Star Control II

Availability: Windows (Steam and GOG, Steam Deck YMMV)

First released for PC DOS in 1992, it’s no exaggeration to say that Star Control II is one of the greatest games of all time. And unlike some other great games of its era, it’s not just one of those curiosities that we can look back on and appreciate for its ambition and achievement but would struggle to go back to and enjoy now. If you’re open to what it’s doing, Star Control II, available on Steam and GOG (or as a free, upgraded source port of the 3DO version), is still eminently playable and fun today.

Cast as a human space captain in a time when humanity and many other alien races have fallen to the vile Ur Quan, you must explore a vast galaxy, recruiting disparate alien races and strengthening your fleet until you have what it takes to defeat your tyrannical oppressors. The gameplay is an engaging mix of exploring a hazardous galaxy, gathering resources from planets, interacting with alien races, customizing the ships in your fleet, and having space battles with alien aggressors.

The game quickly pulls you in with a terrific sense of discovery as you travel the galaxy, encountering memorable new alien races and having well-written, captivating exchanges with them, and it’s immensely satisfying to build up an intergalactic alliance to take the fight back to the Ur Quan.

Released to critical acclaim in ‘92, its legacy has only grown in the decades since, as it’s frequently been listed among the greatest games of all time, including here at Kotaku It was among the first games to show how exploring the stars could make for unforgettable gameplay, and it helped set the stage for what Bethesda is doing with Starfield today. — Carolyn Petit, Managing Editor