you can play the quests and experience the lore just fine, for free
lots of fan service in the game, for example plenty of series actors doing voices.
Con:
The game is on life support, and extremely dated. Most systems and mechanics have been gutted and streamlined so much, all you can do is get a feeling for how fun the game must have been in its prime
everything end level is extremely monetized, virtually all good ships and equipment require real money. Not to mention for a decent build you will need to buy multiple ships to obtain their abilities.
constant fomo: at virtually any point in time some fomo event is up trying to entice you to log in daily or spend spend spend. And all those monthly events feed into an even bigger fomo event that goes on all year. Also fomo deals on the real money shop that bring the absurd prices into almost reasonable ranges. A daily dilitihium refining cap (the only actually useful currency not 100% tied to real money)
and if that’s not enough, gambling on everything else. All events come with loot boxes, requiring real money keys. Item upgrades, stat reforging, everything is randomized. And requires real money or your very limited dilitihium.
Ultimately it’s fun to play through all the storylines and explore the world a bit, but unless you are willing to spend big you can’t get the good stuff. Also there is no end game except racing the dps meter against other whales.
I agree that it’s dated (the 14-year anniversary event started today), but I wouldn’t say it’s on life support - the content release schedule is pretty much the same as it ever was.
I mean, the game of course gets its fomo content updates to keep milking the userbase, but there is no real substance.
When I played it I found myself frequently without anything to do, challenging PvE content doesn’t exist, and any progress you make past hitting max level serves no purpose either; except doing what you are already able to do but faster. I found it extremely difficult to reconcile this with my expectations of a game.
From what I could tell during playing, a ton of content has been made obsolete, hidden away or replaced.
For example the three specializations, which initially suggest a classic tank / dps / support split, are essentially all dps now because with the good real money stuff any build also has absurd sustain, ways to escape death, and damage to (literally) kill dozens of Borg cubes at once, taking 5 seconds tops.
I mean it’s fine if you enjoy the game, but it really isn’t a good game at all. It’s fun in that it is a way to immerse yourself in Trek content.
I mean it’s fine if you enjoy the game, but it really isn’t a good game at all. It’s fun in that it is a way to immerse yourself in Trek content.
This sums it up really well. I also find it to be a fun place to meet up with geographically distant friends who also like Trek. Hanging out in Quark’s while chatting over voicechat is pretty great.
The monetised fomo events are why I pretty much stopped logging in. If a game offers me to pay to not play it, I’m just gonna not play it and keep my money.
I sunk some time in the game during the pandemic.
Pro:
Con:
Ultimately it’s fun to play through all the storylines and explore the world a bit, but unless you are willing to spend big you can’t get the good stuff. Also there is no end game except racing the dps meter against other whales.
I agree that it’s dated (the 14-year anniversary event started today), but I wouldn’t say it’s on life support - the content release schedule is pretty much the same as it ever was.
I mean, the game of course gets its fomo content updates to keep milking the userbase, but there is no real substance.
When I played it I found myself frequently without anything to do, challenging PvE content doesn’t exist, and any progress you make past hitting max level serves no purpose either; except doing what you are already able to do but faster. I found it extremely difficult to reconcile this with my expectations of a game.
Sure, if it’s not what you want out of a game, I’m not going to argue with that.
But it’s really the same game that it’s always been.
From what I could tell during playing, a ton of content has been made obsolete, hidden away or replaced.
For example the three specializations, which initially suggest a classic tank / dps / support split, are essentially all dps now because with the good real money stuff any build also has absurd sustain, ways to escape death, and damage to (literally) kill dozens of Borg cubes at once, taking 5 seconds tops.
I mean it’s fine if you enjoy the game, but it really isn’t a good game at all. It’s fun in that it is a way to immerse yourself in Trek content.
I didn’t realize the Good Decider had logged on. How nice to have you.
You’re quite welcome, citizen.
This sums it up really well. I also find it to be a fun place to meet up with geographically distant friends who also like Trek. Hanging out in Quark’s while chatting over voicechat is pretty great.
The monetised fomo events are why I pretty much stopped logging in. If a game offers me to pay to not play it, I’m just gonna not play it and keep my money.