Hello, Arsians! At Ars Orbiting HQ, our passion for games spans the spectrum, embracing everything from cutting-edge AAA titles to timeless classics.
With this enthusiasm in mind, we are excited to announce a new initiative for the upcoming months: we’ve teamed up with GOG.com to launch a curated store page showcasing some of our top picks from GOG’s extensive catalog. Each month, we’ll refresh the selection by rotating a few titles and introducing new ones. In total, we have curated around fifty games for you to explore.
We apologize for the convoluted affiliate link—it leads to https://www.gog.com/en/partner/ArsTechnica for direct access. By using this link to navigate to GOG’s website, a portion of your purchases during your session will help support Ars. Your support is greatly appreciated!
This marks the beginning of what we hope will evolve into a wider collaboration, including offers like GOG discount codes. Stay tuned for the upcoming post in July, where I’ll share additional details!
This week’s featured game is Star Trek: 25th Anniversary
The early ’90s offered few satisfactory options for Star Trek gaming. Fans hoping to don an authentic Starfleet uniform and command the Enterprise were primarily limited to rudimentary text-based games such as Star Trek: The Kobayashi Alternative.
However, all of that changed with the 1992 launch of Star Trek: 25th Anniversary, affectionately referred to as ST25. The game revitalized the original series’ Enterprise and its iconic crew in stunning 256-color VGA graphics. Players were relieved to discover that the game was a well-crafted homage, featuring exquisitely recreated locations like the Enterprise bridge, complete with atmospheric sound effects directly from the television series. The character designs were distinct, making it easy to differentiate between Bones and Spock, creating a nostalgic experience for fans.
True to the gaming conventions of its time, ST25 is a mouse-driven point-and-click adventure. It consists of seven separate chapters, each presenting a unique mission to solve. Players are under the watchful eye of Starfleet Command, and achieving only the basic objectives will yield a lukewarm performance evaluation from an admiral. However, those who excel and complete all tasks, including bonus challenges, will earn high praise.
The gameplay typically begins with the Enterprise crew assembled on the bridge, as Captain Kirk records a log entry. With the CD-ROM version, all lines were voiced by the original cast, beginning with Bill Shatner’s familiar opening line, “Captain’s log…” as it outlines the mission details. Unfortunately, the game’s only notable voice cast absence is Majel Barrett as the ship’s computer.
Players will encounter what is often seen as the game’s most challenging aspect—space battles, where maneuvering the Enterprise using the mouse can be frustrating. Participants must evade enemy fire and defeat opposing vessels, which can sometimes add to the dissatisfaction due to lackluster controls.
Should players navigate through the obligatory space skirmish successfully, they shift into the role of Kirk, beaming down to explore alien worlds or investigate derelict ships, equipped with a tricorder and phaser. Joining Kirk on these missions are Spock, McCoy, and occasionally, a redshirt, who may not always survive the experience.
The game’s strengths shine during these away missions, each distinct and rich with nostalgia from the original series, showcased through sound and visual design. Banter between McCoy and Spock accompanies engaging adventure game puzzles, creating an immersive experience that can provide hours of enjoyment.
For players who find excitement in ST25, a sequel awaits: Star Trek: Judgment Rites. This sequel continues the story using the same game engine, the original voice cast (including Majel Barrett), mission structures, and textual detail that fans appreciate.
Interested in experiencing Star Trek: 25th Anniversary? You can purchase it for $9.99 on the GOG store! The GOG version is designed to run seamlessly on Windows and Linux, and, thanks to DOSBox support, Mac users can also enjoy it with minimal adjustments.
