Star Control

The Good
It has a cool sci-fi atmosphere (the great manual helps)

Only four different ships per side in this version but still adds replay value.

Supports 2 player hot-seat.

Lets you choose to focus on battles, management or both.

One of the best loading schemes I've seen (important if you play in a real spectrum )

The Bad
AI is not very smart even in hardest setting and when you master the battles, you will hardly lose a fight even vs better ships

The Bottom Line
Graphics are ok, the intro screen and battle intros are colorful and well-drawn. The ships are monochrome and make a bit of color-clash with the stars, but nothing serious. I wish it had bigger and more detailed ships, but maybe the spectrum doesn't allow more than what it's in the game.

The sound is functional. It lacks music but there is a lot of beeps and bops when you move the cursor in the strategic map or in the battle part when a ship fires, when laser or missile hits and so.

The one player game is nice to play if you try not to think how easy it's to win. If you have a minimum experience with shoot'em ups it will be no challenge to win every fight. And in the strategic plane I was never pushed or something like that.

Where this game shines is in two player game. When your opponent fights you back, and it's battled for every world. Alliance players may have the high ground, because in my opinion, their ships are better. Anyways, you can take it just like in chess. I must say though, that hierarchy ships are much funnier to play with.