Star Trek Online

About

"Star Trek Online" is a free-to-play, massively multiplayer warfare role-playing game set in the Star Trek universe. Experience being a starship captain, upgrading your ship's weapons and shields, and interacting with characters from the TV show. Explore planets, complete missions, and upgrade your character with new abilities, weapons, and stats. However, be prepared for a grindy and buggy experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

80%

Audience ScoreBased on 15,611 reviews

story1.4k positive mentions

grinding804 negative mentions

The game offers engaging gameplay with a mix of space and ground combat, providing a rich narrative experience for Star Trek fans.
Customization options for characters and ships are extensive, allowing for a high degree of personalization and creativity.
The atmosphere and storytelling effectively capture the essence of the Star Trek universe, evoking nostalgia and providing an immersive experience.

The graphics and performance are dated and poorly optimized, leading to significant issues on consoles and a lack of immersion.
The monetization model is heavily criticized for being aggressive and predatory, often locking significant content behind paywalls.
The gameplay can feel grindy and repetitive, particularly at higher levels, which may deter new players and affect overall enjoyment.

story
6,031 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
71%
6%
The story in Star Trek Online is generally praised for its depth and engagement, featuring a vast array of missions that feel like episodes from the Star Trek series, complete with voice acting from original cast members. Players appreciate the rich lore and the ability to explore various story arcs across different factions, although some missions can be repetitive and buggy, leading to frustration. While the game offers a compelling narrative experience for Star Trek fans, it also faces criticism for its reliance on combat and the monetization model, which some feel detracts from the overall storytelling experience.
- “The story is enjoyable and branches off as its own universe instead of connecting with the prime timeline from the shows.”
- “The story missions are well written and fun to play through, and the depth of character and ship customization is great.”
- “The storylines are fantastic, and they have gone to great lengths to invite the actors of Star Trek to come and do voice overs which are awesome!”
- “The storyline has been written, rewritten, truncated, spliced, diced, and minced over the years.”
- “The story is just downright terrible at this point, which stinks because it felt like it would actually go somewhere and... well for those who know, it just didn't.”
- “The ground missions are very repetitive and the movement mechanics are horrible.”
gameplay
1,246 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
60%
11%
The gameplay of Star Trek Online is characterized by a mix of space and ground combat, with many players praising the engaging space battles while criticizing the repetitive and clunky ground mechanics. The game offers a wealth of customization options and a variety of missions, but it is often marred by pay-to-win mechanics and a steep learning curve for new players. Overall, while the game provides a rich narrative experience for Star Trek fans, its gameplay can feel dated and grindy, especially at higher levels.
- “Overall, Star Trek Online offers engaging gameplay and a great sense of camaraderie, making it a worthwhile experience despite its flaws.”
- “With its ever-expanding content, deep lore, and engaging gameplay, it offers a rich, immersive experience that allows you to explore strange new worlds, seek out new life and civilizations, and boldly go where no gamer has gone before.”
- “The gameplay is engaging and fun, with a perfect blend of old-school charm and modern mechanics, making it a must-play for any Star Trek aficionado.”
- “The gameplay is a bit aged though, it plays like a classic tab targeting MMO with both space and ground combat, but there's tons of story content with more added every year.”
- “The ground gameplay is a bit basic, but the ship combat is very fun and engaging.”
- “The gameplay overwhelmingly focuses on combat; space combat is repetitive, and ground combat is almost idiotic.”
graphics
1,213 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
54%
14%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that they are dated and could benefit from a significant overhaul. While some appreciate the visuals in space and the ship designs, ground graphics often feel clunky and lack detail, leading to a less immersive experience. Overall, the game's graphics are considered acceptable for its age, but many players express a desire for modern updates to enhance the visual quality.
- “The graphics are gorgeous, the ship and costume customization options are pretty amazing, and once I got used to all the various powers and systems, it can actually be a lot of fun.”
- “The graphics are pretty good considering the game is almost 15 years old.”
- “The graphics are great for how old this game is, the gameplay is very enjoyable, and STO is always updating the game to fit what is going on with the shows that is always great.”
- “The graphics are primitive.”
- “The graphics have not aged well; you can see that most evidently on the ground where the textures are disgustingly bad to the human eye.”
- “The graphics are dated, but that has not stopped me from enjoying the game.”
grinding
818 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
1%
98%
The grinding aspect of Star Trek Online is a significant point of contention among players, with many describing it as excessive and tedious, particularly at the endgame. While some enjoy the grind as a means to earn premium items and enhance their gameplay experience, others find it overwhelming and repetitive, often leading to a pay-to-win dynamic where spending real money can bypass the lengthy grind. Overall, players agree that while the game offers a rich Star Trek experience, it requires a considerable time investment to progress without financial expenditure.
- “Fun story, and the end game is not too grindy!”
- “Hours and hours of gameplay with no grindy feeling.”
- “There is no grinding in this MMO, so that already makes it stand out.”
- “Grinding is real and if you like to cancel your hard earned cash no problem, they've got what you need.”
- “Game is designed from the ground up to force you to be grinding for 9 months of the year to get anything for free.”
- “You'll be doing missions, dailies, and various boss content and/or grinding out currency and resources to gear your away team and ship(s).”
stability
356 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
98%
The stability of the game is widely criticized, with numerous players reporting persistent bugs, glitches, and performance issues that detract from the overall experience. Many users express frustration over long-standing problems that remain unaddressed, leading to a sense of neglect from the developers. While some players still find enjoyment in the game despite its flaws, the overwhelming sentiment is that the game's stability is a significant drawback, making it difficult to recommend to new players.
- “Runs great on Steam Deck OLED.”
- “With Windows 11, it runs great, but I've not seen anything that wouldn't work with Windows 7.”
- “For a free game, it's great; the animation is almost flawless, no glitches as of yet, and the loading screens are quick.”
- “The game is a buggy mess with story that's all around the place with no clear structure.”
- “It's been out for 10 years and it's still a damned buggy mess.”
- “The game is riddled with bugs and glitches that Cryptic has never bothered to fix.”
monetization
348 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
57%
36%
The monetization in the game is heavily criticized for being aggressive and predatory, with numerous microtransactions that often feel exploitative, particularly in the context of pay-to-win mechanics and overpriced items. While players can technically enjoy the game without spending money, many reviews highlight that significant content and advantages are locked behind paywalls, leading to a frustrating experience for those unwilling to invest financially. Overall, the monetization model is seen as a major detractor from the game's enjoyment, with many players feeling it prioritizes profit over player satisfaction.
- “With a fair monetization policy and with no need to invest too much time?”
- “Monetization exists, but the game can be finished/explored from bottom to top in free-to-play mode.”
- “You can play this game without ever making an in-game purchase and still enjoy it to the fullest.”
- “There's definitely a ton of cash grabs going on in the game from cosmetics to pay-to-win type upgrades, and some aspects of the game are heavily dependent on group play to grant you access to features.”
- “The monetization is highly predatory and is based on gambling mechanics and FOMO for 'sales' in the real money store.”
- “The aggressive monetization of this game nearly ruins it as a game.”
music
110 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
63%
8%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its nostalgic connection to the Star Trek universe and its orchestral quality, while others find it repetitive and uninspired over time. Some highlight standout tracks, particularly during character selection, but note that the limited variety can lead to boredom during extended play. Overall, while the soundtrack enhances the immersive experience for fans, it may not hold up for those seeking a diverse auditory landscape.
- “Fantastic soundtrack, however, and you get to walk around Deep Space 9.”
- “You can tell that the music is inspired by the themes from the shows, as well as some audio and sound effects are reused; this is great and gives a real Trek feel.”
- “The music really makes the feel of the missions.”
- “Another problem was the music; the longer I played, I found the music becoming repetitive and just boring.”
- “Star Trek Online's theme song is suitably heroic and sounds sufficiently 'Star Trek', but the few other songs in the game tend to repeat, making it a little annoying after a while of hearing the same song from Vulcan while you are fighting Borg on a damaged cube.”
- “The sounds are authentic, but the music is utter crap.”
humor
83 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
4%
The humor in "Star Trek Online" is a mixed bag, with many players finding it genuinely funny due to quirky animations, amusing character creations, and the absurdity of certain gameplay elements. While some glitches and bugs add to the comedic experience, others detract from immersion, leading to a blend of frustration and laughter. Overall, the game captures a lighthearted spirit that resonates well with fans of the franchise, making it an entertaining experience despite its flaws.
- “In conclusion, 'Star Bread Online' is a hilarious and entertaining romp through space that will have you laughing, loafing, and longing for more.”
- “It's actually funny to see characters' hairs that were just okay 14 years ago and today look like potatoes placed on your head :).”
- “The players are there because they love the franchise, which also results in some of the most hilarious barrens chat.”
- “With so many dull sinks, it's not funny.”
- “The jokes fall flat and feel forced.”
- “I expected humor, but it was more cringeworthy than comedic.”
optimization
78 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
64%
19%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant performance issues, particularly on consoles, where it is described as "horrendous." While some users report that it runs smoothly on lower-end systems, others experience stuttering, crashes, and poor performance even on high-end rigs, indicating that the game is poorly optimized for modern hardware. Overall, there is a consensus that the game requires substantial optimization improvements to enhance stability and performance across all platforms.
- “Latest Unreal/Frostbite fully optimized and free to give community feedback and players to community game benefits.”
- “Good gameplay, great content and storyline, runs smoothly on lower laptop specs, micro-transaction purchases available to advance quickly in-game, extensive interactions that can prove tricky for new players wanting to get into the game the first time, continuous updates make the game interesting; however, there is a need to invest time for grinding credits in order to get the best ships and equipment.”
- “While the graphics and performance are passable, the amount of options, and the way they're instantly applied without any negative impact, is very nice.”
- “The performance is particularly horrendous on console.”
- “There are many bugs and performance issues, and mostly beyond repair, as the game is so old and dev teams changed several times, so I assume no one really knows how the basic structure even works anymore.”
- “For a game this old, the optimization of the graphics is horrendous; expect huge lags and frame drops with any more than 4 or 5 enemies onscreen.”
atmosphere
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
36%
6%
The atmosphere in Star Trek Online (STO) is widely praised for its authentic representation of the Star Trek universe, capturing the essence of political intrigue, recognizable characters, and immersive storytelling. Players appreciate the game's ability to evoke nostalgia through its visuals, sound design, and lore, making it a compelling experience for fans of the franchise. While some note minor graphical limitations, the overall ambiance and attention to detail contribute to a fun and engaging environment that resonates with Trekkies.
- “The Star Trek atmosphere is absolutely spot-on; this is no cash-grab using a well-known license.”
- “Fantastic stories, great atmosphere, and fun gameplay.”
- “Very immersive, with the same voice actors as characters from the show, which creates a very canonical atmosphere.”
- “The exploitation of everything at high ranks, the balancing of statistics to get the most out of escorts and such, really retracts from the Star Trek atmosphere.”
- “Very low on atmosphere.”
- “They (customer service) create a hostile atmosphere for the people who keep their company afloat.”
replayability
45 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
58%
7%
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, with players enjoying the ability to explore different character origins, species, and storylines, which provide unique experiences each time. Many reviewers highlight the extensive content, including various missions and customization options, contributing to a sense of endless replay value. However, some note that the variety of quests can be limited, which may affect replayability for certain players.
- “I'll also point out that there's a fair bit of replayability too, by using the other character origins, giving you a unique experience each time.”
- “The storyline in single player is replayable to a huge extent and makes the game very worthwhile.”
- “Epic team space battles full of laser-eye-candy-goodness, insane ground phaser/melee fights that really gets the blood pumping, massive customization and almost endless replay value!”
- “Replay value is pretty low.”
- “Not a lot of replayability as the variety of questing is limited and there isn't much else to do.”
- “First time around I loved every minute of it, but to me there was little replay value only because the game is so long to get to level 50; it took me about 80 hours of playing to get there.”
emotional
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
95%
14%
Players express a deep emotional connection to the game, often feeling moved by its storytelling and character arcs, which evoke strong feelings of nostalgia and attachment, particularly for long-time Star Trek fans. However, frustrations with recent changes, such as monetization and gameplay mechanics, have led some to feel heartbroken and disillusioned, diminishing their overall enjoyment and emotional investment in the game. Despite these issues, many still appreciate the emotional moments and community support that the game fosters.
- “I cried for a man I've only known for 5 minutes.”
- “I know it has made me feel ways no other MMO has successfully made me feel.”
- “There are even a couple of very emotional moments involved, something that I wasn't expecting from an MMO...”
- “The emotional depth of the story is overshadowed by tedious dialogue that makes it hard to connect with the characters.”
- “I found myself skipping through the dialogue, which left me feeling disconnected from the emotional core of the game.”
- “The attempts at emotional storytelling fell flat, as the dialogue was so dull that it annoyed my party members.”
character development
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
63%
19%
Character development in the game is a mixed bag, with impressive customization options that allow for extensive character and ship design, including a variety of species and outfits. However, the actual in-game character progression is criticized for being grindy and lacking depth, with many players feeling that the storylines and dialogue do not support meaningful character growth. Overall, while players can set personal goals for development, the execution often falls short of expectations.
- “Really enjoyable, many opportunities to explore several different paths for character development.”
- “The free player and follower customization is insane; sliders, colors, and many varieties of outfits allow for one of the best character designers I have ever seen and put many other MMOs to shame.”
- “Over 20 different species, spread over 3.5 factions, with each species having their own unique in-game traits and character design options.”
- “Even the character development in-game is bad.”
- “Character development and customization (mechanically) is rather limited, which is the only downside I have found in the last 7 years.”
- “The character development is also very advanced (which is an advantage if you have some resetting control over it, this game does not allow any changes, or even respawning after creation).”