Star Trek: Bridge Commander
While 2017’s Star Trek: Bridge Crew brought something similar to VR, it’s 2002’s Bridge Commander that we want to herald in this list. This is a combat sim game where you don’t have to fly the ship, or even fire the weapons. Because you’re the captain, and it’s your job to tell everyone else to do that stuff for you.
You’re a newly-appointed captain, variously in charge of the USS Dauntless and USS Sovereign, charged with working out which of the traditional enemy races was responsible for the destruction of a star, and the resulting death of your ship’s former captain. Along the way you meet Picard and Data, voiced by Stewart and Spiner (the poor bastards must have signed some awful contract at some point, showing up for bit parts in these games).
You can absolutely switch to an external view of the ship and carry out the various actions for yourself, but that really does miss the point of Bridge Commander. It’s about sitting back in your captain’s chair and barking commands, like a real Jean-Luc Picard.
Where to buy: GOG
