At the close of Blizzcon, fan are further treated to the launch of Starcraft II‘s latest expansion: Legacy of the Void. Two years after Heart of the Swarm, and five years after Wings of Liberty, the PC gaming titan is in direct competition for attention with other big name titles such as Fallout 4, and the new Tomb Raider. For some, this isn’t so much an issue, as Blizzard has proven time and time again to be the champion for PC fans. Legacy is a stand alone release–meaning you don’t need any of the previous modules to join in on the sci-fi fun. Developers also include a solid “story so far” feature, meant to bring old and new fans up to speed.
Many are responding positively to the expansion, praising it on its challenging missions, compelling campaigns, and its sharp use of strategy. Others compliment the game for its beautifully orchestrated score, excellent cinematic cut scenes, and in-game graphics are (without surprise) top notch as always, Blizzard being hard pressed to produce shoddy work. The single player campaign focuses almost entirely on the Protoss narrative, leading some to believe the story to be “delightfully cheesy” while others find the alien race to be unrelatable. For some, this has a positive effect on gameplay, as long as their strengths lie in high quality units (as opposed to the quantity vs quality tactics found in Zerg). Meanwhile, the expansion can be challenging for those who specialize more in Zerg, or lean towards the simple, steadfast Terrans. Fans also seem to find the Archon mode (a 2-vs-2 setting) slightly lacking.
With this expansion comes a bittersweet goodbye, as it is the end of a story spanning out over the stretch of 17 years, ultimately bringing a large portion of the Starcraft saga to a close, and signalling a farewell to one of the strongest leading games in PC history. However, Starcraft fanatics can find a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnels. Rumors have been circulating that developing DLC will continue the Starcraft lore with a new story, with a return to Terran characters. Hopefully we will hear more on that end soon.