Fighters and carriers have been removed, and although the smaller shuttlecraft still remain, they too have less exotic capabilities than before. Ships now have four shield facings instead of six, eschewing the hex-based nature of the original combat system. Rather than eight playable factions, there are now four, only three of which are playable in the campaigns.

Also lacking is a cardboard table describing weapon ranges and accuracy. Not only has it remained faithful to the more popular elements of Star Trek, including the Next Generation setting, it's also significantly reduced the number of tactical options available in the game.Ĭompared to its predecessor, it ships on one less disc and with a manual one-third the size. Since the closure of developer Taldren, many fans of the series as well as ex-Taldren employees have been churning out new patches and mods to make the experience even better.Īdrenaline Vault's superb review has the lowdown: ' Starfleet Command III is a blatant grab for popular appeal. While it 'dumbs down' many features to attract casual gamers, it still packs enough options and addictive gameplay to merit our Top Dog tag. Starfleet Command III is an excellent sequel to Starfleet Command II, arguably the best strategy game based on Star Trek franchise ever made.