STAR TREK: BRIDGE CREW
Making first contact fun
“Stop! No! *Blorp* it!” shouts an unworthy Federation OPM bridge crew as we attempt to guide the USS Aegis out of its space dock and into the uncharted stars beyond. It’s not going well. Our right hand frantically fumbles at the steering widget as we scrape past the Federation station. Looking around the bridge we can see our crew waving in distress, or in Jen’s case making obscene gestures with her virtual hands. We feel condemning gazes from the AI characters – it’s telling that everything in Star Trek: Bridge Crew feels real to the point that interpreting unfolding events on an emotional level, including AI reactions, becomes second nature.
“This woman in front of me has the worst eye shade!” exclaims Jen, playing the role of Engineer. Her running fashion battle with an AI red shirt threatens to steer us off course more than our helmsman ever does. “Oh, look how cute my dress is,” coos Jen over the chaos. Yeah, our mission to explore uncharted space is going to be fun.
We’ve been in Bridge Crew ten minutes and it already feels real, it’s our Star Trek bridge. In reality we’re four games journos sat in a room wearing PS VR headsets, waving PS Move controllers around. In reality we look daft, but in VR we can be heroes.
If we can organise ourselves, and Jen can make peace with her AI antagonist, then there’s a series of story missions to play through. For our demo we have to reach a ship under attack and rescue its crew. There’s an elegance to the TNG-era Aegis that makes the game instantly accessible. Touchscreen consoles are familiar to our iPad-trained eyes, and in the heat of battle targeting enemies, performing sweeping manoeuvres, and disrupting shields feels natural.
Switching modes to play on the bridge of the original series’ Enterprise changes everything. This is no simple reskin of the Aegis, but a one-for-one recreation of the ’60s show’s set. The user-friendly touchscreen controls of the Aegis are replaced by flashing lights and analogue switches. Which means it makes no sense whatsoever.
As captain we pick up a tactical tablet. Tapping the map has no effect – but clicking the bottom switches cycles the lights on the map. This flip to analogue buttons is a real gamechanger. The fact it is tangible in a virtual space is even more impressive.
Facing off against Klingons in the TOS universe feels harder, our teamwork from the Aegis evaporates with our shields. Torpedoes strike the hull, sparks explode from the ceiling, and a red shirt throws himself over a railing and lands under our console. Inside we giggle; our Star Trek dreams are being played out at our feet.
“TORPEDOES STRIKE, AND A ‘RED SHIRT’ THROWS HIMSELF OVER A RAILING.”