Speak of the Devil
I know I mentioned Legend Entertainment’s Star Control 3 in my previous article, but something else has surprised me: It is now available on GOG.com for $5.99.
Here is part of the overview on GOG that mentions that Star Control fans did not like this game:
Star Control 3 is the last installment of the series. Taking a slightly different track that diverged from the Star Control 2 formula, it got excellent reviews though some of the hardcore Star Control fans weren’t entirely thrilled by the innovations. Journalists, new fans of the series, and hardcore fans alike all agreed on one thing, though: this game’s story is great.
So whether you’re an old fan of the series, someone who was put off by a friend’s dislike of the game, or someone who’s never played the Star Control games at all, here’s your chance: pick up the excellent final game in the Star Control series and make up your mind for yourself!
I remember when GOG was first announced, it was implied that the games available would be older, critically-acclaimed games. I don’t consider this game critically-acclaimed. Then again, Star Control isn’t a multi-million best-seller, so the people who like this game probably haven’t played the two games made by Toys for Bob.
This still makes me wonder who still owns the right between Toys for Bob and Atari. If Legend is now defunct, do they still own their content (e.g. Harika, etc.)?
Conclusion
I would like to reiterate that nothing is being held against Legend personally. It’s just that this game went in a completely different direction and the result turned down people who loved the universe established by Toys for Bob. I don’t consider Legend’s game canon. With the legal mumbo-jumbo between TFB and Atari, what about this game? This Star Control game isn’t the worst game in the world; it just didn’t feel like a TFB game. If anyone is curious about what this game is like, $5.99 really is a cheap price that anyone can afford; it is much cheaper than grabbing a copy off eBay. It includes the PDF manual in addition to the game and no DOSBox tinkering is required. Just be prepared to see something way off TFB’s path.
I don’t know how GOG is able to jump through the legal hoops; it is certainly impressive how they do this. They even went as far as selling their new game, The Witcher 2, DRM-free.
What do you think about this? Do you think Atari is using this as a way of having more than just their flash game as a way of showing that they are using the Star Control trademark? Their flash game was considered a “token” which could be challenged. Now that they’re distributing the three games with GOG, they most likely have more protection with the copyright. If TFB does make a true Star Control sequel, I’m open to any title such as “The Ur-Quan Masters 2” or anything else. A rose by any other name…
Links
GOG.com - New Release: Star Control 3
GOG.com - Star Control 3 page
GOG.com - About Us
Abandonia - Star Control 3
