I might be enjoying this game a little too much. That’s how good it is.
I remember playing the original Starcraft when it was released, in 1998. What I remember most about it was that it was one of the first games that I ever pirated (downloaded off the internet) and that its production values immediately blew me away. The music, artwork and atmosphere of the game were all unparalleled for the time period, and that’s not even to mention the gameplay which has made Starcraft one of the most popular competitive games of all time since then. So, you can imagine my anticipation.
How’s the sequel?
In a word, incredible. I can see why this game took such a long time. They’ve really managed to polish every part of it, from the menus and sound effects to the character animations and voicework. I’ve been a member of the official beta for about 2 weeks now (huge thanks to Peter who generously donated an invite to me) and my record online is 30-30 even. Despite starting in the platinum (highest) league of competitive play, I’ve dropped down to copper – 4 levels down! Despite the newness of the game, many online players have reached a high level of skill, using objects and units in clever ways. I learn something new in almost every game, even though I’m 50+ games in.
Yesterday I heard news that the beta is coming to a close soon, before the game officially releases on July 27th. For me, that’ll be a good thing. I’m getting Starcraft-ed out.
Here are some screen shots I took:
Read more about Starcraft 2 on Blizzard’s official site.