Cert: 16+
Platform: PC/Mac
Genre: RTS
"Hell it's about time," is the first line uttered by one of the characters in Blizzard's Starcraft 2 and considering the sequel comes twelve years after the original it about sums things up.
Starcraft 2 is essentially an old skool RTS where the player has to build a base, harvest resources and create an army. What sets the game apart is the uniqueness of all three races in the game, it's compelling plot and how it rewards strategy and quick thinking rather than players who just amass a huge army.
In between missions the game becomes a sort of point and click adventure game where players navigate their ship, talk to other characters, research upgrades and are treated Blizzard's distinctively polished cutscenes. The bad news is the game only features the terran campaign; the Zerg and Protoss single-player modes are being kept for the already announced expansion packs
The original game is still incredibly popular online and, thanks to massive outdoors tournaments, it's even been called South Korea's unofficial national pass time. In the sequel players can access the multiplayer as Terrans, Zerg or Protoss. There's ranked leagues and tournaments, with actual prizes, which are seeded according to skill. It's immediately accessible and there's a wealth of information in the game to fill in the blanks for newbies. Plus it runs smoothly even on yesterday's hardware. Definitely one worth getting into before the newbie rush.
Rent or Buy: Buy
Graphics: 4/5
Gameplay: 5/5
Replay value: 5/5
Overall: 5/5
Reviewed By: Bryan Collins
