Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Star Trek: Hidden Evil adopts a third-person perspective reminiscent of early survival-horror titles, but it softens the edges for a more casual audience. Players guide Ensign Sovok through a series of puzzle-laden corridors and chambered ruins using simple keyboard controls for movement and interaction. Rather than punishing you with constant resource scarcity, the game provides a steady flow of collectibles and health replenishments, making exploration feel rewarding instead of nerve-wracking.

The blend of puzzles and combat remains at the heart of the experience. You’ll encounter ancient consoles that require logic to unlock hidden passages, environmental mazes that hinge on subtle visual cues, and occasional enemy skirmishes that break up the cerebral pace. Combat encounters are straightforward: point, shoot, and duck behind cover, but they rarely escalate into frantic firefights. This approach ensures that players who prefer thoughtful exploration over twitch reflexes can still enjoy a satisfying challenge.

Progression is marked by linear objectives that guide you deeper into the planet’s core, and key items are clearly signposted to prevent backtracking frustration. A simple journal system logs mission goals and puzzle hints, which is a welcome touch for newcomers. While hardcore gamers may crave more intricate mechanics, Hidden Evil’s balanced design makes it an accessible entry point for anyone looking to explore Star Trek lore without steep learning curves.

Graphics

The striking contrast between pre-rendered 2D backgrounds and fully 3D-polygonal characters gives Hidden Evil a distinctive visual identity. The environments are richly detailed, from moss-covered stone walls of the ancient ruins to the sleek metallic corridors of S’ona installations. These static backdrops boast high-resolution textures and atmospheric lighting, often casting dramatic shadows that enhance the sense of mystery.

Character models, while dated by today’s standards, still capture the essence of Star Trek’s iconic uniforms and alien physiologies. Facial expressions are somewhat stiff, but fluid animation during movement and combat helps maintain immersion. Cutscenes are delivered in real time, blending seamlessly with gameplay and showcasing key story beats without jarring transitions.

On modest PC hardware, performance remains stable, with minimal loading times between new areas. The ambient sound design—dripping water in subterranean tunnels, distant energy pulses from malfunctioning machinery—works in tandem with the visual presentation to create a quietly tense atmosphere. For fans of classic graphical styles, Hidden Evil strikes a nostalgic chord while still feeling polished and purposeful.

Story

Set immediately after the events of Star Trek: Insurrection, Hidden Evil weaves a narrative that feels like an original episode penned by the franchise’s veteran writers. The peace treaty between the S’ona and Ba’ku has barely taken root when ancient ruins tempt both factions with untold power. Against this backdrop, Captain Picard and Commander Data arrive to study the site, only to be pulled into a web of rebellion and intrigue.

You assume the role of Ensign Sovok, a human raised by Vulcans, who dreams of one day serving aboard the Enterprise. Sovok’s outsider perspective is used effectively to introduce newcomers to Star Trek lore, and his interactions with Picard and Data feel natural, if occasionally expository. The plot thickens when the S’ona’s Romulan allies assassinate the last ancient scientist, Xa’atal, unleashing the Xenophore Seed’s terrifying potential. From there, the mission shifts from archaeological research to a desperate race against galactic annihilation.

Voice acting is solid across the board, with Patrick Stewart’s likeness evoked convincingly through audio cues and Data’s composed tone lending gravitas to each discovery. The pacing strikes a good balance between narrative exposition and gameplay, ensuring that story beats unfold at moments of high tension rather than long stretches of cutscenes. For Star Trek enthusiasts, Hidden Evil offers a satisfying canonical detour that feels true to the spirit of the series.

Overall Experience

Star Trek: Hidden Evil is an enjoyable blend of comfortable action-adventure mechanics and a well-crafted Starfleet story. Its approachable difficulty level and clear in-game guidance make it ideal for casual gamers and franchise fans who want a taste of exploration without grappling with hardcore survival systems. The game’s pacing, aided by short loading times and straightforward objectives, keeps the adventure moving briskly.

While the graphical techniques may feel retro to modern players accustomed to fully 3D environments, the aesthetic choice enhances the game’s mood and lends it a unique charm. Environmental storytelling shines through in every cavern and corridor, and the seamless integration of puzzles with narrative context helps maintain immersion. Hidden Evil manages to sidestep the genre’s more frustrating tropes while retaining enough challenge to feel rewarding.

Ultimately, Hidden Evil stands as a solid example of how established franchises can branch into interactive formats without sacrificing core themes. It offers a compact yet memorable journey into Star Trek’s mythos, complete with intrigue, moral dilemmas, and a race to thwart a galactic threat. For anyone seeking a story-driven adventure with a familiar sci-fi backdrop, Ensign Sovok’s quest to rescue Picard and defeat the Xenophore Seed delivers an experience well worth undertaking.

Retro Replay Score

6.1/10