n the surface it seems highly illogical. There have been a number of hit science fiction computer games, such as the critically acclaimed and commercially successful Half-Life. Therefore, taking a hot license such as, oh, say Star Trek, and using it to make computer games should be as simple as saying, "Make it so." Yet for some reason, outside of a couple of exceptions (Star Trek: Judgement Rites and Starfleet Command), the public has been treated to a long line of lackluster Trek titles. Unfortunately, Star Trek: Hidden Evil from Activision continues this trend.
This third-person action-adventure game takes place nine months after the events in the movie Star Trek: Insurrection. In it, players take on the role of Ensign Sovok, a recent Starfleet Academy graduate assigned to monitor the creation of a Son'a colony on Ba'Ku. Don't be fooled by the game's box, which prominently displays both Captain Picard and Data. Yes, Patrick Stewart and Brent Spiner reprise their roles with voice-overs, but they appear for no more than about five minutes' worth of dialogue. This is in fact emblematic of the entire game, which is quite short itself.
The plot centers around the investigation of some strange relics found on Ba'ku. Sovok must assist that ever-willing and able amateur archeologist Picard on the planet. Soon enough the Romulans appear. Between these pointy-eared Vulcan cousins and the Son'a, who are rebelling, Sovok will be kept busy. One of the tricks at his disposal is the Vulcan nerve pinch, which he has mastered despite being human. He also uses his phaser to dispatch foes.
Make it so-so
Hidden Evil sports a good 3-D engine. The backdrops in the game are well-done and interesting, and Picard and Data actually look like Picard and Data--most of the time. The interface is streamlined and resembles elements from the Enterprise. Sovok even gets to use the Holodeck for training.
Although it's billed as an adventure game, the puzzles are simple to the point of being silly at times. Avid adventure game fans will no doubt be disappointed by how easy the game is. But for people who just want to play Hidden Evil to experience another Star Trek adventure, then the simple puzzles may be a blessing.
After Ba'ku, the action switches to a Romulan space station--a dreary affair made up of repetitive levels stocked with regenerating creatures. Get ready to use the game's clumsy controls to shoot a lot of aliens. The third-person perspective makes aiming difficult, and Sovok wheels so slowly that he seems to be mired in some sort of gravity well.
With a grand total of nine missions in the entire game, though, it plays very quickly. While this may suit casual gamers, hardcore players will probably knock it off in no more than two evenings, and will likely be disappointed.
It's not that Hidden Evil is a bad game. It looks nice, it's Star Trek, and it's easy to play. These are all virtues of a sort. Hidden Evil just falls short on most counts, however. It's too short, it's too easy as an adventure game, it's too clumsy as an action game, and it's not gripping as an original Star Trek story.
