You're actually able to get the Rosy Sphere without selling your crew. They'll also accept Mycon egg shells as currency.

"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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

"It's almost enough to make you feel sorry for them... But they must be resisted all the same."

Rejoice Star Control 2 fans! A proper sequel from the original creators of Star Control 2 is in the works. Ghosts of the Precursors.

i honestly watch this every couple months i love the lore to this game

@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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

I keep watching this every few months. Although there are alternatives for the Rosy Sphere takes nothing away from this work

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

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

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.

@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.

Best villains (and best villain speech) ever!

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.

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.

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

Jim, what a touching work of art. Thanks for taking the time to compile this!

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! 👨‍🚀🚀💫

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.

Just finished the game! It's amazing! Thank you for the review. I watched it with a such big feeling deep inside!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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)

By far the best video ive ever seen

Excellent way to present this game. Thoroughly enjoyed it. As a side note: I haven't played SC2 since it was first released

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

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.

An excellent video that holds up ten years later.

Why was the internet invented? Thoughtful, intelligent, and emotional uploads like this help us toward the answer.

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!

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.

I bought Star Control 1 & 2 on sale on GOG because of this video. I wouldn't have gotten it otherwise. Well done!

Its an amazing game, I have it on the 3DO!

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.

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.

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

JimPlaysGames I loved your passion for the game. Thanks for sharing it.

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.

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!

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 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 KZfaq. Thanks Jim.

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!

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.

Amazing video, great memories !!! I enjoyed each part of it, congrats, it makes me think so much about our existense it self.

Watched all your play through vids of Ur quan masters! Well done. Really enjoyed it and laughed a lot. Gg

Wow thanks! That's extremely kind of you to say. I'm not sure what to say except thanks and I'm glad you enjoyed it. It was definitely a great experience and I'm happy to share it.

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.

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

Great series, superb comments by Jim. Surprisingly deep and wise insights in this afterthought ep. I enjoyed it much. Thank you! :)

Exactly. It made for much greater drama to force this decision on the player. Then to later discover that there was another way makes it even more tragic.

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.

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.

Still returning to this. Good stuff, friend

I really enjoyed your video. I watch it every time I get nostalgic for one of my favorite games.

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

@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 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.

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).

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!

Amazing analysis of one of the best games I've ever played. Thanks! Really enjoyed the video.

You can get the Rosy Sphere without trading any crew. Get more Egg Fragments.

seriously one of the SC2 reviews I have ever seen!!!

SC2 and B5 2 of the best things i have ever had the pleasure of seeing

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.

Ending with B5 was perfect.

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)

neutral races during the captains Zelnicks second voyage (2165 to 2169) Utwig, Spathi, Melnorme, Xen-Weyi, Drudge, Faz, Baul, Foon-Foon, and Fjorn "The great builder race"(Mother-Ark), Androsynth (Moved to "Rhadamanti constellation" in Lower Quasi space), Ur-Quan Kzer-Za (Moved to Kessari Quandrant) Alliance enemy races during the captains Zelnicks second voyage (2165 to 2169) Ur-Quan Kohr-Ah, Lurg Alliance of Free Stars Races during the captains Zelnicks second voyage (2165 to 2169) Chmmr, Earthling, Shofixti, Yehat, Orz, Syreen, Alilou (Moved from Upper Quasi space to far West true space).

Exzellente Arbeit Jim, splendid! Liked, n shared... couldn´t have done it better i guess!

I love this game, and I love this video. BE PROUD!

Love how this is put together. Great Work!

A fantastic review of one of my favorite games!

Amazing series with a great conclusion. Now to watch the rest of your videos.

Indeed. I think that's why it got to me so much, because he was exactly right, and even after it being pointed out, I still acted the same way.

The kickstarter for the sequel by the original creators has been immensely succesful. You should give it a look and maybe cosndier giving it a shout 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.

I don't know if you realized, but one thing amusing about the whole thing with the Druuge is that, when he said something about "we're the same, you just cover your actions with justifications" you ended the dialogue, started to move your ship away and did exactly what he said, started to make justifications. ie "we're not the same, I fight for a greater cause, etcetera". Don't know if you were consciously aware of that or not

I will check out Star Control: Origins at some point, but god I wish Toys for Bob will get to make that proper sequel to The Ur-Quan Masters that we all want.

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.

I just can't believe you took down the Sa-matra with a Pkunk! I threw six Chmmrrs at that thing.

When you talked about setting the sylandro free from their biological prisons I almost wept!! You have made this fanboi give you the title of heartbreaker! lemme keep watching

This is a really thoughtful video on a really incredible game! I'm glad I chose to watch this after my most recent playthrough, because I really appreciate your perspective. I think one of the best parts of Star Control 2 is how it makes the player process those feelings of discovery! Every time I hear someone's first impressions / post-game analysis, they always have a slightly different moments they choose to emphasize & I think that's awesome! IMO that's a testament to how well designed the game is, despite sometimes getting annoying or occasionally showing its age. I agree w/almost everything you said in this video. That said - if I made it, I also definitely would have criticized some of the writing (particularly the Syreen and Shofixti - who's inclusion seems to be purely based on "jokes" that have aged pretty badly, all things considered. You commented on the Shofixti just being an incredibly specific racist caricature in the LP, though, so I assume that point's not lost on you either.) I don't think that invalidates the many things the game does right - but it does kind of temper my recommendations sometimes (especially as it relates to the story's focus on fighting against oppression + intergalactic bigotry). These plot criticisms are only tangentially related to the video + your experiences - but still, I'm curious to see what Fred Ford & Paul Reiche III will do differently with those races in Ghosts of the Precursors (assuming that project is still chugging along). I'm curious - have you ever played the first Star Control? It seems like a good game to pop on for an afternoon when you're streaming! It's *very* different - the only similarity is the super-melee (which is basically identical) & the lore. I believe the easiest way to play it these days is emulating the MegaDrive version - but there are also Amiga & DOS versions (as well as some much jankier ports to much weaker hardware, which I think are adorable from a historical perspective but would not recommend playing). It takes place during the war between the Alliance of Free Stars & the Hierarchy, and instead of being an open world RPG-adventure thing, it's more of a turn based strategy game? It's kind of inspired by Paul Reiche III's earlier work on the game "Archon" (which he snuck into the title: stAR CONtrol). It has a really interesting asymmetrical strategy thing going on that (even if you dislike it) is a neat way for them to depict the kinds of battles that influenced the plot of the second game! That's a big wall of text to say: great video! Made me want to let you know I subscribed + appreciate your work :)

@ProteusMega you're welcome, and thanks for your kind words :)

@hiffinn you're welcome, and thanks for your kind words :)

Don't know if it's been mentioned here, but you get another look into the depth of the Ur-Quan's character if they lose their war against the Kohr-Ah. They completely change; they lose their dominating, commanding attitude and even develop a sense of morose depression that rivals the Utwig! (ie "We could kill you, but what's the point? The Kohr-Ah are about to destroy everyone we've tried to protect and nothing matters any more") They even express their hope that you survive the coming conflict. (Here are the quotes, starting from the line, "Why should we run away?") www.sa-matra.net/quotes/ur-quan/ Of course, the way they feel doesn't justify all the harm they have done, but it does give some insight into the fact that, on some level, they really do believe that they are doing good to the people they are enslaving. (As twisted as that motivation may be) In fact... the more I think of it, the more I feel like they may have narcissistic personality disorder. People with NPD feel a compulsive need to put down everyone around them and elevate themselves because it's the only way they know how to feel unafraid. It's a condition that typically comes about from extreme childhood trauma and memories of pain, slavery, and torture definitely fit the bill. My headcanon is that the Ur-Quan are telepathic, which is why they are easily psychically manipulable and why they remember events from 20000 years ago so clearly, because the trauma of that time has been passed down generation after generation, every Ur-Quan child having grown up bombarded by terror and pain. (This theory, I think, is supported by the Kohr-Ah line, "My ancestors scream from their chambers in my mind") The only way they know how to function is to convince themselves that they are the dominant, superior species of the galaxy and push that fantasy to the forefront of their minds so it drowns out the mind-numbing terror they feel every day. This delusion is supported (in their minds) by the fact that they keep winning wars against other species and further reinforces their beliefs that they know what is best for everyone... but their belief that they are superior is still a delusion. Well, I'm kind of rambling now, but I'd be curious to know what you think if you ever read this, Jim. :)

Great tribute to a great game. Got totally sucked in, and delayed doing stuff that I HAD TO do in favor of watching the series. It's funny how the series stands as a testament to how gaming has changed. Back in the day, when it was hardware couldn't produce awesome graphics, the games would impress you with writing and gameplay. It's also somewhat funny to see how you expect the game to have more depth than it does; "Have I visited Procyon too many times? Will the Ur-Quan really attack Earth now?" I can't remember how I saw those situations as a youngling myself, but I'm glad the game managed to weave such an illusion. I'm sure that a first-timer watching the series would have been equally worried. Another thing that's rather funny (though also buttclench-inducing) to see how you struggled with the combat because the game expects you to LEARN without explicitly telling you anything, and favors outplaying your opponent rather than overpowering them. There are very few ships that are truly garbage. The Arilou and Supox are the only ones that I can think of. In the end (or even more so in the beginning), it all boils down to choosing the ship that can best survive the enemy ship's strengths while exploiting its weaknesses, in that order. But once you have exhausted the Melnorme's technology catalog, the flagship is almost everything you need, apart for a few specific situations, such as Pkunk vs. Sa-Matra. Maximizing your firepower far outweighs any benefit from extra crew or defensive systems, and offense becomes the best defense as the Hellbore cannon tears through anything the enemy can throw at you. Either way, well done, and an extra thanks for this tribute. It was touching to see someone enjoy this rather significant piece of my childhood. Kudos, Jim. PS. I played SC3 back in the day. I can't remember thinking it was rubbish (like Master of Orion 3, for example). It was just very different. Its timing was also unfortunate. Back in those days 2d animations were going out of fashion, and lacking the tech, storage and processing power for 3d CGI, live action was preferred. A relatively low-budget space opera had to make do with rubber puppets that looked like... rubber puppets.