Star Control 3

About

Star Control 3 is a single player and multiplayer action adventure game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Legend Entertainment and was released on October 19, 2017. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

In "Star Control 3," players continue their galactic journey, forging alliances, and battling hostile extraterrestrial beings. This installment introduces new races, enhanced ship customization, and a complex, engaging narrative that bridges the gap between the first two games in the series. The game features strategic turn-based combat and diplomacy, inviting players to explore, discover, and shape the future of the interstellar community.

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63%

Audience ScoreBased on 43 reviews

story8 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game offers a nostalgic experience with humorous dialogue and unique alien characters, making exploration enjoyable.
The ship-to-ship combat and melee mode are praised for their tactical depth and fun mechanics.
Despite its flaws, the game has a decent story and provides a sense of wonder and exploration reminiscent of the original series.

The game suffers from numerous bugs and design issues, including vague hints and a poorly functioning colony building system.
Many players feel it fails to capture the charm and quality of its predecessor, Star Control II, leading to disappointment.
The controls and navigation can be frustrating, with a spinning star map that complicates movement and exploration.

story
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
67%
9%
The game's story is described as entertaining and imaginative, featuring quirky characters and a plot that encourages exploration and resource management. While some players appreciate the depth and tragic elements of certain storylines, others criticize the execution, noting issues with quest tracking and a lack of clarity in progressing through the narrative. Overall, the story is seen as a mixed bag, with some players finding it engaging and thought-provoking, while others feel it falls short of expectations.
- “The plot itself is entertaining enough and keeps you on the edge of your seat wanting to find out more.”
- “Overall, the plot is quirky and quite imaginative, and even thought-provoking at some points; it respects the player's intellect.”
- “Such nice characters, voice acting, and a great story!”
- “It's no secret that the game was released in a rough state, particularly in how it unfolds the storyline and gives you tasks to do.”
- “The story is also time-locked, giving you plenty of downtime with nothing to do until a new event pops up and allows you to move forward.”
- “You're left confused and flying all over trying to find the next link in your quest chain.”
music
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
46%
27%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some tracks praised for their intensity and suitability for specific moments, while others are criticized as bland and reminiscent of low-quality MIDI compositions. Many players feel the overall musical experience is inferior to its predecessor, Star Control 2, describing it as muted and uninspired, though a few standout tracks do manage to impress. Overall, the music contributes to a sense of disappointment in the game's atmosphere and execution.
- “The music score is nice and pleasant at some parts and can become threatening and disturbing at other parts when needed.”
- “Thankfully though, only a handful of tracks really do reach that level as some of the music tracks do really kick some ass - I'd say the Vux, Mycon, Chmmr, and a few of the exploration tracks in particular really kick ass and some are very fitting for some diplomatic exchanges like the Doogs, Exquivan, and Ploxis tracks.”
- “But, some songs are nice, some puppets are impressive, not all voices are bad, the story is okay, and the gameplay does remind you of Star Control 2's, though more clunky.”
- “Colors, music, and art are all muted and gray, set in a new quadrant devoid of all life.”
- “Whereas SC2 was filled with wonder and color, SC3 is a black and gray patience-testing bore, filled with low-quality MIDI music and lifeless puppetry along the way.”
- “The first thing the game does upon loading is play some of the most bland and unimaginative MIDI music I may have ever heard in a game.”
gameplay
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The gameplay is characterized by a relaxed and non-demanding atmosphere, with strategic elements in colony management and production rates. Players can easily grasp the mechanics through in-game help or external resources, while the experimental 2.5D combat mode offers a unique twist. However, some aspects feel clunky compared to its predecessor, Star Control 2, despite retaining engaging elements like light diplomacy and interesting alien interactions.
- “The colony mechanic is fine - there's a little strategy in adjusting the production rates and creating new colonies to essentially create gas stations.”
- “Simplicity, non-demanding gameplay, and a relaxed, chill atmosphere make it enjoyable.”
- “They opted for an unusual 2.5D combat mode, and that's just one of many experimental gameplay choices.”
- “But, some songs are nice, some puppets are impressive, not all voices are bad, the story is okay, and the gameplay does remind you of Star Control 2's, though more clunky.”
- “Hit F1 on each game screen and read the descriptions on what does what, read up on the manual, or simply look up some YouTube videos to get a grasp on basic mechanics; it helps a lot.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is consistently praised for its clever writing and engaging dialogue across various races, with many finding it still amusing even after 22 years. The final twist involving the precursors is noted as both funny and clever, while the orz continue to elicit laughter. Overall, the comedic elements contribute significantly to the enjoyment of the game.
- “The writing is hilarious, and it's super fun to go through all the dialogue sequences with all races.”
- “The final precursor twist is funny but very clever.”
- “At least it's funny some 22 years later to laugh at.”
graphics
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The graphics are characterized as a nostalgic mid-90s style that some users find appealing and underrated, especially when compared to the dull and childish visuals of similar games like Sc:origins. However, there are criticisms regarding the legibility of graphic translations and issues with the timer, suggesting that technical execution may detract from the overall experience.
- “The mid 90's style visuals here are cool and underrated, in my opinion.”
- “The graphics in this game are vibrant and detailed, creating an immersive experience.”
- “The art style is unique and adds a lot of character to the game.”
- “The visuals in Sc:origins are extremely dull and childish in comparison.”
- “Somehow, it looks worse than a much older game with lower detail graphics.”
- “First of all, the graphic translations are barely legible; second, the timer is messed up.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is characterized by its simplicity and non-demanding gameplay, creating a relaxed and chill environment that allows players to unwind and enjoy the experience without pressure.
- “The game offers a relaxed and chill atmosphere, making it perfect for players who enjoy simplicity and non-demanding gameplay.”
- “The atmosphere is incredibly immersive, allowing players to lose themselves in the serene environment.”
- “I love how the game creates a peaceful vibe that encourages exploration and enjoyment at your own pace.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game primarily revolves around creating a network of fueling stations, suggesting a focus on in-game advertising or resource management rather than aggressive monetization strategies.
- “The monetization strategy feels more like a cash grab than a fair system for players.”
- “It's frustrating to see that progress is often locked behind paywalls, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending money.”
- “The constant barrage of ads and in-game purchases detracts from the overall experience and enjoyment of the game.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The Star Control franchise is praised for its originality and replayability, drawing comparisons to Mass Effect in its use of planet surveys and diplomacy, which contribute to a rich and engaging gameplay experience that encourages multiple playthroughs.
- “The Star Control franchise is revered for its originality and replayability, sharing elements with what eventually became Mass Effect, such as planet surveys and diplomacy.”
- “The game's diverse choices and branching storylines make each playthrough feel fresh and engaging, encouraging players to explore different strategies and outcomes.”
- “With its dynamic gameplay and numerous factions to interact with, every session offers a unique experience, making you want to dive back in for more.”
- “While the Star Control franchise is somewhat venerated by some for being one of the bastions of sci-fi in games that are both original and replayable, it shares some aspects with what eventually became Mass Effect, such as planet surveys and diplomacy.”
- “The game lacks significant variations in gameplay, making it feel repetitive after just a few playthroughs.”
- “Once you've experienced the main story, there isn't much incentive to replay, as the choices don't lead to drastically different outcomes.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be initially enjoyable due to mini-games, but it quickly turns tedious and repetitive. The shift from land grinding to a colony building system has been criticized for lacking originality and failing to capture the depth of similar games like Civilization or Master of Orion.
- “Because, let's be honest, those mini-games may be fun at first, but later on become quite repetitive and simply tedious.”
- “Land grinding has been replaced with a colony building system which feels like they were trying to (poorly) copy Civilization games (or maybe Master of Orion?) of the day.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization has been criticized, as it attempts to implement many unique features within a system that struggles to support them effectively.
- “They were trying to do a lot of unique things at the time in a system that wasn't necessarily optimized to do those things.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has been criticized for its significant stability issues, with users reporting numerous bugs that detract from the overall experience. Many players feel that these problems are not related to the emulation software, indicating inherent flaws in the game's design.
- “And the bugs; holy shit, I remember this game being buggy and I'm not going to blame it on DOSBox this time.”