Editing Star Control II (section)

==Gameplay==
[[File:StarControl2 Entering Sol System.png|thumb|left|The Captain's ship enters the [[Solar System]] at the beginning of the game.]]
''Star Control II'' is an [[Action-adventure game|action-adventure]] [[science fiction]] game, set in an [[Open world|open]] universe.<ref name="bestclassic2">{{Cite news|last=Hamilton|first=Kirk|date=September 19, 2013|title=The Game That "Won" Our Classic PC Games List (If It Had A Winner)|language=en-US|work=Kotaku|url=http://kotaku.com/the-game-that-won-our-classic-pc-games-list-if-it-ha-1349952997|access-date=April 3, 2018}}</ref> It features ship-to-ship combat based on the original ''[[Star Control]]'', but removes the first game's [[Strategy video game|strategy]] gameplay to focus on story and dialog, as seen in other [[adventure game]]s.<ref name="HG101series2">{{cite web|author=Kalata|first=Kurt|date=September 11, 2018|title=Star Control II|url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/star-control-ii/|access-date=October 22, 2020|publisher=Hardcore Gaming 101}}</ref> The player's goal is to free [[Earth]] from the evil [[Ur-Quan]], by recruiting aliens to help.<ref name=":02">{{cite web|author=Hayward|first=David|date=May 9, 2019|title=50 Underrated DOS Games|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/games/underrated-dos-games/|publisher=Den of Geek}}</ref> The main gameplay elements are exploring the galaxy, gathering resources, building a fleet, defeating enemy ships, and conversing with aliens.<ref name=":12">{{cite web|author=Shearer|first=Stew|date=December 6, 2014|title=Star Control 2 - Interstellar Awesome|url=https://v1.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/goodoldreviews/12716-Good-Old-Review-Star-Control-2|access-date=October 22, 2020|publisher=[[The Escapist (magazine)|The Escapist]]|archive-date=November 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181121154234/https://v1.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/goodoldreviews/12716-Good-Old-Review-Star-Control-2}}</ref><ref name=":42">{{Cite web|last=Hope|first=Patrick|date=September 24, 2013|title=Patrick Hope: Into the vault with little-known Ur-Quan Masters|url=https://www.thedickinsonpress.com/opinion/1828478-patrick-hope-vault-little-known-ur-quan-masters|access-date=2020-05-28|website=The Dickinson Press|language=en}}</ref>

One-on-one spaceship battles take place in real-time, based on the core gameplay of the original ''Star Control''.<ref name=":22">{{Cite web|date=May 1, 2015|title=5 Sequels That Are Very Different From The Original Games|url=https://www.cinemablend.com/games/5-Sequels-Very-Different-From-Original-Games-71637.html|access-date=May 7, 2020|website=CinemaBlend}}</ref> Each ship has unique weapons, maneuvers, and secondary abilities,<ref name=":02" /> and winning a battle requires a combination of ship selection and skill.<ref name=":12" /> This combat mode can be played separately in a two-player battle mode called Super Melee.<ref name="Bycer20182">{{cite book|author=Bycer|first=Joshua|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MfZ1DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA4|title=20 Essential Games to Study|date=October 26, 2018|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=978-0-429-80208-9|pages=4–|access-date=October 22, 2020}}</ref> In the story mode, the player is limited to the ships they can gain from sympathetic alien races, whereas Super Melee includes every ship in both ''Star Control'' games.<ref name="HG101series2" /> The only ship unique to the story mode is the player's capital ship, which is upgraded as the player gains new technology and resources.<ref name="Bycer20182" />

After a brief opening sequence, the player is given near total freedom to explore the galaxy at large.<ref name=":42" /> Exploration often involves travelling to stars, landing on planets, and gathering resources.<ref name=":12" /> The player navigates their star map, with over 500 stars and 3800 planets to potentially visit.<ref name=":32">{{cite web|author=Drake|first=Jeff|date=November 10, 2019|title=The 10 Biggest Open World Games|url=https://gamerant.com/open-world-games-biggest-maps/|access-date=October 22, 2020|publisher=Game Rant}}</ref> Players must manage their risk as they explore, as planets with more dangerous hazards usually feature more valuable resources, which are vital to upgrade the player's fleet.<ref name="Bycer20182" /> More rarely, a planet will feature an interactive alien race, who the player can engage with as a potential friend or foe.<ref name=":12" /> The interactive dialog options help advance the story, with branching conversations similar to other adventure games.<ref name="HG101series2" /> These conversations also reveal secrets and information about the galaxy.<ref name=":12" /> The game vastly expands on the characters and backstory from the first game, with each [[species]] having their own characteristic conversational quirks, music, and even display fonts.<ref name="HG101series2" />