank, including all of your Bridge Officers, also you are able to do some crafting on the Fed side that just isn't available to the Klingons. On the Klingons side of the house you have PVP and a few PVE missions. the first few PVE missions take you around show you where things are and give you 3 Bridge Officers, then you get the repeatable PVP missions, and PVE MISSION no that is not a typo, most of you Levling will take place in PVP which will give you all the credits you need to get equipped or you can do the Kahless Expanse. Which will give you different kinds of credits that will get you pretty much the same equipment. This is where we come to the disparity. The Feds get some pretty good Rare equipment starting in their Tier 2 mission (Level 11 through 20) Where as the Klingons will only get the PVP/Exploration equipment that the Feds can also get. Cryptic is supposed to be working on some PVE content for the Klingons that should fix this disparity in equipment but until they do my Liberated Borg Klingon will be staying at level 9.… Expand
  26. JoshW
    Feb 10, 2010
    8
    In its current form, it is not complete as are most starting MMOs. But if you are a new buyer, don't let the ex-champions players dupe you into avoiding STO. Currently much of a hate towards STO is by these people who are upset because Champions Online failed, which was Cryptic's MMO before STO. Course part of the fault was due to Cryptic but thats another tale. Its not perfect In its current form, it is not complete as are most starting MMOs. But if you are a new buyer, don't let the ex-champions players dupe you into avoiding STO. Currently much of a hate towards STO is by these people who are upset because Champions Online failed, which was Cryptic's MMO before STO. Course part of the fault was due to Cryptic but thats another tale. Its not perfect yet but if you are a WoW player who wants something new, something fresh to try. Look no further than STO. It is a fun experience and the potential it has is enormous which is why I rate it an 8 instead of a 7. The Trek IP is just a gold mine for this game and the main storyline does not disappoint as you move into the Romulan sectors. Give it a shot!… Expand
  27. BillP
    Feb 12, 2010
    8
    Has growing pains like any newly launched MMO, but it is a great start, and the upcoming free content will only add to the fun. Cryptic has been very respectful of and faithful to the IP franchise, and the game is great fun, especially for an old hand at the Starfleet Command series.
  28. ImergioW
    Feb 12, 2010
    10
    For me it's the best MMORPG I ever played, even with the 2 possibilities to fight in space and on planetsand/or stations - it is just great fun! Although I am a great fan of Star Trek, I think this game would even make sence for non-Star-Trek-guys. Thanks that my childhood dreams became true and I can be a real Captain with my own Crew!
  29. StuartP
    Feb 17, 2010
    10
    Brilliant game. Space combat is pretty damned good and all that. I can't get enough of it! Then theres the forming of fleets that you can modify, put your clan tag on and the like. It's just sweet, 10 outta 10, ESPECIALLY if you are a trekkie! Let's not forget, you can customize yourself and your ship to the 'nth degree and well. It's brilliant.
  30. SeanB
    Feb 23, 2010
    8
    This game is very fun. Space combat is far more strategic than combat in other MMOs I've played. It is almost like dogfighting where you push a hole in enemy shields and try to line up torpedos on that front (or the permutations from using other weapons). Ground combat is fun, but can be very... boring unless your skills are designed properly. Not much worse than say LOTRO when you This game is very fun. Space combat is far more strategic than combat in other MMOs I've played. It is almost like dogfighting where you push a hole in enemy shields and try to line up torpedos on that front (or the permutations from using other weapons). Ground combat is fun, but can be very... boring unless your skills are designed properly. Not much worse than say LOTRO when you are wailing on a boss as a tank. End Game content seems very underdeveloped, though. PVP and Fleet Actions seems to be the only major effort at that stage, but it will take a month of extremely dedicated play (hundred(s) of hours) to get there. Consequently, it is worth the money. Trek fans will love it.… Expand
  31. TUHD
    Jun 9, 2013
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The lore itself is done well. With the addition of Legacy of Romulus you gain a new faction and new ships, and the addition of (finally!) warp cores/singularity cores.
    However, the core of it hasn't changed... a lot of the same old lot grinding, with plenty of bugs which are years old and plenty gamebreaking new ones. Also, with Perfect World having taken over, nickel&diming is the rule, not the exception. If you want to compete in end-game PvE or PvP paying real money is a near-must. The last and best equipped tier of ships (Tier-5) for the level 50's can be bought with dilithium, fleet credits and/or Zen. However, the amount of grinding necessary for the first 2 options is incredible, and while you can get Zen through trading dilithium for it, the grinding necessary for it is just IQ-killing. Making you often just pay for the 'last' ship, or keeping on the lesser strong ship from level 40.

    Also the Zen-bought ships have the thing that they have at level 40+ always an very handy console or special ability which you actually don't want to ignore.

    Last but not least: Cryptic has recently restricted the amount of stuff you can keep in your mail without an announcement about it, pissing off a lot of long-term players. Also the NPCs have gotten some 'special' attacks that you cannot see nor react on which can, depending on the category of the ship you're flying and the current health of your ship (let's say around 50%), kill you outright in one shot while they have gotten a major upgrade in damage resistance making fights very tedious and long.

    To sum it up: nickel&diming, grinding, still a lot of bugs (including some really old ones). Positive is that Cryptic seems to treat the lore with respect and they are willing to introduce new stuff to make it come a bit more closer to how Star Trek should 'feel like'. Too bad the cons against this game are starting to overwhelm the pros....    … Expand
  32. duckteller
    May 21, 2013
    1
    It could have been a solid 6 star game but unfortunate the Zynga-isme business model detracts at the very least 5 of those stars which then just barley grants this game a single lonely star.

    Lets start with how STO earned it's 6 starts before then rapidly losing 5. It's a pretty descend MMO thou without any doubt somewhat dated and lackluster. One of the biggest complaints (a side from    It could have been a solid 6 star game but unfortunate the Zynga-isme business model detracts at the very least 5 of those stars which then just barley grants this game a single lonely star.

    Lets start with how STO earned it's 6 starts before then rapidly losing 5. It's a pretty descend MMO thou without any doubt somewhat dated and lackluster. One of the biggest complaints (a side from the Zynga-isme which we'll get to in a bit) is that the game is compiled of a series of endless instances which in turn means you'll spend a good amount of time going through loading screens which truly can break immersion.
    As a PvE experience you going to have a good time if you're a Trekkie as a Sci-Fi fan you'll be happy too if you can glance past the countless bugs and hiccups you are sure to encounter during your missions.

    Now lets get to what this game has degraded to since it took up the infamous Free 2 Play business model. Rumor has it that the executive producer Daniel Stahl once upon a time was a intern at Zynga Inc. and Oh Boi did he pick up a neat trick or two. You can now describe STO in a few simple concepts *1. Narly gambling (lock boxes) *2. Endless grind (time-gated reputation system) *3. The Ultimate MMO Power Trip (starbases provides insane value both in terms of time spend and real world moneys).

    PvP is straight up Pay to Win and since there isn't much else to do once you reach end-game you are going to have a bad time luckily you can choose well at least as a federation character to stay clear of any PvP mischiefs.

    My hope is that the future of gaming will be about creating great game mechanics and giving players unforgettable experiences and the period of how to manipulate game-play and thus players for maximum profit will became a brief and shameful footnote in development history.    … Expand
  33. AllanT
    Feb 11, 2010
    10
    The game is awesome...space combat is extremely well done and fun...ground combat takes some getting used to. All the negatives you read about this game are either the learning curve was to much for that reviewer or is an issue that im sure will be worked out over time. People need to realize that MMO's of this size need some time to work out the issues. Warning this is not a button The game is awesome...space combat is extremely well done and fun...ground combat takes some getting used to. All the negatives you read about this game are either the learning curve was to much for that reviewer or is an issue that im sure will be worked out over time. People need to realize that MMO's of this size need some time to work out the issues. Warning this is not a button masher kids game and does take some intelligence to master! THANK GOD!… Expand
  34. MattD
    Feb 3, 2010
    9
    For the Trek fans, this is an enjoyable and accessible game that's fun to play, if a bit repetitive after a while. Still, the execution is good, the planets and space systems are diverse, and there's plenty of action.
  35. MikeD
    Feb 13, 2010
    9
    It will all be a matter of content and whether they can keep up with the huge crowd of Star Trek fans. The game was released with a few flaws that has allowed serious gamers to zip through the content and reach max level in a matter of days. But, if you enjoy decent story line and take your time to enjoy the game it can be a great experience although some game play can get repetitive, not It will all be a matter of content and whether they can keep up with the huge crowd of Star Trek fans. The game was released with a few flaws that has allowed serious gamers to zip through the content and reach max level in a matter of days. But, if you enjoy decent story line and take your time to enjoy the game it can be a great experience although some game play can get repetitive, not so much a grind though. I am enjoying the game play a lot, but I don't see the game lasting much past 3-4 months with out new and frequent content.… Expand
  36. Starhowl
    Jul 20, 2013
    8
    I joined this game only after it's transition to the Free-to-play model and am basing my review off of that experience.

    For a free-to-play MMO, this game is well above average. The production values, music, and what little voice acting there is, is excellent quality. The game feels quite polished, and for a starship junkie like me, the ships all look fantastic. The main quest chain is    I joined this game only after it's transition to the Free-to-play model and am basing my review off of that experience.

    For a free-to-play MMO, this game is well above average. The production values, music, and what little voice acting there is, is excellent quality. The game feels quite polished, and for a starship junkie like me, the ships all look fantastic. The main quest chain is gripping and enjoyable, and makes leveling a breeze; a good balance of investment and reward as you level a character.

    The lifetime subscription to this game is quite a bargain at $200 USD, which equates to about 13 months of game time of a typical $15/month MMO, and will unlock everything that f2p players cannot access without microtransaction.

    In contrast to other free-to-play MMOs, the microtransactions in this game are kept to a minimum; all purchases made from the Cash shop are entirely cosmetic, having little to no impact on actual gameplay, and are not necessary in any situation to progress your character. In addition, an in-game currency called Dilithium can be converted in large amounts to cash shop credit, offering a cheaper alternative for those who don't wish to spend cash, but spend a lot of time playing.

    The space combat in this game is excellent. You have direct control over your ship and it's stations, with everything being laid out in front of you, and basic starship command is very intuitive. The controls are tight and concise, and is easily my favorite part about my STO experience.

    Ground combat is another story, however. On the ground, your skills are wildly different from that in space (of course), and your efficiency on the ground will be defined entirely by your away team (your group of starship officers that follow you to the ground). Ground combat is wildly more difficult than space combat, with much more focus on movement, equipment, environmental hazards, and multiple groups of powerful enemies. Coupled with the rather basic shoot-em-up feel of mashing your weapon attack, ground missions will wear out their welcome to most.

    The game's loose storyline and setting stays very true to old canon, commonly alluding to the stories and experiences of James Kirk, Jean Luc Picard, and even Kathryn Janeway in their respective series as you explore the galaxy.

    Exploration itself, however, is somewhat lacking. For a world as open as this one, the experiences you'll have among sectors and it's planets is mostly predictable and simple. Almost all missions consist of no more than destroying some ships, or scanning some structures. While an over-arcing story helps break the monotony or tie things together, most open-world encounters have no larger plot or worthwhile reward for time invested, making them more akin to little mini-episodes and slightly less gripping as a result.

    If you're one for playing solo, you will quickly discover that upon reaching level cap and completing the official episodes, you will have very little to do. In comparison to other MMOs, the amount of group content is scant at best, and repeating the same few group events dozens of times may quickly wear thin. I personally suggest you play this game with friends, or join a role-playing fleet (guild) to keep entertained and break the monotony of grinding the same few events all day every day.

    All MMOs have some grind in them; STO's problem is that there is no variety on what you can grind. If you want to be a Borg-slayer and join that NPC faction, you'll be running 5 of the same events for months. If you want to assist the Romulans, you'll have a lifetime of ground missions (primarily babysitting and kill-quests) to run around doing.

    However I can't be too harsh. For a free-to-play, this game is definitely better than most. It's enjoyable moreso with friends well polished, and a great game for Star Trek fans who've always wanted to run around inside their ships, or sit at the helm and fight among the stars.

    I find the game very high quality, personally, but the community is among the ugliest I've seen in any MMO to date. Every online game has it's elitists, it's dev-haters, and stop-having-fun crowd, but STO's community seems to house of the most intense of all of these. You can bet any "problems" with the game will be loudly vocalized, and when the servers are brought down to repair said problem, you can expect to see an equal amount of hatred directed towards the developers for the unstable servers.

    Community can be filtered out, however, and basing my score solely off what I get from the game, I can rest with an 8.    … Expand
  37. The_Grand_Nagus
    Aug 23, 2010
    5
    If you have A) never played MMOs before, B) are a Star Trek fan, C) only want to play the Federation, and D) only play about an hour a day, you will probably really enjoy STO. However, if you are used to the "standard" amount of content in most MMOs, want to play Klingons, and play alot you will probably find yourself with nothing to do very quickly. To sum it up, STO was released about aIf you have A) never played MMOs before, B) are a Star Trek fan, C) only want to play the Federation, and D) only play about an hour a day, you will probably really enjoy STO. However, if you are used to the "standard" amount of content in most MMOs, want to play Klingons, and play alot you will probably find yourself with nothing to do very quickly. To sum it up, STO was released about a year too early. Sure, it could be a great game a year from now, but thats not how reviews work, so see my score above for how STO currently is.… Expand
  38. ShaneG
    Feb 3, 2010
    10
    Totally lovin' the game. Ship to ship combat is done very nicely and the ground missions are interesting and fun. Once you conquer the steep learning curve and work out what abilities you like it's a great game to be playing. A must for all Star Trek fans.
  39. WayneA
    Feb 3, 2010
    10
    Captures the spirit that is Star Trek with the right look, music and atmosphere. Ground combat can be improved but the rest has far exceeded my expectations and with so much potential to expand ahead.
  40. EmoryS
    Mar 1, 2010
    9
    This IS Star Trek. If you have waited 25+ years to finally play in the final frontier, this is the game for you. Spend hours customizing your character and ship, explore strange new worlds, and fight all the classic bad guys that you know and love. The negitive? The offical community is stuck in a vulcan blood fever, so turn off the zone chat and only read the forums if you MUST. Also, This IS Star Trek. If you have waited 25+ years to finally play in the final frontier, this is the game for you. Spend hours customizing your character and ship, explore strange new worlds, and fight all the classic bad guys that you know and love. The negitive? The offical community is stuck in a vulcan blood fever, so turn off the zone chat and only read the forums if you MUST. Also, patches are coming fast and furious, so server and down time is in line with a game that is one month live. I'm having a great time with frends and family in a fleet. Live long and prosper!… Expand
  41. JanB
    Mar 2, 2010
    8
    In a few words: Nice-looking, reaxing, casual. I'm a big fan of Eve:Online, this game gives me what Eve won't - possibility to log in for 25 minutes and actually do something in the game, something more than cheacking in-game mail and undocking from station. I think it's a great choice for people looking for easy fun and rest from harcore "I have to log in at least for In a few words: Nice-looking, reaxing, casual. I'm a big fan of Eve:Online, this game gives me what Eve won't - possibility to log in for 25 minutes and actually do something in the game, something more than cheacking in-game mail and undocking from station. I think it's a great choice for people looking for easy fun and rest from harcore "I have to log in at least for three hours or my guild will kick me" MMO gameplay. So far the game is small, and endplay is too limited, but it should change quite soon as new content is added. And even ground fighting have some nice potencial. Most of the bugs were already fixed, now STO should just grow larger and more interesting.… Expand
  42. RyanC
    Mar 4, 2010
    10
    I have been playing this game for a few weeks now with a friend, and have been enjoying every step of the way. The ship combat is decently done, and the ground combat is not bad in itself, sure there are some things that are to be desired but I have hope that Cryptic will improve on the game and vastly increase the content/quality. All in all, I see great potential in this game in the I have been playing this game for a few weeks now with a friend, and have been enjoying every step of the way. The ship combat is decently done, and the ground combat is not bad in itself, sure there are some things that are to be desired but I have hope that Cryptic will improve on the game and vastly increase the content/quality. All in all, I see great potential in this game in the coming months.… Expand
  43. LoughlinM
    Feb 10, 2010
    10
    This game is purely orgasmic. From the first time I logged on, until I logged off, I never wanted to stop playing. It truly makes you feel like a starship captain. Space combat is absolutely fantastic and well worked out. Ground combat is a little lacking, but running up to someone with a Bat'leth is fun as hell. Customisation is far from lacking, you can pick from three ships per This game is purely orgasmic. From the first time I logged on, until I logged off, I never wanted to stop playing. It truly makes you feel like a starship captain. Space combat is absolutely fantastic and well worked out. Ground combat is a little lacking, but running up to someone with a Bat'leth is fun as hell. Customisation is far from lacking, you can pick from three ships per tier (for now, more to come) and are able to change parts on your ship to that of other ships, and are also able to change the hull's colour configuration. Character customisation is perhaps the best I've seen in any game. You can create anything from a Betazoid, to a ferengi, a Jem'Hadar, even a Vorta!(I've even seen Yoda ;P) When designing the character you detailed options (more detailed than Oblivion or fallout 3) for the face and body, ranging from eye size and shape, to jaw size, to buffness of your character (and as a treat for us guys, BOOB SIZE!). Cryptic completely went all out with this game, and people are definately anticipating their upcoming free expansion.… Expand
  44. KeriasS
    Mar 18, 2010
    9
    You know, here is the thing to me. This game makes the term WoWKiller that everyone likes to throw around laughable. Even if it were possible to defeat WoW, this game is just -not- that good. But thats because it is a game for the fans. I'm a classic fan of star-trek, and I adore it. At first, all of the systems seemed clunky and odd, but I did not give up. After a while, once I got You know, here is the thing to me. This game makes the term WoWKiller that everyone likes to throw around laughable. Even if it were possible to defeat WoW, this game is just -not- that good. But thats because it is a game for the fans. I'm a classic fan of star-trek, and I adore it. At first, all of the systems seemed clunky and odd, but I did not give up. After a while, once I got more powers, saw more of the story and started playing with a friend, it suddenly became so much better. Its a good game if you're a fan and have some time to kill, but if you don't like star trek, you will hate this game.… Expand
  45. Alcarinqueqt
    Mar 20, 2011
    5
    The game is repeating it self over and over again. Exploration is about seeing exciting new worlds, finding/solving mysteries, discovery, adventure, to boldly go where no man has gone before. Well with STO I felt like I didn't want to explore after a point, of endless silly scanning around for anomalies. Ground combat is appalling and most focus is on space combat, of which I am not aThe game is repeating it self over and over again. Exploration is about seeing exciting new worlds, finding/solving mysteries, discovery, adventure, to boldly go where no man has gone before. Well with STO I felt like I didn't want to explore after a point, of endless silly scanning around for anomalies. Ground combat is appalling and most focus is on space combat, of which I am not a great fan. After playing STO for about a year I would describe the game as mediocre, only thing great it was hearing Spock talking and the jokes in chats about Sulu and Kirk. Now I returned playing WoW and EVE for sometime (like most ppl I know) and am waiting for SWtOR which looks quite promising btw.… Expand
  46. ChadS
    Feb 10, 2010
    10
    This game is a really fun casual mmo and now that it has been launched, I can only see it getting better with more content constantly being added. This mmo does have some flaws, but what doesn't? I quit WoW for STO. =) Full customization of your character and ship rocks!
  47. ChadW
    Feb 2, 2010
    9
    While this game is nothing like the other MMO's out there, it does bring alot ot the Industry. It's ability to have so much relation to the story i grew up with even the TRIBBLES. I look foward to more content as it gets better and better. Like most MMO's its not perfect but has alot of potential.
  48. mobius
    Feb 4, 2010
    10
    All the bad votes are from the beta players, i for one was also a beta player but unlike the other I understand what beta means, yes during beta there was lag and server down time aswell as loads of buggy missions but on day of launch all those issues have all gone. if you like your trek then you should enjoy STO, this is more of a casual online game and its not hardcore like WOW or EVE All the bad votes are from the beta players, i for one was also a beta player but unlike the other I understand what beta means, yes during beta there was lag and server down time aswell as loads of buggy missions but on day of launch all those issues have all gone. if you like your trek then you should enjoy STO, this is more of a casual online game and its not hardcore like WOW or EVE but probably more like guildwars.… Expand
  49. MichaelL
    Feb 5, 2010
    9
    The game is a very detailed journey through the star trek universe. It has some very strong points that include space comment. Ground combat is fun with a friend and once you get your away team geared properly can be very fun. It got a 9 from me because of the occasional disconnects and lag. However it is an excellent diversion from WOW.
  50. LeeM
    Feb 6, 2010
    9
    Great entertaining game, that immerses the player into 25th Century Trek, a time where the galaxy is at war, a conceit that's really necessary for a game of this type, despite what many of the impossible to please Trek purists might tell you. This game makes a refreshing change from other MMO's that I've played, and provided Cryptic give it the love that the IP deserves as Great entertaining game, that immerses the player into 25th Century Trek, a time where the galaxy is at war, a conceit that's really necessary for a game of this type, despite what many of the impossible to please Trek purists might tell you. This game makes a refreshing change from other MMO's that I've played, and provided Cryptic give it the love that the IP deserves as time progresses they have a good foundation on which to build.… Expand
  51. BearD
    Feb 9, 2010
    10
    Some peoples first thoughts will be "it cant compete with wow" but its not wow its Star Trek Online. Its from the worlds biggest franchise, it plays and feels like the Tv series. Graphics: are just beautiful and the game will run most systems. Not washed out graphics like wow but clear detailed graphics. The different worlds are different from each other. The layout of the interface and Some peoples first thoughts will be "it cant compete with wow" but its not wow its Star Trek Online. Its from the worlds biggest franchise, it plays and feels like the Tv series. Graphics: are just beautiful and the game will run most systems. Not washed out graphics like wow but clear detailed graphics. The different worlds are different from each other. The layout of the interface and controls are nice with the awesome shield system. Audio: The sound is terrific and adds the star trek theme really well. The phasers to the computers voice are just exciting and well done that make you feel a part of the adventures not just a 3rd person watching. The theme of star trek is really added with the music. Gameplay: Its excellent once you know the controls.The controls with the players can be hard at first but its no different to any other third person mmo such as wow. Lasting play? Already STO has made a great showing of what Cryptic can do and it can only get better as time goes on. Yes it was buggy but that's a mmo and this is not just a wow style mmo its a complex one in many ways, its star trek. You cant compare wow to Star Trek its to different and in my opinion i much prefer STO because i love scifi. Its nice to see 1 more scfi mmo in the world i was becoming sick and tired of swords and magic.… Expand
  52. ThePathOfDawn
    Dec 4, 2013
    1
    Pardon me, but Cryptic. I am a huge fan of ST, particularly Voyager. I was wondering how will they achieve the meaning of ST exploring. Well... They didn't. Such a small effort was put in this that it makes me sick. They made a single player shooting game. This is an online game with almost 0 multiplayer options. Although this is a mockery to star trek, after I haven't played a whilePardon me, but Cryptic. I am a huge fan of ST, particularly Voyager. I was wondering how will they achieve the meaning of ST exploring. Well... They didn't. Such a small effort was put in this that it makes me sick. They made a single player shooting game. This is an online game with almost 0 multiplayer options. Although this is a mockery to star trek, after I haven't played a while this game, I wanted again to drive the intrepid few more times. Well I couldn't, because Cryptic banned my account for some reason and wouldn't give me it back. Pathetic as they are, they even don't respect their players.

    I'll give it a 1, only because I can't give a 0 to something that has"Star Trek" in it's name.    … Expand
  53. Dallas
    Mar 1, 2010
    5
    At first i was really looking forward to this game. Love the Star Trek Universe aspect with the familiar characters and locals. Space Battles are cool albeit a bit drawn out at times and repetitive. What kills this game for me are the buggy / boring ground battles. I've played alot of first person shooters and i find the ground battles in STO to be about 5 to 8 years behind At first i was really looking forward to this game. Love the Star Trek Universe aspect with the familiar characters and locals. Space Battles are cool albeit a bit drawn out at times and repetitive. What kills this game for me are the buggy / boring ground battles. I've played alot of first person shooters and i find the ground battles in STO to be about 5 to 8 years behind graphically and engine wise. I will not be playing this for much longer and will not be continuing after my 3 months i paid is up. Just too many better games out that do it so much better.… Expand
  54. AdamB.
    Mar 19, 2010
    6
    This game should have taken a note from the 2009 Star Trek film. The film was loud and mindless but constantly exciting, while this game is basically City of Heroes with a Star Trek license applied. Boring, unintuitive, and difficult to get together with other players. What's the point of an online game when ninety percent of the time is spent playing alone? On the plus side the This game should have taken a note from the 2009 Star Trek film. The film was loud and mindless but constantly exciting, while this game is basically City of Heroes with a Star Trek license applied. Boring, unintuitive, and difficult to get together with other players. What's the point of an online game when ninety percent of the time is spent playing alone? On the plus side the character and ship customization are excellent, and the combat systems while humorously outdated are serviceable. It's too bad you can't explore your own ship, communicate in meaningful ways with NPCs, and create your own story; it's the usual MMO grind-fest which has been done better dozens of times by other developers.… Expand
  55. peachybutt
    Nov 19, 2012
    3
    What an absolute waste of my time. Do you like varied missions? Do you like doing more than engaging in repetitive and mundane space battles over and over and over again without having the option to skip or use stealth to achieve objectives without resorting to combat? Well then look elsewhere, friend. Sure it looks pretty enough and has lots of customizing options, but that's where theWhat an absolute waste of my time. Do you like varied missions? Do you like doing more than engaging in repetitive and mundane space battles over and over and over again without having the option to skip or use stealth to achieve objectives without resorting to combat? Well then look elsewhere, friend. Sure it looks pretty enough and has lots of customizing options, but that's where the appeal ends. This is a Star Trek game for those who hate nuance, intelligence, or diplomatic solutions. This is only for those who want to fight over and over and over again. If you want real Star Trek, dig up Bridge Commander. You'll have plenty more fun than in Cryptic's piece of trash.… Expand
  56. raidet
    Feb 22, 2012
    4
    I decided to come back to this after buying on launch originally a couple of years ago. Originally I played for about 2 weeks before becoming bored with the repetitive and buggy experience. By now the game should be in better shape, right? First the good. The space warfare is fun. For a time. Now the bad. Over the course of the couple of years since launch it actually appears to haveI decided to come back to this after buying on launch originally a couple of years ago. Originally I played for about 2 weeks before becoming bored with the repetitive and buggy experience. By now the game should be in better shape, right? First the good. The space warfare is fun. For a time. Now the bad. Over the course of the couple of years since launch it actually appears to have become MORE buggy. How this has been accomplished I have no idea, but the situation is so bad I actually started to suspect some kind of corporate-espionage style sabotage. Over the course of my two days replaying, here is SOME of what I discovered.

    1. Certain HUD tooltip elements don't deactivate on mouseover properly, instead flickering in a seizure-inducing manner. 2. The speed control slider moves up and down of its own accord at inopportune moments.

    3. Gas cloud texture maps are broken

    4. Away team members vanish without explanation on occasion

    5. Keyboard shortcuts for abilities sometimes don't work - and I mean don't work at all, not just a long delay.

    6. If you 'pin to taskbar' the game icon then try to launch the game from it, it will appear to work until the point of login, when the game will freeze at "connecting to account server". I noticed several people on the STO forums complaining about this and not realising it was related to the 'pin to taskbar' function. They were simply fobbed off or insulted.

    7. Planets sometimes appear as transparent circles, showing the starfield behind

    8. NPCs vanish (which is annoying when they are required to finish a quest)

    9. Invisible phaser beams from invisible enemies sometimes shoot you and your team

    Now I'm bored. **** game, forget it.    … Expand
  57. DonH
    Mar 15, 2010
    10
    I'll give this gamne maximum points as much for potential as for realization. Anyone who expects - or indeed wants - a Star Trek MMO to be Perfect right out of the gate is either unreasonable, delusional, immature, or all three. What we get for our pre-purchase money is not merely a framework that can expand and grow to hold an ever-deepening MMO universe; we get a game that is I'll give this gamne maximum points as much for potential as for realization. Anyone who expects - or indeed wants - a Star Trek MMO to be Perfect right out of the gate is either unreasonable, delusional, immature, or all three. What we get for our pre-purchase money is not merely a framework that can expand and grow to hold an ever-deepening MMO universe; we get a game that is playable. One where you don;t have to be an OCD-riddled, ADD-twicth monkey to play and master. Here the reward is patience and a willingness to immerse onself in the genre ratrher than perfect builds, munchkinesque crafting silliness or stabbing other players in the back for the Perfect Drop. STO is, blissfully, wonderfully and magnificently NOT WoW, and for that I am sincerely grateful. You can play this game without having to enslave yourself to it, and good sportsmanship is actually a plus. I am happily subscribed for life, and I look forward to years of interesting expansions.… Expand
  58. Woody309
    Feb 3, 2012
    10
    I tried STO during release and left less than a month into the game. It was horrible. When the recent change to a free to play model was announced, I was curious as to what changes had been made. I reactivated my account and gave it a try. I was pleasantly surprised at all the changes to the space missions and especially the ground missions. Space combat in STO is the strongest appeal theI tried STO during release and left less than a month into the game. It was horrible. When the recent change to a free to play model was announced, I was curious as to what changes had been made. I reactivated my account and gave it a try. I was pleasantly surprised at all the changes to the space missions and especially the ground missions. Space combat in STO is the strongest appeal the game has. It is unlikely that STO will ever be a mainstream game, but if you are a Star Trek fan, then you should really enjoy STO at this point.… Expand
  59. HaroldB
    Feb 9, 2010
    9
    This has to be one of the best games to come out of Cryptic Studios thus far. CoV/CoH was a great showing, CO was really poor (but in their defense, it's improving- like all MMOs) but STO simply blew my socks off! I was very skeptical when I got into the beta, but enjoyed it so much that I signed up for a lifetime! I've actually even canceled my three and a half year old WoW This has to be one of the best games to come out of Cryptic Studios thus far. CoV/CoH was a great showing, CO was really poor (but in their defense, it's improving- like all MMOs) but STO simply blew my socks off! I was very skeptical when I got into the beta, but enjoyed it so much that I signed up for a lifetime! I've actually even canceled my three and a half year old WoW account. I'll see you in space, Captain!… Expand
  60. DerekL.
    Mar 19, 2010
    9
    STO is a very good game. It needs some improvement, but the developer Cryptic has shown that they love giving away free updates that fix and improve the game. The flight sim of space might seem complex at first, what with a million complex button options, but is actually very easy to grasp. The storyline is very simple yet still richly detailed, allowing both Star Trek fans and novices to STO is a very good game. It needs some improvement, but the developer Cryptic has shown that they love giving away free updates that fix and improve the game. The flight sim of space might seem complex at first, what with a million complex button options, but is actually very easy to grasp. The storyline is very simple yet still richly detailed, allowing both Star Trek fans and novices to understand and enjoy. In my opinion, the best battles are on planets with your away team. There are possibly a thousand different weapons - from phaser rifles to disruptor launchers - that each have their own unique sense of purpose and belonging. In short, this is a great game that nobody will forget any time soon, and I strongly recommend buying it.… Expand
  61. TravisE
    Mar 13, 2010
    9
    For a star trek fan I found this game to be a breath of fresh air over the typical MMO grind. It has strong and heavy PVE content geared torward the PVE types. The quest content far superscedes any other mmo in PVE content. Clearly it requires Klingon content and has an unfinished touch but the company is working on those items. Many changes have already taken place hence the 9 score. In For a star trek fan I found this game to be a breath of fresh air over the typical MMO grind. It has strong and heavy PVE content geared torward the PVE types. The quest content far superscedes any other mmo in PVE content. Clearly it requires Klingon content and has an unfinished touch but the company is working on those items. Many changes have already taken place hence the 9 score. In the beginning a 6 or 7 would be more fitting but not in the games current state which has already made a huge improvement and more to come!… Expand
  62. tardacus
    Feb 25, 2012
    0
    STO is now F2P so i gave it a try for 4 weeks.
    The first 3 weeks of gameplay was interrupted by daily patches and daily server shutdowns to fix the broken patches.
    leveling was extremely fast,and boring doing the same cookie cutter missions over and over at each level.I reached the level cap in 1 week and thats when the real boredom started.After reaching the level cap there is nothing    STO is now F2P so i gave it a try for 4 weeks.
    The first 3 weeks of gameplay was interrupted by daily patches and daily server shutdowns to fix the broken patches.
    leveling was extremely fast,and boring doing the same cookie cutter missions over and over at each level.I reached the level cap in 1 week and thats when the real boredom started.After reaching the level cap there is nothing to do except a few STF missions which you need to do hundreds of times each in order to try to get the good gear that you need to participate in pvp.
    The game seems to be a typical low budget cash cow game. The community forums require a cash payment in order to gain access to them. some of the mission rewards called mystery boxes require a cash payment in order to open the box and receive your reward for completing the mission.
    A never ending stream of bugs and glitches seems to be the major features of this game.
    STO makes the same mistake that many other F2P games make, they seem to feel that since it is F2P that all the user can be treated as,and used as,beta testers to weed out and report the bugs and glitches that infest the poor quality patches and updates.If I want to be a beta tester I`ll go play a beta game. when I play a live game,either F2P or P2P, I don`t want to be the lab rat that tests the poor quality patches and updates.If they can`t be bothered to do a quality job creating and testing their patches and updates why should I have to be burdened with finding and reporting the bugs and glitches in their patches and updates.
    overall the gameplay reminds me of some cheap knockoff of an old NES type game.
    As with many other F2P games the customer service in this game is dreadful at best and non existent at it`s worst. This game is hardly worthy of the Star Trek name, I expected much better.
    If your just looking for another pointless low budget,generic grindy, cash cow game then you`ll love this game.Personally I wasn`t the least bit impressed with it.    … Expand
  63. SensorGhost
    Nov 26, 2012
    0
    The S7 Update is the clearest indication that STO is a Pay to Win game. Every aspect of advancement at End Game requires an epicly slow grind. Comrade DSthal is Overlord of Grind and Dementing Returns. STO will never be the same, it is a fraud for them to claim to be F2P.
  64. AdderTude
    Apr 2, 2013
    4
    I enjoyed the expansive universe and the varied missions, as well as the different officers you could have. Basically you could be whoever you wished in Starfleet or the Klingon Empire. Another plus is how the story unfolds in "episodes" over an entire arc involving one enemy race as the primary antagonist, the game's equivalent to a regular season. However, the combat suffers from theI enjoyed the expansive universe and the varied missions, as well as the different officers you could have. Basically you could be whoever you wished in Starfleet or the Klingon Empire. Another plus is how the story unfolds in "episodes" over an entire arc involving one enemy race as the primary antagonist, the game's equivalent to a regular season. However, the combat suffers from the same repetitive tactics in every single mission/episode. The biggest frustrations came from battling the Romulans. Every single space battle that happens, the Romulan ships always pull the cheapest maneuvers to instantly destroy your starship, the most used one being where the Romulans hold your ship still with a tractor beam before unloading a massive volley of heavy plasma torpedoes that quickly overload your shields and destroy your ship in one shot. That would be fine if they used it a few times, but the AI seeks to *abuse* that tactic as much as possible in every single mission's space battle (all within the Romulan "season"), causing the mission to be nearly impossible to complete even though the difficulty of the mission is the same as the level your character is at when you attempt it. The ground battles are nearly the opposite. The ground missions are generally very, very easy compared to the space battles if your away team has good synergy between the skills you've given them to use in battle.

    Another issue I have is the exploration. Whenever I'm between missions, I wanted to explore some random world to feel like a true explorer, as was promised from the first looks of the game prior to its release. Instead, I'm forced to stay in space to either 1) run an errand for a new race, 2) fight a battle, or 3) answer a distress call. Afterwards, there isn't even an option to explore the world, at least as far as I knew after scanning the entire UI for the option.

    So, here is the bottom line.
    Pros:
    + huge universe to explore
    + visiting familiar places from all of the TV series before Enterprise
    + varied missions
    + the TV-series-like feel of the story missions

    Cons (in minuses):
    - AI repeatedly abusing cheap maneuvers in space battles to get insta-kills
    - ground battles are too easy in comparison to space battles (PvE)
    - no option to explore random worlds

    The abusive AI in the PvE space battles were way too much for me to continue playing the game any further and I stopped playing. If I ever go back to it, I hope the AI has been improved to where they stop spamming the same one-shot-kill tactic in every single space battle (as the Romulans).    … Expand
  65. Lerch2000
    May 21, 2013
    9
    I think your metacritc score was a fair grade two years ago, you really need to upgrade it. They have done a lot since then, If your going to score or rate games you should update your information.
  66. kenley111
    May 26, 2013
    9
    I have to say that this is a great MMO, the team that works on the game keeps everything up to date. There are a lot of people that still play. Its a blast with friends. The only thing that keeps me from giving it a ten is the ground combat. The ground combat is fun but the animations are a little rough. If they fix that then this is my game. Its the one game that's close to Orion Pirates.I have to say that this is a great MMO, the team that works on the game keeps everything up to date. There are a lot of people that still play. Its a blast with friends. The only thing that keeps me from giving it a ten is the ground combat. The ground combat is fun but the animations are a little rough. If they fix that then this is my game. Its the one game that's close to Orion Pirates. Live long and prosper… Expand
  67. Fluxing
    Oct 12, 2014
    10
    I've been a lifetime member since day one, the game has improved leaps and bounds with every new piece of content released.

    If you are a fan of Star Trek and MMORPGs you MUST check this game out - it's a direct continuation of the Prime Universe after Star Trek Nemesis. Now is the time to jump in - a level cap increase to 60 is coming and a whole new story arc in the Delta Quadrant -    I've been a lifetime member since day one, the game has improved leaps and bounds with every new piece of content released.

    If you are a fan of Star Trek and MMORPGs you MUST check this game out - it's a direct continuation of the Prime Universe after Star Trek Nemesis.

    Now is the time to jump in - a level cap increase to 60 is coming and a whole new story arc in the Delta Quadrant - with several Voyager cast members reprising their roles!    … Expand
  68. Grand_Nagus
    Sep 21, 2014
    8
    STO isn't perfect, but it has really come a long way since launch is is one of my all time favorite games. Two of my favorite features:

    1) completely free to play: you can play every single mission in the game for free, and new expansions are also free. Not only that, but you can even get any item you want from the game store for free by trading in game currency for game store currency    STO isn't perfect, but it has really come a long way since launch is is one of my all time favorite games. Two of my favorite features:

    1) completely free to play: you can play every single mission in the game for free, and new expansions are also free. Not only that, but you can even get any item you want from the game store for free by trading in game currency for game store currency with other players.

    2) unlimited content: STO has a system called the foundry that lets players create their own missions and share them with other players. This means I have a brand new mission that I have never played before to look forward to every single time I log in. I will never run out of new missions to do, which is wild.

    But hey, don't take my word for it. The game is free to play, so try it yourself and thank me later =P    … Expand
  69. JohnP
    Mar 1, 2010
    2
    Kill five waves of ships in orbit to save a distressed vessel. Scan five anomalies in the system to send data to Starfleet. Scan five unmanned computer consoles in an abandoned facility to figure out why it's abandoned. Repair five breeches in the asteroid base so it can be inhabited again. Rewire five artifcats on the ground so they don't irradiate the pre warp culture you Kill five waves of ships in orbit to save a distressed vessel. Scan five anomalies in the system to send data to Starfleet. Scan five unmanned computer consoles in an abandoned facility to figure out why it's abandoned. Repair five breeches in the asteroid base so it can be inhabited again. Rewire five artifcats on the ground so they don't irradiate the pre warp culture you never meet. Kill five platoons of random enemy so they don't start a mining base on said planet. Ok, now use these few basic scenarios repeatedly only tweaking some script regarding motivation and ride that out to max level. Get to max level and waste into oblivion. This game offers one week of fun, 2 or 3 for casual players, until you realise you've been punked. Then you linger on because you're a trek fan and you just can't believe this is all there is.… Expand
  70. Izdubar
    Nov 15, 2012
    0
    This game really had promise one it was out from under the thumb of Atari's negligence. But barely a year from being purchased by the Chinese game company Perfect World, the game has devolved into an asian cashgrab grinder. Expect to grind for months at endgame to (moderately) progress your character, unless you want to buy the in-game currency which everything now costs. The Season 7This game really had promise one it was out from under the thumb of Atari's negligence. But barely a year from being purchased by the Chinese game company Perfect World, the game has devolved into an asian cashgrab grinder. Expect to grind for months at endgame to (moderately) progress your character, unless you want to buy the in-game currency which everything now costs. The Season 7 update leaves even the Ferengi in awe.… Expand
  71. Rattazustra
    Feb 24, 2012
    2
    It starts out with a character generation system outdated by much more than the game's actual age, goes on with a completely heart- and soulless tutorial, an interface that is not only confusing and uncomfortable to use, but also incredibly ugly and leads into mediocre gameplay and horrid graphics. I am incredibly relieved that this game is free to play now, for I could hardly stomach howIt starts out with a character generation system outdated by much more than the game's actual age, goes on with a completely heart- and soulless tutorial, an interface that is not only confusing and uncomfortable to use, but also incredibly ugly and leads into mediocre gameplay and horrid graphics. I am incredibly relieved that this game is free to play now, for I could hardly stomach how it must feel to have spent money on this. I'd have to get paid to play it and I'd have to get paid even more to recommend it without swallowing my tongue. Simply horrible and a shame even for the Star Trek franchise.… Expand
  72. DennisU
    Feb 4, 2010
    4
    Very disappointing to a die-hard Trekkie that really looked forward to this. Cryptic got one very fundamental and important thing completely and utterly wrong. Star Trek is about exploration. "To reach out to new life and new civilizations, and to boldly go where no man has gone before." Star Trek Online is all combat, combat, combat, combat, more combat, and even more combat. There is no Very disappointing to a die-hard Trekkie that really looked forward to this. Cryptic got one very fundamental and important thing completely and utterly wrong. Star Trek is about exploration. "To reach out to new life and new civilizations, and to boldly go where no man has gone before." Star Trek Online is all combat, combat, combat, combat, more combat, and even more combat. There is no exploration. Don't get me wrong. I thought the combat, especially the ship fights, was fun, if a bit unrealistic. One lone Federation ship cannot defeat 9 Klingon ships (3 at a time, but still), especially when those ships are warships. Sure, Star Trek is a bit unrealistic, but it has always had a tinge of realism that made you go "That could actually be our future." I did not get this feeling for a moment while playing Star Trek Online. The leveling system wasn't bad, and was a good tie-in to the actual ranks. The graphics were amazing, for what little actually had to be done. You are mostly limited to being in orbit of a planet when in space, while the "Sector Space" - the space where you pick what system you want to go to - was big but felt too much like a "Level Select" to me. Having to buy the Klingon and Ferrengi races (Note: I may not be understanding the method of obtaining C-Points correctly), and only offering the freed Borg as a perk to buying a Lifetime subscription, rubbed me the wrong way as well. All in all, Star Trek Online is an incredibly disappointing game that focuses far and beyond too much on combat and not on what Star Trek is really all about: Exploration. I will not be renewing after the free month.… Expand
  73. Seahawk1984
    Jul 4, 2011
    9
    Not sure when the last time any of the reviewers played Star Trek Online, but it has come a long way since it first came out over a year ago. So those who gave negative reviews should go back and play it again. I think they would be pleasantly surprised and give a higher rating score. They will be greatly improving ground combat here in the next month or so, and a lot of new things haveNot sure when the last time any of the reviewers played Star Trek Online, but it has come a long way since it first came out over a year ago. So those who gave negative reviews should go back and play it again. I think they would be pleasantly surprised and give a higher rating score. They will be greatly improving ground combat here in the next month or so, and a lot of new things have been added, and fixed. More fixes are in the works. I love this game so much, I shelled out the $300 for lifetime membership, and so far I haven't been disappointed.… Expand
  74. JohnDoe
    Feb 11, 2010
    3
    This is game completely miss what Star Trek franchise was about. It only looks like star trek on the surface under the hood it everything that made the shows great. And manages to mess up all the other things it tried to do to make it fun. Ground combat is a joke, the space ship combat could be fun expect that all the super hero powered ships seem to encourage button mashing spam. The This is game completely miss what Star Trek franchise was about. It only looks like star trek on the surface under the hood it everything that made the shows great. And manages to mess up all the other things it tried to do to make it fun. Ground combat is a joke, the space ship combat could be fun expect that all the super hero powered ships seem to encourage button mashing spam. The crafting is bad joke. And so just about everything else about this game.… Expand
  75. RichardS
    Mar 25, 2010
    3
    Realism is key for me in games, as I am a hardcore gamer, and a Trekie to boot. To me, this MMO is a poor execution of everything Star Trek means to me. I have a list of things I don't like, most of which people have mentioned already. -scale of star systems: according to the game, it is only a couple dozen kilometers from a planet and it's moon/asteroid belt (!?!). Asteroid Realism is key for me in games, as I am a hardcore gamer, and a Trekie to boot. To me, this MMO is a poor execution of everything Star Trek means to me. I have a list of things I don't like, most of which people have mentioned already. -scale of star systems: according to the game, it is only a couple dozen kilometers from a planet and it's moon/asteroid belt (!?!). Asteroid belts don't orbit planets. In STO every planet has asteroids, it kinda got to me. No reason not to die. No economy. (WoW clone type economy doesn't count in my book) Repetitive everything. No reason to buy stuff, everything is dropped by loot or mission reward. No reason to socialize. Frankly, no reason to play. :( Things I liked: phasers and photon torpedoes.... ground combat the first few times.… Expand
  76. Airwolf435
    Feb 6, 2011
    9
    Alright so Startrek Online has finally turned one. The game has come a great way from its beginning, less then a month after initial reviews Cryptic rolled out their first set of content updates. These â
  77. kaiser10951
    May 27, 2011
    8
    Great Trek game bundled with hours of fun. There are two forms of combat, space and ground. Space combat is intense and fun, ground combat is currently not as fun. The foundry is a groundbreaking quest building utility that allows players to create their own missions for others to play. STO is not a perfect game and not for everyone, the game was a little rocky upon release but as someoneGreat Trek game bundled with hours of fun. There are two forms of combat, space and ground. Space combat is intense and fun, ground combat is currently not as fun. The foundry is a groundbreaking quest building utility that allows players to create their own missions for others to play. STO is not a perfect game and not for everyone, the game was a little rocky upon release but as someone who took a years break after the first month I have definitely seen massive improvement.… Expand
  78. Kurtz
    Dec 22, 2011
    5
    Quit after 5 hours or so. This game really would only appeal to hardcore Star Trek fans in my eyes. Graphics are good for an MMO. Space flight is ok because you can control your own ship. Rest is just honestly boring and not much fun. It is going FTP soon though but honestly I wouldn't even download it if it was free.
  79. Bynr
    Apr 22, 2015
    0
    I wish to revise my rating from a 3 down to a 0. With the elimination of daily events, exploration clusters, easily puggable queues, and most recently simpler, solo dailies all of which rewarded reliable amounts of dilithium (in-game currency), there is nothing left of value here but Star Trek franchise nostalgia and name recognition of NPCs. These changes were inaugurated with the permaI wish to revise my rating from a 3 down to a 0. With the elimination of daily events, exploration clusters, easily puggable queues, and most recently simpler, solo dailies all of which rewarded reliable amounts of dilithium (in-game currency), there is nothing left of value here but Star Trek franchise nostalgia and name recognition of NPCs. These changes were inaugurated with the perma banning of one of the most prolific, intelligent, and outspoken player leaders as to remove resistance in advance (JKName). The devs seem only able to focus on ship sales via gamble boxes and even introduced a crafting system that included gambling and is the only means of obtaining highest level gear. The PvE queues have been made more difficult for less reward, the end game grind has been increased 10 fold since "Delta Rising", and the devs admit they have no idea how to make ground maps interesting. Five years in and Andoria is still a wasteland and nothing of meaning can be performed from your bridge. Did I mention zero exploration? The entire plotline revolving around Dyson Spheres and Iconian super beings disgusts me. The universe is too vast and underdeveloped to be presenting the players with demi-god adversaries that require canon races to evolve thousands of years technologically in days to compete with. Stupid design led to gear inflation/power creep and stupid writing has led to plot inflation. We're all Dr. Who now, time-traveling kings of space-time. Way to make the universe small!… Expand
  80. Myselfandyou
    Jul 1, 2018
    1
    This game started pretty nicely, with many promises of an actual decent star trek videogame. Unfortunately that feeling only lasted for about 1-2 years until the game become f2p. The game as in 2018 is a complete mess, filled with bugs, broken content, terrible broken animations, broken mechanics and abilities, lag, rubberbanding, etc, etc, you name it... and its a total embarrasement forThis game started pretty nicely, with many promises of an actual decent star trek videogame. Unfortunately that feeling only lasted for about 1-2 years until the game become f2p. The game as in 2018 is a complete mess, filled with bugs, broken content, terrible broken animations, broken mechanics and abilities, lag, rubberbanding, etc, etc, you name it... and its a total embarrasement for the star trek franchise. I never played a game so broken in 20 years. Its a shame that CBS will never care about the franchise to avoid cheap and crappy companies like pwe/cryptic (who avoid completely quality control and bug fixing, and they keep releasing broken content as a regular rule), as long as they care only about $$$. The worst part is, the community of this game. Filled with rich kids and fanboys that keep giving pwe/cryptic money without even expecting a minimum quality control on the product. Ridiculous. I will never recommend this game to anyone, unless it is my worst enemy. lol. The only positive aspect of STO is that it has a great free to play model, but everything else.. oh my, run from it like a plague, seriously.… Expand
  81. KajT
    Feb 4, 2010
    2
    Your generic quest/grind MMOG. The multiplayer elements are completely ignorable as it is solo game by design with co-op elements added in. Not really impressed as it just like many other MMOGs out there right now who have already perfected their genre. I guess if you're a fan of the new age star trek (enterprise, the new movie and such) this is for you, older trekkies will find too Your generic quest/grind MMOG. The multiplayer elements are completely ignorable as it is solo game by design with co-op elements added in. Not really impressed as it just like many other MMOGs out there right now who have already perfected their genre. I guess if you're a fan of the new age star trek (enterprise, the new movie and such) this is for you, older trekkies will find too many plot holes and retcons of the older series. TL:DR This game would be worth it if it were free, however the monthly fee is not worth it.… Expand
  82. ivanr
    Feb 8, 2010
    2
    This game is a shame. It has no StarTrek at all. It is all combat, at space mainly, even the combat at ground is bad. I admit the space combat is fun to play, but all is space combat, no exploration, no diplomacy, no Star Trek at all. The skill system is useless. What is the point in having four officers with a punch of skills to level up, when you can only use five or six skills at This game is a shame. It has no StarTrek at all. It is all combat, at space mainly, even the combat at ground is bad. I admit the space combat is fun to play, but all is space combat, no exploration, no diplomacy, no Star Trek at all. The skill system is useless. What is the point in having four officers with a punch of skills to level up, when you can only use five or six skills at maximum? It has no sense to raise for example 2 space skills per officer when you can only use 5. The missions are mainly go there and get an object, or go there and kill those guys. The klingon faction is a waste of time, no fun missions, no content, just a bit of pvp with a painful difficult level. Stay away from this game please.… Expand
  83. DaveB
    Feb 11, 2010
    3
    Some really nice visuals, but the game itself is horrible. Every mission falls into 2 catagories - 1) fly a couple of patrols killing ships at each waypoint (about 90 percent of the time) and 2) going to a planet and playing a very badly designed 1st person shooter (about 10 percent of the time). The space combat is not 3d, and is so mindless you might as well be shooting at a block - the Some really nice visuals, but the game itself is horrible. Every mission falls into 2 catagories - 1) fly a couple of patrols killing ships at each waypoint (about 90 percent of the time) and 2) going to a planet and playing a very badly designed 1st person shooter (about 10 percent of the time). The space combat is not 3d, and is so mindless you might as well be shooting at a block - the ground combat is so buggy and mindless you just need to turn on autoshoot and walk forward an inch every 40 seconds or so. Stay far away from this one folks, your gaming money is better spent on something worthy.… Expand
  84. ChrisM
    Feb 12, 2010
    7
    Has a lot of potential, was very shaky at launch with many server blackouts and random disconnects. How ever this game has a lot going for it, although end game content is lacking it is still very enjoyable for the casual gamer. If your a trekkie fan pick this up, if you are not a trekkie fan but are interested...watch the shows first then pick up a copy. If your just looking for another Has a lot of potential, was very shaky at launch with many server blackouts and random disconnects. How ever this game has a lot going for it, although end game content is lacking it is still very enjoyable for the casual gamer. If your a trekkie fan pick this up, if you are not a trekkie fan but are interested...watch the shows first then pick up a copy. If your just looking for another random MMO to play, hold off for a bit while the game is being polished more.… Expand
  85. AaronM
    Mar 8, 2010
    5
    I've been playing since launch, and while I will say that the game is very enjoyable, it is just that...An enjoyable GAME. People expecting the kind of MMO experience that will suck you in and you won't want to leave are going to be sorely disappointed, as Cryptic hasn't even been able to provide much more than a few story driven missions, coupled with a massive number of I've been playing since launch, and while I will say that the game is very enjoyable, it is just that...An enjoyable GAME. People expecting the kind of MMO experience that will suck you in and you won't want to leave are going to be sorely disappointed, as Cryptic hasn't even been able to provide much more than a few story driven missions, coupled with a massive number of generic missions that have little to no story. To add insult to injury, Cryptic neglected to put into place any system that would allow any group of people larger than 5 to get into the same instance. There is no "raid" group function, and therefore it is virtually impossible for a fleet/guild to actually be able to get into the same instance of an encounter. This makes the Multiplayer aspect severely limited and makes the reasoning behind joining a fleet to be somewhat laughable. On top of that, may of the developer interviews have been oddly reminiscent of City of Heroes when Cryptic decided to implement changes that completely alienated existing gamers, causing them a loss of 54% or so of their players, and triggering the sale of that game to NCSoft. It is a great game for fun, and reminiscent of SFC III, but if you're looking for an engaging MMO that lets you do more than fly in and shoot to blow things up, you will be sometimes happy, and most of the time disappointed. I'm hoping Cryptic will be more forward thinking, but for my money, I'll be going into something else as soon as my sub is up.… Expand
  86. ShawnO.
    Apr 22, 2010
    7
    I'm going to have to agree with Don H. on this. First, fanboy expectations of this game are a little ridiculous and quibbling over nonsense like the scale of the star systems is stupid. Do you really expect for space travel from Earth to Bajor to be in real-time? That would make for one exciting experience, wouldn't it? Beyond that, the jury was out on this game way too early. I'm going to have to agree with Don H. on this. First, fanboy expectations of this game are a little ridiculous and quibbling over nonsense like the scale of the star systems is stupid. Do you really expect for space travel from Earth to Bajor to be in real-time? That would make for one exciting experience, wouldn't it? Beyond that, the jury was out on this game way too early. I'm not an MMO player and I wouldn't give someone a nickel to play WoW as I have no interest in the genre but I am a gamer and a Star Trek gamer at that and I bought a lifetime mebership as well only for the fact that if I get two years out of it, it will be paid for. That being said, I haven't played the game in over a month and I just got back into it this week and the improvements that have already been made have been dramatic. I'll be the first to admit that I began playing this thinking to my self, "that's it?" as there really wasn't much of a difference between the closed-Beta version of the game and the initial release. I'm amazed at how much better it has become in just the past 6 weeks. The complaint about not having any incentive to team up... gone. I have been in a multiple battles in the past three days that have required assistance from fellow players or I would not have been able to beat them and that's in space and on the ground. One of the biggest complaints I had was that the missions were dull and simplistic with little storyline and and the same generic tasks. That to, albeit not perfect, is improving. Cryptic seems very receptive to the input of the players and they seem to want to make the experience improve by continuing to evolve it. In my opinoon what happened s that they released this game ealrier than they really wanted towhich is why it seemed "not finished." Also, something that really bugs me is when players complain that an MMORPG is subscription based. Grow up, you big babies. It's an open-ended environment that need to be constantly maintained and Cryptic doesn't bombard you with advertisements and doesn't make you buy upgrades. if you had asked me last month where this game ranked, I'd say a 5 but today it's a solid 7.5. It's not quite an 8 so I'm leaving it at 7 but Cryptic that they really care about this product to improve what needs to be improved.… Expand
  87. usersname5532
    Oct 14, 2014
    3
    This game continues to sicken me with every new expansion. The developers are putting out mediocre game cause the items are generally bugged. The company that manages the game is so money hungry and greedy it's just insane not to mention customer service means nothing to them. If you don't mind forking out thousands of dollars on a 'free to play' game then by all means or don't mindThis game continues to sicken me with every new expansion. The developers are putting out mediocre game cause the items are generally bugged. The company that manages the game is so money hungry and greedy it's just insane not to mention customer service means nothing to them. If you don't mind forking out thousands of dollars on a 'free to play' game then by all means or don't mind spending months online hours a day doing the same thing over and over go for it...if you a real gamer just find something else.… Expand
  88. xGamefreakz
    Oct 30, 2014
    5
    This is a review coming from someone who entered the game in late 2014. I am not exactly a hardcore Star Trek Fan, but I did like the franchise so I decided to give this game a go. STO offers a decently long campaign where you can choose to be either a Federation, Romulan or Klingon character, though only the beginning of the missions are unique to the factions, the later parts of theThis is a review coming from someone who entered the game in late 2014. I am not exactly a hardcore Star Trek Fan, but I did like the franchise so I decided to give this game a go. STO offers a decently long campaign where you can choose to be either a Federation, Romulan or Klingon character, though only the beginning of the missions are unique to the factions, the later parts of the story are similar. The game is also open world, with many different systems and sectors to visit. Most of the story is told through reading, either from other NPC and cut scenes. Some of the story even continues or relates to the television series of Star Trek, which is nice. Gameplay is third-person, with the option to switch to a first person like. Combat includes both ground combat (character vs NPC etc.) and space combat, including both PVE and PVP. Combat is pretty decent, with different tactics to go about in ship combat. There are a large variety of different weapons, gadgets, abilities and other equipments to go with your play style. Different grades and rarity of items exist, with the good items being hard to find. Almost all the ships from the star trek lore is in this game, from the Klingon Negh'Var to the Sovereign to even Dominion and other alien ships. Overall I did like the game play and the story, I had alot of fun from it.

    Those were the good part of the game, now this is the bad part of the game. During the campaign, most of the story is through reading and combat, it gets dull quickly as a new player, you would be drawn into things like trying to level up to add more skill points, gain access to new ships, thus you would be tempted to just skipping all the reading and just quickly finishing missions. A lot more interaction could be used in the story. Then next, endgame content. After completing the story, you would only have normal MMO things left to do, which is to grind for currency, rare weapons, getting new traits, new ships and so on. You can enter dungeon like PVE game mode with fleets to earn items. However I find some extremely large problems for the end game content. Firstly, the ships. By playing through the campaign to level up, you will be granted free ships from a small selection of choice, starting from small escorts to larger cruisers, then battle cruisers. A total of 5-6 free ships. once you get the last ship which is the battle cruiser, the previous ships are mostly obsolete as they have less stats. However, the normal currency in this game, earned through selling unwanted items, or completing missions, cannot be used to buy any ship that would be at the same level as your last free ships, or better. A small choice of them requires Dilithium crystals, another primary currency. The problem is that you can only obtain the currency in 'ore' form, and to convert it, it's free but you can only convert 8000 a day. And the good ships that cost Dilithium cost like 120000 crystals! That would take you hours after hours of grinding, and even then you have to wait for 15 days. The majority of the good ships, that is 'Tier 5 and Tier 6', the biggest problem is that they can only be bought in 2 ways, real world money currency, Zen, or converting crystals to Zen then buying it. Each good ships cost way too much! Probably any player would want one of the faction specific dreadnoughts, like the Romulan Scimitar or the Federation Odyssey class. However 1000Zen cost $10, almost all of the good ships cost 2500-3000 Zen. That means each ship is about $25! You can earn your way up to buy it without real money but it will take you forever. With the current exchange rate of Dilithium to Zen from other real players, it will take roughly 50 days to convert 400k crystals to 2500Zen! And thats just for 1 ship and for 1 character! There are over 20+ of the good and nice ships in this game! There is currently no other way to go around this. This means that after enjoying your free new ships, you be stuck with that 1 cruiser for at least a month, and that is if you are really a hardcore MMO playing everyday! And this is just for ships. Both your character and your ships have intensive item customization. All the ultra rare items mostly cost way too much, or require a hybrid currency of Dilithium and others like fleet credits. All of these completely kills any endgame content unless your willing to fork out at least a hundred dollars. I have not played much of PVP, but I hear that the tier 6 ships is quite imbalanced for PVP.

    Overall, I played the game for about 6 days, putting hours into my Klingon character to level 55.
    While the story is decent, if your willing to read everything, the game quality is average, the graphics are extremely dated especially in this year 2014, and the game after the story is basically all the things you will see in an average MMO, just that its all spaceships. I cant really see any value putting hours into grinding in this game, and with an average quality, its a 5/10 for me.    … Expand
  89. stc1992
    Feb 25, 2015
    9
    This game, as of 2015, is very robust in content and delivery. It was important to preface my review with this, because at launch, it was bereft of content that most MMO's would consider a basic requirement (endgame content, for one thing). Now, this game if fully fleshed out, especially considering it is a F2P game. The space combat is highly engaging, reminiscent of Insurrection andThis game, as of 2015, is very robust in content and delivery. It was important to preface my review with this, because at launch, it was bereft of content that most MMO's would consider a basic requirement (endgame content, for one thing). Now, this game if fully fleshed out, especially considering it is a F2P game. The space combat is highly engaging, reminiscent of Insurrection and Nemesis. On the ground, you don't feel like a vulnerable away team just waiting to get blasted (and the in-game lore does a decent job explaining why). The opening story and following episodes are very entertaining, but at times repetitive in their objectives. The secondary features of the game may intimidate new players at first, but are well worth getting into. Some people may be put off by the amount of currency required to buy some of the truly top of the line ships, but it is possible to play this game, fully featured, without ever spending a nickel of real money. That approach can be a little grindy, so if you can afford to put US$10-20 towards some ZEN (game store currency), you may appreciate the later stages of the game a bit more.… Expand
  90. MikeS.
    Feb 9, 2010
    5
    I've played both, open beta and the release version. Ground combat is clumsy and poorly implemented. Essentially you stand there firing at each other with the occasional roll or knock back. No use of cover and I've actually experienced (like in space) NPCs firing through objects I can't. There's no penalty for dieing and you spawn close to where you were fighting. In I've played both, open beta and the release version. Ground combat is clumsy and poorly implemented. Essentially you stand there firing at each other with the occasional roll or knock back. No use of cover and I've actually experienced (like in space) NPCs firing through objects I can't. There's no penalty for dieing and you spawn close to where you were fighting. In fact it's almost rewarded because instead of having to be cautious when your hull was beaten down low, you can just do what you can to speed up your demise so you can zip on it with fully recharged shields and a hull without any dings in it. The quests are repetitive. There is little variation between quests and they can all be summed up as either: kill, scan, talk. Scanning by the way consists of pressing F then waiting for a bar to reach its end. In a game as this with all of the problems faced by Star Trek cast in television series or movies you'd think they could have come up with something different, even if it only happens once in a blue. While they're at it, they seriously need to fix that useless quest log and make the map more useful. I won't say the map is useless because you can see planets to travel to and just click which one you wish to head to, but it could have been made so much clearer. Why in space can my ship not do a vertical flip? Aircraft on Earth can for crying out loud. Put some direction in the quests for players new to the game or Star Trek franchise. You say go "there" but never actually give players direction on where that is. At least allow us to access a map of the other sectors while not being in them. There is no logical reason as to why we shouldn't be able to at least see the lay out. The quests seriously need their repetition toned down. I got bored out of my mind before level 8 and the only thing that has me not falling asleep at the keyboard is, well, nothing actually. I have been falling asleep playing on a few occasions. The Lamb Chop song isn't as reptitive as the quests in this game. I say this despite others having already done so because the devs apparently love repetition. The voice over narrative is dull, uninformative for the most part and wholely annoying. This game is best summed up as a multiplayer dungeon crawler set in space but with gameplay that isn't interesting in the least with sole exception with the fleet actions on some occasions (they tend to get easier later in the levels). It's buggy, has mediocre space combat, subpar ground combat (and terrible NPC pathfinding), poor narrative, annoying soundtrack (I swear one of them is some guy moaning in agony, hopefully the type of agony I have hearing that track), and doesn't offer any real callenge or innovation.… Expand
  91. AdamJ
    Feb 10, 2010
    6
    I was looking forward to this game for ages and did initially have fun playing, the space combat is well polished and the fleet actions are great fun and quite epic at times. However, the game lets itself down on the ground combat... it feels robotic and a bit cut and paste with no smoothness and its not that fun after a while. There are also still a lot of bugs in the game, some of which I was looking forward to this game for ages and did initially have fun playing, the space combat is well polished and the fleet actions are great fun and quite epic at times. However, the game lets itself down on the ground combat... it feels robotic and a bit cut and paste with no smoothness and its not that fun after a while. There are also still a lot of bugs in the game, some of which definitely should have been ironed out in the beta and the game does get repetitive quite quickly :(. i hope that cryptic do continue to invest in the game as there is a lot of potential here that just needs to be realised and perhaps in a few months time it will be worth paying over £10 (thats right £10) a month but right now i will play for my free time and that's it.… Expand
  92. Raymond
    Feb 22, 2010
    5
    I like watching star trek but not a fan of it like some people are, however i do like scifi and mmo games. So what could go wrong with a game like STO ? Well just rip the mmo part off because if this is cryptic idea of a mmo then they have got to be kidding. If you disagree fine, but the whole aspect of a mmo is that you dont feel alone but are playing with thousands of other players. I like watching star trek but not a fan of it like some people are, however i do like scifi and mmo games. So what could go wrong with a game like STO ? Well just rip the mmo part off because if this is cryptic idea of a mmo then they have got to be kidding. If you disagree fine, but the whole aspect of a mmo is that you dont feel alone but are playing with thousands of other players. There might be some hope but as the game stands now maybe the true star trek fans can enjoy it I however was quite bored after 2 weeks. And i really tried it but its just the same thing over and over. But there is still potential however i will look at it again in a few months see if it has improved. But there are better mmo's out there.… Expand
  93. JohnE
    Feb 16, 2010
    5
    The Game looks great and does have some fun qualities. But it quickly got REAL boring for Me...Way too much repetitive Space Combat and not nearly enough Ground. I actually did not mind the Ground Combat, for what it was worth. Not nearly enough true Planetary exploration for a Game with this IP...I know it's early, but this Game did not catch My attention enough to Play it for more The Game looks great and does have some fun qualities. But it quickly got REAL boring for Me...Way too much repetitive Space Combat and not nearly enough Ground. I actually did not mind the Ground Combat, for what it was worth. Not nearly enough true Planetary exploration for a Game with this IP...I know it's early, but this Game did not catch My attention enough to Play it for more than the 1st week...I was REALLY disappointed overall...… Expand
  94. AlexF
    Feb 9, 2010
    5
    Anyone who says this game has a steep learning curve needs to play Eve Online. That being said, the game is mediocre and boring after about the first 20 levels. As said they also forget what the star-trek universe was about, exploration. If it weren't combat based however itwould probably just be a boring game. All in all, we see a lot of what Cryptic has copied, or just plain done Anyone who says this game has a steep learning curve needs to play Eve Online. That being said, the game is mediocre and boring after about the first 20 levels. As said they also forget what the star-trek universe was about, exploration. If it weren't combat based however itwould probably just be a boring game. All in all, we see a lot of what Cryptic has copied, or just plain done wrong (ship combat becomes boring after you kill the same sets of mobs 50+ times), and little that seems to be interesting, or done right.… Expand
  95. Talented
    Feb 12, 2010
    10
    Coming from a back round of EQ, WoW and countless others, it's rare to find a game where it's more challenging to level than simply walking to a man with a question mark above his head. One of those games that I somehow "lost" ten hours the first time I sat down to play it.
  96. KenB
    Feb 17, 2010
    10
    I love Star Trek and have never really gotten into any MMO before but this game rocks! I have tried playing other MMOs like Wow and Matrix and Star Wars but this game wipes them out of the water...This is a perfect game! Sure there are some problems but Cryptic is listening and patching rather fast which is nice to see. I love this game and it will just get better!
  97. GunstarOne
    Feb 17, 2010
    10
    Are you guys all retarded take your MMORPG's snobish nose out of the air at take a good look at the traps and trials the STO faces in the current market across the board not just MMORPG but gaming in general look at other games 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after its realease there are some dam finet title to take your money elsewhere but the fact that STO has had over 1 million paid Are you guys all retarded take your MMORPG's snobish nose out of the air at take a good look at the traps and trials the STO faces in the current market across the board not just MMORPG but gaming in general look at other games 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after its realease there are some dam finet title to take your money elsewhere but the fact that STO has had over 1 million paid subs so far syas something it says IT WILL BE A GREAT GAME ! mark my words this game will # 3 MMORPG in subs and sales by years end. STO FOEVER… Expand
  98. Ordish
    Nov 7, 2012
    3
    Uggg. Another game with great potential and a background story that is unique. Again we have another game with stale mechanics. If you made the graphics neutral you could probably swap this out for LOTR Online and have the same game. The linear quest lines have been dated for over a decade now. It is a shame the makers couldn't give this title some originality instead of just banking on the name.
  99. Molvanian
    Dec 24, 2016
    0
    It's hard to find a game more deserving of a 5/10. It's fun, but it's marred with so many hundreds of flaws. Broken animations, lazy design, boring missions, tedious missions, bugs that haven't been fixed in EIGHT YEARS of being reported.

    It's obvious the owners do NOT care. It just pumps out new content, including new, pointless things to spend real money on, and leaves the old stuff    It's hard to find a game more deserving of a 5/10. It's fun, but it's marred with so many hundreds of flaws. Broken animations, lazy design, boring missions, tedious missions, bugs that haven't been fixed in EIGHT YEARS of being reported.

    It's obvious the owners do NOT care. It just pumps out new content, including new, pointless things to spend real money on, and leaves the old stuff an unsupported slog.

    That being said the game DOES have it's charm. There ARE good sections, areas with good pacing, the space combat IS fun. But there's so many bad things that COULD be fixed, could be fixed in a couple months... that just... aren't... that I can't give this game a higher grade. I honestly think the 6.2 it has at the time of writing is too high.    … Expand
  100. Bobbo
    Jun 3, 2012
    4
    WOW game mechanics like linear progression, tank-nuker-healer, taints every opinion I have on a game; basically I loath it. I've been there, done that, and I don't want to do it anymore.
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Awards & Rankings

13
#13 Most Discussed PC Game of 2010
9
#9 Most Shared PC Game of 2010

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
66

Mixed or average reviews - based on 34 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 34
  2. Mixed: 21 out of 34
  3. Negative: 3 out of 34
  1. GameWatcher
    80
    This is as fine a[n] homage to one of Sci-fi's great franchises a[s] you can get in an MMO format.
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  2. Eurogamer
    60
    Despite all of these complaints, those hordes of starship captains are quite happy. They may not have many different things to do, and the missions and UI may be rather buggy, but there does seem to be enough content to sustain them - at least until the endgame - and even at its worst that content is knockabout fun with more instant appeal, and more suitability for casual, short-session, low-commitment play than most MMOs.
    Read full review
  3. Vandal
    85
    It is one of the worthier options among the titles which try to compete with WoW, and the one that has convinced us the most to date.
    Read full review
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