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 - Online enjoymentThis is a very cool game. I only have one problem with it. I can play it on the computer by myself but have yet been able to figure out how to connect to my brothers computer and play against him. We worked for hours trying to connect. Rating: - SFC2: Better than the first one, but could have been greatHaving played the first Starfleet Command, I have to say that SFC2 is a better game. It offers slightly better single-player campaigns, improved graphics, a few new gameplay options, and stirring music. However, like the first one, it is primarily a wargames simulator, with very little in the way of a coherent story or compelling missions. For anyone interested in the Star Trek universe, it's definitely a worthwhile buy. For anyone else, you'll likely lose interest after a short while due to a rather steep learning curve and repetitious gameplay. Gameplay: Like the first SFC, SFC2 requires a bit of study in order to play. There is a heap of things that you need to learn, from what various weapons do to how to manage a ship's energy resources. Thankfully, the game comes with good tutorials which answer most questions. All of the action is controlled with the mouse and keyboards. The user interface is fairly straightforward and useful once you learn what everything does. The core of the game is the ship vs. ship skirmishes, which are very well done. This game, like the first one, makes you feel like you are the captain of a starship and that everything hinges upon your commands. The enemy AI is very smart and will try to outflank you, fire when your shields are down, board your ship with hit-and-run squads, and pursue you if you attempt to flee. The friendly AI seems improved in this game, though it will sometimes rush into fights when it is clearly outgunned and outclassed. The campaigns are decent, but certainly not very memorable. Actually, this is the weakest part of the game. As you move about the map, you can do various missions, some of which will be campaign-related and others will be random. There are really only about 10 different types of missions (escort, ambush, patrol, kill monster, etc.), and after a while they all get a bit tiring. Also, the game does not really convey the sense that you are actually part of an empire at war with other empires. There are different empires represented on the galactic map, but there's just no sense that your actions matter much in the grand scheme of things. Fortunately, you can introduce certain variables that create variety, such as buying more ships (up to 3), venturing far away from your own empire (the missions will get harder), and playing as different races. However, ultimately, this game is little more than a battle simulator, so don't buy it for the storyline. Graphics: Though still very similar to SFC, the graphics here are quite good. Ships are nicely detailed, weapons appear as they should, and most other objects are convincing. Explosions are not too interesting, since ships and other things just break up into 4 or 5 pieces every time. However, the game still looks good to me in 2005. Sound: No problems here. I like the fact that the developers added new movie-quality music to the game. Sound effects are generally well done, and the little voice acting that is used is convincing. Other issues: The game did not ship with a printed instruction manual, although I think there was one on the disk. If you have played SFC, you should be able to jump right into SFC2. With the 2.0.3.6 patch, I didn't notice any bugs, except perhaps in the "Battle of the Graveyard of Thoughts" mission, which either had poor mission instructions (which is common in these games) or a bug that does not allow you to finish the mission successfully. As in the first game, allies and enemies are not always clearly marked, and you cannot save the game in the middle of a mission. Overall, this is the best Star Trek game I've played. It could have been much better if more time had been spent making the campaigns more interesting. However, if you are a Star Trek fan, it's definitely worth a look. Rating:  - did not workStar Trek Empires At War did not work, they have sent me two and neither one worked because authintication protocal number did not work...... so dont waste your time. Rating: - empires failed to engage:CD keycode doesnt workI have two copies of this game. One from a reputable video gaming store and the last one from amazon last week. Neither keycodes work for either game. I had no trouble with Orion Pirates but have not been able to access this game because of a keycode error. The gaming company will not reply to my email technical support questions and have found no help on chat lines. I am obviously not alon, hence the other reviews. If anyone has a keycode that works PLEASE pass on to us less fortunate souls. Yes, I have tried loading on three different computers with no results. Thanks Gary and Leanna Rating:  - CD key dont work???????i bought this game[starfleet command volume II empire at war] at sam club i tuck it home load it up and it ask for cd key i enter it time after time it would notwork it sade [ bad cd key coad] so i tuck it back to the stor to get a new one and when back home and stared over i got back to cd key and same thang happend agen bad cd key coad so i whent back to the stor agean and to get one moer and gest what happen ? you gest it. it happend agen [ bad cd key coad] plese help me let me know what to do the gm at the stor is look funny at me is ther some way i can by pass the cd key coad or do i have to keep returnning it to the stor until i get one that works ????? thank you your coustomer
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