Just now I loaded up my copy of Star Control 3 in DOSBox and played around with it for about half an hour.

My question for all of you: Is Star Control 3 worthy to be released on GOG?

I know some SC2 fans think this is heresy, but I say "yes."

While it's not the same game that Toys for Bob would have made, Legend did a pretty good job. The alien races in SC3 are quirky, endearing, and creative and retain much of the feeling from SC2. The gameplay introduced some interesting new elements (e.g., colony management). The plot was not the direction TfB would have gone, but I thought it was well-executed as is.

For me, it's a good old game.

Well, personally it's like comparing Master of Orion 2 to third part of the series that never existed ;-). But let's other people judge:

First, watch this video of Star Control 2 Syreen.

Second, watch this video of Star Control 3 syreen. (WARNING! By waching this video you agree to not hold me responsible for any brain damage and mental anquish that may follow as a result!)

Third, now that you have fair image of each games merits (and if you are still sane and with us), cast your vote in this topic.

OK, granted, some of the FMV-puppets, and most notably the Syreen, were badly done. I get that, and I do agree with that part.

Here's what I think is a fair evaluation of SC3

Pros:
- The plot really does put you on edge, especially about 1/3rd to halfway through the game when the stuff starts hitting the fan
- The game focuses more on the exploration, dialogue, and fleet-building aspects than resource gathering
- The new aliens feel like Star Control aliens... it really does feel like you're exploring in the same universe. The K'tang, Daktaklakpak, Doogs, and many others are genuinely interesting and funny.
- The voice acting is much better than in the 3DO SC2

Cons:
- Some of the aliens are not well done, particularly some of the ones returning from SC2 such as the Syreen, Spathi, and Orz.
- The plot sometimes simply advances with the passage of time and not due to specific player actions. The Arilou are also a bit of a Deus Ex Machina at times.
- The ships are more unbalanced in melee than they were in SC2

And then of course, the elephant in the room is the fact that Toys For Bob got treated poorly in the whole thing and that the story wasn't in the direction they would have taken it. Granted. But even though Legend ret-conned a bit of the SC2 ending, I think that they made a lot of logical choices with the plot and with the "character development" of the races. Yeah, it's not "canon," but I like think of it as well-done fan-fiction.

On the whole, I think SC3 was a fun game. Not perfect by any means, but a good little romp through a beloved universe.

I'm not a traditionalist. I don't care if things stick to the original way, so SC3 ruined nothing for me about the SC series. I liked it, and I think it stands well by itself. It may not be 'canon,' but I still enjoyed playing through it.

Master of Orion 3 is just garbage.

Also, the Syreen are probably the worst in SC3. IDK what they were thinking. They should have gotten a hot girl to be in blue make-up or something. That puppet is terrible.

It looks like the fellas at GOG agree with me! Welcome to the fold, Star Control 3. Taken as a game unto yourself, you are definitely worthy.

I'm actually willing to give the blue puppet chick a pass, seeing as the Syreen in SC2 were, oh, how to put it, really, incredibly, embarrassingly sexist, an ugly relic from the days when PC gaming was relegated to fat hairy middle aged guys with HAM radios in their basements. I like to think of the puppet as an apology for that, or at least a slap to the people who were looking forward to totally getting it on with the sexy blue alien nympho chicks huh huh huh.

They still fly around in giant space dildos, but, ah, oh well.

And the fact that their ships are called Penetrators does of course not contain the least bit of sexual innuendo.

I started playing SC3 last night for the first time since its initial release. Haven't done much so far, but still, I'm enjoying it. Like SC2, it has good nostalgia value: I remember myself, my brother, and a friend spending long nights in isolation (and some frustration) playing this game's compaign.

I really don't know what all the negative hullabaloo is about. Yes, the Syreen look horrid compared to Talana from SC2, but honestly... get over it. Stop thinking with your head and use your brain instead. SC2 did not revolve around the Syreen.

Yeah sure, the soundtrack is, to some degree, abominable; the lack of Hyperscape travel was probably more of a design choice than a plot device; and the premise for the new story seems a little flackey. But the game is not without merit when judged on its own terms. Besides, considering that the original design crew / masterminds behind the original game were not involved in this one, there is little ground upon which to compare it fairly with SC2 (aside from the namesake they have in common). If they had been, then we would have really had something to complain about.

I'll just leave this here. I actually bought SC3 when it was released new. I had a buddy who was a total SC2 fanatic and played it over and over. He was pretty super excited when I mentioned I had it, so naturally, he came over to check it out.

After a long evening of both good and bad reactions, we beat the game in its entirety and we both had chuckles, head scratchers and ultimately, enjoyed ourselves. Is it for the hardcore SC fanatic? Nah. It's more like an adventure game with a little strategic depth tacked on, but at its heart, its SC fanfic with a few cute new races: "Xchaggers/Doog."

Melee was pretty much over with as soon as you got access to Doog Constructors and upgraded them though. That much I WILL say. If they were faster, I think maybe only the Avatars/Dreadnaughts could ultimately stand up to them, unless you played long range sniper with Earthling Cruisers, otherwise, they were quite literally, OP.

I'd give it a 3.5/5, in all honesty. I don't think it's a true sequel, but if you look at it as a stand alone game set in the SC universe, there's nothing wrong with it.