BERLIN: Could you have done better than Captain Janeway? Direct your very own space saga in Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown, a survival game developed in Hamburg by Gamexite and publisher Daedalic Entertainment.

The starship Voyager is transported to the other end of the galaxy by a powerful being.

On the return journey, which under normal circumstances would take 75 years, the crew must overcome numerous adventures, make important decisions, find allies, fight enemies and explore new worlds and civilisations.

The goal always remains to return home.

In the television series, the Voyager reached Earth after seven years and 172 episodes.

But while the series followed a script, in the game you have control over how, when and under what circumstances the spaceship returns home.

Lots of storytelling and hero-making Across the Unknown combines text-based storytelling with character development and resource management.

There are also action sequences.

The plot is loosely based on the events of the series, with many episodes appearing as main and side missions in the game.

Some will later be available as downloadable content (DLC) for purchase.

Happily, you don't have to do it the same way as on television.

Players can choose between several solutions to a problem: Do I help a spaceship in distress, or do I fly on? Do I seek a peaceful solution, or do I resort to conflict? Do I solve a problem with science or with diplomacy? And those are just three of many possibilities, as in addition to the many decisions, there are also the heroes, special crew members – mainly the main characters from the series.

You can assign them to rooms in the ship for bonuses, but you can also send them on missions to planets and spaceships.

Here, they advance the plot based on their respective abilities, so if you send the weapon-wielding survivalist on a mission where engineers are more important, some storylines will not be available to him.

That is another way to control the outcome of the game.

For successfully completed missions, the heroes advance to new performance levels and gain better abilities – but despite his proven brilliance, Harry Kim always remains an ensign in the game.

Essential: research and resource management Alongside the story, you have to maintain the spaceship.

Don't underestimate that as resources are scarce so far from home.

You constantly have to keep an eye on energy production, develop the ship's laboratories, quarters and weapons, manufacture components and ensure there is enough food.

And each time things are going well, Across the Unknown throws a new challenge at you.

Once all crew members have been provided with quarters, you no longer have enough energy....