As far as accurately representing the Star Trek universe, Birth of the Federation does a good job. The Federation, predictably, was always last to declare war on me and always seemed to make quick friends with most of the minor races. The Klingons come off as aggressive warmongers, and the Ferengi sure sound like sneaky bastards. I did appreciate that the different races do act according to their Star Trek personae. Those who don't have patience for the micromanagement might call the exponentially complex gameplay tedious, and indeed, each extra system to manage does add more repetitive action, but those who enjoy this kind of game won't be disappointed. The game starts off simply, as do all these games, but can get very complex and overwhelming. Once in the game, you have to manage and guide your empire through technological research, diplomatic relations, espionage, military buildup, internal production, exploration, and outright ship-to-ship combat. The shape dictates how you can travel in the galaxy, while the size determines how much territory you need to conquer and when you'll encounter your rivals. The options you can adjust include the starting technology level of the five major empires (Federation, Cardassian, Ferengi, Klingon, and Romulan), the number of minor races in the game (such as Vulcans, Nausicaans, and Betazoids), the shape of the galaxy, and the size of the galaxy. You can vary your starting conditions in the game setup menu, but in general, you get a barely developed starting solar system and an imperative to conquer the rest of the galaxy.

The options in the game are as robust as any other MicroProse strategy title. While each had its own distinct flavor, all these games shared many qualities. In many ways, Birth of the Federation is the next in the long line of MicroProse strategy games, breaking little from the mold set by Civilization and cemented by Master of Orion and Master of Magic.

It is not so much that the game is an unofficial sequel to that classic space strategy game, but more that both games borrow so many features from Civilization.

Anyone who has played Master of Orion will find Birth of the Federation very familiar.

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