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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.

Star Control 3 screenshot
Star Control 3 screenshot
Star Control 3 screenshot

61%
Audience ScoreBased on 38 reviews
story7 positive mentions
gameplay3 negative mentions

  • The game offers a nostalgic experience for fans of the original series, with humorous dialogue and unique alien races that evoke fond memories.
  • The ship-to-ship combat and hyper melee mode are praised for their tactical depth and fun gameplay, making it enjoyable for players who appreciate strategic battles.
  • Despite its flaws, the game has a quirky charm and creativity that can be appreciated, especially by those willing to overlook its rough edges and embrace its retro style.
  • The game suffers from poor controls and navigation issues, particularly with the spinning star map, making it frustrating to play on modern systems.
  • Many players feel that the game fails to capture the magic of its predecessor, Star Control II, with a lackluster story and unappealing graphics that have aged poorly.
  • The quest system is often vague and can lead to confusion, with players getting stuck due to unclear objectives and poorly implemented event triggers.
  • story
    32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story, while not canon, is described as quirky and imaginative, featuring a variety of fun alien races and engaging plot elements that keep players invested. Players explore, manage resources, and unlock narrative pieces, although the storytelling can be disjointed and occasionally frustrating due to quest tracking issues. Overall, the plot is seen as entertaining and thought-provoking, with some unique storylines, particularly regarding the ur-quan, but it also suffers from a rough execution and deviations from previous installments.

    • “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

    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, contributing to a lack of engagement in the game's atmosphere. Despite these criticisms, a few standout tracks do manage to impress, indicating that the soundtrack has its redeeming qualities.

    • “The music score is nice and pleasant at some parts, and it 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

    The gameplay is characterized by a relaxed and non-demanding atmosphere, allowing players to engage in strategic colony management and production adjustments. While the 2.5D combat mode and experimental mechanics offer a fresh take, some players find the gameplay reminiscent of Star Control 2, albeit with a clunkier execution. Overall, players appreciate the simplicity and the need for some external resources to fully grasp the mechanics.

    • “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

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever writing and engaging dialogue across various races, with many finding it consistently funny even after 22 years. The final twist involving the precursors is noted as both humorous 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

    The graphics are noted for their mid-90s style, which some users find cool 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 some elements detract from the overall visual experience.

    • “The mid-90s 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.”
  • grinding
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be initially enjoyable due to mini-games, but it quickly turns repetitive and tedious. The shift from land grinding to a colony building system has been criticized for lacking originality and failing to capture the depth of classic strategy 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.”
  • atmosphere
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    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 fully engage in the serene environment.”
    • “I love how the game creates a peaceful vibe that makes you feel at ease while playing.”
  • monetization
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    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.”
  • optimization
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    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.”
  • replayability
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    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 varied 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 factions and multiple endings encourage players to explore different strategies and outcomes, making each playthrough feel fresh and engaging.”
    • “With its procedurally generated content and various character builds, the game offers endless possibilities for replayability, ensuring that no two experiences are the same.”
    • “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 the first playthrough.”
    • “Once you've experienced the main story, there isn't much incentive to replay, as the choices don't lead to drastically different outcomes.”
  • stability
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users report significant stability issues, highlighting numerous bugs that detract from the overall experience. Many express frustration, indicating that these problems are not solely related to the emulation environment.

    • “And the bugs; holy shit, I remember this game being buggy and I'm not going to blame it on DOSBox this time.”
    • “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
    • “I encountered multiple glitches that disrupted my gameplay experience.”

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This game contains adult content