Review: Starcraft 2: Heart of the Swarm

Starcraft was always one of my favorite game series when I was growing up. I played that game and Broodwar for hours at a time, entire weekends even. And although I enjoy playing all three of the Starcraft species and campaigns, the Zerg were always my favorite. So understandably, I've been pretty damn excited for the Starcraft 2 Zerg expansion to drop. This expansion is not just about the Zerg though. It's about one of my favorite game characters ever: Sarah Kerrigan aka the Queen of Blades. And I must say, it did not disappoint. Note: SPOILERS AHEAD!

So we begin the story with Kerrigan waking up in a lab after being rescued by Jim Raynor. She is mostly human just like at the end of the previous expansion yet she has also retained an ability to communicate with Zerg psychically. Soon after, Arcturus Mengsk's forces find the research lab and attack. Kerrigan is released to escape with Raynor and his forces and so she starts her journey. Ultimately, her goal remains constant through out the game: take revenge on Mengsk for originally abandoning her to the Zerg on Tarsonis. Still having a certain amount of control over the somewhat scattered Zerg, Kerrigan begins to rebuild her army in hopes of destroying Mengsk.

The Swarm Host, a new Zerg unit.

The basic game play is much like Wings of Liberty. You can control many more units (not sure how many because I've never tested for a limit) and amass your whole army with the click of a button. The old Zerg building requirements are still there: you must build on the creep and you can expand the creep by building certain structures. Luckily, you're given more options on how you can expand the creep quickly when in need. There are also more units capable of producing more creep such as the Zerg Queen. Very helpful for quick expansion and harvesting of resources. Zerg Hatcheries produce a lot more larvae at a time then they used to as well, which means that you don't have to build a load of extra hatcheries to make an army quickly. One thing that did bother me though (and apparently bothered many other players) was the time-limit on a majority of the levels in the single player campaign. While I recognize that putting a time limit or time restrictions on a level can force a player to react more quickly with strategy, it takes away from the player being able to explore their options and, in most cases, their new units. Again, this aspect wouldn't have bothered me as much if it had not felt like EVERY level was timed in one way or another. It made me feel rushed. And although the Zerg have a reputation for being fast (ie. the term "Zerg rush"), I would have liked to have a bit more time to see what I was capable of. However, this detail didn't ruin the game in any way for me. It was just a tad annoying.

The Ziper, another new unit.

There are new Zerg units and upgrades for most of them. I found that I did utilize a mixture of different units throughout the game moreso then I used to in the original Starcraft. The single player campaign is built around this of course, but I still feel like the units are a little more balanced and have more uses then they used to. But my old Zerg instincts kicked in any way, and I still would have my Hydralisks and/or Mutalisks as the core of my armies.The unit upgrade system is a little different from WoL in that you have to choose between a couple options for the evolution of a unit rather then several that can all be applied to the unit. It is similar to the Research ability in WoL. There are Evolution Missions which show you the two different evolutionary paths
for the unit and then you must choose between one or the other. You can also upgrade Kerrigan as she is your hero unit. You can only have a few of Kerrigan's abilities active at a time, but you can switch them whenever you are in the home screen. The higher level she becomes, the more options open up. This can be advantageous because some of Kerrigan's abilities affect how your base or units function. The only part of the game I haven't played around with yet is the multiplayer. I hope to find time to play a few games and see if the Zerg strategy remains similar to what it was in the original Starcraft. 

Personally, I enjoyed the story. It's all about Kerrigan and what's going on within her, and that's exactly what I had wanted. Although you follow Kerrigan somewhat in Starcraft and most of the time in the Zerg campaign in Brood War, she is still fully the Queen of Blades. This game presents a different side of Kerrigan, more depth then in previous encounters. It also shows that Kerrigan does still have a human side even though it appears to be deeply buried sometimes. Remember how I mentioned that in pieces of the trailers it looked like Kerrigan was in her Zerg-y form again? Well, lets just say that those scenes are not just of flashbacks. I won't ruin the story too much by saying why or how she transforms, but she changes. This is another part of the storyline I liked. You'll just have to play it for yourself to find out the whole story! I had read a few comments from players who didn't like the relationship between Kerrigan and Raynor, that it was too dramatic or like a soap opera. But to tell you the truth, they have always had a deeper connection with each other that has always been hinted at in the games, and expanded upon in the novels (namely in "The Queen of Blades" book). It seems to me that Blizzard is just being a little less ambiguous about something that had always been there between the two characters. Therefore, it did not bother me. It is just another way to show Kerrigan as a deeper character then just a monsterous murderess. You also get to see more about the Swarm as a whole and how they think. While you got to see some of this in Starcraft through the Overmind and the cerebrates, this Swarm is a bit different. They had been created and maintained by Kerrigan when she was the Queen of Blades, so they behave differently from the original Zerg forces in the previous games. Again, it's interesting to see this different perspective especially through Kerrigan's eyes. The Swarm begin to resemble friends, even family at times. It's definitely a different side from how the Zerg appear in Wings of Liberty. The only unfortunate part about the story is that now I want to see the conclusion with the Legacy of the Void expansion!

All in all, I enjoyed Heart of the Swarm immensely and I look forward to seeing the next piece in the story. Kerrigan remains one of my favorite game characters and it gave me such joy to play as my favorite Starcraft race again. I felt like the new units were fun to add into the fray of battle and although I didn't use them all constantly, they still have a place depending on what strategy you choose to utilize. The story kept me captivated (and kept me from getting to bed on time) and seems to be a good addition to the Starcraft mythos. If you're a Starcraft fan, this game is definitely worth a look. And if you're a Zerg fan, this game is definitely worth playing through. FOR THE SWARM!

Quick review: Dead Space 3

As always, time flies and more and more games come out. And again, I've fallen behind! BUT I am determined to do at least a short review of Dead Space 3 and Starcraft 2: Heart of the Swarm before continuing on. So first up, Dead Space 3!

To begin with, I think I have decided this is not my favorite of the Dead Space series. Don't get me wrong, it still scared the hell out of me and I enjoyed every bit of it. But this piece of the series is definitely different from the previous two games, as many other reviewers have mentioned. 
The story once again follows Isaac Clarke, the main protagonist from the previous Dead Space games. You guide him as you escape from a human world being taken over by the Unitologists and make your way to a frozen world called Tau Volantis, the planet from the Dead Space 3 demo and the location which is believed to be where the whole Necromorph and Marker phenomenon began. All the while, you're trying to find the truth about all the horrors Isaac has been through and what has become of Ellie, a character that Isaac befriends in Dead Space 2.

The combat system remains about the same with the exception of the ability to hide behind cover. It is particularly useful when you face off against other humans shooting or throwing grenades at you. Not much use against Necromorphs though as they prefer to melee attack.

A Feeder Necromorph.

 There are a few new Necromorph enemies including the Feeders, a creepily skinny human skeletal creature that makes a high pitched noise and moves very fast. Speeder and I both were incredibly freaked out by these Necromorphs and although there is a strategy on how to get by them without having them swarm, more often then not, you are going to come out of the battle bruised and in need of a health pack. This game has also brought back the Necromorph variety known as Twitchers. These are the fast-moving stasis-using Necromorphs that can zoom up to you in a heart beat lest you slow them with your own stasis unit. Although I remember these enemies from Dead Space 1, I had forgotten just how much trouble they could be. Half the time, their quick approach to me would psyche me out, and I would miss them with my stasis multiple times. Although most of the other Necromorph enemies are the same as the previous two games, there are still a few surprises. They are still definitely disturbing and deadly.
The character graphics and environments are still well put together and beautiful. Dead Space has never really disappointed me with the graphical elements. The lighting is perfectly utilized to frighten you and make you search every corner for enemies and supplies. Likewise, the sounds that go along with these environments create the scene. There are lots of ambient sounds that create a feeling of dread and fear, such as something rattling around in the walls or a metal object falling and clanging to the floor in the distance. And the enemies themselves also have recognizable sounds that are utilized to not only warn you of their approach but also shake your nerves and make it harder for you to focus on your task.

Now for the parts I did not like as much. As I had feared, the gun crafting system confused me. Maybe it's because I was used to have a set way to upgrade a set amount of weapons as you did in the previous games. Or maybe I just didn't spend enough time tinkering with it, though I feel as though I logged a decent amount of time. The point is that Speeder and I both found that there were really only a few guns that we used, and we used them for most of the game. I can understand the developers wanting to branch out from the norm as a game series goes on, but I just feel like the weapon crafting was made unwieldy by how much variation was allowed. Sometimes less is more.
Like many reviewers, I was also a little disappointed with the game's deviation from the original survival horror feeling. I had read that the game developers wanted to present a little more action mixed in with the horror to appeal to a wider audience. While I can understand this move, I definitely think it ultimately took away from the game. It also served to alienate a lot of the fans who love the Dead Space series for it's excellence as a survival horror series. There are parts in the game that just get to be a little to action movie and not enough haunted house. But I still liked the game very much and the weapons crafting and more-action didn't ruin it for me.

All in all, Dead Space 3 is a good addition to the Dead Space series and mythos. While it doesn't have quite as much of a survival horror feel as the previous two games, it still has plenty of scares and tense moments that will make you leave the lights on while you play it. And maybe when you try to go to bed.