View source for Star Trek: Judgment Rites

{{Short description|1993 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
|title = Star Trek: Judgment Rites
|image = Star Trek - Judgment Rites Coverart.png
|developer = {{ubl|[[Interplay Entertainment|Interplay Productions]]|[[MacPlay]] (Mac OS)}}
|publisher = Interplay Productions
|director = 
|producer = {{ubl|Jacob R. Buchert III|Bruce Schlickbernd}}
|designer = {{ubl|Jayesh Patel|Bruce Schlickbernd|[[Michael A. Stackpole]]|[[Elizabeth Danforth]]|[[Scott Bennie]]|Mark O'Green}}
|programmer = {{ubl|Paul Allen Edelstein|Jay Patel}}
|artist = Todd J. Camasta
|composer = {{ubl|[[Richard Band]]|Rick Jackson}}
|engine = 
|series = ''[[Star Trek]]''
|released = {{ubl|November, 1993 (DOS)|1995 (Mac/DOS CD-ROM)}}
|genre = [[Adventure game]]
|modes = [[Single player]]
|platforms = [[MS-DOS]], [[Macintosh]]
}}

'''''Star Trek: Judgment Rites''''' is a [[computer game]] first produced by [[Interplay Entertainment|Interplay Productions]] in 1993, featuring the original cast of the classic ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]'' in a series of new adventures, including one featuring [[Trelane]], the [[omnipotent]] child from the original episode "[[The Squire of Gothos]]". ''Judgment Rites'' uses the same [[MS-DOS]] game engine as the earlier ''[[Star Trek: 25th Anniversary (computer game)|Star Trek: 25th Anniversary]]'';{{citation needed|date=August 2017}} however, it had sharper graphics and sound, particularly with the CD-ROM edition. All of the initial cast members provided voices for their characters on the game in that edition. [[William Campbell (actor)|William Campbell]] also reprised his guest role as [[Trelane]].<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0189110/fullcredits Star Trek: Judgment Rites (1993 Video Game)] Full Cast & Crew, imdb website.</ref><ref>[https://www.gog.com/game/star_trek_judgment_rites Star Trek™: Judgment Rites], gog.com</ref><ref>[http://gaming.trekcore.com/judgmentrites/faq.html#Q1 Judgment Rites FAQ], trekcore website.</ref>

The game is a change from the previous game in the series, ''Star Trek: 25th Anniversary'', in that at least half the missions are part of an ongoing story arc, and one is a direct sequel to the final mission of the previous game. The space battle sequences are now completely optional, with adjustable difficulty. It was designed by Bruce Schlickbernd and Jayesh J. Patel, with scenarios by [[Michael A. Stackpole]], [[Scott Bennie]], Mark O'Green, and [[Liz Danforth]]. The canceled 1997 game ''[[Star Trek: Secret of Vulcan Fury]]'' notwithstanding, this game marks the last time [[DeForest Kelley]] played the role of [[Leonard McCoy]]. It is also the last time the original Star Trek principal cast appeared in its entirety in a Star Trek production.

A special commemorative edition of this game was released on CD with several items, including a copy of the classic series episode "[[The City on the Edge of Forever]]" and a commemorative pin symbolizing one of the missions.

==Gameplay==
Gameplay is similar to that of ''Judgment Rites''{{'}}s predecessor, ''[[Star Trek: 25th Anniversary (computer game)|Star Trek: 25th Anniversary]]''. The [[Player character|player]] controls [[James T. Kirk|Captain Kirk]] of the [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|USS ''Enterprise'']], and interacts with [[Spock]], [[Leonard McCoy|McCoy]], and other crewmembers while solving eight "episodes" on and off the ship. Combat sequences, in which the ''Enterprise'' battles enemies in space, are optional unlike those in the first game.{{r|greenberg199403}}

==Plot==
Throughout the story arc, the ''Enterprise'' crew attempts to go on shore leave, but are often waylaid by the many missions of the scenarios, as if they were part of a "to be continued" story not often featured in ''Star Trek'', due to the greater story arc. They are not seemingly random missions.

#'''Federation''' - The ''[[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|Enterprise]]'' is confused by a rift in [[space-time]] that deposits a heavily damaged [[United Federation of Planets|Federation]] starship before it. The ship, the USS ''Alexander'', reports that it has returned from 8 days in the future, where the Federation has been destroyed, just before the ship explodes. The crew of the ''Enterprise'' must discover the cause of the destruction and prevent it from happening. 
#'''Sentinel''' - A Federation science ship, observing a primitive race on an alien world, is suddenly scanned from the planet. The ''Enterprise'' is called in to investigate.
#'''No Man's Land''' - The ''Enterprise'' is dispatched to search an area where several Federation starships have disappeared without explanation. When they arrive, Kirk and crew are confronted by [[Trelane]] (from original series episode "[[The Squire of Gothos (TOS episode)|The Squire of Gothos]]"), the self-styled "Baron of Gothos" who now believes himself to be a [[World War I]] [[German Empire|German]] [[Fokker D.VII|Fokker]] pilot. After a battle with the triplane, Kirk must stop Trelane, find the missing ships and discourage Trelane's interest in war once and for all. 
#'''Light and Darkness''' - The ''Enterprise'' is sent to answer a distress call on a barren planet, home to only two life forms, the genetic remains of two rival life forms, who killed each other in a devastating genocidal war. Kirk is confronted by pre-recorded holographic emissaries, of an angelic, aesthetically pleasing, civilized species, and a loathsome, ugly "demon" race. Kirk must convince these emissaries to release the last remains of their genetic material to store for 50,000 years. 
#'''Voids''' - The ''Enterprise'' is assigned to chart the Antares Rift, a particularly dangerous region of space where the normal laws of Space-Time are shifting and chaotic. When the ship is crippled and Spock is kidnapped by a Vurian, an ancient and extinct race that died out during the time [[Zefram Cochrane]] completed test trials of the first Warp Drive, Kirk must go [[where no man has gone before]] to save his ship and his friend. 
#'''Museum Piece''' - The ''Enterprise'' and its crew have finally been granted shore leave and are headed to Nova Atar to spend it. As they approach, a [[Starfleet]] admiral asks Kirk to preside over a diplomatic function at the [[Smithsonian Institution|Smithsonian]] Annex while he is there. Kirk agrees, but things turn out to be more exciting than they expected when the Museum is attacked by terrorists with unknown motives. With only their wits and the machines on display, they must resolve the situation before the terrorists escape. 
#'''Though this be Madness....''' - The ''Enterprise'' is summoned to the [[Klingon]] [[Neutral zone (Star Trek)|Neutral Zone]] when a massive alien ship arrives and announces its intent to land on top of a major population center. Complicating things, a [[Klingon starships#D7 class|Klingon battlecruiser]] has arrived as well, and its captain insists on boarding the ship. Kirk must stop the ship from landing, as well as avoid provoking the Klingons, who will be watching his every move.
#'''...Yet there is Method in it.''' - The ship has been prevented from landing, but a new mystery awaits. The builders of the ship want to make contact with the Federation, but only if Kirk can pass a series of philosophical tests to prove his worth.

==Expansion pack==
The ''Movie & Sound Pack'' is an [[expansion pack]] for ''Judgment Rites'' which, advertisements said, "expand[ed] the experience with fantastic new cinematic sequences and digitized sound effects from the original television series".<ref name="cgw199404">{{Cite magazine|date=April 1994|title=Star Trek: Judgment Rites Movie & Sound Pack|type=advertisement|url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1994&pub=2&id=117|magazine=Computer Gaming World|page=31}}</ref>

==Collector's Edition==
A ''Star Trek: Judgment Rites - Collector's Edition'' was issued in 1995. It included a CD-ROM with a 20-minute interview<ref>{{cite web |title=Star Trek Judgement Rites - Gene Roddenberry Interview (1995) PC MS-DOS |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IIpxInE6M0  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/-IIpxInE6M0 |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live|website=YouTube Video | date=8 December 2014 |publisher=barbarianbros |accessdate=3 August 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref> of Star Trek creator [[Gene Roddenberry]]. The interview took place in 1988 as part of a ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]] - Behind The Scenes'' special television presentation.

==Reception==
{{Video game reviews
| rev1 = ''[[GamePro#PC Games|Electronic Entertainment]]''
| rev1Score = 9 out of 10<ref name=e2>{{cite journal | title=''Star Trek: Judgment Rites'' | author=Olafson, Peter | journal=[[GamePro#PC Games|Electronic Entertainment]] | date=March 1994 | volume=1 | number=3 | pages=80, 81 }}</ref>
| award1 = Game of the Month<ref name=e2 />
| award1Pub = ''[[GamePro#PC Games|Electronic Entertainment]]''
}}

Together with ''25th Anniversary'', ''Judgment Rites'' sold more than 300,000 copies by April 1994.<ref name="sales2">{{Cite magazine |last=Coleman |first=Terry Lee |date=April 1994 |title=''Engage!'' With Spectrum HoloByte's Role-Playing event |url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1994&pub=2&id=117 |magazine=[[Computer Gaming World]] |issue=117 |pages=14, 16, 18}}</ref> ''[[Computer Gaming World]]'' in March 1994 said that "The individual adventures are far more interesting" than that of ''25th Anniversary'', and liked the "nicely upgraded" graphics. The magazine concluded that although experienced adventurers would finish the game quickly, "it would be a shame for Star Trek fanatics to miss out on ''Judgment Rites''".<ref name="greenberg199403">{{Cite magazine |last=Greenberg |first=Allen |date=March 1994 |title=Passing Judgment On A Pop Icon |url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1994&pub=2&id=116 |magazine=Computer Gaming World |pages=42–43}}</ref> [[Charles Ardai]] said in April 1994 that ''Judgment Rites'' "is a better game in any number of ways" than its predecessor, with optional and less combat, more and larger episodes, a unified plot thread, and bigger roles for supporting characters.<ref name="ardai199405">{{Cite magazine|last=Ardai|first=Charles|authorlink=Charles Ardai|date=May 1994|title=Spock's Vox|url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1994&pub=2&id=118|magazine=Computer Gaming World|pages=36, 38}}</ref>

''Judgment Rites'' was a runner-up for ''Computer Gaming World''{{'}}s 1993 "Adventure Game of the Year" award, which ultimately went to ''[[Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers]]'' and ''[[Day of the Tentacle]]'' (tie).<ref name="cgw1993">{{Cite magazine |date=June 1994 |title=Announcing the New Premier Awards |url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1994&pub=2&id=119 |magazine=[[Computer Gaming World]] |issue=119 |pages=51–54, 56–58}}</ref> In 1996, ''Computer Gaming World'' ranked it as the 96th best PC game of all time, calling it "the first ''Star Trek'' game that truly captured the feel of the original episodes."<ref name="cgw199611best">{{cite magazine | url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1996&pub=2&id=148 | title=150 Best Games of All Time | magazine=Computer Gaming World | date=November 1996 | accessdate=25 March 2016 | pages=64–80}}</ref> In 1994, ''[[PC Gamer UK]]'' named it the 43rd best computer game of all time. The editors wrote, "Previous ''Star Trek'' titles failed miserably, but this one shows how well it can be done when the designers treat the subject with the respect it deserves."<ref name=pcgameruktop50>{{cite magazine | author=Staff | magazine=[[PC Gamer UK]] | title=The ''PC Gamer'' Top 50 PC Games of All Time |date=April 1994 | issue=5 | pages=43–56 }}</ref> That same year, ''[[PC Gamer US]]'' named ''Judgment Rites'' the 44th best computer game ever.<ref name=pcgamerustop40>{{cite journal | author=Staff | journal=[[PC Gamer US]] | title=''PC Gamer'' Top 40: The Best Games of All Time; The Ten Best Games that Almost Made the Top 40 |date=August 1994 | issue=3 | pages=42 }}</ref>

In 2011, ''[[Adventure Gamers]]'' named ''Judgment Rites'' the 58th-best adventure game ever released.<ref name=top100>{{cite web | author=AG Staff | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120604021011/http://www.adventuregamers.com/articles/view/18643 | url=http://www.adventuregamers.com:80/articles/view/18643 | title=Top 100 All-Time Adventure Games | date=December 30, 2011 | archive-date=2012-06-04 | work=[[Adventure Gamers]] | url-status=usurped | access-date=2018-11-16 }}</ref> In 2017, ''[[PC Gamer]]'' ranked ''Judgment Rites'' among the best ''Star Trek'' games.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/the-best-star-trek-games/|title=The best Star Trek games|last=Cobbett|first=Richard|date=2017-09-25|website=PC Gamer|language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-20}}</ref> In 2020, [[Screen Rant]] ranked ''Judgment Rites'' as the seventh best ''Star Trek'' game.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Goodwillie |first1=Ian |title=10 Best Star Trek Video Games, Ranked |url=https://screenrant.com/best-star-trek-video-games-ranked/ |website=[[Screen Rant]] |publisher=Valnet Inc. |access-date=1 July 2022 |date=3 April 2020}}</ref> In 2021, ''[[Den of Geek]]'' said that "Judgment Rites" was done so well it was worthy of being a good "final season" of the television show, praising the writing and gameplay.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-03-24|title=Star Trek: Judgment Rites Was the Final Season The Original Series Deserved|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/games/star-trek-judgment-rites-game-original-series-final-season-retropsective/|access-date=2021-04-07|website=Den of Geek|language=en-US}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Moby game|id=/star-trek-judgment-rites}}
*{{IMDb title|0189110}}
*{{Memoryalpha|Star Trek: Judgment Rites|''Star Trek: Judgment Rites''}}

{{Star Trek: The Original Series}}
{{Star Trek video games}}

[[Category:1993 video games]]
[[Category:Adventure games set in space]]
[[Category:Adventure games]]
[[Category:Classic Mac OS games]]
[[Category:DOS games]]
[[Category:Games commercially released with DOSBox]]
[[Category:Interplay Entertainment games]]
[[Category:Point-and-click adventure games]]
[[Category:Single-player video games]]
[[Category:Sequel video games]]
[[Category:Video games based on Star Trek: The Original Series|Judgment Rites]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United States]]
[[Category:Video games scored by Charles Deenen]]
[[Category:Video games scored by George Sanger]]