<s>
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
3	I-Application
is	O
a	O
1996	O
action-adventure	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Legend	O
Entertainment	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Accolade	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
third	O
installment	O
in	O
the	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
trilogy	I-Application
,	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
MS-DOS	B-Application
in	O
1996	O
and	O
Mac	B-Application
OS	I-Application
in	O
1998	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
story	O
takes	O
place	O
after	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
beginning	O
with	O
a	O
disaster	O
that	O
disrupts	O
superluminal	O
travel	O
through	O
hyperspace	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
features	O
a	O
single-player	O
campaign	O
that	O
is	O
similar	O
to	O
the	O
previous	O
installment	O
,	O
combining	O
space	O
exploration	O
,	O
alien	O
dialogue	B-Application
,	O
and	O
ship-to-ship	O
combat	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
contrast	O
to	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
hyperspace	B-Application
flight	O
is	O
replaced	O
with	O
instantaneous	O
fast	O
travel	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Planetary	O
exploration	O
is	O
replaced	O
with	O
a	O
colony	O
management	O
system	O
,	O
inspired	O
by	O
the	O
original	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Legend	O
was	O
selected	O
due	O
to	O
their	O
passion	O
for	O
the	O
previous	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
games	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
their	O
experience	O
as	O
veteran	O
game	O
writers	O
from	O
the	O
acclaimed	O
adventure	O
game	O
studio	O
Infocom	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
designed	O
the	O
game	O
in	O
consultation	O
with	O
fans	O
,	O
replacing	O
features	O
from	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
II	I-Application
that	O
received	O
negative	O
feedback	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
3	I-Application
was	O
considered	O
a	O
critical	O
and	O
commercial	O
success	O
upon	O
release	O
,	O
with	O
praise	O
for	O
its	O
story	O
and	O
varied	O
gameplay	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
later	O
suffered	O
from	O
comparisons	O
to	O
the	O
award-winning	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
with	O
a	O
mixed	O
legacy	O
among	O
both	O
fans	O
and	O
critics	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
3	I-Application
is	O
a	O
space	O
action-adventure	O
game	O
with	O
strategic	B-Application
elements	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
3	I-Application
features	O
ship-to-ship	O
combat	O
,	O
as	O
seen	O
in	O
the	O
previous	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
also	O
includes	O
a	O
colonization	O
system	O
inspired	O
by	O
the	O
first	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
,	O
with	O
story	O
,	O
exploration	O
,	O
and	O
dialogue	B-Application
similar	O
to	O
that	O
of	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
II	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
3	I-Application
features	O
a	O
2D	O
ship	O
combat	O
system	O
,	O
which	O
the	O
previous	O
games	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
call	O
the	O
"	O
melee	B-Application
"	O
mode	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Action	O
in	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
3	I-Application
utilizes	O
the	O
same	O
top-down	O
perspective	O
from	O
the	O
previous	O
games	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
offering	O
a	O
new	O
perspective	O
from	O
behind	O
the	O
ship	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
combat	O
can	O
be	O
played	O
as	O
a	O
stand-alone	O
game	O
mode	O
,	O
offering	O
competition	O
against	O
an	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
opponent	I-Application
or	O
against	O
other	O
players	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Where	O
the	O
first	O
two	O
games	O
allowed	O
two	O
players	O
to	O
play	O
at	O
the	O
same	O
keyboard	O
,	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
3	I-Application
includes	O
multiplayer	O
modes	O
for	O
network	B-General_Concept
,	O
modem	B-Application
,	O
and	O
serial	B-Protocol
connections	I-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
can	O
use	O
warp	O
technology	O
to	O
instantaneously	O
travel	O
to	O
any	O
star	O
in	O
the	O
sector	O
by	O
clicking	O
on	O
a	O
star	O
map	O
with	O
a	O
mouse	O
,	O
in	O
contrast	O
to	O
the	O
slower	O
hyperspace	B-Application
voyages	O
in	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
II	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
change	O
is	O
explained	O
in-game	O
as	O
a	O
mysterious	O
hyperspace	B-Application
collapse	O
,	O
which	O
becomes	O
the	O
central	O
question	O
driving	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
action	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
can	O
select	O
from	O
different	O
dialog	B-Application
options	I-Application
,	O
leading	O
to	O
different	O
reactions	O
and	O
story	O
events	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
dialog	O
screens	O
feature	O
digitized	O
full-motion	B-Application
video	I-Application
of	O
mechanical	O
puppets	O
,	O
instead	O
of	O
the	O
2D	O
animated	O
pixel	O
art	O
of	O
the	O
previous	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
the	O
previous	O
game	O
had	O
the	O
player	O
gather	O
resources	O
by	O
landing	O
on	O
planets	O
,	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
3	I-Application
has	O
the	O
player	O
earn	O
resources	O
through	O
a	O
colony	O
management	O
system	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
approach	O
builds	O
on	O
the	O
colonization	O
system	O
of	O
the	O
first	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
3	I-Application
,	O
the	O
player	O
takes	O
the	O
role	O
of	O
"	O
the	O
Captain	O
"	O
,	O
the	O
central	O
protagonist	O
from	O
the	O
previous	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shortly	O
after	O
the	O
events	O
of	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
hyperspace	B-Application
mysteriously	O
collapses	O
throughout	O
the	O
galaxy	O
,	O
stranding	O
most	O
spacefaring	O
races	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
the	O
next	O
several	O
years	O
,	O
the	O
Captain	O
experiments	O
with	O
ancient	O
Precursor	O
artifacts	O
and	O
creates	O
a	O
new	O
ship	O
that	O
can	O
instantly	O
warp	O
between	O
stars	O
,	O
without	O
hyperspace	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Captain	O
eventually	O
traces	O
the	O
origins	O
of	O
the	O
hyperspace	B-Application
collapse	O
to	O
the	O
galactic	O
core	O
and	O
assembles	O
an	O
alliance	O
of	O
ten	O
alien	O
races	O
to	O
investigate	O
the	O
unexplored	O
quadrant	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Captain	O
temporarily	O
restores	O
a	O
single	O
Precursor	O
to	O
their	O
full	O
intelligence	O
,	O
who	O
explains	O
that	O
the	O
hyperspace	B-Application
collapse	O
is	O
connected	O
to	O
interdimensional	O
fatigue	O
caused	O
by	O
the	O
Eternal	O
Ones	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
was	O
created	O
by	O
Fred	O
Ford	O
and	O
Paul	O
Reiche	O
III	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Accolade	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
the	O
success	O
of	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
Accolade	O
offered	O
Ford	O
and	O
Reiche	O
the	O
same	O
budget	O
to	O
produce	O
a	O
third	O
game	O
,	O
which	O
they	O
turned	O
down	O
to	O
pursue	O
other	O
projects	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
Ford	O
and	O
Reiche	O
had	O
retained	O
the	O
rights	O
to	O
their	O
characters	O
and	O
stories	O
from	O
the	O
first	O
two	O
games	O
,	O
they	O
licensed	O
their	O
content	O
to	O
Accolade	O
so	O
that	O
the	O
publisher	O
could	O
create	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
3	I-Application
without	O
their	O
involvement	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Producer	O
George	O
MacDonald	O
from	O
Accolade	O
decided	O
to	O
work	O
with	O
Michael	O
Lindner	O
and	O
Daniel	O
Greenberg	O
of	O
Legend	O
Entertainment	O
,	O
after	O
hearing	O
about	O
their	O
love	O
of	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
from	O
Legend	O
president	O
Bob	O
Bates	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Legend	O
's	O
writers	O
included	O
veterans	O
from	O
acclaimed	O
adventure	O
game	O
developer	O
Infocom	O
,	O
with	O
Lindner	O
and	O
Greenberg	O
leading	O
the	O
writing	O
team	O
for	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
3	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
guide	O
the	O
project	O
,	O
the	O
staff	O
at	O
Legend	O
assembled	O
a	O
"	O
bible	O
"	O
about	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
based	O
on	O
the	O
series	O
 '	O
manuals	O
and	O
scripts	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
fan	O
community	O
providing	O
corrections	O
and	O
additions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Legend	O
also	O
consulted	O
with	O
Ford	O
and	O
Reiche	O
to	O
answer	O
open	O
questions	O
from	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
true	O
fate	O
of	O
the	O
Precursors	O
and	O
the	O
relationship	O
between	O
Earth	O
and	O
the	O
Arilou	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
MacDonald	O
described	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
relationship	O
between	O
gameplay	O
and	O
narrative	O
,	O
explaining	O
that	O
"	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
is	O
at	O
its	O
core	O
a	O
giant	O
story	O
,	O
and	O
you	O
have	O
to	O
find	O
this	O
story	O
and	O
explore	O
it.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Legend	O
also	O
compiled	O
a	O
detailed	O
binder	O
of	O
letters	O
,	O
faxes	O
,	O
and	O
e-mails	O
,	O
with	O
fan	O
suggestions	O
for	O
the	O
next	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
game	O
,	O
which	O
they	O
incorporated	O
into	O
their	O
plans	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
major	O
target	O
of	O
fan	O
criticism	O
was	O
the	O
tedium	O
of	O
the	O
planetary	O
resource	O
gathering	O
from	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
complaints	O
about	O
returning	O
to	O
Earth	O
to	O
refuel	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
team	O
decided	O
to	O
replace	O
planet	O
landing	O
with	O
a	O
colony	O
management	O
system	O
,	O
an	O
allusion	O
to	O
the	O
strategy	O
elements	O
from	O
the	O
first	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
developers	O
were	O
fans	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
2D	O
art	O
of	O
the	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
II	I-Application
aliens	O
and	O
were	O
hesitant	O
to	O
utilize	O
3D	O
graphics	O
that	O
were	O
too	O
mathematical	O
or	O
robotic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Finding	O
a	O
third	O
way	O
forward	O
,	O
they	O
designed	O
the	O
characters	O
by	O
filming	O
live	O
animatronic	O
puppets	O
,	O
designed	O
to	O
take	O
advantage	O
of	O
the	O
storage	O
potential	O
of	O
the	O
CD-ROM	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
developers	O
also	O
added	O
an	O
isometric	B-Application
view	O
option	O
to	O
the	O
combat	O
screen	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
array	O
of	O
camera	O
angles	O
and	O
lighting	O
effects	O
proved	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
challenge	O
but	O
ultimately	O
ran	O
smoothly	O
on	O
an	O
i486	B-General_Concept
processor	O
,	O
as	O
found	O
in	O
personal	O
computers	O
of	O
the	O
day	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
3	I-Application
features	O
professionally	O
voiced	O
dialog	O
with	O
a	O
cast	O
different	O
from	O
that	O
of	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
which	O
was	O
previously	O
performed	O
by	O
personal	O
friends	O
of	O
Reiche	O
and	O
Ford	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
3	I-Application
had	O
been	O
scheduled	O
for	O
release	O
by	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
1995	O
,	O
but	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
delayed	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
complexities	O
of	O
all	O
the	O
interactions	O
between	O
the	O
different	O
aliens	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
version	O
was	O
planned	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
bringing	O
the	O
series	O
back	O
to	O
Sega	O
consoles	O
on	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
,	O
but	O
both	O
ports	O
were	O
ultimately	O
canceled	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
late	O
1997	O
,	O
MacSoft	O
announced	O
that	O
they	O
would	O
re-publish	O
several	O
Accolade	O
games	O
for	O
Mac	B-Application
OS	I-Application
,	O
leading	O
to	O
the	O
re-release	O
of	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
3	I-Application
in	O
April	O
1998	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
the	O
early	O
2000s	O
,	O
the	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
series	O
was	O
no	O
longer	O
available	O
at	O
retail	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
3	I-Application
was	O
later	O
re-released	O
in	O
2011	O
,	O
allowing	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
be	O
played	O
on	O
contemporary	O
operating	B-General_Concept
systems	I-General_Concept
.	O
</s>
<s>
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
3	I-Application
was	O
considered	O
a	O
commercial	O
success	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
its	O
initial	O
two	O
months	O
,	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
3	I-Application
surpassed	O
100,000	O
units	O
in	O
sales	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
review	B-Application
aggregator	I-Application
website	O
Metacritic	O
,	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
3	I-Application
received	O
an	O
average	O
score	O
of	O
89%	O
,	O
indicating	O
"	O
generally	O
favorable	O
"	O
reviews	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Tim	O
Soete	O
of	O
GameSpot	O
celebrated	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
3	I-Application
for	O
its	O
integration	O
of	O
action	O
,	O
adventure	O
,	O
strategy	O
,	O
and	O
exploration	O
,	O
calling	O
it	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
best	O
games	O
of	O
1996	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Computer	O
Games	O
Magazine	O
also	O
called	O
it	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
best	O
games	O
of	O
the	O
year	O
,	O
applauding	O
its	O
characters	O
and	O
story	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
its	O
improved	O
graphics	O
and	O
animations	O
compared	O
to	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
II	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Writing	O
for	O
PC	O
Gamer	O
,	O
Michael	O
Wolf	O
felt	O
that	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
3	I-Application
blended	O
elements	O
from	O
previous	O
games	O
"	O
with	O
mixed	O
results	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
he	O
praised	O
the	O
evolution	O
of	O
combat	O
and	O
story	O
within	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
he	O
also	O
criticized	O
the	O
strategic	B-Application
elements	O
that	O
were	O
inspired	O
by	O
the	O
first	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Comparing	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
Barry	O
Brenesal	O
from	O
PC	O
Games	O
praised	O
the	O
addition	O
of	O
the	O
colony	O
system	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
Brenesal	O
noted	O
that	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
3	I-Application
had	O
lost	O
some	O
humor	O
and	O
color	O
from	O
the	O
previous	O
game	O
,	O
he	O
felt	O
this	O
was	O
outweighed	O
by	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
broader	O
changes	O
,	O
including	O
its	O
improved	O
game	O
engine	O
and	O
game	O
balance	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Italian	O
publication	O
PC	O
Game	O
Parades	O
Davide	O
Mascaretti	O
also	O
felt	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
had	O
lost	O
some	O
of	O
the	O
novelty	O
of	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
but	O
he	O
still	O
recommended	O
the	O
game	O
overall	O
,	O
especially	O
its	O
combat	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
3	I-Application
was	O
consistently	O
praised	O
for	O
its	O
combat	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
its	O
writing	O
and	O
character	O
interaction	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Two	O
years	O
later	O
,	O
the	O
Mac	B-Application
OS	I-Application
version	O
received	O
more	O
mixed	O
reviews	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Macworlds	O
Michael	O
Gowan	O
wrote	O
that	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
3	I-Application
was	O
lacking	O
a	O
modern	O
feel	O
,	O
particularly	O
in	O
its	O
action	O
and	O
dialog	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Next	O
Generation	O
criticized	O
the	O
port	O
as	O
"	O
obsolete	O
"	O
and	O
rated	O
it	O
lower	O
than	O
the	O
original	O
release	O
,	O
saying	O
that	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
3	I-Application
falls	O
short	O
of	O
other	O
space	O
simulation	O
games	O
on	O
Mac	B-Application
OS	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ultimately	O
,	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
3	I-Application
is	O
not	O
remembered	O
as	O
fondly	O
as	O
its	O
predecessor	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2000	O
,	O
GameSpot	O
listed	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
3s	I-Application
ending	O
on	O
its	O
list	O
of	O
the	O
ten	O
most	O
disappointing	O
game	O
endings	O
,	O
calling	O
it	O
"	O
the	O
final	O
nail	O
in	O
the	O
coffin	O
for	O
a	O
game	O
that	O
could	O
have	O
continued	O
a	O
much-loved	O
legacy	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
IGN	O
compiled	O
their	O
2003	O
list	O
of	O
greatest	O
games	O
,	O
they	O
celebrated	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
II	I-Application
while	O
noting	O
that	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
3	I-Application
"	O
paled	O
in	O
comparison	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Game	O
developer	O
and	O
historian	O
Neal	O
Tringham	O
suggested	O
that	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
3	I-Application
was	O
not	O
successful	O
at	O
reproducing	O
the	O
successful	O
design	O
of	O
the	O
second	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Historian	O
Rusel	O
DeMaria	O
also	O
explained	O
that	O
fans	O
did	O
not	O
consider	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
3	I-Application
as	O
good	O
as	O
its	O
predecessor	O
,	O
noting	O
that	O
they	O
were	O
developed	O
by	O
different	O
teams	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Writing	O
for	O
Kotaku	O
,	O
Logan	O
Booker	O
stated	O
that	O
"	O
no	O
one	O
's	O
really	O
nailed	O
a	O
successor	O
to	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
II	I-Application
and	O
an	O
official	O
addition	O
to	O
the	O
series	O
was	O
killed	O
off	O
by	O
the	O
lacklustre	O
Star	O
Control	O
3.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Initially	O
,	O
series	O
creators	O
Ford	O
and	O
Reiche	O
had	O
promoted	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
3	I-Application
as	O
a	O
"	O
visually	O
rich	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
captivating	O
sequel	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kurt	O
Kalata	O
of	O
Hardcore	O
Gaming	O
101	O
described	O
the	O
efforts	O
of	O
Legend	O
Entertainment	O
,	O
that	O
"[i]t's	O
obvious	O
the	O
designers	O
of	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
III	I-Application
had	O
great	O
reverence	O
for	O
the	O
older	O
games	O
,	O
it	O
still	O
ca	O
n't	O
help	O
but	O
feel	O
like	O
fan	O
fiction	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
That	O
feeling	O
,	O
that	O
everything	O
is	O
slightly	O
off	O
,	O
is	O
what	O
harms	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
3	I-Application
the	O
most.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Still	O
,	O
the	O
publication	O
also	O
noted	O
that	O
the	O
antagonist	O
's	O
goal	O
of	O
harvesting	O
sentience	O
was	O
an	O
influence	O
on	O
the	O
Mass	B-Application
Effect	I-Application
series	O
and	O
their	O
antagonist	O
,	O
the	O
Reapers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1998	O
,	O
a	O
follow-up	O
game	O
titled	O
StarCon	O
was	O
planned	O
,	O
featuring	O
the	O
Crux	O
as	O
a	O
major	O
faction	O
,	O
but	O
Accolade	O
suspended	O
the	O
project	O
to	O
re-evaluate	O
their	O
plans	O
for	O
the	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
license	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
3	I-Application
thus	O
marked	O
the	O
last	O
official	O
installment	O
to	O
the	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
