Star Trek Voyager: Across The Unknown PC Review
Summary: Take the helm as you try and help the U.S.S. Voyager return to the Alpha Quadrant.
4
Vicarious Voyage
Though I’m not a die-hard Star Trek fan, I’ve enjoyed watching many of the series over the years. Funnily enough, Voyager was never one that really spoke to me, though I did catch the odd episode here and there. That said, you don’t need to be a huge fan of the series to enjoy Star Trek Voyager: Across The Unknown. Being familiar with the Star Trek universe does add an extra layer of charm, as certain story elements and characters will feel pleasantly familiar.
Star Trek Voyager: Across The Unknown—and I say this as someone who didn’t follow the show from start to finish—essentially takes the story of Captain Janeway and the crew of the U.S.S. Voyager from their stranding in the Delta Quadrant all the way to their (hopeful) return to the Alpha Quadrant, weaving in some of the series’ major storylines. These storylines don’t just move the game forward; they present critical decisions that shape how events unfold. You’ll be making major choices that can determine life-or-death outcomes, whether to help an alien species, whether to side with a former enemy, or whether to tough it out alone. Just because a character survived the TV series doesn’t mean they’ll survive your playthrough.
I found the game offered an interesting difficulty curve. You start with a damaged Voyager and must decide what to repair and in what order. You can choose where to place compartments on the ship, and optimising their placement can make a big difference to your success or failure. You also have to determine what to research in the tech tree and in what order. The tech tree is divided into Engineering (essential for restoring the warp core), Crew, Science, Combat, and Borg. Different technologies provide different boosts for away missions or general exploration. In my experience, the early game felt like an uphill battle until roughly the last third, when I finally had Voyager stabilised and could focus more on unfolding events rather than just keeping the ship functional—if not fully optimised.
Across The Unknown involves a lot of resource gathering: ensuring you have enough fuel to keep the warp core running, which in turn powers your other systems, which themselves require resources to upgrade and maintain. As you explore for resources, you’ll encounter missions and events, some involving away teams of up to three crew members. Selecting complementary skill sets gives you the best chance of success. But every crew member is a potential redshirt here. Some events can be genuinely distressing, forcing you to make tough choices that affect not only the wider world but also the crew who have become your family.
Final Thoughts
A single playthrough can be completed in a relatively short time—I think mine was around 20 hours. I even started a second attempt because I wasn’t happy with how my first run was going. The variety of choices and their consequences gives the game plenty of replay value. The lack of manual save slots (it auto-saves) means you have to commit to your decisions, which adds tension but can also be a little frustrating. Overall, it’s a lot of fun for Star Trek fans or anyone looking for a sci-fi game with more intellectual depth than a straightforward space shooter.
About the Author
Chris O'Connor Father of four, husband of one and all round oddity. Gaming at home since about 1982 with a Sinclair ZX Spectrum. Moving on to the more traditional PC genre in the years that followed with the classic Jump Joe and Alley Cat. CGA, EGA, VGA and beyond PC's have been central to my gaming but I've also enjoyed consoles and hand helds along the way (who remembers the Atari Lynx?). Would have been actor/film maker, jack of many trades master of none.
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