The latest Star Trek game has arrived, and Star Trek: Resurgence is a loving tribute to the series that inspired it. Players will start as a new first officer and, at various times, change to multiple members of the crew. Players will also be given choices in terms of actions and responses. The chosen options will alter how various characters react to you and which branch the storyline will take.

As the ship is repaired and prepares for a diplomatic mission, it soon becomes obvious that things are not what they appear. A simple mining dispute has put two factions on the brink of war, and the Federation is tasked with settling the dispute.

This is easier said than done, as neither side in the dispute is a member of the Federation, and the Federation benefits from the product being mined. During the investigation, it is revealed that a much larger threat is behind the dispute; one that can not only destroy the Federation but the known galaxy as well.

The game takes its time introducing the characters and settings, and while free roaming is not an option, it is nice to be able to use the in-game puzzles to work a Tractor Beam, route a Transporter, pilot a shuttle, and use a Tricorder to get to the bottom of the mystery.

There is also a decent amount of combat. While much is cover-based Phaser battles and stealth missions, there are some ship-based battles. However, those are limited to giving a series of commands and picking options in the midst of the battle.

The game also has some great guests from the Star Trek universe and very cleverly connects to the past with this expanded storyline, which is broken up into multiple chapters.

The biggest issue I had was that should you fail an aspect of a mission, you had to replay it. This meant sitting through cut scenes with no option to skip ahead to the action.

There were also some odd glitches, such as Xbox options appearing from time to time instead of my usual numeric responses playing on a PC.

If I was going to nit-pick, I could mention some of the dated character graphics. But that was quickly forgotten by the immersive nature of the story and the multiple options and characters who are not only very well-defined for a game of this type but very interesting as well. You do care about their outcome.

There were times that I thought some chapters and storylines went on much longer than they should, while others were not long enough for my liking. But that is very minor in the overall enjoyment the game provided.

I have been a Star Trek fan since I was a child and have watched all of the various versions of the series over the years. I have to say that this story is perhaps the most engaging and enjoyable plot in recent years.

Developers Dramatic Labs and Bruner House are clearly fans of the source material and very clearly did their research to provide a highly satisfying and enjoyable Star Trek adventure for both fans and casual fans alike.

4 stars out of 5