It's Not Star Trek, It's Small Rooms in Space!
Here is what I saw.
I logged onto the game. The choices for appearance are typical fare, nothing special. The choices for character optimization are fairly similar to alien species creation in space empire management simulation games. A few special abilities are chosen that work only for combat in space and combat between characters. Why aren't there abilities for diplomacy? One of the central themes of Star Trek is diplomacy and interaction between alien cultures. There is only warfare and very weak and no lasting and meaningful diplomatic interactions in this game. The only exploration you'll do has been done by other players. An awful situation that could've been improved with careful and caring design.
We find that Star Trek Online doesn't care that it's the very first commercial Star Trek MMORPG. We find that Cryptic Studios doesn't care to emulate the setting and differentiate their game for the sake of artistic emulation and intelligent entertainment. At present, this game costs approximately thirty to forty dollars to purchase and ten dollars a month to play.
The game starts the same way for all Federation characters. The Federation characters defend a base against a small invasion, the precise same invasion, and all have the same assignment. As I am playing the game, I notice that the only real important decisions lay in arming my vessel, arming my crew, and improving equipment and space ship armaments. Nothing else has an importance in the game.
It's obvious that Cryptic Studios had the same approach to designing City of Heroes and City of Villains. They do not care.
My urgent and actual, heartfelt advice is: Do Not Buy Star Trek Online by Cryptic Studios Ever. Do Not Buy Anything by Cryptic Studios Ever.