On September 8th, 2006, the Star Trek universe will celebrate its 40th anniversary (which, incidentally, is a day before I celebrate my own 30th anniversary). Just in time for this momentous occasion in science-fiction entertainment history, Mad Doc Software via Bethesda Softworks will deliver a brand new video game experience titled Star Trek: Legacy. This real-time strategy game will feature elements from all the major Trek shows, from the Star Trek, The Original Series to the prequel series, Enterprise, and the various films as well.

Now, despite the longevity and success of the Star Trek franchise, the track record for its games has been less than inspiring for the most part. Star Trek: Legacy will attempt to avoid pitfalls of the past by bringing together an epic single-player campaign taking place through three eras of Star Trek (the Original Series, Enterprise and The Next Generation), while producing a major fan service with a diverse multiplayer package allowing you take charge of four playable races: The Federation, Romulans, Klingons and the Borg.

In previous Star Trek games, the sense of ambitious scale from the TV shows and movies like the final confrontation between the Federation's allied fleet and the Dominion in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine seemed lacking. With Legacy, the emphasis will most likely be on combat. The three-dimensional battlefield in space will offer a more dramatic display of ship-on-ship action as you will have to utilize the various, hulking capital ships in concert with smaller, more maneuverable vessels in order to leave behind the smoking ruins of an opponent fleet. Do I move the Galaxy-class starships into the fray, or hold them back while taking quick strikes at the Romulan flank with the Defiant? The developer promises that the control scheme will be intuitive which will be the key in moments of frenetic decision-making as pointing-and-clicking on menus like a PC game isn't likely to be an effective way to play on the 360 console.

With full Xbox Live support, Trek fans can match up online with up to sixty different vessels. The scale will differ upon the player's mood for smaller firefights to the massive campaigns traversing many star-systems. Now Trekkers can finally settle once and for all who would win in an all out war: The Romulans or the Klingons. Personally, I am a little disappointed that the Ferengi are not represented as a playable race, but I imagine my taste for buying my way out of a fight isn't shared by most other gamers.

The graphics seem to shaping up quite nicely with a brand new engine having been developed by Mad Doc to capture the look and feel of the rather vast Star Trek universe. From what video is available, you can expect plenty of ruler straight phaser blasts sparkling against defensive shields, blizzards of photon torpedoes and all the ruined, hulking wrecks of enemy starships any sci-fi fan would appreciate. The various environments will contain appropriate elements like nebula clouds, black holes and the local planet or moon to flesh out the expected emptiness of space.

No word yet on any voice actors from the variety of Star Trek properties, but I am willing to bet that a few of the beloved members of the Roddenberry extended family will end up lending their voice talents to the project. My most requested list will have to include Walter Koenig ( "Chekov" ), Colm Meaney ( "Chief O'Brien" ) and the video game/Shakespeare veteran, Patrick Stewart ( "Captain Picard" ) who most recently was heard as the Emperor Uriel Septim VII in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and as Professor X in X-Men: The Official Game. What can I say? I really enjoy accents.

Star Trek: Legacy may have what it takes to become a memorable RTS. The only thing that might be disappointing is how linear the missions will be in the single-player campaign. Still, it is a strategy game, and going off to stare at some Orion Slave Girl while the Borg is invading your solar system is probably not the most strategic thing to do. Fans of the shows and movies who happen to like video games might have a bit more to look forward to come September when Legacy hits store shelves.

On September 8th, 2006, the Star Trek universe will celebrate its 40th anniversary (which, incidentally, is a day before I celebrate my own 30th anniversary). Just in time for this momentous occasion in science-fiction entertainment history, Mad Doc Software via Bethesda Softworks will deliver a brand new video game experience titled Star Trek: Legacy. This real-time strategy game will feature elements from all the major Trek shows, from the Star Trek, The Original Series to the prequel series, Enterprise, and the various films as well.

Now, despite the longevity and success of the Star Trek franchise, the track record for its games has been less than inspiring for the most part. Star Trek: Legacy will attempt to avoid pitfalls of the past by bringing together an epic single-player campaign taking place through three eras of Star Trek (the Original Series, Enterprise and The Next Generation), while producing a major fan service with a diverse multiplayer package allowing you take charge of four playable races: The Federation, Romulans, Klingons and the Borg.

In previous Star Trek games, the sense of ambitious scale from the TV shows and movies like the final confrontation between the Federation's allied fleet and the Dominion in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine seemed lacking. With Legacy, the emphasis will most likely be on combat. The three-dimensional battlefield in space will offer a more dramatic display of ship-on-ship action as you will have to utilize the various, hulking capital ships in concert with smaller, more maneuverable vessels in order to leave behind the smoking ruins of an opponent fleet. Do I move the Galaxy-class starships into the fray, or hold them back while taking quick strikes at the Romulan flank with the Defiant? The developer promises that the control scheme will be intuitive which will be the key in moments of frenetic decision-making as pointing-and-clicking on menus like a PC game isn't likely to be an effective way to play on the 360 console.

With full Xbox Live support, Trek fans can match up online with up to sixty different vessels. The scale will differ upon the player's mood for smaller firefights to the massive campaigns traversing many star-systems. Now Trekkers can finally settle once and for all who would win in an all out war: The Romulans or the Klingons. Personally, I am a little disappointed that the Ferengi are not represented as a playable race, but I imagine my taste for buying my way out of a fight isn't shared by most other gamers.

The graphics seem to shaping up quite nicely with a brand new engine having been developed by Mad Doc to capture the look and feel of the rather vast Star Trek universe. From what video is available, you can expect plenty of ruler straight phaser blasts sparkling against defensive shields, blizzards of photon torpedoes and all the ruined, hulking wrecks of enemy starships any sci-fi fan would appreciate. The various environments will contain appropriate elements like nebula clouds, black holes and the local planet or moon to flesh out the expected emptiness of space.

No word yet on any voice actors from the variety of Star Trek properties, but I am willing to bet that a few of the beloved members of the Roddenberry extended family will end up lending their voice talents to the project. My most requested list will have to include Walter Koenig ( "Chekov" ), Colm Meaney ( "Chief O'Brien" ) and the video game/Shakespeare veteran, Patrick Stewart ( "Captain Picard" ) who most recently was heard as the Emperor Uriel Septim VII in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and as Professor X in X-Men: The Official Game. What can I say? I really enjoy accents.

Star Trek: Legacy may have what it takes to become a memorable RTS. The only thing that might be disappointing is how linear the missions will be in the single-player campaign. Still, it is a strategy game, and going off to stare at some Orion Slave Girl while the Borg is invading your solar system is probably not the most strategic thing to do. Fans of the shows and movies who happen to like video games might have a bit more to look forward to come September when Legacy hits store shelves.