Combining elements of puzzling, exploration and full-on first-person action, Star Trek Elite Force II picks up where the excellent original left off. That it also proves to be one of the smartest uses of the undoubtedly resourceful Star Trek licence should endear it still further to action-hungry PC gamers. Putting the player in the shoes of one of those throwaway extras that tend to disappear in a special effect from time to time, the challenge is to complete a series of missions spread across environments that should be more than familiar to the average Trek fan. Yet to the credit of the designers, they're also suitably diverting to uninitiated, thanks to quality level design, a succession of interesting challenges and a believable game environment. As a game, it demands that you work out what to do and where to do it, which frequently means putting weapons away and letting your brain do some of the work. But a good blast is never too far away, and you're never left you with nothing to do. Sure, you might find yourself stuck from time to time, but a little bit of thought can usually back you out of a corner.
Frankly, it's all very good fun, with just a couple of caveats. For instance, it does follow a tried and tested path that fans of this kind of title will have trodden many times before. It doesn't add too much in gameplay terms to the original, either.
All things considered though, it's still an easy game to recommend. Challenging, entertaining and, when it hits top gear, really quite engrossing, Elite Force II is polished PC entertainment and one of the strongest users of the Trek licence to date. --Simon Brew
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