Looking Back at Star Control 2 (spoiler heavy)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 14 ม.ค. 2012
- SPOILER WARNING: if you haven't played or watched me or someone else play Star Control 2 'til the end, be warned that this video will reveal much about the plot and secrets of the game. It is also best viewed if you are familiar with the game, otherwise some of it might not be very clear.
In this video I do a sort of review / retrospective of Star Control 2, of which I recently finished a long let's play. I don't discuss the game mechanics but rather the sci-fi elements and the story. It's not comprehensive and there's much more to talk about, but I didn't want to go on too long. I mostly talked about the parts that I found most interesting.
Specifically I talk about the way humanity is portrayed, the tragic story of the Ur-Quan, a moral quandry I faced in the game, several of the alien races and the sci-fi concepts.
Link to my let's play of Star Control 2, starting from knowing nothing about the game:
• Star Control 2 - Part ...
Music tracks used in this video are:
"Dark Times"
"Awkward Meeting"
"Frozen Star"
"Martian Cowboy"
"Second Coming"
by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com).
Licensed under Creative Commons "Attribution 3.0" creativecommons.org/licenses/b... - เกม
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"Sometimes, in an imperfect universe, there is only a choice between the lesser of two evils. But the lesser of two evils is not good. It cannot be justified morally. The ends do not justify the means..." "... He didn't do the right thing, he did the necessary thing... " ~ Amazing quote.
Thank you :)
@@JimPlaysGames Of course if he traded the Burvixese caster or Mycon egg fragments instead of 100 crew for the Rosy Sphere, he will feel a whole lot better and the the Druuge's words only condemn themselves in that case.
You're actually able to get the Rosy Sphere without selling your crew. They'll also accept Mycon egg shells as currency.
Indeed. When I was confronted with that choice, I chose to not buy. The Druuge even tell you what else they want to buy. So I went to search for that. And I waited for other option to present themselves. I was still early in game, and chose to not force myself yet.
F*(k, I wish I knew that 20 odd years ago...
@Manek Iridius Yes, if you wait until the Kor-ah win the doctrinal conflict and start their death march, you can scavenge any of the plot necessary items from the lifeless ruins of the homeworlds of the species who controlled them. This is a kind of safety catch the designers put in so that you could still win the game before they make it to Earth.
However, i found this kind of defeats the point, from a moral perspective. Surely, 100 terrans are not worth the lives of an entire species, or all the other species that the Kor-Ah will annihilate before you can stop them. By this time in the game i typically have already lost a few hundred crew to planetary exploration or battles with probes and other alien craft.
Yes, those hundred crew will be put to work against their will, but that is a better fate than being hunted down and killed by the Kor-ah which is what would happen to them, and all the other sentient life in this section of the galaxy if we fail to acquire that Rosy Sphere. Also as mentioned, with enough exploring other options, you learn that they will accept a Mycon Egg fragment as payment and there are 3 or so of those available in game- one of which you want to give to the Syreen as proof of Syra's real destruction.
It is the Druuge's decision to trade for the item instead of giving it away which dooms them.
The Druuge used a caster to draw the Kor-ah away from their world so they would wipe out another race whose world they plundered afterwards.
It's possible to slow down the Grey Ur Quan by getting the Thradash and the Yehat to attack them. It's too bad one could not re-program the Sylandro probes to consider the Kor-ah ressources for reproduction purposes, doing so could have given the Green Ur Quan the victory.
@@HepCatJack Or just have them grey-goo the ur-quan entirely.
If it's any consolation, I do frequently come back to watching this video as a video form of comfort food.
Someone's still watching it a decade later.
That's great to hear! :D
Decade plus! I am interested in Playing this game first then the Origins game. Also a kickstarter this year for a new Star Control game but under the name Free Stars children of infinity. A sequal to opensource remake of Star Control 2.
There is also an overarching theme of selfishness and a lack of empathy as indicator of how much of a threat your enemies are from least to worst. SPOILERS AHEAD
You may be wondering why I wont nclude the brutish Thraddash here, you see, despite their shortcomings, the Thraddash see value in worthy opponents, in self-improvement and respect for the losers of a fight (if they survive) This doesnt make them any better though, and they arent really a threat, all things given,
Lets start with the Yehat,who switched sides to serve the Hierarchy after the war. At first one would imagine them to be traitors, until we find out to be a decision taken by their selfish a queen in order to protect her pride, against the consent of the clan. Thus dooming their adoptive children, the SHofixti, to the brink of oblivion. Their enmity against you is reluctant, sad even, and It is not after the captain helps revive the Shofixti race, see the wellbeing of a species other than their own, that the Yehat rebel against their queen and join you alonside their previously discriminated Pkunk brothers for the final battle. They are the only Battle Thrall that truly switches sides.
The Spathi always had the potential to be somehting much greater, advancing technologically in the blink of a cosmic eye, their ships are the closest thing , besides the Utwig's and the Chmrrr's, to being superior to the Ur-Quan's in combat. They could have been the mightiest friends The Alliance could eve have were it not for their obsessive and self-destructive desire for personal safety. To avoid risks at all costs, even at the expense of others. Fwiffo describes his idiyllic life isolated in a mansion, pampered, perfectly safe and unaware of the world outside. Once they spend enough time allied with The Captain, once they get what they truly wanted, security, the Spathi retreat, isolate themselves behind an impenetrable shield and, save for the few Spathi crew still on your fleet, they abandon you, and the alliance they briefly were part off, to your fate. Not looking back once beyond an insincere apology and a useful parting gift.
The Ilwrath are a weird case, a race that revels in the concept of evil, of cruelty to the point of madness and against all odds, not destroying itself in the process. This obsession makes them dangerous, but also stupid and vulnerable to the manipulation of others. Hedonists to a fault, they justify their actions and lifestyle behind their deities of evil and darkness. Not so much a threat to you but to kinder, more sensitive races who dont naturallly have it in them to fight back
The VUX despise humanity, the same way most humans despise cockroaches and other insects. Our sole prescence revolts then and would like nothing more than to wipe us out like the vermin they think we are, hiding a pathetic facade of indignation towards past insults allegedly made by us. They brag about their tolerance and acceptance of other races yet display none. Anything or anyone not matching their aesthetic ideals deserves to die. General ZEX, is considered an outcast for thinking otherwise, embracing the strange, and the grotesque, whicht at first would lead The Captain to believe to become a steadfast ally. Unfortunately, ZEX decides to prioritize his own satisfaction over honoring the help of The Captain, and perishes because of it. Despite it all, the threat the vain VUX pose is nothing more but insignificant and petty in the galactic stage.
The Umgah aren't necessarily evil, not in the literal sense of the word, however, their idea of fun, of humor, is overblown and outright sadistic. They are inconsiderate to the extreme of what another species considers funny or amusing which lead to a lot of pain and a lot of suffering to the Spathi and the Pkunk, as well as keeping the Ilwrath in a fanatical rut. After the Captain saves their entire race from a fate worse than death, they show gratitude and respect with jubilation...Unfortunately, their selfish need of self-gratification overcomes them and decide to play "pranks" on your fleet shortly after.
The Mycon are incredibly alien, not only to us, but to most life in the galaxy. Their biology only allows them to live at the melting point of lead, a lethal environment for carbon based life. This wouldnt be so bad, werent it be for their doctrine of Juffo-Wop. It is hard to gather at plain sight why the Mycon are incompatible with not only the alliance, but all other intelligent life, for their ritual or reproduction involves the destruction of life-bearing worlds for their progeny, their Deep Children, to develop and suit them. To the Mycon, all non-Mycon life is irrelevant, they are Non. Deserving only to become Void. Even the Ur-Quan.
The Ur-Quan, both Doctrines, are motivated by one thing : To never be hurt again. While the Kzer-za disguise their motivation (albeit somewhat validly) as one of protection, their Kohr-ah cousins are blunt. Never again will they be threatened by another sentient being. Never again will they be slaves. The Kzer-za, despite their tyranical faults, despite being abused who became abusers, show a trace of empathy towards other species, warning you to run as fas as you can to save yourself and your race once they lose the Doctrinal war and the Death March begins to sweep the galaxy. The Kohr-Ah on the other hand show none, even having the nerve to promise you that once you die, maybe you will reincarnate into an Ur-Quan. It is them against the universe, no other life matters except theirs.
The Duurge care little more than profit and themselves, where the rich feeds the poor into the flanes too feed the fires of the status-quo, both figuratively and literally. Their selfishness is such, that when threatened to be destroyed by the Ur-Quan Kor-ah, they doomed their altruistic, gentle neighbours by intentionally redirecting the shadow of death towards the wrong direction. They call you a hypocrite, claiming to not be so different from them, except, they willingly and happily commited genocide by proxy on a species who posed no threat to them when they could have redirected them to empty space. Were it up to the Duurge, they'd enslave and tyranize over sentient life if it would prove to be profitable, and thankfuly, at the moment this isnt the case.
Finally, the reason for the conflict, the ones behind it, even beyond the grave. The Dyniarri. Beings unanimously described by both the Chmrr and the Ur-Quan as beings of unfathomable evil and malice. A title, you'd think would fit someone like an Ilwrath, But no. The moment you meet one of this creatures, one discovers they are...More slobbish and lazy than anything. Trying to keep up a charismatic act to lure you in while demanding commodities and respect while The Captian keeps one of them aboard his ship. Possesors of great mental powers, the Dnyarri always got what they wanted , when they wanted and how they wanted. Too lazy, too prideful to do anything themselves, they made of entire civilizations their unwilling slaves. Making them dance, kill each other and even altering their very being for their own amusement. The Dnyarri are the epitome of what unrestrained power combined with overwhelming selfishness and desire for self-gratification lead to. A cruel, heartless society only made to fit the whims of a few.
You use Spathi, lol!
Best comment on TH-cam, really
Wonderfully and truly well written. You are a scholar and a gentleman, sir.
I subscribed for this remarkable video, and was encouraged to try and compete star control 2 for myself. I eventually did, after a few false starts, and it's absolutely one of the greatest games ever made. Everyone should play it.
It's great to hear that more people are still discovering this great old game!
I love this particular video.
Probably because I can't talk or share my experiences of SC2 with anyone.
No one knows about it.
But you've filled that desire to hear someone talk about it.
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it. Probably one of my best videos :)
Rejoice Star Control 2 fans! A proper sequel from the original creators of Star Control 2 is in the works. Ghosts of the Precursors.
Link please?
I'm disillusioned by star contor 3
@@gorauma Star Control 3 wasn't made by Toys For Bob, that's why it sucks.
i honestly watch this every couple months i love the lore to this game
Bro - this may be long so forgive me in advanced. I played this game on PC when it came out. It will always be my all time favorite. I played it again quite a few years ago and had an urge to check out some videos on my all time fave and came across you. I have to give you HUGE props on what you have done, as well as your final deep dive assessments. I watched every single video of your gameplay and narration and laughed with you at many of the funny parts, as well as your reactions. I literally found myself yelling at the screen at you when you missed something or equipped your ship the wrong way. You really pulled me in with you. I believe I found more enjoyment watching you play the game for the first time than playing it again myself. Aside from how long it takes to complete the game, I can’t imagine the amount of time and effort you put into making and editing the videos. Kudos mate. Thank you for the nostalgia.
Thank you! I really appreciate that. I can understand it being frustrating to watch me stumble through things, but I'm glad it drew you in. That's the best I can hope for. Good to hear you enjoyed the analysis too!
My little brother and I used to play this game when our mouse still used a ball in it. Also I feel like Mass Effect was heavily influenced by this game.
It really, really was. Even down to the ostensible big bads cleansing you for the greater good (specifically the abandoned plot point in ME2 regarding dark energy prematurely aging stars and leading to the heat death of the universe.)
Ah yes, my ritual of coming back to watch this series again at the start of spring has reached its end. Look there's the comment I made five years ago about wanting to watch it again. Thank you again for introducing me to Babylon 5 it still has the best writing I've ever seen in a Sci-Fi series.
I actually didn't watch this series last spring, this is because I made a new best friend and by the time I thought of it, it was already somewhere past April.
Ah that's cool. Introduce your friend to Babylon 5! :D
@@JimPlaysGames I would like to
"It's almost enough to make you feel sorry for them... But they must be resisted all the same."
I keep watching this every few months. Although there are alternatives for the Rosy Sphere takes nothing away from this work
@JimPlaysGames Some events are timed. It takes some time before Tanaka's offspring are born and before they grow up and mature (relatively little time, still). It also takes time before the Spathi exit the game, before the Pkunk go on move, before the Zoqfot send distress signals, before they are exterminated if the player doesn't help, before the Supox & Utwig end their joint mission, before the Arilou determine what happened with Umgah, and so on. Usually: go to starbase and listen for news.
I am a sucker for a sympathetic villain. And SC2/UQM presented me with one of the earliest ones I met. That revelation about the Ur-Quan motivation hit me like a bomb, and I sat in stunned silence as realization sunk in. They went from moustache-twirling muhahaha villains, to almost pitiable antagonists.
Been playing this game on and off for 30 years now, first on DOS with my best friend next to me making notes. Then discovering the voices and the improved music on 3DO and finally replaying the Ur-Quan Masters version a few times every year.
It'll always be one of my faves, even if I never really got into the other SC games, unlike the Civ, AoE, (W)(St)arcraft and X-Com series where I played and enjoyed every one of them.
That doesn't diminish this game, it just makes it special: I loved it from the moment I started playing and hopefully I'll play it for at least another 30 years!
@idogendel you're welcome, and thanks for your kind comments :)
I suspect the Arilou and the Orz would eventually go to war, and the humans would have to take a side in the conflict, each of them saying they have our best interests at heart.
Everything Londo does is for the "greater good", but his character shows that a greater good founded on lesser evils is like building a house on sand. If the foundation is flawed it cannot stand.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it.
I did hear about the other methods to get the sphere. I think that just adds to the tragedy. Knowing afterwards that there actually was another way, but that there was no way to know it at the time.
Jim, what a touching work of art. Thanks for taking the time to compile this!
I was obsessed with this game as a little kid. Everything about it was amazing, especially all the alien races and storyline.
I remember when I first met the Kohr Ah and it sent chills down my spine. Great memories
Thank you for the trip down memory lane, this game holds a special place in my heart since I was a kid. Being only 10 years old when I got to playing it, this game was definitely mind blowing and the depth flat out amazing.
Actually... with regards to the Druuge trade. There are two mycon deep child husks to be found in the game. And if you have both then you can complete the Syreen quest and the Druuge will offer you the rosy sphere in exhange for the second one.
(whistles)
There's a third deep child egg case.
I enjoyed this video. I liked the bit in it with the three Earthling Cruisers traveling through space. It's exciting to see something new.
It brings me back. I loved SC2
I like what you shared about you wishing the slylandro could be uplifted like the Yehat did for the Shofixti.
Your insight, speculation, and refelctions about the Melnorme, Orz, and Ariloulaleelay is interesting and thought provoking.
I heard of this game just recently and never had the chance to play it as a child.
I read a lot about Starcontrol2, but after watching your summary, I truly wish, I wouldn´t have researched so much and waited, until I had the time to expierience the game for myself without knowing so much. Howerver, I thank you for that awesome 22-minute trip.
Brilliant analysis--I actually enjoyed it more than the LP itself (which was also great). I'll add, though, that you missed the creepiest part of the game: an abandoned Androsynth installation. Investigating it reveals information about "Them," a seemingly invisible race of hyper dimensional beings who apparently destroyed or otherwise removed the Androsynth, and that merely knowing any more specific information about them reveals your presence to them. (One of your crew members learns this information and destroys it, going mad in the process and claiming that They are all around him, closing in.)
Sound familiar? Yep, they're (or rather it is) the Orz. An interview with the developers confirmed that the Orz are Them, and that the Orz are actually separate projections of a single hyper dimensional being. (The Orz say they are not "many bubbles" like other species, and apparently this is what they meant by that.) In fact, this was a plot point they wanted to explore in the sequel, but for some reason they were denied creative control for Star Control 3, if I remember correctly.
Ok I enjoyed your entire playthrough but this video was amazingly well done even taking that into account. I love this game so much and you hit all the points that make me choke up every time I watch the closing credits after destroying the Sa-Matra.
For all the silliness of the Spathi, the Orz, the Slylandro, and my personal favorites; the Zoq-Fot-Pik, the game hits some serious issues and it felt uplifting to play this game.
The only thing that really was a let down in your playthrough was that you weren't able to save the Pkunk, resurrect the Shofixti and thus start the Yehat civil war, and trade the Burvixese caster (or the Mycon egg case) for the sphere instead of your crew.
Great summary and great playthrough of one of the best games I've ever played. Cheers!
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. This is probably the video I put the most effort into and this game deserved it. I think the tragedy of the sacrifice of the crew is made even worse by the fact that there was an alternative that was unknown at the time. Surely the captain would look back with such regret knowing in hindsight that there was another way if only he'd found it sooner.
I wonder if the captain and alliance, after defeating the ur-quan, could have used their might to force the Druge to release any surviving slaves.
I hope this video never becomes lost even after all these years I come back to it every once in a while you really made the storyline and lore of this universe come alive to the point that to this day it's one of the first scifi universes that comes to my mind after the more obvious ones despite still not actually playing it for myself and only discovering it from this video.
That's great to hear that it's worthy of rewatching :)
If it ever goes down for some reason I can repost it somewhere since I still have the original.
Thanks, I'm very pleased you enjoyed it so much. Being a lover of sci-fi certainly helps I think :)
I've actually been in contact with one of the designers of Project 6014 and I actually made the trailer for the HD version of UQM. But if I recall correctly they were all set with writers.
Excellent way to present this game. Thoroughly enjoyed it. As a side note: I haven't played SC2 since it was first released
Love how this is put together. Great Work!
Now you've reminded me why I love Babylon 5 and Starcon 2 above all other sci-fi settings and stories: distinct and detailed aliens (if not truly "alien" or "realistic") each fighting for their own ways of life-- which are not merely chanced "foreheads/prosthetics" of the week, or designated "villians/allies" for the series.
Amazing analysis of one of the best games I've ever played.
Thanks! Really enjoyed the video.
Just finished the game! It's amazing!
Thank you for the review. I watched it with a such big feeling deep inside!
I really enjoyed your video. I watch it every time I get nostalgic for one of my favorite games.
A truly brilliant and fitting closing video for an excellent serie. I gotta say this is the most enjoyable "let's play" video serie I have come across on TH-cam. Thanks Jim.
Amazing video, great memories !!! I enjoyed each part of it, congrats, it makes me think so much about our existense it self.
Amazing series with a great conclusion. Now to watch the rest of your videos.
what a wonderful talk about a favorite from all those years ago. this is now 11 years old yet still shines like a gem. I really enjoyed it, thanks! 👨🚀🚀💫
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it :)
Dear Jim, thanks for this series. I enjoyed it very much.
I first played it together with a friend on his 486. He had a version on 3½" disk (no voice acting). I later found the game reissued as a CDROM version (with the voice acting) and played the heck out of it. I made quasispace charts on paper and everything. I still have the CDROM, as I've refused to throw it out over the years. And now that it's such a revered classic, I certainly won't. I remember finding SC3 in the stores, and saving up pocketmoney to buy it. Only to find the store by then didn't stock the game anymore, and wasn't getting any new copies. (I didn't know SC3 was what it was). As a result, I've never played SC3. But maybe that was for the best.
Thanks, I'm glad it came across that way. That's exactly what I was going for :D
Glad you liked this video too. I felt that SC2 deserved a proper tribute. It's truly brilliant science fiction. I'm also glad I can relieve my own first experience with it now that I have this video series. It's made as much for me as the audience, and I think that's what makes it entertaining.
Great series, superb comments by Jim. Surprisingly deep and wise insights in this afterthought ep. I enjoyed it much. Thank you! :)
Thank you so much, what a great epilogue for a great playthrough!
I think I watched all of these videos within a span of 48 hours. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.
Thank you so much for doing this! I've never seen a blind let's play of this game before, so it was an amazing experience watching someone go through the same thing I first went through about eight years ago.
This is an awesome video :) I love SC2 and have played through at least 3 times over ~ 20 years... most recently last year. You did a great job pulling out some of the best parts of the fantasy, and I loved the analysis here. Thank you!
This is extremely well done. Brings back a lot of memories.
Watching this video again, love this analysis so much!
Thanks! Glad you liked it enough for a rewatch. I've been considering doing more videos like this, but haven't made the time.
I get choked up at the end of the game, too. I never get tired of this game or its story. It's definitely one of the more powerful and deep stories I've experienced, especially in a game. It blows my mind! It's too bad that it takes some patience to get started. I think a lot of people miss out on the epic experience because it's so non linear. It was fun to re-experience the game through a pseudo second first playthrough. Thanks for sharing!
Watched all your play through vids of Ur quan masters! Well done. Really enjoyed it and laughed a lot. Gg
I would just like to say that your video series has been the most enjoyable, compelling youtube video series I've ever seen. It may be biased in that I am also a great lover of Sci-Fi, and was fortunate enough to have been introduced to SC2 in my formative years (i.e. I still own the original disks and box they came in). Having said all that, anybody reading this who loves SC2 should be made aware of Project 6014, which is an in-progress fan sequel. Jim, you should write for them.
Best villains (and best villain speech) ever!
I came for some nostalgia - I played SC2 when it came out, and actually never finished it - but stayed for the good commentary and very relatable frustration. I watched the whole playlist in one sitting, you sir earned a fresh subscription.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the series, hope you continue to enjoy the channel :)
@@JimPlaysGames If you keep on playing good old games certainly. I just started some other videos of yours but there are not many playlists for "old games" or "forgotten games"
@@Ludwig_Ahgren Check out the Ain't Played in Ages and Overlooked Oldies playlists. Those are all retro games.
JimPlaysGames I loved your passion for the game. Thanks for sharing it.
Very nice conclusion to the series, I really enjoyed your thoughts on the various races, their natures and motivations... very cool!
Also, great selection of music and of course... G'Kar is awesome!
Excellent conclusion to an excellent series, enjoyed this so much, cheers Jim :)
An excellent video that holds up ten years later.
By far the best video ive ever seen
RexRussia88 wow, thanks! :D That's most kind of you. Glad you enjoyed it.
except for the glaring error of "having to slave trade 100 crew to the Druuge", which is simply not true in the game.
I never did.
BTW: the creators have, in chats, confirmed, that the Melnorme are the Mael-Num.
Agreed, best SC2 / UQM related video I've ever seen. Well done!
Hey Jim, I was actually planning to play the game myself again, for old times sake, but instead I watched this :) So cool to see someone play this 20 year old game for the first time and still be amazed. Good stories never get old.
Might I give you a suggestion for another old favorite, namely Dune (not Dune II, the RTS). It's a very good game, based on a very bad movie, based on a VERY good SF-book by Frank Herbert. I didn't see it in your playlist and I think you'll really like it.
Must've been epic playing this through :)
I remember a surprising amount of the detailed stories in this game, and it was one of my favourites in my school days.
Star Control 1 only hinted at the story behind everything, and was just a dog-fighter with some strategic elements. I still loved it though, but was blown away when I bought SC2 with money I saved up back then... I lived in that world for many many days and loved it.
A fantastic review of one of my favorite games!
+transmogrify thanks! :D
Thanks for the warning about B5. I plan on watching it one day.
First of all, good idea and execution this video. Well done.
More or less I agree with your thoughts about the game and the various elements. One thing I constantly have though is that the Ur Quan are/were basically the good guys. In the grand scheme. They were trying to protect the other races and basically told them to join them to fight as soldiers in the war, or sent home for ever. etc.
I have to say this has been probably the best gaming video I've seen. Your style of not trying to show off how much you pwn all the time and getting really immersed in the game makes for excellent watching. You may not be the best space combat pilot ever but you showed true mastery of the Ur-Quan Masters. =D
What a great way to finish up this project! and you brought to light important things I didn't really notice during gameplay (for instance, previously I was amused by the Orz, now they terrify me :-)). Speaking of Babylon 5, I feel that Londo is in fact the best and most tragic character... but that's beyond the scope of a comment. So, thanks again for all this!
I'm coming back to this video after the official announcement of the Ur-Quan Masters 2 being in development! I can't wait for it to come out and I hope you check it out when it drops. This video and its associated lp were always fun to rewatch. I'm definitely going to be doing that again sometime soon
I watch this every couple months I love this video
Its an amazing game, I have it on the 3DO!
You're welcome, glad you enjoyed it. It certainly has that effect. I got quite choked up in the last episode of my series on it.
I bought Star Control 1 & 2 on sale on GOG because of this video. I wouldn't have gotten it otherwise. Well done!
My dad used to play this in Junior High. I'm really glad he showed me this game, it's one of the best I've ever seen..! I'm sad most people don't know about it.
Wow that makes me feel old. However, considering that I was also junior high school age when this came out, and I played it, that makes me about as old as your dad. Man... the early '90s really was a long time ago, wasn't it.
I was in college, you young whipper-snappers. 😀
26 at the time, and was fully unaware of the game until the late 90’s.
Indeed I'm familiar with it and looking forward to it immensely.
Amazing. Simply amazing.
Took a while to watch the whole playthrough, but it was well worth it. I didn't even realize how much I've missed the feeling of the first playthrough. Highly addictive series.
Now, the last I know, you had not yet played it through again.
Since you did miss some things, and I myself have played this at least a dozen times over the years, I really think you should go through it again.
(Continued in another comment)
Indeed. My playthrough on this channel was my first look at the game and it was amazing despite it's age and how late I came to find it.
Great game and great video! Please make more Looking Back videos like this.
@dczanik thanks, glad you liked it. I've only recently discovered the game, but it appears you and your fellows have loved it for some time. I've actually come across Project 6014 before. A video of the Lurg first contact with voice, which was brilliant.
I tried the demo briefly, but I'd really like to wait until it's done and then maybe do a let's play of it. The trailer is great, going in my favourites. Best of luck to you and I look forward to playing it.
Very nice conclusion to a very epic series, i applaud you,
Amazing let's play.
From whatever fortune compelled me to purchase and play Star Control 2 off the shelf many years ago (from Babages in the states) your let's play brings me back.
And I'm going back there myself thanks to your video encouragement. Oh yes, I have my original game saves, and they work perfectly with UQM!... except I think I'll start the game over. Yeah. Time to break out the genuine star map and the map I made of quazi-space, (on graph paper) from decades ago! Saw you mapped quazi-space out too. Yes, that brought me back all the more.
Star Control 2 is number 1 on my top ten games of all time. (For its depth of story if not quite epic scope of SC2, System Shock, the original, spiritual predecessor to Bio Shock, is my number 2 game of all time. Would love to see a let's play of System Shock and if that game would make your list.)
I'll be watching your other let's plays after the enjoyment I received from watching you play the UQM (SC2). Nice work. It was wonderful experiencing the story again through your eyes as you experienced the game without FAQs or advanced know how.
Chris
middiemanpnb It still blows my mind. Everything just fits together so well, while still leaving some loose ends to keep us guessing and theorizing, like any great sci-fi does. Another game that really caught me off-guard years ago was Freespace 2. The first game was a fairly straightforward game (even though it does have a surprisingly humanistic message), it is the second game that elevates the series to my all-time favorites list. Its scope is nothing short of epic, and has a quite depressing, though by no means unfounded, view of humanity. I hope there will be a time when space sims are embraced by the larger public and Volition continues this story as well. The only downside is that I haven't found it enjoyable to play with a mouse, but that you'd need a joystick. Maybe one day I'll get one, just for this game....
Oh hey, there is my comment from a year ago :D This is probably the forth time I've watched this last episode, because I use it to show people who do not care for the series what it's about. Just as good as the first time I watched it. See you next Spring. :)
Edit: If they do not want to play the game themselves that is. A lot of people don't like old games, no matter how good the game is. So a nice rap up of it is nice for those who are interested, but not 'that' interested.
P.S. I hadn't even started Babylon 5 yet when I got to the end of this review, since I had no idea what was going on, or who anyone was in the clip. It gave me incentive to find out.
Thanks. Glad you liked it. That's exactly what I was going for so I'm most pleased :D
I had a quick go with the demo of 6014 and I've seen the clip with those new aliens with the lava lamps for joysticks, but apart from that I haven't played it or seen much. I will probably do a series on it, but I'll wait for the full version.
This was (is!) a fantastic series. I played every Star Control game when they first came out and loved them (even SC3), and played through SC2 again when it came out as Ur-Quan Masters. I've tried hard to get other sci-fi + video game loving friends to go back to this masterpiece, but so far have failed to convince any of them. (There are just way too many possible ways to spend limited fun cycles these days.) So watching this series satisfied the same itch of introducing something you love to someone new who also comes to love it. Fantastic nostalgia trip. :^) I also loved your commentary throughout the series, and especially loved (love!) this final recap video. Very insightful commentary on race and motivations in science fiction, and I love the tie-in to Babylon 5 as well. Somehow I doubt there can be another great old game as wonderful as SC2 / UQM, but I've subscribed to your channel and who knows, maybe I'll find a different old hidden gem that is new to me.
Thanks! Really glad you enjoyed the series and this video. Few games have made an impression like this one. I guess there's Frontier, which I did a special series on, since it was my favourite game of my youth and for a long time since. But it's very different.
@@JimPlaysGames I don't know Frontier, so will take a look!
@@rhaining Cool! Here's a link for your convenience :) th-cam.com/video/LqhP_e855C4/w-d-xo.html
This video was so good that I want to watch it again!
seriously one of the SC2 reviews I have ever seen!!!
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it :)
Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed the series. That sense of reliving the first time playing it is exactly what I try to go for with my first impressions videos :)
This remake works fine on modern versions of Windows and it's free so it's worth checking out if you feel like playing it again. The link is in the description, or just google "ur quan masters"
Great analysis!
Thanks! :D
Spectacular. Wonderful. Thank you
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it :)
Why was the internet invented? Thoughtful, intelligent, and emotional uploads like this help us toward the answer.
Thank you for this series. It took me back 20 years to when I came to this game blind and spent hours discussing its secrets with friends at school.
Thanks :D
That's a good point about sending the Ilwrath to go and murder people just to get them away from the Chenjesu. So many difficult decisions the game forces onto you.
I heard about the alternate ways to get the Rosy Sphere later, but that only adds to the tragedy. My character had no way of knowing there was an alternative, and people were dying every day as doom drew closer and closer. If only modern game developers would learn from this example of real moral choice in games.
Who is here 12 years later because of Free Stars Children of Infinity? I know one thing, I just discovered this beautiful gem of a game and I am hooked. I am not worried about spoilers.
Fantastic video! Wonderful philosophical overview of the game! I also love Babylon 5!
Great video. 100% agree with you. This fantastic game has much more to offer than what it seems at first.
Have to agree with the Druuge at 10:35. Remember how -it shoud have been mentioned- you've to send the Ilwrath on a xenocidic mission in order to free the Chenjesu.
Two points:
The developers of the game have confirmed the Melnorme are the Mael-Num.
You can get the Rosy Sphere without having to trade with crew using Mycon egg cases and -perhaps- the Burvixese caster (not 100% sure).
Hello Jim,
I've just got around to this series and watched it over the last 3 days or so. I'll just comment here instead of every single video.
This game is absolutely brilliant! In a way, it feels so fresh when compared to most modern sci-fi franchises. The writing is witty and compelling, and the alien races are among the most imaginative I've ever seen.
Thank you so much for getting through it. Must've taken hours upon hours of scavenging, travelling and combat that has been cut out in editing.
PS. The Utwig totally sound like Pacbilly making a silly voiceover.
Yeah this was really an unexpected gem. I think it strikes a great balance between serious epic stuff and silly humour. There certainly was a decent amount of grinding, and the gameplay certainly isn't the strongest part of it, but it's all worth it for the story.
Yeah I've considered doing other similar videos, but most games don't have as much to reflect on. The sci-fi themes in this were particularly close to my interests. I did something brief at the end of EotB though and the epilogue of Grimrock.
This game has actually been released for free (all legal and stuff). Google "The Ur Quan Masters" to find the download page. Make sure you get the speech pack too. There's a link in the description of the main series videos too.
Very insightful. I don’t necessarily agree with your conclusion concerning the Arilou; children should be restrained by adults if their genuine wellbeing is at stake. But listening to the dialogue of the various races really inspired me to play it again. A true masterpiece.
The question of giving up 100 crew for the Rosy Sphere is a tough one, but you can also trade another item for it to avoid doing the wrong thing.
Indeed. That just makes it even more tragic.
JimPlaysGames Agreed. Love the video, by the way!
In case you haven't heard, StarDock now has the rights to Star Control, and are working on a prequel with inspiration taken directly from Star Control 2. Cheers!
Or you could just wait for the Kohr-Ah to wipe the Druuge out and just pick the Sphere up from the ashes... This game had so many different paths :)
Wow you make this story seem like it truely happened you need to be a director or narator or story teller or creator of games and of movies if you want just complimenting on how well you put it.i just love the end story to the game where the flag ship sizes up to the sa matra the end bit.it actually brings tears to my eyes and also befour u leave where hayes says good luck we all counting on you.how important you feel i love this game
Thanks. I thought the Slylandro encounter with the Ur-Quan was before the enslavement and genetic tampering by the Dynarri, when they were all brown rather than black or green. I could be mis-remembering though.
But it does make sense that the Slylandro would be left alone. Since they are incapable of developing technology, they can't be a threat and so the Ur-Quan don't feel the need enslave or kill them. They are after all not malevolent, just utterly terrified.
nice review, leaving open doors for a different playthrough, as if the player receives a visitor from a traveler telling a similar story of the same place
Exzellente Arbeit Jim, splendid! Liked, n shared... couldn´t have done it better i guess!
I have a tear in my eye again. Dangit, every time! How do you do it, Jim?!
This is probably the best in-depth review of StarControl Ive ever seen on youtube, the music you used is top notch! In the end, it made me really think about what could exist in our own *Backyard* so to say. The clip at the end is ...is..how can I say? Amazing, it really strikes a chord in your heart.
Curiously....? What kind of music did you use?
Hello, fantastic look back on my fave game of all time. However, I do have one point to make. It may have been said before, but when dealing with the Druuge, you -DO- have a choice for the orb, you can say no. There are other ways to get the orb. and I knew that as soon as I heard their request. I instinctively rejected it, and when I went back there later with the Burvix caster, they wanted it to hide their selling out the Burvixese to the Kohr-ah and gladly traded the orb for the 'caster.