Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Star Trek: Generations immerses players in a hybrid of strategic starship combat and first-person away missions. On the one hand, you’ll take command of the USS Enterprise-D, plotting courses through Stellar Cartography’s projected star charts and engaging in real-time space battles. These sequences require careful resource management—shuttling power between shields, weapons, and engines—and quick reflexes when engaging Soran’s deadly Sinaran vessels. The transition between the bridge and field operations gives a satisfying ebb and flow to pacing, keeping the experience varied and engaging.

The heart of the game lies in its 12 unique away missions, each tasked to a different member of the Next Generation crew. From deciphering alien technology puzzles as Lieutenant Worf to stealthily disabling security systems in Geordi La Forge’s visor-guided walkthroughs, the game offers distinct playstyles that showcase individual strengths. The first-person 3D environments are packed with action beats—phaser firefights, timed door sequences, and complex logic puzzles—all of which encourage players to think like Starfleet officers rather than run-and-gun shooters.

Another highlight is the way the game digitizes the authentic voices of the cast, allowing you to step directly into the roles of your favorite crew members. Each character’s sound files provide guidance, commentary, and mission updates, adding a critical layer of immersion. Between levels, you’ll also piece together strategic plans on the Stellar Cartography table, plotting your pursuit of Dr. Tolian Soran across multiple star systems. The coupling of on-foot and shipboard gameplay keeps the overall experience fresh and prevents either style from overstaying its welcome.

Graphics

For a mid-’90s release, the visuals of Star Trek: Generations are surprisingly ambitious. The bridge of the Enterprise-D, complete with animated consoles and rotating viewscreens, captures the familiar aesthetic fans expect from the television series and films. Texturing on ship models and planetary surfaces is serviceable, though it occasionally shows its age in lower-resolution character models and environments that can appear pixelated on modern displays.

Away missions take place in a variety of alien locales—from crystalline caverns on Veridian III to verdant jungles on the Nexus-adjacent planet. While each area sticks closely to a palette that echoes the film’s visual style, the static backgrounds and blocky geometry occasionally undermine the sense of scale. Still, thoughtful level design—like hidden alcoves containing lore entries or backup phaser cartridges—encourages exploration despite graphical limitations.

The cinematics, featuring Patrick Stewart, William Shatner, and Malcolm McDowell, are presented in low-bitrate video sequences that capture the actors’ performances reasonably well. Though the frame rate and clarity don’t match modern HD standards, the inclusion of new sub-plot footage exclusive to the game offers fans fresh insights into the Nexus phenomenon. Overall, while the graphics may not impress a contemporary audience at first glance, they serve the narrative and gameplay effectively.

Story

Star Trek: Generations adapts the seventh film in fine detail, resetting the stage with Kirk’s rescue from the Nexus vortex before merging his fate with Picard’s Enterprise crew. The overarching mission is clear: thwart Dr. Tolian Soran’s planet-destroying campaign to reopen the Nexus. What the game adds beyond the film’s narrative are bespoke sub-plots and character interactions that enrich the motivations of both allies and adversaries.

Between main objectives, you’ll encounter new dialogue sequences that shed light on Soran’s obsession with paradise, as well as crew members wrestling with their own moral quandaries. These fresh narrative beats, voiced by the actual cast, help fill in emotional gaps left by the movie’s brisk runtime. The result is a more nuanced experience in which the stakes feel both personal and existential.

The pacing mirrors a Starfleet operation log, with mission briefings delivered in crisp text overlay, followed by on-screen directives. While the storyline follows the familiar beats of the movie—Kirk’s heroic return, the interior fallout of Soran’s actions, the fateful confrontation in the Nexus itself—the game’s expanded cutscenes and optional logs reward players eager to dive deeper into Trek canon. It stays true to the spirit of exploration, diplomacy, and sacrifice intrinsic to Gene Roddenberry’s vision.

Overall Experience

For fans of The Next Generation and classic Star Trek films, this title offers a heartfelt journey back to the Enterprise-D, combining authentic character voices, strategic combat, and puzzle-driven away missions. The blend of gameplay styles may feel uneven to some—those who favor first-person action might find the starship sequences slower, while strategy enthusiasts could see the puzzle elements as too basic. However, the shifting perspectives remain the game’s greatest strength, allowing each crew member to shine in turn.

Technical hiccups, such as occasional clipping or sparse AI behavior in away missions, do crop up, but they’re largely forgivable by fans eager to experience new story content and the thrill of commanding the Enterprise. Audio design—particularly the digitized cast performances and atmospheric ambient sounds—stitches together the visual and narrative elements, fostering a sense of unity throughout the enterprise’s campaign to stop Soran.

Ultimately, Star Trek: Generations delivers an engaging recreation of the film’s most memorable moments, enhanced by exclusive game-only narratives and a variety of gameplay modes. It may show its age in pixel count and polygon budgets, but its dedication to story and character makes it a worthwhile adventure for those longing to feel part of the Next Generation universe. Whether you’re plotting evasive maneuvers in starship combat or solving alien puzzles on foot, the journey through the Nexus—and beyond—will feel every bit as heroic as any Starfleet mission.

Retro Replay Score

6.3/10