Star Control: Origins

Star Control 2 was of my favorite games back in the 386 era. Despite the controversy at this games release. It is a worthy Star Control title, I enjoyed it, and I wish there was more. It's hard for me to judge this game alone without the rear view nostalgia of the original games so take this as a biased review. It's clear Stardock respected the original game and had something to add.

I am old enough to have played the original Star Control and Star Control II, which I loved. Star Control: Origins did not disappoint. It is a brilliant update on the original while keeping everything that makes me so nostalgic for it. Having the entire game voice acted is brilliant. The writing is great, very funny at times. The aliens each have their own unique character and personalities. The story is excellent with a cool swerve that I won't spoil. I would definitely recommend anyone try out the game.

I do have two criticisms of the game however, but maybe these are just because I have only played the campaign and not the other modes. First, there is little in the campaign to motivate you to use any of the alien ships rather than your own flagship. After a few modifications, your flagship is better than anything else available to you. Plus, these ships don't seem to have quite the unique abilities and tactics that made SC and SC II melee so addictive. And second, the resource gathering portion of the game can become boring and repetitive. However, its pretty much the same resource gathering system as the original games, so its not a criticism unique to this installment.

I very much to see additional campaigns for this game or a sequel soon. A very worthy successor to the Star Control legacy.

I really, really wanted to like this game. I bought it because one of my favorite writers (Chris Bucholz) was the chief writer on this game. Unfortunately, it's just not really any fun. A lot of mismatched gameplay features, many of which just aren't any fun, pile onto the wonderful script.
EDIT: I gave this another go, after playing the original Star Control games (the second one is available free on Steam under the Ur-Quan Masters). It took a while to "click" - once I realized it's a fairly faithful remake of the original, and it should be played through the lens of a 20+ year old classic, it made a lot more sense. You don't need to strip mine the galaxy, and the addition of the quest guide was huge. I'm moving this to a recommend - it's got its flaws, but the writing and humor are great, and the game itself is only like 12 hours to beat.

Never heard about the series and couldn't even remember when I got the game. But what a pleasant surprise it was!
Gameplay-wise it is very simple. Sometimes I even get a feeling that not everybody knew exactly what they were doing, but they surely had a great fun working on the game.
For example, there is little variety in exploration. You fly for a bit, then you land your hovercraft, go to some point and activate it. Or collect some resource. That's it.
Combat is much more varied. There are lots of ships, each with it's own quirk and weapon types. This part is not exactly my cup of tea however, although it didn't prevent me from enjoying the same since you can make AI fight for you.
The writing and presentation though... is simply stellar.
The visual style is great. Aliens, planets, ship design - everything is distinct and very fitting. Worlds lit by some weirdly colored star are a pleasure to look at.
Story and writing are excellent. This is a comedy game and a good one at that. Voice acting nails the delivery perfectly as well. This part alone is worth the price.
Overall, this is a great game and well worth the recommendation.

A real delight, great if you like story line, space exploration, meet lots of interesting aliens.

Star Control: Origins is an action-adventure space exploration game developed and published by Stardock Entertainment. Released in 2018, it serves as a modern revival of the classic Star Control series while presenting a completely new storyline and universe. Rather than acting as a direct sequel to earlier titles, the game reimagines the core formula that made the original games memorable: open-ended exploration, encounters with strange alien civilizations, resource gathering, and one-on-one spaceship combat. The result is a large science-fiction adventure that blends retro design sensibilities with modern presentation, offering players a galaxy full of discoveries, dangers, and occasionally absurd alien personalities.
The story begins in the late 21st century, when humanity finally develops its first interstellar spacecraft capable of traveling beyond the solar system. In 2088, Earth’s Star Control organization sends a newly appointed captain—controlled by the player—to investigate a mysterious alien distress signal originating from deep space. What initially appears to be a simple exploratory mission gradually evolves into a much larger journey across the galaxy. As the captain travels between star systems, they begin encountering a wide range of alien species, each with their own motivations, cultures, and conflicts. These encounters slowly reveal that the galaxy is far more politically unstable than humanity ever expected, forcing the player to navigate diplomatic relationships, emerging threats, and the possibility of a larger interstellar war.
At its heart, Star Control: Origins is structured around exploration. Players pilot a flagship across a massive galactic map filled with hundreds of star systems, each containing planets, moons, asteroid belts, and other celestial bodies waiting to be investigated. Travel between these systems requires careful planning, as the ship’s fuel supply limits how far the player can venture before returning to refuel. This mechanic encourages gradual exploration, pushing players to investigate nearby regions first before eventually venturing deeper into unknown territory. The sense of gradually expanding the boundaries of exploration captures the adventurous spirit that has long defined space exploration games.
Planetary exploration is one of the central activities in the game. When the player scans a planet, they can deploy a lander to descend to the surface in order to collect valuable minerals, artifacts, and technological relics. These lander missions play out as small arcade-style minigames where the player navigates hazardous terrain while gathering resources. Volcanic eruptions, electrical storms, and hostile alien wildlife can threaten the lander, forcing players to balance risk and reward when exploring dangerous worlds. The materials collected from these missions are essential for upgrading the flagship, purchasing equipment, and expanding the player’s fleet.
Another defining element of the experience is meeting the galaxy’s diverse alien civilizations. Throughout the game players encounter a wide range of species, each with distinct personalities and communication styles. Some aliens are curious about humanity and open to peaceful cooperation, while others are suspicious, arrogant, or outright hostile. Dialogue with these species is often humorous and filled with quirky science-fiction writing. Conversations can reveal hidden star systems, valuable technologies, or new quests that help advance the story. In many cases, diplomacy becomes just as important as combat when dealing with alien societies.
Combat in Star Control: Origins occurs in a separate arena-style battle mode that pays homage to the classic Star Control ship duels. Battles take place in a two-dimensional top-down arena where two ships maneuver around planets whose gravity can influence movement and tactics. Each ship type possesses unique weapons and special abilities, meaning players must learn how different vessels function in order to use them effectively. Some ships rely on speed and maneuverability, while others focus on heavy firepower or unusual special attacks. Building a fleet with diverse capabilities becomes an important strategic consideration as the story progresses.
As the captain explores further into the galaxy, upgrading the flagship becomes essential. The ship can be enhanced with stronger engines, improved weapons, additional fuel capacity, and specialized modules that automate certain tasks. These upgrades allow players to travel farther from Earth and survive encounters with more powerful enemies. Over time, the humble exploration vessel transforms into a formidable flagship capable of commanding a fleet and confronting larger threats across the galaxy.
Visually, the game adopts a colorful and stylized interpretation of space rather than aiming for strict realism. Star systems glow with vibrant nebulae and cosmic phenomena, while alien species are presented with exaggerated and sometimes comedic designs. The artistic direction leans toward a playful science-fiction aesthetic, reinforcing the game’s lighthearted tone. Planetary environments also vary widely, from barren rocky worlds to exotic alien landscapes filled with strange lifeforms and environmental hazards.
The audio presentation complements this adventurous atmosphere with an energetic orchestral and electronic soundtrack. The music shifts between calm exploration themes and more intense compositions during combat sequences, helping maintain a sense of excitement and discovery. Voice acting also plays a significant role, bringing many of the alien characters to life through distinctive performances that highlight their strange personalities.
Despite its ambitious scope, Star Control: Origins is not without flaws. One of the most common criticisms involves the repetitive nature of planetary resource gathering. While landing on planets can be exciting at first, the mechanics change very little throughout the game, which can make the process feel repetitive after many hours of exploration. The large size of the galaxy also means that players sometimes spend significant amounts of time traveling between locations, which can slow the pacing of the overall adventure.
Additionally, while the humor and alien dialogue are often entertaining, some jokes and character interactions may feel uneven. Certain encounters are genuinely memorable, while others rely on similar comedic patterns that lose their impact over time. The story itself, although intriguing in concept, sometimes struggles to maintain momentum as players become distracted by side missions and exploration.
Nevertheless, the game succeeds in capturing the sense of wonder that defines classic space adventures. The thrill of discovering new alien civilizations, uncovering mysterious artifacts, and slowly building a powerful fleet gives the game a compelling sense of progression. Its blend of exploration, diplomacy, resource management, and arcade-style combat creates a varied gameplay experience that keeps players engaged for many hours.
Ultimately, Star Control: Origins stands as a loving tribute to the spirit of classic science-fiction games. It modernizes the exploration and combat mechanics of the original series while maintaining the humor, curiosity, and adventurous tone that made those earlier games memorable. Although it occasionally struggles with pacing and repetition, the sheer scale of its galaxy and the charm of its alien encounters make it a rewarding journey for fans of space exploration games.
Rating: 7/10

I don't have anything inherently negative to say about this, I'm generally speaking a sucker for adventure games, I specifically tend to lean more sci-fi. Huge fan of Mass Effect, if this was more serious and had a darker theme I'd be heavily invested. Though as it stands it may take me a hot minute before I get around to revisiting it, for whatever it's worth though? I did enjoy it, the experience was moderately positive, I'd probably give this game a solid 6/10 as an honest point of view.
The plot certainly had my attention, the exploration was fun, I love the upgrade system, dogfights were a bit annoying, the aliens were somewhat off putting and the lack of a direction is a bit of a hit and miss, I know some people like the concept of being thrown into a huge world and figuring it out on their own, but I prefer some direction.
(Maybe I'm misremembering things, if so I apologize).