Pop quiz, hotshot:

Have you ever argued over who the better captain is, Picard or Kirk?
Have you ever considered just how you would deal with the Kobayashi Maru?
Do you think today is, in fact, a good day to die?

If you can answer "yes" to any of the previous questions, then pucker up, because Bethesda is about to plant a great big sloppy kiss on ya. Star Trek: Tactical Assault (TA), for the PSP, is shaping up to be one of the most enjoyable Trek experiences since First Contact. Set roughly in the Wrath of Khan section of the Trekiverse timeline, TA places you at the conn of your very own fledgling ship and crew. You'll take on the usual villainous suspects, including Klingons (remember, they weren't our allies yet back then), Romulans, and the odd space pirate or two, as you carry out missions for the Federation. The bulk of the gameplay centers around space combat as you raise shields, charge phasers, and fire photon torpedoes, but the best captains will know when to use the delicate touch of diplomacy as well as the iron fist of firepower. Almost every situation you encounter has more than one approach, and the action will change based on your choices. Challenge a Klingon's honor, and he might call in buddies to help vaporize you into space dust; play it cool with a Romulan, and he might just decide you're not worth his bother and warp away. The different approaches should not only add to replayability, but also make the game feel more personal as well. (For the record, I tend to take the civilized Picard gameplan, as opposed to the "shoot first, ask questions later" Kirk method.)

In the heat of battle, you'll be forced to make hard choices, such as draining energy from the batteries to recharge the shield, or turning your vulnerable side towards the enemy in order to give your phasers the best shot possible. The action is fast paced, but not frenetic, striking an adrenaline-pumping balance between decision making and button mashing. Sadly, the missions aren't based on actual Trek events—no Motaren Nebula here, I'm afraid—but they do feel completely genuine to the Trek mythology and fit well into the show mythology. The attention to detail might be lost on non-Trekkies, but those who've ever tried the Vulcan neck pinch (come on, admit it, you tried to zap your brother at least once) will appreciate the care that went into presenting the overall experience, from sound effects to ship design to the fonts used in the mission summaries.

Folks who don't feel they fit in with the goody-goody nature of the Federation may feel more at home taking on the Klingon campaign, which unfortunately wasn't available in the preview I played. It will hopefully offer the same tough choices as the Starfleet missions, though one has to wonder what those decisions might be on the bridge of a Bird of Prey. Somehow I just don't see the warrior race opting to bow out of a fight, or turn tail and run.

If you consider yourself to be a fan of Star Trek, and if you own a PSP, then without question you should keep an eye out for Star Trek: Tactical Assault when it arrives in mid-November, but don't feel like you have to know who Harry Mudd is in order to play. The fast action and strategic options, different campaigns and Skirmish Mode (blast your buddies into space dust!) are all adding up to make this a hidden gem for Sony's portable.

- Maj1013