STARCRAFT II GHOST OF THE PAST

[Illiad86]

sheesh, makes me not want to get Diablo III regardless if it's awesome or not...that's crazy...

[Vindekarr]

Crazy it indeed is.

 

Im going to be very very interested indeed to see the sales figures: if this was for anyting other than starcraft II this may well have been crippling for actibliz.

 

I mean, I just recently picked up Burnout Paradise for pc to replace a disc my stupid removalists destroyed. It took me literaly thirty seconds post install to OPTIONALY register for online play. they just wanted age, desired username, and the obligatory email/dvd key. After that I was given lifetime access to the paradise servers online fun. Likewise for Dawn Of War II, which doesnt even need your cd key, it just asks for a contact email adress and then asks you what you want your account to be called, after that, away you go.

 

I really miss the days when that didnt stand out for user freindliness and ease of use-that simplicity really is all you need, especialy in a steam powered game like SC II thats almost unpirateable. Because Battle.Net is no better than the DOW II service, if not slightly inferior since your units dont change as you increase/decrease in skill over multiple games, so why should they treat their customer as if they're registering for the FBI?

[Vindekarr]

OK guys, I've finaly got it running.

 

My final verdict is very mixed. The game really is not bad at all, but it does absolutely nothing new. Sure its got some minor technical changes, and vastly improved graphics, but other than that its SC I. The new zerg unit, the BroodLord is practicaly an exploit, I havent been online as of yet, but the blasted things have won me every single game Ive played as the Zerg-a major crutch for SC newbies like me but a durable fast detector that spawns limitless faux-zerglings IS a tad overdoing it where power is concerned IMO.

 

Some of the Terran stuff looks genuinely diferent, namely the siege tank, and they've got quite a few new units, namely the Viking, which takes over from their existing anti infantry walker, and the Thor, which is a huge land unit, of similar but slightly lower stats and cost than a battlecruiser, and fitting into exactly the same role.

 

And the Protoss seem well, Protossish, they are using some new skins, but otherwise its pretty darn similar. Oh they've got a big emphasis on stealth, but its still the classic psiblade wielding bunch of homicidal yellow clad aliens from SCI

 

The game runs great, but the graphics, while vastly superior, really do reveal the cost cutting that went on in the technology here. The CGI is pretty much unequalled except by a very select few games, but other than that the graphics really arent too modern, about equal to and very very reminiscent of Comand N Conquer 3, who's engine it seems to be entirely based on in only very slightly modified form.

 

If you're going to have fun here then you'll find it in the gameplay, which is just like as the original except with a few rather skewed unit balances. If you're looking for new tech or advancement of the series, then, this really doesnt deliver.

 

On the whole Im not impressed though. Its just too much hassle to get it to run, it gives you too much trouble to keep it happy, and it costs so much, that you're probably better off with something else, IE the original starcraft. Because I cant help but feel like this is just a big cynical marketing exercise. Sure, this an OK rts, but it doesnt blow my mind like a truly good game does. After barely a single day of exploration it just doesnt make me want to come back and see more. Im biased three ways: I played comand n conquer so everything looks familiar, and its using some whole unit skeletons and animations from CnC 3 Kane's wrath. (anyone recognise the Ghost's animations? they're almost identicle to those used by the Black Hand unit in CNC-KW)

 

Im also biased because Im a dawn of war fan, and starcraft ahem, borrows, heavily from warhammer(zerg-anid and tyrano-lisk puns abound in both game's online communities) and because I played the first game and was amazed by it, so this never really could shock me like the original, but my point stands:If you're new to starcraft, or dont really hold it to orbit-high standards then you'll love it, because there IS a game to love here, but if you're jaded by the marketing ploys, disapointed by the lack of original design, or just a bit angry, then you really would be better off with something else.

[Illiad86]

Ya took the words out of my mouth...my boyfriend got a beta key for it...and I'm like "wtf SC1 with meh graphics? That's it? 12 years for this?" I do understand it's how Blizzard makes their games...they look decent and they run good on almost everyone's computers...but I was not very impressed. They just waited and waited for the perfect time to release it (no decent games out atm I think)...probably have had it done for years.

 

Ya can't really do too much with a RTS I guess...never really liked them...Sins of a Solar Empire was pretty cool though.

 

Good that you got it working...but that's too much of a pain in the butt for me. Diablo III better be really fricking good, otherwise I wouldn't put up with that bullcrap.

[Vindekarr]

The timing isnt even really that good.

 

They're competing with the endlessly hilarious spoofy DeathSpank, the awesome Split Second, which is essentialy a Burnout spinoff with all the implied fun factor, imagination and "fun above all other concerns" design very much carried over, and Alien VS Predator, a very, VERY enjoyable FPS, if you like horror that is.

 

All three of those are really fun in their own ways. I laughed myself hoarse with DeathSpank, Split Second is arcade racing the way it's meant to be, with some new innovations besides, and AVP 2 is simply, undeniably, totaly frickin awesome and an absolute blast online. (online xenomorph rampage anyone? :) )

 

Each one of those also blew me away. I for example picked up Transformers: War for cybertron, expecting more micheal bay garbage, but found instead an enjoyable shooter with great multiplayer, aswell as being a true game for the G1 fans. StarCraft isnt bad, but with the run of truly superb titles that have just come out in a flood where Im from, its really bad timing and gets swarmed under a tsunami of shear badass.

 

I mean, I payed a pretty high price for SC II, $90 AUD, which is a fairly good RTS and a map editor. On the same day I payed $25 for a brand factory new copy of Burnout Paradise and its DLC(on pc*) from the exact same EB games, which is one of the finest racing games Ive ever had the pleasure of playing.

 

Its come at a bad time, if I'd not played anythijng new and good for a year, maybe I'd be shocked more, but it feels like CnC: StarCraft more than SC II. The campaign is fun, and its really nice to see a variety of American cultures in a game for once, not just northern accents, and the Wild West in space theme is fun and novel, but when the fun of being a super cyborg space martial wears off, it wears off with avengeance.