I hear ya man. The game is so nice looking. The game play was ok for me the first time I tried. Made it to the first save the girl part. I think it was just timing as well for me. I cycle through RPG's, Tacticle, FPS, and all the while have an MMO going also.
Funny you mentioned the ST universe and the ideological society. Not wanting to head off into H&S country here, but I had the wierdest dream the other night about a first contact.
in it, a ship landed ala the original Day the earth stood still, the military and police came out and cordened them off.
in my dream, I snuck close to the ship and just said howdy. Was hit with a tazer and the next thing I know I'm on the ship. They where basically asking me if the world was friendly or not, and all I could think of, was well, you little gray guys just saw my 1st amendment rights shot to hell.
Now that tells me one thing. I am way to involved with SciFi and politics.
Stephen