Star Trek: Resurgence is a return to storytelling in the vibe of TellTale Games. Here we’ll discuss the main takeaways from the game and the highlights and lowlights of the missions presented by Dramatic Labs. For Trek fans, this is certainly a big win.
What is Resurgence?
Characters
● Commander Jara Rydek
She’s Starfleet’s finest: top of her class the Academy and battle-tested in the Dominion War. As a new arrival to the Resolute – and the job of First Officer – Jara will have to earn the trust of her crewmates. But she’s a half-Kobliad, and one of the last of her kind, so used to being an outsider and beating the odds.
● Petty Officer Carter Diaz
A dreamer with a thirst for adventure, Carter Diaz decided to skip the Academy, and enlist in Starfleet so he could get out and see the galaxy. He’s a gifted engineer, and while life on the lower decks keeps him far from the decisions on the bridge, he almost always finds himself close to the action.
● Captain Zachary Solano
Having captained the ship through a disaster six months ago that forced the Resolute into extensive repairs, Solano comes to this mission with a lot to prove. He’s in the twilight of his career, but still has his ambition’s, and he’s looking for a way to secure his place in the history books. And he’s counting on Jara to help him do it.
● Ambassador Spock
Ambassador Spock is one of the most distinguished and respected figures in the United Federation of Planets, going back to his well-known exploits with Captain Kirk and the U.S.S. Enterprise. In recent years, he’s sought to reunite the Romulan Empire and his home planet of Vulcan, but when the Federation needs his help in securing a different peace, he answers the call. Afterall, the pursuit of peace is eminently logical.
● Commander Yann Urmott
The Operations Officer on a starship is tasked with keeping everything running smoothly. They need to be solid and reliable, and this is how Commander Urmott (a Bolian) tries to carry himself. He’s one of the Captain’s most steadfast supporters, and he’ll be watching Jara closely, now that she’s joined the Resolute’s senior staff.
● Petty Officer Nili Edsilar
Nili Edsilar – an unjoined Trill – rebelled against the expectations of her society by enlisting in Starfleet. Her best friend Carter Diaz joined up so he could go somewhere, but she just wanted to get away. Whip-smart with a penchant for sarcasm, she’s not afraid to take someone down a peg – even in the heat of battle.
● Lieutenant Commander Chovak
As the Chief Engineer on the Resolute, Chovak is Carter and Edsilar’s boss, and he’s impossible to please. This Vulcan isn’t interested in making friends and has little tolerance for emotional people. His only desire is to execute his duties with the utmost efficiency, and ensure that others do so as well.
● Commander Ben Westbrook
As the Science Officer, Commander Ben Westbrook likes to think he has all the answers. The one question that still vexes him is why he wasn’t chosen as the First Officer, considering the Resolute is usually a science vessel. He speaks his mind and isn’t afraid to make waves, but when he latches onto a problem, he doesn’t let go until it’s solved.
● Dr. Eraam Duvall
The crew trusts Dr. Duvall because she can always be counted on to tell the unvarnished truth – professionally or personally – even when it’s difficult to hear. She’s had her quarrels with Captain Solano, but is still a valued member of the senior staff. And as Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Duvall is the only person aboard the Resolute who can actually give orders to the captain.
Alien Species Bios:
● Hotari
With faces as rocky as the terrain they mine, the Hotari are salt of the earth people. Their moon is laden with the valuable mineral dilithium, but they have never been able to reap the rewards of their own natural resources – instead serving as the labor force for their oppressive galactic neighbors, the Alydians. But they’ve finally pushed back and the situation stands on the brink of war.
● Alydian
A strictly hierarchical and military-oriented society, the Alydians are the reigning power in this region. For decades, they have enriched themselves through the trade of Hotari dilithium, which couldn’t have been accessed without their technology. A fair trade in their eyes. Now that the Hotari are asserting their independence, the Alydians are fighting to take back control.
Highlights
It has the tells of a TellTale Games-styled series (see what I did there?). Additionally, it is very much in the vibes of Star Trek episodes in each mini-episode in the entire game. What I like is that we received the entirety of the story in one game rather than their predecessor’s style of additional “episodes” or mini-plot points. It was entirely satisfying as a fan of Trek lore and storytelling. Also the attention to detail in the visuals and the music. Oh, the music was by and far the thing that grabbed the story for me. The feelings evoked by listening to the sound effects and musical cues were enough to pull nostalgia to heart.
Like Mass Effect, your relationships are altered depending on how you react to a particular situation. Some leave emotional or in some cases physical scars to boot. In some instances, no matter the direction you turn, you will offend someone and create a rift. It’s unavoidable but that happens in Trek. So I tip my hat to the writers who skillfully crafted this storyline to be what it was.
Some of my favorite scenarios involved piloting the shuttle, complicated puzzles, stealth sequences, time-sensitive objectives, cinematics, and the feeling that you’re watching an interactive movie.
Lowlights
In some of the instances, you can almost tell who is shady and who isn’t but that isn’t a gripe as much as just knowing the universe and telling in the language spoken. What I truly didn’t care for were some of the gameplay mechanics such as running, pushing buttons for the sake of it, clunky phaser controls, inability to speed up or skip dialogue in some instances where you had to restart, and sluggish movements on a persona level.
Had the controls been more responsive and expedient in movement, a lot of issues could have been negated such as getting hit in phaser fire, running, and general movement. In that regard, it reminded me what I didn’t like about TellTale. But I still enjoyed the moments of thinking and getting past the elements.
Another item I felt we could have used more was hints. There were points where I was aimlessly left about and unable to proceed not knowing what to do or where to go next without a proper prompting or mini-map in the areas on away missions. This is where I was hoping we’d get a more Mass Effect approach.
The only other grip I had was that while it was like watching a mini-movie of Trek, there were points where there was little to do but watch for a game. Not a gripe in the story but more in the wait times.
Gallery
Final Verdict
While it has its issues, Resurgence was a great addition to the Star Trek Universe not only in storytelling but in the dynamics of the characters and continuation of the TNG-era plotlines. They are also fairly memorable overall and gave me an overall satisfying game to scratch my Trek itch outside of Star Trek Online.
Would I like to see another game? Absolutely. With the crew they set up or this style of game, I would be open to playing more games by Dramatic Labs whether with the Resolute crew or other starships in the Trek universe simply because it was a great story with weight to it for life and death, along with the fun that has made the characters a treat to interact with. The newest characters you play were highly enjoyable and gave us fresh, and beloved additions to the franchise.
Out of the GCRN Rating scale, I’d give it a 4.5 out of 5 for the sheer fun and entertainment value it provided. Gripes aside I highly recommend this game for Star Trek fans.
