2005 was a dark year for Star Trek fans. No, it did not mark the return of the Eugenic supermen who ravaged the earth in the mid-1990s, and it was not a key moment in the temporal cold war between the Xindi and the Suliban. Instead, it was the end of the modern era of Star Trek TV shows. Since the Enterprise D launched into syndication in 1987, there had been an uninterrupted string of Star Trek TV shows on the airwaves. But, after the fourth season of the show Enterprise, starring Scott Bakula, there began a fallow period in Trek history.

What made it worse was the absence of Trek from the movie theaters. A total of 10 Star Trek movies had graced the silver screen from 1979’s Star Trek: The Motion Picture through 2002’s Star Trek: Nemesis (though most true fans would tell you only to watch the even numbered ones. Well, up until Nemesis, that is). So 2005 marked a period where Star Trek was out of sight, out of mind for the first time since the space between the original series and the cartoon. Fortunately, this gap was shorter than the Enterprise’s original five-year mission.

The dark times ended, in 2009, when director JJ Abrams brought a modern sensibility to characters and situations from the original series. He helmed a new film, simply titled Star Trek, which followed a host of new actors playing the familiar roles of Kirk, Spock and the rest of the crew. The movie was a critical and commercial success.

And now everyone from Starfleet Academy to Rigel IV anxiously awaits the second film in the series, which is due out in May of 2013. But if that wasn’t enough to excite the die-hard trekker, there’s more good news coming across your viewscreen.

Recently, Namco Bandai revealed images and footage from the new Star Trek video game, which is scheduled to come out a few months in advance of the movie. At Global Gamers Day in Las Vegas, media attendees got a sneak peak at 3D images from the game, which will be available for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 platforms.

But aside from the outstanding graphics and 3D images, there is a lot about the game that should excite Star Trek fans. The story of the game bridges the gap between the two movies and was plotted by the writers of the big screen flick, Damon Lindelof, Bob Orci and Alex Kurtzman, so fans know it will be twisty, exciting and relevant.

In addition, gamers will have the chance to play as either Kirk or Spock. Each character will have different skills, abilities and weapons, and will have different points of view and perspectives, meaning that, if you win the game as one character, you can play as the other for a different experience.

Once upon a time, video games based on or inspired by movies were weak at best (though some, like Goonies 2, had a certain charm). But then again, there was also a time when Star Trek was a cheesy excuse to put double-naveled women on screen. Now, in the Abrams era of the franchise, it looks like we are going to get another exciting movie (could we have two in a row that are good? The mind reels) and a fun, intricate video game that can sit right beside the likes of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

Of course, if either is a clunker on the level of Star Trek V, then fans will certainly be disappointed. But all we’ll need is a little mind meld to forgive and forget, and we’ll be ready to live long and prosper. As for me, I am setting a course for 2013 at warp factor 9. Engage!