If you are a Star Trek fan, the Star Trek Bridge Crew VR might be a must-have experience for you as it allows you to step onto the bridge of the USS Aegis.
The experience puts you in charge of a Federation spaceship and lets you mess around either solo or along with your friends. The accurate details built into the bridge sets is also a bonus.
Therefore, we have made this guide to help you understand those pros and cons as well as the alternatives to Star Trek Bridge Crew VR. So, without any further ado, let us get right into it.
Star Trek Bridge Crew VR
The Star Trek Bridge Crew VR acts as a fun simulation and experience for the fans of the franchise. The game puts you right into the captain’s seat of the spaceship. This gives you the ability to have fun with some of the controls and buttons on the panel. You also combat Klingon ships occasionally.
Alternate #1
Artemis Spaceship Bridge Simulator
The Artemis Spaceship Bridge Simulator is multiplayer-only experience. This means you won’t be able to play this game on your own. Due to this, its multiplayer experience is fully fleshed out and developed. Multiple computers are nteworked together in order for the simulation to function properly. All of these computers work as workstations while the captain gives the orders which makes this an ideal experience.
Alternate #2
PULSAR: Lost Colony
If you’re looking for a spaceship simulation where you embark on multiple missions across the galaxy, manage tasks around the spaceship, combat enemy vessels and survive along with other players as crewmembers, PULSAR: Lost Colony is the game just for you. The game allows planets and different environments to be explored to aid you in your survival. Due to what this game offers, this is an exceptional simulator to experience.
Quick Summary of the Main Product
Star Trek Bridge Crew VR puts the user right into the captain’s seat aboard a Federation spaceship. This means that you get to make decisions and take control of the spaceship.
The multiplayer function of this simulation makes the experience even more fun. Rather than a serious simulation, you can have an enjoyable roleplay with your friends.
What does it lack?
Even though the game is fun to play, it lacks in some areas which can distract you and ruin your experience. The character models for example are not attractive to look at.
If we talk about the multiplayer experience, the communication between the players can get interrupted due to poor voice chat, which can be cut off randomly at any time.
Still, the simulation is an enjoyable experience for you if you want to do random tasks on a spaceship or battle it out with Klingon ships and steer around them stealthily.
Features and Benefits
Authentic Star Trek Experience
Since this simulator is the Star Trek Bridge Crew simulator, this means that the experience you get is an authentic Star Trek experience. For any Star Trek fan, this is very valuable.
Space Combat
As is the case in the real Star Trek, you get to fend off enemy spaceships as you encounter them throughout the galaxy. You can either go into all-out war or avoid them stealthily.
Multiple Roles
In Star Trek: Bridge Crew, you get to play different roles. These roles include Captain, Tactical Officer, Engineer, Helm Officer, and the newest addition, Operations.
Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy Star Trek Bridge Crew VR
Company
The developer of this simulator is Red Storm Entertainment which is responsible for the Tom Clancy video games. This company is a subsidiary of Ubisoft which is a reputable company.
Price
The price of the game lies in an affordable range, well worth the features it offers. The DLC is also affordable if you want to upgrade your game. With both the main game and DLC, the Quest version is free.
Reviews
Overall the reviews of the game have been positive as it achieves the purpose it is intended to achieve. Solo play, however, is regarded as not being much enjoyable.
Updates
The simulator has had a decent number of updates since 2017 such as a Non-VR patch to allow both VR and Non-VR gameplay and a new intro update as well.
Platform
The Star Trek Bridge Crew VR is playable on different platforms. These platforms include the PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows, and Oculus Quest, which is the most ideal platform for it.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Star Trek Bridge Crew VR
- Good co-op experience
- Dynamic missions
- Good immersion
- Authentic
- Enjoyable roleplay opportunity
- Combat can get repetitive
- Character models are unattractive
Social Proof
Star Trek Bridge Crew VR has mostly received positive reviews from its customers because of its detailed Federation spaceship and the enjoyable experience.
Many customers, especially Star Trek fans, praise the simulation as it allows them to be aboard a Federation spaceship and even take control of it as they perform various tasks.
Furthermore, the game becomes even better if you play it with friends, as the social experience is enhanced. You can roleplay and chat with friends easily.
The single-player experience, however, is not that enjoyable. multiplayer tasks and teamwork are what make this simulation what it is. If you do all that alone, the experience might not be the same.
Star Trek Bridge Crew VR Alternatives (Recommendations)
#1: Best Multiplayer Spaceship Simulator - Artemis Spaceship Bridge Simulator
The Artemis Spaceship Bridge Simulator is designed to fulfill the experience that is left unfulfilled by the Star Trek Bridge Crew VR, as it has many advanced features.
With the help of the Artemis Spaceship Bridge Simulator, you are taken aboard a starship and onto a spaceship bridge where you, along with other players, assume various roles.
The roles that the players can assume include Captain, Helm, Science, Communication, Engineering, and Weapon Control. This shows the number of features the simulator offers.
Furthermore, as there are multiple roles in the game, you have to play alongside other players to tackle the enemy spaceships. Therefore, the game cannot be played by you alone.
However, the multiplayer area of the game is so fleshed out that you don’t need a solo feature. The voice chat works well, and each player’s computer functions as a workstation on the ship.
Factors to Consider Before You Decide to Buy Artemis Spaceship Bridge Simulator
Company: This spaceship bridge simulator has been developed independently by Thom Robertson, who is an experienced indie developer with multiple games that he has worked on.
Price: You can purchase this simulator at a much more affordable price than the Star Trek Bridge Crew VR, which is worth it as it has more to offer when it comes to spaceship simulators.
Reviews: Artemis Spaceship Bridge Simulator is a highly rated videogame and has been praised by players for the roles and teamwork opportunities it offers.
Updates: The simulator has been updated by the developer throughout the years since its release in 2013. The last update was in 2021, when issues were patched, and textures were refined.
Platform: This simulator is made for Windows, iOS, and Android devices. Therefore, this is primarily a computer game dedicated to PC gamers.
- Multiple roles
- Excellent voice chat
- All stations contribute to the gameplay
- Feels like an authentic Star Trek experience
- Easy controls
- Cannot be played alone
- No narrative missions
Best Multiplayer Spaceship Simulator
The best multiplayer spaceship simulator is the Artemis Spaceship Bridge Simulator due to the various roles the players can assume and how the computers are networked together to work as workstations. Due to this, the players have to work together as teams to fulfill tasks and survive enemies.
#2: Best Explorable Spaceship Simulator - PULSAR: Lost Colony
If you want to explore the galaxy along with your friends and achieve various missions as you try to survive the chaotic events, PULSAR: Lost Colony is the right simulation for you.
Just like other simulators on this list, PULSAR: Lost Colony also allows players to assume various roles around the spaceship. However, the roles are much more story-driven.
Apart from the roles and teamwork among the players, the resources you have also determine your survival as you explore planets and fight different creatures as well as extreme environments.
Due to the survival aspect of the game, the vast exploration opportunities, and the different strategies you can employ in order to win a combat, this simulator is one you need to try.
Factors to Consider Before You Decide to Buy PULSAR: Lost Colony
Company: This spaceship bridge simulator has been developed by Leafy Games, which is an independent game development team. This simulator is the only game they have developed.
Price: PULSAR: Lost Colony is a more expensive spaceship bridge simulator compared to the other two simulators. However, due to the level of immersion and features it offers, it is well worth it.
Reviews: The simulator has been praised and highly rated by users. They consider it one of the best indie space exploration games out there because of the level of detail it has.
Updates: As the game is highly rated, it has been worked on constantly to ensure it is good. This means it has been updated constantly, with the latest update being released on July 22, 2022.
Platform: Another spaceship simulator made primarily for PC gamers, PULSAR: Lost Colony, is playable on Microsoft Windows, Linux, and Macintosh Operating System computers.
- Deep gameplay and story
- Focus on teamwork
- Explorable planets and galaxy
- Variety of resources
- Number of upgrades and customization
- Weak FPS combat
- Basic graphics
Best Explorable Spaceship Simulator
The best explorable spaceship simulator is PULSAR: Lost Colony as it allows you to explore the galaxy and the various planets in it. You have to gather resources and embark on various missions alongside other players in order to survive the harsh environments as well as dangerous enemies. Teamwork is key to your survival and to helping you achieve your goals.
Buyer’s Guide
Star Trek Bridge Crew VR has its share of benefits for the player. However, it can be tricky to decide whether you should buy this simulator or not.
So, to help you out, we have compiled this complete list of buyer’s guides to understand the factors you should consider before you purchase Star Trek Bridge Crew VR.
Company
Whenever you make any sort of purchase, you ensure that the brand of the product is reputable and well-known for quality products. The same goes for video games and simulators
When it comes to the Star Trek Bridge Crew VR, it has been developed by Red Storm Entertainment a subsidiary of a reputable company, Ubisoft. Therefore, there is credibility.
However, if you purchase from a company that is unknown or not reputable, there is a risk that the game might not be good and properly developed.
If you know about the company, you can also judge it based on its past projects and successful ventures. Therefore, it is better to research the company than to waste your money.
Price
Affordability is as important as the company name for most gamers out there. They have budgets allocated to certain games and if the games exceed those budgets, it can be a problem.
The price of the game should match the features it offers. For example, PULSAR: Lost Colony might be an expensive game. However, it offers a lot in the price range it lies in.
The same goes for Artemis Spaceship Bridge Simulator. It might be cheaper than the Star Trek simulator but it offers a much better experience. Thus, gameplay should match the price.
Reviews
Each customer might have a different experience from the other customer and they usually voice those experiences in the form of reviews so others can know beforehand what to expect.
It is important that you look at these reviews before you make the decision to purchase the simulators so that you make the right decision. Otherwise, you might possibly regret it later on.
Reviews can give you important insight into what to expect from a video game. For example, reviews of Star Trek Bridge Crew VR pointed out how it is only enjoyable with friends.
Updates
Flaws and bugs are possible on the initial release of most games. Some games might even be missing key features that were promised by the developer. This is where updates are useful.
Constant updates are a sign that the developer listens to the users and works hard to improve their experiences. You need to consider the update history due to this reason.
If you consider the updated history of the simulator, you know whether that simulator is still active in the community. For example, PULSAR: Lost Colony had been updated very recently.
Updates also show you the attitude of the developer as well the status of the game. An example of this is that the Star Trek Bridge Crew VR got delisted which shows that it is in a decline.
Platforms
In order to play any videogame or any sort of simulator, it is important to have the right equipment and the platform. Therefore, you need to know the platform before you make the purchase.
Star Trek Bridge Crew VR is supported on the PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows, and Oculus Quest. Thus, it works well for both console and PC gamers.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is VR required for Star Trek: Bridge Crew?
Star Trek: Bridge Crew includes the ability to crossplay between VR and Non-VR across all platforms. This means that the game supports gameplay without a VR headset.
Does Star Trek: Bridge Crew have a single player?
In the Ongoing Voyages mode of the game, you can play solo as the Captain of the USS Enterprise or the USS Aegis where all the other roles will be controlled by the AI.
Can you still play Star Trek: Bridge Crew?
This spaceship bridge simulator has been delisted from multiple stores, including the Oculus Store and Steam. The ones that remain are likely to follow any time soon.
Wrapping Things Up
Star Trek Bridge Crew VR is a very enjoyable spaceship bridge simulator, especially for the fans of Star Trek, that allows you to be in command of a Federation spaceship.
With the help of this simulator, you get to have an authentic and first-hand experience as the Captain of a Star Trek spaceship where you get to control it in order to fulfill the task around the ship.
However, as is the case with most simulators, the Star Trek Bridge Crew VR also suffers from its share of cons. This is where alternative spaceship bridge simulators come in.
Both the Artemis Spaceship Bridge Simulator and PULSAR: Lost Colony is well-developed spaceship simulators that offer much more features and experiences.
Still, the Star Trek Bridge Crew VR is the simulator for you if you need an authentic experience where you can goof around with friends without too much hassle.
Do let us know what you think in the comments below.