The Game is based in The Next Generation series of the Star Trek universe, but includes some aspects of the recent Deep Space Nine series also. It is a turn based Strategy game similar to games like Ascendancy, Civilisation and Masters of Orion 2, but with a Star Trek feel. You choose an empire, have to build up your systems, expand your territory, wage war, use diplomacy, and fight space battles using your chosen race's vessels (Which is done in 3D).
Take your turn
Birth of the Federation is played as a turn-based affair. There’s no real-time strategy element like Command & Conquer, and the only bit of ‘action’ you get takes the form of ship verses ship battles. This may be enough to put a lot of players off, for RTS games are the main stray of the strategy fleet at present. However RTS games have to simplify things, otherwise the game becomes too complex. This is where Turn-based games take centre stage, as they often offer much more depth and options, however they obviously sacrifice ‘in your face action’.
You have a good amount of options when you start the game, and each match is randomly made. So there is no single player story, nor missions. You choose from 5 different empires: The Cardassian Union, The Federation, The Klingon Empire, The Romulan Star Empire, and the Ferengi Alliance. You start with a system (or two depending on your options) and must build structures and ships. You eventually meet minor races (smaller races in the ST universe that are confined to one star system in this game), and you can either conquer them, open diplomatic contact with them or ignore them. You then meet the other major empires (the other four you didn’t choose) and then the real trouble begins. You’re all out for yourselves, so you must use or take advantage of each situation carefully. Each game is truly different from the last. A major ally in one match could be your most hated enemy in the next! This it what makes the game great, the fact you get a different game each time you play.
An in depth game?
BOTF wears a deceptive mask however. When you first start you think it’s very complex and very in-depth. In fact it looks daunting. You soon learn however this isn’t really true and the game is rather easy to play. This is a mixed blessing, why it makes the game manageable to play you feel somewhat disappointed by the lack of options you actually do have. For instance Diplomacy is more to do with who can pay the selected race more money to determine which side they take, and Battles are just determined by whoever has the most ships rather than pure strategy.
Everything looks like it’s really detailed, but really in reality is over simplified. Even the different races are very similar in terms of their structures they can build. This is my second most major gripe. So much more could have been done to immerse you in the game.
Races
Whose who know Star Trek will know that the only race that really uses currency is the Ferengi, yet all the races use it to bribe the major or minor races into joining them. The Federation (peaceful good guys types) should be able to use diplomacy to gain an ally, Klingons (Warlike bad smelly types) should use more brutal means to get what they want, Romulans should use their intelligence to gain allies and strike fear in the enemy. Yet it really all boils down to who has the most money for who controls the minor races. Or in Multiplayer, who has the biggest fleet!
Difficulties
The computer difficulty is hard at first, but after some time you notice its weaknesses and trademark faults, so even on the ‘Impossible’ setting you can usually whip the computer. The A.I. is again very simple, which I suppose relates well to the game in general. But it doesn’t try to outsmart you, it doesn’t try to deceive you into thinking it’s your ally while secretly builds up a fleet to destroy you for instance. Hopefully one day a game will be released that does this but not today. This is best seen for the moment in Multiplayer.
Multiplayer
Multiplayer is very fun. However the game is very unstable over the net, and often crashes leaving you and your mates very annoyed. Network play however is very fun, and nothing is as satisfying as trying to outsmart your mate!
One quick other point before I forget, for Trek fans the sound effects are spot on!
