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Star Control®: Origins

PC (Microsoft Windows) • 2018

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Quick resume

Star Control is a space role-playing game in which you command Earth's first interstellar starship on a mission to save the Earth from hostile alien empires.

Global score

74/100

Genres

Action, Adventure, Simulator, Indie, Role-playing (RPG), Strategy

Pros

  • Engaging story and humor
  • Deep exploration and discovery
  • Customization and mod support
  • Faithful to star control legacy
  • Polished gameplay and voice acting

Cons

  • Resource gathering can be tedious
  • Some bugs and crashes reported
  • Planetary exploration controls awkward
  • Story and content somewhat short
  • Combat can feel repetitive or unbalanced

Motivations

  • Autonomy
    4

    "Players can freely explore the galaxy, choose quests, customize their flagship and fleet, and decide how to approach combat and diplomacy."

  • Competence
    3

    "Gameplay involves skillful ship combat, resource gathering, and strategic fleet management with feedback on progression and upgrades."

  • Competition
    2

    "Includes multiplayer fleet battles and leaderboards, but much of the experience is single-player and story-driven."

  • Continuation
    3

    "Players report long playtimes, engaging story and exploration encourage habitual play and replayability through modding."

  • Cooperation
    1

    "Some cooperative elements in multiplayer and alliances with alien races, but mostly single-player focused."

  • Creativity
    4

    "Strong ship and building editors with Steam Workshop integration allow extensive player creation and modification."

  • Domination
    -2

    "Interactions emphasize mutual respect and alliance building rather than exerting control or superiority over others."

  • Escapism
    4

    "Players use the game to immerse in a space adventure, escaping real life through exploration and story."

  • Expectation
    -4

    "Players engage voluntarily out of interest and nostalgia, not due to obligation or external pressure."

  • Experimenting
    3

    "Players try different ships, weapons, strategies, and explore various planets and story paths."

  • Exploration
    5

    "Core gameplay revolves around discovering new star systems, planets, alien species, and secrets."

  • Expression
    4

    "Customization of flagship and fleet, plus creation of ships and buildings, supports player self-expression."

  • Fantasy
    4

    "Set in a fictional space opera universe with imaginative alien races and storylines."

  • Fellowship
    2

    "Some community interaction via multiplayer and mod sharing, but primarily a solo experience."

  • Growth
    4

    "Players develop skills in combat, resource management, and story progression with clear sense of advancement."

  • Health
    -4

    "Typical sedentary gaming experience with no physical activity or health-related gameplay."

  • Idle
    -3

    "Requires focused attention during exploration, combat, and questing; not designed for background play."

  • Intimacy
    -3

    "Social interactions are mostly surface-level through dialogue trees; limited deep emotional connections."

  • Leadership
    2

    "Players lead their fleet and make strategic decisions, but no large-scale group management or authority roles."

  • Progression
    4

    "Strong emphasis on accumulating resources, upgrading ships, and unlocking new abilities and story content."

  • Relaxation
    3

    "Generally a balanced challenge with moments of flow and humor, though some find resource gathering tedious."

  • Sensation
    2

    "Enjoyable audiovisual presentation with voice acting and music, but graphics are modest and not sensory intense."

  • Status
    1

    "Some recognition through multiplayer and community content, but mostly individual experience without social status focus."

  • Story
    4

    "Narrative-driven gameplay with engaging plot, character interactions, and lore exploration."

  • Strategy
    3

    "Players use tactical thinking in combat, resource management, and quest decision-making."

  • Thrill
    2

    "Combat and exploration provide moments of suspense and excitement, though overall experience is light-hearted."

  • Value
    3

    "Players report good value for time spent with engaging content and replayability through mods."

  • Violence
    2

    "Combat involves ship battles and destruction, but balanced with exploration and diplomacy."

  • Survival
    1

    "Some resource management and threat avoidance, but overall low-risk environment with scripted story progression."

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    Last update: 06/03/2026