Final Thoughts - Starcraft 2

After waiting 12 years for Starcraft 2, I was a little disappointed.

It's not that it's not a fun game. I do enjoy playing it. So far I've only played against the AI and done a third of the campaign missions or so, but it plays so much liek the original that there's almost no learning curve. Once i actually have some human opponents/allies, things should get tons of fun. Maybe I should do a good points, bad point thing...

GOOD: Just like the original. No learning curve. Almost all the units you liked in the first game. Same strategies that were effective in the first game, are effective here. Same 3 races. Battle.net hardly ever goes down (now that I've said that, I'll get home and it'll be down). Good sound effects. Lots of random critters and map effects on the ones I have played. Obviously a lot of planning and detail went into the game as well as the campaign. Losses do not count against you.

BAD: No game manual. An extra $10 over and above the normal cost of games, and we aren't even talking collector's edition here. Everything's the same as the first game. I know I used that as a good thing, but it's been 12 years. You'd expect SOME innovation, SOME good design changes that might have made their way into the game to make it even better, but you'd be wrong. Some of the units that were awesome from the first game, are now GONE. Lurkers, for instance, have vanished. You have to sign into Battle.net to even play the game, I think. No LAN gaming. Achievements (maybe some people like these, but I think they are ridiculous). Having to play weird matchups to get certain character portraits, like playing as a zerg and fighting two protoss AI on hard setting, 10 times, and winning.

Obviously, if you liked the original, you'll like this one. The only thing different is the forced battle.net account creation you'll need to do just to play it. I've heard of people who bought the game, and had no CD inside. Typically, you can just get another one sent to you if you have the CD key, however, since there's NO MANUAL, the CD key is printed on the CD envelope. Not even a jewel case, just a little slip of cardboard. Of course, who's going to steal the CD or DVD without the little cover on it? Nobody. So there goes the CD key and you'll likely have to get a new copy of Starcraft to play. Honestly, I have never heard of Blizzard releasing a game where there was not SOME issue with missing CD keys. I'm beginning to think Blizzard does it on purpose to generate more cash without actually giving you anything in return. I wouldn't put it past them. They are a business, after all, despite actually being good at their jobs for the most part. And their job is making a game that takes up all my spare time. Which, they did.

So, final thoughts, Starcraft 2 is worth $50. Blizzard wants it's battle.net tax or whatever excuse they have for the extra $10, and not including a manual, or literally, ANYTHING else inside the box was a bad marketing move, I think, but what the hell do I know? I'm not blizzard, and who the hell is going to listen to me instead of a company that puts out good games? Nobody, that's who. So enjoy your manual-less, map-less, poster-less Starcraft 2 and bemoan the loss of game manuals when every OTHER gaming company stops putting them out there. AND starts charging you $60, $70 and $80 for a cardboard slip with a CD in it. They'll probably stop bothering to make the boxes next. All that cardboard costs money, you know. Oh wait, they already did, it's called digital downloads. Greedy farking sons of bitches. Give me my money's worth and I'll gladly pay you, rip me off at every turn and I hope you rot in norse hell. And if you know the norse it's even WORSE than christian hell, SO TAKE THAT YOU GREEDY BASTARDS!!!!!!

That having been said, after I buy Diablo 3 when they release it in 15 to 20 years, I am never buying a blizzard game again. Ever. Never ever ever never never ever never ever. Ever. Maybe. Unless it's really good. And cheap. Hell, maybe I'll be so old by then I won't care anymore and just pirate the damn thing. Kick the bastards where it HURTS!!! YEA!!!!!!!