To Boldly Go: 'Star Trek Online' Revisited

Written by John Edward Betancourt

It was almost a year ago that I took the plunge and downloaded my first MMORPG on my Xbox One by way of Star Trek Online and holy cow, what a difference a year makes. I truly downloaded this game in the hopes of enjoying a casual Star Trek experience to get my Starfleet fix until Star Trek: Discovery arrived on the airwaves and as it turns out, a year later…this game turned out to become so much more for me.
 
Sure, it was instantly a fun and exciting jaunt through the Star Trek universe, where I was able to warp from system to system and explore strange new worlds and fight the epic space battles that any Trekkie or Trekker has spent a life time dreaming of. But my casual experience quickly came to a close after I first wrote my initial review of the game because something magical happened…this game sucked me in, in ways that I never expected by becoming a powerful personalized experience for the ages.
 
Because STO goes above and beyond merely putting you in the captain’s chair and allowing you fire phasers and photon torpedoes and kick some stellar butt along the way. It truly immerses you in the heart of this majestic franchise thanks to top notch writing and some incredibly immersive episodes and as you learn that thinking and speaking like a Starfleet Captain allows for you to progress quicker in the game…you find yourself focused on the ideals of the Federation and there’s a strange sense of pride that comes with earning your Captain’s pips and a sense of humility that comes with being promoted to Fleet Admiral.
 
But in addition to finding one’s self focused on saving and protecting this digital universe, the richness and respect that this game has for every iteration of the franchise, including the 2009 reboot is nothing short of breathtaking. Easter eggs are everywhere this game, and there’s something truly magical about being able to serve alongside legends from this saga or running into a particular place or character or object from one of your favorite episodes. 
 
All of this comes to mind, simply because of the fact that nearly a year after downloading this game…I’ve completed all available episodes and seasons and that gave me pause. Because when all is said and done…this is a dream come true for any hardcore fan. I finally got to command a starship in Starfleet, and play the hero and be a part of the universe I’ve admired through my television screen for as long as I can remember and it’s supremely satisfying to know that more adventures are on their way since Season 13.5 arrives soon and I cannot wait to see what new and exciting stories are waiting on the horizon…

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