Posted in: Games, Review, Subscription Box | Tagged: Deep Space Nine, klingons, loot crate, mission crate, star trek, Star Trek Online, Tribbles, Worf

Boldly Going: We Review the Second Star Trek Mission Crate

Published Sun, 16 Sep 2018 14:45:46 -0500

by Gavin Sheehan

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Another one of the boxes waiting for us when we got back from PAX West was the long-awaited second Star Trek Mission Crate. We originally assumed these would become a monthly box like the rest of Loot Crate's services, but for some reason, the timing is off on these and we got this one five months after the first box was released. And as you can see, USPS didn't care too much about the contents inside. Let's see what the company sent us for the second official crate.

First off, we got a sticker. Right at the top was a sticker of the Klingon race. Ummm… I'm not a fan of stickers in subscription boxes. Pins I can understand because people collect them and find value in them. But to be blunt, a sticker in a subscription box says you're not trying. You're just throwing junk in to make it feel like a bigger deal. The info sheet that comes with the box to describe all of the items in the box is thicker material and more creative than tossing a sticker in a box. A sticker feels insulting.

Moving to the first of two pins. First, we have a Klingon magnetic badge. These are awesome! Last time we got one for Starfleet in the science division, where the back pulls off so you can slip it behind your shirt and make it magnetize on the other side so it doesn't ruin your shirt. Traditionally, the Klingon symbol is worn on the shoulder, and this one worked perfectly fine. I love these badges, and this was a nice pick-me-up after finding a lousy sticker.

The other pin is a traditional lapel pin of the Star Trek: Discovery versions of the badge. Seeing as how we got a better version of this last month, I'm a bit confused as to why we got a downgrade this month. On the bright side, it has a rubber stopper on the back as opposed to a metal one, so this is an improvement over other pins we've received in the past.

Moving onto some clothing, we got a pair of Klingon socks! These are absolutely amazing as they're a pair of black dress socks with the Klingon symbol on the sides. Nothing more beyond a copyright logo on the feel, but wow, this is an awesome little get for any Trek fan. This way you can look presentable but also hide the true nature of your geeky attitude until you need to show it off to someone who knows what Qapla' means.

An oddity but a fun one as we get a Tribble. But not just any Tribble, this is one from the Mirror Universe. The kind that don't just devour grains, but flesh and creatures whole. You can tell from the red on the ends of their hair, and the sharp pointy teeth as one man named Tim might describe them. This is a fun little plushie to have on your desk or shelf, or to give to your kids and have them play with it. It's cute, and its a win in my book.

We got another code for Star Trek Online in this box, this time for a Klingon destroyer. I don't have much to say on this as it's basically DLC for the game. If you're a fan of the game, this is an amazing get as you get a powerful ship that can cloak. If not, you got something to give to a gaming friend.

Finally, we get a figurine in this box. Last time it was Lacutis (Picard as a Borg), and this time we get a Deep Space Nine figure in the form of Lt. Commander Worf ready to strike with his Bat'leth. It's a stand-alone figuring and doesn't pose in any way, but damn, does it get Worf down to a great amount of detail. Although a little bit of his face looks more like some of the covers we've seen on Star Trek novels. What makes this figure a little weird is that the Bat'leth isn't already in his hand, you have to put it in when you take him out of the box. And as you can see from the photos below, we're not all that successful because of the way the hands are positioned. It's a nice figure, but that last detail kinda irked us.

Overall, this was a nice box, but it has a few drawbacks that make us wonder if there was a solid plan going into this one or if it was more "what can we throw in here" kind of planning. I wanna see what they have planned for the third Mission Crate and if it can do Star Trek justice. Otherwise, right now it feels like we're getting random;y chosen objects to fit in the box with no planning.