As technology takes us into the future, the line between movies and games gets blurrier and blurrier. Interplay's epic "Klingon Academy" is proof of that statement, giving Star Trek fans not only a great Star Trek game, but it also could be the closest thing to another Star Trek film before next Thanksgiving.
Taking place in the time between "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier" and "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country," "Klingon Academy" isn't "Star Trek 5.5," you won't be seeing Captain Kirk or the Enterprise crew; this game is Klingon to its core. Serving more as a prequel to Star Trek VI, "Klingon Academy" stars both Christopher Plummer and David Warner, reprising their riveting roles as General Chang and Gorkon, respectively. We know that Gorkon will one day be Chancellor of the Klingon Empire, but that's in the future as the game begins. Michael Dorn (Worf on Star Trek: The Next Generation) is also a part of "Klingon Academy," supplying the voice of Thok Mak, an academy instructor. Immediately, Thok Mak instructs cadets not to confuse him with his brother, Colonel Worf, who would later defend James T. Kirk and Leonard McCoy in Star Trek VI.
Drawing comparisons between the game and the feature films is not as far-fetched an idea as it sounds. With a jaw dropping six discs, "Klingon Academy" features a Movies Utility, which allows playback of the more than 90 minutes of filmed segments.
Close fans of detail and continuity will find all kinds of such delightful moments throughout "Klingon Academy." From the introductory movie which shows us how General Chang lost his eye, to the inclusion of a young K'Mpec (another future Chancellor of the empire, Gowron's predecessor, seen in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes "Sins of the Father" and "Reunion," where he met his end).
The game begins as a new crop of students arrives at the Elite Command Academy, an exclusive and rigorous institute for training starship commanders where one's family ties or previous histories mean nothing. Players assume the role of Cadet Torlek (voiced by Gregg Eagles), and game play begins with a simple simulated incursion into the Federation Neutral Zone, taking out a monitoring station and sensor array network.
As the simulations proceed, Torlek begins to meet and work with fellow students, such as the clumsily eager Jaghjech (Andrew Palmer), whom Torlek rescues from disgrace, an act that Torlek may come to regret later. As the game proceeds, Torlek's skills bring him to General Chang's attention. While Chang may have settled the insurrection that cost him his eye at the beginning of the game, the political machinations of the powerful Klingon Houses means more subterfuge and civil conflict, conflict in which Chang needs Torlek's help.
As a game, the starship simulator comes with a pretty steep learning curve, but the payoff is well worth the effort. The complex controls allow players to manage all aspects of commanding a warship, including Engineering, Helm, Weapons, Sensors, Medical, Communications and Away Teams.
The battle sequences are intense and the level of difficulty makes each mission a real challenge, the outcome always in doubt. From the first mission, you realize that this isn't a handicapping game, it won't let you take the easy road.
The art direction is simply beautiful, from the movie segments to the battle sequences, this game is pure Star Trek, pure Klingon. Working seamlessly with the look of the game is its incredible, rich soundtrack. From the shouted communications aboard your bridge to the music playing during battle, your immersion into Klingon culture is complete. Inon Zur, who composed and conducted the music performed by members of the Seattle Philharmonic and Chorus, has created a pulse-pounding Klingon theme that seems like a collision between Carmina Burana and Stalinist Russian Opera, working perfectly to enhance both the gameplay and the movie segments. It's this kind of creative brilliance that will make this game a classic.
Also, huge kudos to those responsible for the Cadet Manual. This is no sparse Instruction Booklet; it's 300 pages worth of game information with a Klingon perspective. In addition to the game's attention to Star Trek continuity, the manual also contributes to Klingon lore, providing a history of Romulan incursions which thinned out the Klingon Empire's already shallow talent pool of ship commanders. Thus, a training academy for the best and brightest of the Empire was needed. In addition to the compelling back-story, the manual provides biographical information about Chang, and the other instructors Torlek encounters.
An important fact to mention is that "Klingon Academy" requires a sizzling-fast computer to truly show off the beauty of the work that went into it.
