Star Control 2

Game review

There are games in which you know quite clearly their gaming genre and there are hybrids that combine multiple gaming genres in one. One of those hybrid games is a game named Star Control II, which was released as open source under the name The Ur-Quan Masters. The game combines elements of strategy, adventure, action games and is based on space exploration, space battles and customization of your space ship. You play the role of a space ship captain and so you have to control your spaceship, discover the nearby galaxies and come into contact with other alien civilizations. Every civilization requires a different approach and you have to achieved the partnership through diplomatic channels, trying to convice them to join you. The goal is to create the greatest alliance. On each planets you will find resources that you can use to refuel your ship and for other stuff.

Story

The war between the Ur-Quan Empire and the Alliance of Free Stars did not end well. The Alliance was defeated, and the Ur-Quan race began colonizing one world after another. However, far out in space, a human research vessel, on a quest to find an ancient space-faring race, escaped the Empire's notice. After many years, their mission was a success, and they discovered a factory in a distant star system capable of building giant space ships. Since Earth was among the worlds occupied by the Ur-Quan, the crew decided to construct a ship and return to aid their home planet. To accomplish this, they need to gather vast amounts of mineral resources scattered across the universe, as well as form alliances with other space-faring species.

Reiche and Ford wanted their new game to further investigate their self-described "superficial" stories and aliens from the original Star Control.[18] Thus, the story for Star Control II would greatly expand on those original characters, and add a few more.

Gameplay

Star Control II is an action-adventure sci-fi game, set within an expansive universe. It retains the ship-to-ship combat feature from the original Star Control but shifts away from the strategy aspect to emphasize story and dialogue, akin to other adventure games. The objective for the player is to liberate Earth from the clutches of the malevolent Ur-Quan by enlisting the aid of various alien species. Key activities include exploring the galaxy, resource collection, fleet construction, enemy ship engagement, and interaction with alien entities.

The game conducts spaceship duels in real-time, staying true to the foundational gameplay of the original Star Control. Each vessel comes with distinct weaponry, movement capabilities, and secondary functions, requiring players to strategically choose their ship and skillfully navigate battles to emerge victorious. This combat system is also accessible independently through a two-player mode named Super Melee. Within the narrative-driven mode, the player's access to ships is restricted to those that can be acquired from alien allies, while Super Melee allows the use of all ships featured across both Star Control titles. The narrative mode exclusively features the player's capital ship, which undergoes upgrades with the acquisition of new technologies and resources.

The primary objective is to amass as many allies as possible in the war against the Ur-Quan empire through extensive dialogues and mission completions. Galactic travel is enhanced by action-packed arcade-style space battles viewed from a top-down perspective. In pursuing the main goal, players must also upgrade their ship or fleet by purchasing various upgrades and recruiting new crew members. Mineral resources found during space travels serve as the currency. Navigation through space is facilitated by a star map, leaving it up to the player to decide which planetary system to explore next.

Legacy

Star Control II swiftly found its way onto "all-time favorite" lists, a trend that persisted for several years. In 1994, PC Gamer US heralded Star Control II as the 21st best computer game ever created, praising it as "an epic" and "thoroughly enjoyable to play and look at." In the same year, PC Gamer UK ranked it as the 33rd best computer game of all time, with the editors commenting, "If ever a game deserved an award for being underrated, it's Star Control II."