Starcraft

"Loads of fun both online and offline!"

THIS IS THE FUTURE
Blizzard has given us a lot of fun with its WarCraft series based on the Medieval Age but now they've brought strategy gaming to whole new level called StarCraft and they've really hit the spot this time.

WAR HAS BEGUN
The StarCraft saga is divided into several episodes, each one marking the campaign of one of three different races. You have the space-age human race called the Terrans, whose specialty is in machinery and defensive tactics. Then you have the insect-like Zerg forces that can quickly multiply faster than a wasp nest in your backyard. Finally, you have the futuristic aliens known as the Protoss whose advanced technology will amaze you.

GRAPHICS 8/10
For a game that was created in 1997, its graphics are amazingly superb. Units move around the screen smoothly and are fairly detailed. Gunshots and other tidbits work well and are enjoyable, especially the Terran's special Nuke attack. It has aged fairly well and many players will not mind the slightly out-of-date graphics running on their machines.
The in-face interface, on the other hand, is not as friendly. It's not a major concern but the game could use a little more space and that can be done by somehow shortening the bottom interface area a little. Other than that, there's no big problem there.

SOUNDS 10/10
The sounds don't get any better than this. The sound effects are crispy clear and they work well in the game. Explosions, deaths, and other sounds are well done and you won't have much of a complaint from that, especially when each unit has a funny phrase that can be heard by constantly clicking on your men.
The soundtrack is also great to listen to and it adds to the mood of the game just as any game's soundtrack is suppose to do. Hell, if you want to listen to some music to relax, the Protoss music can do the trick and it sounds like something that came out of a planetarium. Of course, I could object to that weird new-age Terran music but even that seems to fit the game.
The voice acting in this game is very impressive and you're technically part of the conversation as a Commander (Terran), a Cerebrate (Zerg), or an Executor (Protoss). Even if your mouth is completely shut in the middle of the mission briefings, they're very interesting to listen to and you'll be glued to the constantly-moving story.

CONTROLS 9/10
The controls work out great and are easy to learn, though it does take some time to know how to get each unit and how everything works in each of the three races. But once you get used to the complicated growth trees of each race, you'll be easily building anything from a simple Zealot to a giant Carrier.
Many strategic games normally allow you to select huge groups of different types of troops and move them from one place to another (Command & Conquer). However, one of the main flaws in this game is that you may only select up to twelve units at any one time. There are some ways to cope with it but sometimes it's a hassle, especially late in the game when you'll probably have large groups of units moving in and out of your base.

GAMEPLAY 10/10
The gameplay is very interesting because each race has different ways to grow and thus, strategies have to constantly change as you switch between races. For example, each race starts out gathering minerals and then building more servants and a few buildings for creating offensive units but the Zerg will build all of its men from its main building called the hatchery while Terran and Protoss players will have to build Barracks and Gateways in order to build their men.

That type of play really sounds as though the three races aren't really balanced and in fact, it's not when you first start. Version 1.00 has been modified several times and has reached Version 1.08 with many changes that strengthen or weaken certain parts of each race in order to balance things out so no points off there.

The game's levels are well done and you can clearly see the professionalism in each of the game's maps when you open the entire map with a hidden cheat. Each level has been designed so that you have a chance against the computer no matter how tough the going gets but it's your job to figure out how. This is also true for many of the multiplayer maps included with the game such as The Hunters (read below paragraph for more info on multiplayer).

Had enough of the Single Player campaigns? There's also the Blizzard-made separate campaign that goes with the game just in case you're bored but what really makes this game a load of fun is the Multiplayer, which can be done over the internet at battle.net or through connection cables and networks. Challenge other players in several different modes (up to eight players per game) or chat in their public and private rooms. Be serious though; Battle.net keeps track of all of your wins, losses, and disconnects, including the serious Ladder Match ones. And if you're in search of more maps, Blizzard and fellow players are constantly designing and releasing new maps so check those out.

Have an idea rattling in that skull of yours? There's also the Campaign Editor which allows to create your own campaigns and maps. There are lots of detail in there, including the ability to modify the names of each individual unit in the game.

OVERALL 9/10
This game is loads of fun that'll you busy for hours and when you're not playing Single Player, Battle.net and its large community of players are waiting for you. Plus you can create your own maps and whatnot in your spare time with the Editor.

OTHER SUGGESTIONS
If you like strategy games like StarCraft, I recommend Command & Conquer: Red Alert, which is modern warfare but with advanced weaponry. Though if you want a more Discovery-Channel kind of style, check out the Age of Empires series. And for the medieval ones, take a look at WarCraft II: Battle.net Edition or WarCraft III but WC II is old and I haven't heard much about WC III so you'll need to look to Blizzard yourself.

For those who already own StarCraft or are planning to get it, also check out the three latest episodes of the series on the Brood War expansion. Stay away from Insurrection as it is one of the cheapest pieces of crap I've ever seen. Oh, and don't forget to constantly check for new patches just in case something needed a change.

FINAL COMMENT
For those who have begun wandering on Battle.net with StarCraft, be very cautious of hackers and backstabbers. While most hacks never work (the hacker often gets booted out of the game), the traditional Maphack programs almost always work and will completely reveal the entire map and everything on it, including the location of cloaked units. Also, the game stays true to its slogan: ''The only allies are enemies''. There are people who will talk behind your back and plot backstabbing so watch your back.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 07/10/01, Updated 07/10/01