En Taro Adun! Ten Years And Going Strong
“Do you want to know the best way to pick up a Korean woman in a bar? Walk up to her, look her right in the eye, fake a smile and tell her you play a pretty good Protoss. Be sure to wink and wait for her response.”
Greetings from hell, aka university mid-term exams. I’m taking a break from studying for a moment to write up a review of a certain game which I am sure you may have heard about at some point in your life. No, I’m not talking about the game that you, your best friend of the opposite sex and a couple of cheerleaders play when your spouse is away for the weekend (I wish), I’m talking about Star Craft for the PC.
First of all, yes, okay, I know the game is over ten years old and can be found on Antiques Road show, nevertheless, the reason I am reviewing this game is because if you haven’t ever played it before, you probably don’t deserve to even touch a video game, let alone play one. Plus, with Star Craft 2 coming out… well, coming out (I don’t want to say soon, because the release date keeps getting put off), but it is indeed in development.
Alright, so for those who don’t know, Star Craft is a real-time strategy game, much like games such a War Craft, Total Annihilation, End War, Age of Empires, Age of Mythology, etc which means you control an army, build up resources, build more units and send them to their ultimate doom on the battlefield.
It sounds simple and believe me, it can be that is, when you don’t take into consideration upgrades, tech-trees, expansions to buildings and your opponent doing the same exact thing as you. Really, this game is hardcore.
What sets Star Craft apart from other real time strategy games is the fact that there are three playable races, all with unique features. The Terran are pretty much humans in a distant future with really cool weaponry. The Zerg are really nasty-looking alien-like creatures who are the game’s main antagonists and are considered to be the most sinister of the three. The Protoss are a highly advanced race created by the same ancient race who created the Zerg: The Xel’naga. The Protoss are pretty much the coolest of the three races and speak English, unlike the Zerg.
Each race can build different buildings and can make different units some units, however, can be easily matched. Zerglings, Marines and Zealots are all pretty much comparable, especially in the Zergling Zealot case were both can only attack ground units.
The main story of Star Craft puts you in the middle of a galactic war between the three races and their quest for domination. Different Terran factions battle one another, the Zerg want to annihilate the Protoss and from the ashes of combat, rises a love affair between two Terrans, only for a catastrophe to strike, sending it spiralling out of control and into the depths of hell, aka: the Zerg home world.
Star Craft is, in some ways, a lot like a mix of Star Trek and Star Wars, only with way more bloodshed and chaos. It truly is hell in space and if you’re fan of these space operas, you’ll more than love Star Craft.
The game itself is fast-paced and will keep you playing for hours just to see how the story unravels. With this all being said, despite having an incredible story, Star Craft really comes to life in its multi-player component, which is so good, it even became a sport in Korea. Yes, that is correct a sport. The best players in the world duke it out on television. Don’t believe me? Here’s your proof:
Also notice the date on the video? The game is still being played! Don’t you want to pick it up and show those Koreans who really is the best player in the world?
Don’t kid yourself, they’ll destroy you without even touching the mouse. They’ll have siege tanks on your doorstep before you’ve even harvested enough minerals to build a Barracks. I’m just saying…
Oh and if you are a fan of the music from Star Wars and Star Trek, then chances are you’ll really like the music in Star Craft. With everything from the suspenseful undertones to victorious menu screens the sound is fantastic. Even the voice acting isn’t half bad.
Anyways, Star Craft is an amazing game which still warrants its purchase. Even by today’s standards, it is highly regarded as one of the best, if not the best real-time strategy games of all time. The game can be found pretty much anywhere and it’s cheap now. I’m talking thirty dollars cheap and you’ll be able to pick up the original, the expansion pack and even two walkthroughs as part of the battle chest bundle. It’s not quite a deal as The Orange Box, but really, is anything ever going to top that?
If you like sci-fi and games, then you NEED to pick this up. If you’re not a fan of sci-fi… I hope someone comes up to you with a lightsaber and threatens to kill you and then disposes of your body on Mustafar where it would be burned to a fiery crisp and unless you’re Darth Vader, no one is going to save you, bitch.
So that’s that. I’m going to give Star Craft the same score I would have given it back when I first got the game over eight years ago: 9.4. It is definitely a fantastic game, but isn’t for everyone. You need to be able to get into the online play and grasp the concept of managing units.
Have a nice day and don’t forget: For Adun; For Aiur!!
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