Star Trek Armada 2 for the PC is a great introduction to the world of real time strategy gaming.

For Trekkers, the action takes place late in the 24th Century, well after the adventures of Captains Kirk and Archer but before the return of Voyager. You get to take on the mysterious but scary Species 8472 and the brutal Cardassians for good measure.

Like many games based on a successful franchise, Star Trek tie-ins have a reputation for being distinctly hit-and-miss affairs, the logic being so much money is spent securing the manufacturer's licence that any development budget is used up. But this one, published by Activision, scores something of a broadside.

Visually, it is very watchable with impressive, if not exactly stunning, cinematic transitions between each adventure and the mellifluous tones of Patrick Stewart to speed you on your way.

Another bonus is the epic score provided by Jerry Goldsmith's sweeping violins.

While there is little that is actually ground-breaking in the game, it is a good addition to the genre and should appeal to fans of the best-selling Command And Conquer series.

For those embarking on their first voyage into the realm of strategy gaming, it should provide an exciting introduction.

There are about 100 different ships to master, each with its own special weaponry.

The game interface is easy to master and you can play in either top-down mode or in 3-D.

Strategically, the 3-D aspect gives an added dimension to your attacks but, to be shallow, it makes the game look prettier, especially when it is being showered with debris from an exploding Borg cube.

Success involves choosing a side (in quick-start mode, from the Federation, Klingons, Romulans, Cardassians, Species 8472 and the Borg), building and protecting a base and then going all out to turn your nearest neighbour into the galaxy's newest asteroid belt.

The same applies to the 27 linear, single-player campaigns, fought as the Federation, the Klingons or the Borg. But one suspects the game comes into its own as a multiplayer activity online.

It would be nice to see some kind of promotion structure for individual units within each adventure, as in Tiberian Sun, to increase the sense of achievement.

But, as the first game from a new development team, Mad Doc Software, it looks very promising.

With a new series on Channel 4 shortly and a film due later this year, the Star Trek universe looks set to boldly go where no one has gone before.

Price: £29.99.

Contact: www.activision.com Feel good factor:

8 out of 10.