Connect with us

Gaming

Cryptic’s Upcoming Star Trek Online Expansion Features LeVar Burton

blank

Published

on

blank

In general, fans of Star Trek Online and Star Trek will be pleased to hear that famed Star Trek actor LeVar Burton will reprise his role of Geordi La Forge in the upcoming expansion for Star Trek Online. However, that isn’t the only major feature of this expansion, known as Season 14. It will (obviously) continue the story from the previous Star Trek Online expansion (Season 13) and introduce several new pilotable ships and a strange, new world for players to explore; sorry, but there won’t be any new life or new civilizations to seek out…that we currently know of. Furthermore, the expansion will include plenty of new missions and even new levels of character progression.

For those of you who aren’t Star Trek fans, you might wonder what’s the big deal of one Star Trek alum starring in a Star Trek Online expansion. Well, to understand the importance, we need to back up a bit and talk about the game’s developers, Cryptic Studios. The company started off strong with the fantastic City of Heroes/Villains, a unique superhero-themed MMO many fans want to resurrect. However, the company had a falling-out with publisher NCSoft and was picked up by Perfect World Entertainment, a company that had varying degrees of success publishing Chinese MMOs but has become one of the bigger names in MMOs thanks in no small part to its acquisition of Cryptic. The company’s most recent titles, Neverwinter and Star Trek Online, are hailed as excellent celebrations of their respective properties. Both games were successful upon release, and their successes have attracted numerous famous names associated with Dungeons and Dragons and Star Trek to work on various collaborative efforts, which leads to even more success. Unlike other licensed games, the people who made those properties great are helping make Neverwinter and Star Trek Online stand out and feel like genuine Dungeons & Dragons/Star Trek experiences.

Unlike Neverwinter, which tends to stick with whatever expansions and modules Wizards of the Coast develops for the pen-and-paper version of Dungeons and Dragons (even though Neverwinter has attracted famous D&D names such as Christopher Perkins and R. A. Salvatore), Cryptic is free to do whatever it wants with Star Trek Online, and the company tends to create some crazy and brilliant stuff. Not only does the game use old, one-off species from throughout Star Trek history, including the Bluegill parasites from the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “Conspiracy,” Species M-113/Salt Vampires from the Star Trek episode “The Man Trap,” and the Voth from the Star Trek: Voyager episode “Distant Origin.” In fact, a lot of what the developers at Cryptic Studios make is considered canon, such as the Solanae (a previously unnamed species featured in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “Schisms,”) creating the Bluegill and serving the Iconians, an ancient race that has only ever been mentioned in Star Trek and never seen. But that’s not where the influence of Cryptic Studios ends, as LeVar Burton is not the first Star Trek alum to act in Star Trek Online. Leonard Nimoy (Spock), Denise Crosby (Tasha Yar and Sela), Michael Dorn (Worf), Tim Russ (Tuvok), Robert Picardo (The EMH Doctor), and Walter Koenig (Pavel Chekov), just to name a few, have all reprised their roles in the game. In other words, LeVar Burton is the latest in a long line of famous actors who help make Star Trek Online the de facto Star Trek experience, regardless of players’ opinions on the inclusion of lockboxes in the game.

While I haven’t played Star Trek Online in a long time, writing about how the game’s devs creatively use alien species that were once merely throwaways makes me want to revisit the game. Well, that, and playing ingame quests that feature my favorite Star Trek actors who reprise their roles; I just love actors who are dedicated to continually portraying a particular character, regardless of the medium.

All you have to do to get my attention is talk about video games, technology, anime, and/or Dungeons & Dragons - also people in spandex fighting rubber suited monsters.

Gaming

Joker’s Free Suicide Squad DLC on PS5

blank

Published

on

blank

There hasn’t been much buzz surrounding Suicide Squad since its release in February. Warner Bros. was let down by the game’s underwhelming sales, but they remained committed to turning their live service vision into a reality. An exciting new DLC update has been released, introducing The Crown Prince of Crime to the game.

As the game’s first live season begins, players will have the chance to take on Green Lantern and, in the end, unlock The Joker as a playable character. Which Joker are you referring to? This is quite intricate. Furthermore, players can look forward to the inclusion of a Battle Pass, a variety of new shop items available for purchase, exciting Incursions and Strongholds to partake in, as well as an expanded selection of Infamy Sets and Notorious Gear to amass.

What are your thoughts on this? Does the allure of The Joker entice you to return to Suicide Squad, or have you remained a loyal fan all along? We value your feedback and would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.

 

Continue Reading

Gaming

Documentary Explores the Making of the Highly Praised Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth for PS5

blank

Published

on

blank

Square Enix has launched a captivating documentary series that explores the intricate process behind the creation of the highly praised Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. In the first episode, titled “Shaping the World,” the developer delves into the process of reimagining the expansive PS1 map of the original game into a vast sandbox for the PS5. The film includes personal stories shared by directors Naoki Hamaguchi and Tetsuya Nomura, as well as other important members of the team.

This reimagining of the all-time PlayStation classic was truly enjoyable. In our review, we praised Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth for its ability to enhance the already impressive combat system of Remake. The game truly shines in its portrayal of an iconic RPG setting. If you have a deep appreciation for the original PS1 game and found enjoyment in Remake, then Rebirth’s character-focused adventure will surely captivate you from start to finish.

Continue Reading

Gaming

Gran Turismo 7 for the PS5 and PS4 shows continuous improvement

blank

Published

on

blank

While Sony may not classify Gran Turismo 7 as a live-service game, the team at Polyphony Digital certainly approaches it with a similar mindset. The game continues to impress with every new update, and although v1.44 may be smaller compared to previous versions, it still manages to enhance the already extensive content of this simulation racer.

The update, now available worldwide, introduces three new cars: the Audi R8 Coupé V10 Plus ’16, the Lamborghini Urus ’18, and the Toyota GT-One (TS020) ’99. Furthermore, it introduces three fresh events to World Circuits, an extra menu to conquer in the GT Café single-player campaign, and a collection of livery stickers inspired by the upcoming Highspeed Étoile anime, set to debut next week in Japan.

If you’re not already acquainted with Highspeed Étoile, you can watch a trailer right here. “Sony has announced that a collection of 26 stickers, consisting of 8 title logos and 18 main character stickers, will be made available for a limited time,” stated Sony on the PS Blog. In addition, Fukushima will be included as a backdrop in the title’s beloved photography mode.

Continue Reading

Trending