StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty

For a game that’s been in development for close to 12 years StarCraft 2 brings very little that’s new to the table. Considering that its predecessor spawned a rabid fan following and its own competitive cyber-games league it would be close to impossible to introduce anything radically different in its sequel. And for that we’re thankful.

Sure you’d be wowed by the spectacular production values, what with Blizzard’s gorgeous cinematics, great art-style and graphics that look brilliant even on low end PCs (or Macs). Yes, you’d be floored by what is perhaps the most robust online gaming service, Battle.net (the moment you’re registered on their service, you can download the full game at anytime, no cost) that rivals or at times bests Steam or Xbox Live and of course your jaw would drop the moment you take part in some fantastic missions that reek of sheer ingenuity.

But pierce through the glossy presentation, superb plot and fantastic level design and you begin to realise that nothing has really changed. At the heart of this gargantuan 30-mission single-player beast lies the same gameplay mechanics you know, love and been waiting for since 1998. Easy to pick up, tough to master.

Throughout the game you will be introduced to new tactics, upgrades and units to command. Add an extremely awesome achievements system which demands multiple playthroughs of missions and you have Blizzard’s way of having you coming back for more. And this is just the single-player campaign for a single race, the Terrans. Of a game that’s just one-third of StarCraft 2‘s story.

Speaking of story, without spoiling much, Wings of Liberty has you donning the role of Jim Raynor, a space revolutionary hell-bent on bringing down the corrupt Arcturus Mengsk. Given Blizzard’s story-telling talents it goes beyond the usual space opera fare we’ve come to expect. For those of you new to the series or suffering from a case of amnesia, the game recaps the events of its prequel as it installs. It’s easy to pick up and a neat touch.

While the single-player campaign focuses on just the Terran side of the story, you can explore the versatility of the other two races in this space opera, the Zerg and the Protoss in the multiplayer mode which is as well balanced as the first game if not more so. Needless to say, Wings of Liberty‘s multiplayer will definitely be staple fare even after the epic single-player campaign, which is in many ways, a tutorial for it.

It’s just a pity that getting hold of the game would cost around Rs 3000 for a physical copy from a grey market store of your choice or as a digital copy from Battle.net.

So, was StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty worth the wait? To sum it up: Yes it is for loyalists. But if you’re new to the franchise you might want to reconsider before plopping down Rs 3000 when new PC games retail in-store for around Rs 699.