Star Trek: Resurgence Reviews
Some illogical gameplay decisions and presentation fumbles aside, Dramatic Labs crafts an exhilarating Trek story closer in spirit to Rodenberry than Kurtzman.
Star Trek: Resurgence offers a genuine thrill for big fans of the series, and more of a curio to anyone else.
Any Star Trek fan is going to enjoy this, and it might even turn narrative adventure fans into Trekkies!
Star Trek: Resurgence has an enjoyable story in a beloved universe but is bogged down by outdated mechanics and visuals in a genre that others have shown can be vastly improved.
Still, as I said at the start of this review, Resurgence is the best Star Trek game since Elite Force. To expand on that, I’d say that Elite Force is the better video game based on Star Trek, because it’s a decent shooter (and there’s a handheld photon launcher, which is basically the most gleefully stupid thing ever conceived). But Resurgence is the best Star Trek Game. As an interactive adaptation of the popular television franchise, it succeeds. And though there are areas where it could do with more polish, where better decisions could have been made, and where I wish there was extra money to spend, all of that melts away when I consider that as someone who grew up watching The Next Generation, playing this game felt like returning home.
Despite its tight writing and a clear love for the franchise, Dramatic Labs misses the mark with Star Trek: Resurgence. A mountain of bugs, a lack of polish, and tedious interactive moments mar an otherwise promising experience.
Star Trek Resurgence's story is rather solid, but the rest of the game is riddled with bugs and QTEs that take you out of the moment.
Star Trek: Resurgence is an ambitious trek into a beloved sci-fi universe. Despite some rough edges, its narrative drive, character development, and detailed universe design make it a treat for die-hard Trekkies and casual gamers. The game has enough depth to keep you hooked, even if you’re unfamiliar with the intricate Star Trek jargon. With a balance of compelling storytelling and thoughtful references to the original series, the game is a worthwhile voyage into the final frontier.
While there are some nuggets of gold within Star Trek: Resurgence's narrative, the game prioritizes tedious puzzles and clunky mechanics that break the sense of immersion that is crucial for this genre. The IP and some interesting characters are not enough to distract from the poor visuals, controls, and bugs that plague the majority of the experience.
Not even Resurgence’s nearest spiritual ancestors, classic ’90s point-and-click adventures Star Trek 25th Anniversary or Star Trek: The Next Generation – A Final Unity, have captured that essential human element that makes for a great Star Trek story. Resurgence ties a worthwhile cast of characters to an interstellar adventure. Does Resurgence qualify as “great Star Trek”? Probably not, but it’s hard to argue that any video game has come closer.
While the action sequences feel shallow, the game tells a Star Trek story that will resonate with any fan of the older series.