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Star Trek: Borg is a 1996 video game which places the player in the role of a cadet who encounters Q, and is transported to the Battle of Wolf 359.

Summary[]

From the back cover
THE ULTIMATE INTERACTIVE MOVIE
You are Cadet Qaylan Furlong. Your father was killed by the Borg in the battle of Wolf 359. Now, ten years later, the Borg are attacking again, and Starfleet won't allow you to stay aboard the Starship USS Cheyenne to avenge your father's death.
But Q will.
He'll do better than that, in fact. He will take you back in time ten years and put you on the same ship as your father to give you a chance to save him… and the entire Federation. It's a mission of extreme danger, difficult choices and surprising results.
  • Starring Star Trek favorite, John de Lancie, reprising his role as 'Q'.
  • Brace yourself for 120 minutes of ORIGINAL STAR TREK footage, shot entirely on the sound stages at Paramount Studios.
  • This 3 CD-ROM set also includes The Picard Dossier, a comprehensive guide to the Borg.
  • Introduces the next generation of full-motion full-frame interactive video technology and represents the highest production quality of any digital video product available anywhere.
  • Directed by Jim Conway, director of numerous STAR TREK episodes, including the favorite STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE™ episode "Little Green Men".
  • Written by Hilary Bader, a writer for many loved STAR TREK episodes.
  • Music composed by Dennis McCarthy, composer of the STAR TREK: VOYAGER™ theme.

Excerpts of copyrighted sources are included for review purposes only, without any intention of infringement.

The Picard Dossier is a condensed version of the Star Trek Omnipedia only containing the subset of information relevant to the game.

The player takes on the role of Cadet Qaylan Furlong whose father, Lt. Ralph Furlong, was killed during the Battle of Wolf 359. With the help of Q, the player goes back in time to his father's ship, the Excelsior-class USS Righteous, to prevent his death and the destruction of the ship.

Gameplay[]

Q as Borg

Q appears as a Borg

Gameplay is a unique combination of a Myst-style point-and-click adventure and a real-time free-flowing game. The game progresses like a movie, but at certain junctures, the player must make choices (done by clicking on objects or people) which affect the storyline. Additionally, failure to "make a choice" is interpreted as a choice of inaction, which affects the story accordingly.

At any time (when the player is not at a choice-making juncture), the game may be paused, allowing the player to examine his surroundings with a tricorder. Certain tasks require information that can only be gathered in this manner.

During some instances, it is possible to punch Q in the face, and at one point, kick him in the groin.

Memorable quotes[]

"Why? Because I can!"

- Q


"Hello! There's a Borg on the bridge! He's not going to sit around and let you scan him (hits the character on head with a tricorder) while he's assimilating the ship!"

- Q


"Excuse me, am I mistaken? But isn't there a Borg on the bridge trying to control the ship? What are you going to do? (hits player with tricorder) Scan it to death!?"

- Q


"It's a Borg alright! Another Borg! A Borg is a Borg is a Borg! Seen one seen 'em all! GOT IT!?"

- Q, after repeated scans of any of the non-Q Borg in the game


"Captain, we're hailing the Borg ship, shields are dropping. (to player) Uh-oh!"
"There's a tight beam transmission going to the Borg cube, computers uploading data about emergency transporters..."
"The Borg are firing, we're gonna die! (turns to player in a calm voice) And it's your fault!"
(Ship explodes)

- Q and Biraka


"It's definitely tied into the security system. It's... analyzing code it seems to be through some sort of... encryption sequence like it's trying to rewrite... It's trying to decrypt the self-destruct key code!"

- Ralf, realizing the Borg implant is decrypting the self-destruct code on the Righteous if the player tries to interface with the device


"Don't touch what you don't understand!"

- Q


"Oh great! Now I'm dead! Not exactly what I wanted."

- Q, after being injected by a Borg-influenced Targus


"Here, take this too."
"I don't think we'll need an emergency medkit. If things get that bad we're probably dead."

- Q and Targus, as Q gives her a medkit


"Hmmm, this thing is amazing! Did you know it has information on places, systems even people! Look, look at that. Did you know Counselor Biraka was a champion horse jumper?"

- Q, in a sarcastic voice describing the tricorder


"Do you hear that Sprint? You don't want to hear Furlong talking about his whiny brat now do you? (a targeting reticule appears on Q's head, crotch and torso) I don't know what you're staring at but I don't like it, Just be careful where you point!"
(Q starts to make gestures telling the player to click on Furlong)

- Q


"Ow! Oh! What was that for!?"
"For working so hard to make people dislike you."
"And why would I do that?"
"Because you're trying to prove that they actually like you!"
"Oh, spare me Counselor, you don't have the tools to analyze me!"

- Q and Biraka, after the player chooses to punch Q on the nose


"OHHHHHH!"
"Come on, Quint, you'll be OK. Just catch your breath. If you just didn't try so hard to make everyone dislike you."
"S-S-Spare me the psychology, counselor. You don't have the tools to analyze me!"

- Q and Biraka, after the player chooses to knee Q in the groin


"How is he, doc?"
"I'm sorry... he's just too stupid to live."

- Targus and Q, after the player electrocutes himself


"We few, we happy few, we band of Borg."

- Q


"Well, it's about time. Where have you been? How do you expect to save the universe when you keep dashing off for a sandwich or something? Please, try to be more attentive, for me?"

- Q to player, after repeated failures to choose an option and then finally choosing the right one


"Priority Message, USS Canale to USS Cheyenne, we are under attack by Borg Forces, repeat, Borg Forces! We intercepted two Borg vessels heading in a direct course for SECTOR ZERO-ZERO-ONE; Subspace signal is too weak, we need you to warn Starfleet Command. If you can read us do not, repeat, do not send help. We are lost. Warn Starfleet! The Borg have returned, repeat, THE BORG HAVE RETURNED!"

- Distress call from USS Canale to USS Cheyenne

Background information[]

  • This game was filmed on the Star Trek sets using actual props, scenery and costumes from the big-screen versions. For example, the USS Righteous sets were redressed sets for USS Voyager, while the bridge was a redressed version of the USS Excelsior bridge from "Flashback".
  • Much of the battle footage was previously seen in DS9: "Emissary".
  • The tricorder prop that Q gives to the player can be seen in use in TNG: "The Masterpiece Society" by Hannah Bates when she creates false biosphere breach readings.
  • The installer is written from an "in-universe" perspective with the text:
    • "WELCOME HUMAN TO THE STAR TREK BORG INSTALLATION PROGRAM. CHOOSE 1 TO ASSIMILATE BORG INTO YOUR HARD DRIVE. RESISTANCE IS FUTILE. CHOOSING 0 IS FUTILE."
  • An audio book was also released, titled Star Trek: Borg - Experience the Collective.
  • On the back cover, Dennis McCarthy is mistakenly credited for the theme to Star Trek: Voyager, when, in fact, Jerry Goldsmith wrote the theme.
  • Dennis McCarthy's score, which was "realized" by his collaborator Kevin Kiner, was released as part of the Star Trek: 50th Anniversary Collection.
  • John de Lancie's costume as a Borg was sold off on the It's A Wrap! sale and auction on eBay and was previously worn by Michael Reilly Burke, Gary Hunter, and Tom Morga. [1]
  • The game marks the only occasion that Q wears a blue science-division Starfleet uniform.
  • The game marks the only occasion that Q appears as a Borg.
  • The game's prologue is set ten years after the Battle of Wolf 359, which would make the year 2376.
  • Anachronistically, the characters wear TNG-era uniforms during the prologue, even though these scenes take place during the fifth season of Star Trek: Voyager. During this period, Starfleet officers are shown to wear the uniforms established in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine pilot on all vessels and installations. Likewise, the characters wear DS9/VOY-era uniforms during the scenes taking place at Wolf 359, when they should be wearing the uniforms seen in the third and fourth seasons of TNG. This costuming error is possibly due to a shortage of TNG-era uniforms, as they were no longer regularly needed for production of the television series. Although the uniforms' eras are reversed, the characters do appear to use the correct combadges for each era.

Credits[]

Cast[]

Uncredited cast[]

Leading crew[]

End crew[]

References[]

Bijani[]

The Bijani were a race of nomadic stellar wanderers. They looked a lot like the Kobliad, with a bigger head and larger "beak". When in great pain, their adrenaline had an unusual effect on their neuropsychology, entering them into a "pain trance" which allowed the Bijani to work in very harsh conditions and push their bodies to their physical limits, to the point where it could protect their minds and emotions from Borg assimilation.

USS Cheyenne[]

The USS Cheyenne (NCC-75435) was a Galaxy-class starship that was in operation in 2377.

The Cheyenne utilized footage of the Enterprise-D from The Next Generation.

USS Righteous[]

USS Excelsior, port

USS Righteous

The USS Righteous (NCC-42451) was an Excelsior-class that was in service during the mid-2360s.

The Righteous was known to be the last of the Excelsior-class, launched right before the battle of Wolf 359.
In the original timeline
The USS Righteous was among the first vessels to be destroyed at Wolf 359. The Borg cube killed the Bijani tactical officer and his replacement's inexperience caused everyone aboard to die at the hands of an unknown Borg energy weapon.
In the current timeline
The USS Righteous survived the Battle of Wolf 359. Q's intervention allowed a Starfleet cadet to assume the identity of the Bijani tactical officer, and the cadet's skill allowed the Righteous to limp away from the battle zone. Q, in an effort to cause minimal damage to the timeline, threw the ship forward in time to a second battle against the Borg occurring in 2377.

Footage of the Righteous was recycled from VOY: "Flashback". Its destruction is recycled footage from the Excelsior-class Melbourne in DS9: "Emissary". Interior shots were a combination of Voyager and Excelsior rooms and corridors.

Additional references[]

Kyushu, USS; Melbourne, USS; Saratoga, USS; Tolstoy, USS

External links[]

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