[REVIEW] Starcraft II - Legacy of the Void Campaign
WARNING - This will be a very long article. Plenty of time and discretion is recommended.
And *finally*, November 10th hath come, the Last Expansion Plot. And I see no reason why such an expansion should ever be forgot. As well as we shouldn't forget the excitement, the tears of nostalgia, the curiosity and above all, the fear that came to us since, y'know, that previous expansion.
I'm DeltaCadimus, and this is the review I've promised to make on Legacy of the Void, one that seeks to be as straight-to-the-point as possible on the campaign and story and, bizzarely, the most vague as well. As there's no spoiler alert, but those I make throughout the article, I can't just expose major plot points for those whom didn't play it through, yet, but being vague like many reviewers out there isn't this a difficult thing - Merely elaborate a point where the said plot hole will happen, say, 'that mission on the machine world', and referring to that spoiler as 'Remember that thing from that TV show you like? They repeat it here', or something like it. Yes, it can get confusing, but once you get the hang of it, you virtually can pretty much do a lengthy, yet spoiler-less review.
And since we've been through much of LotV but the campaign itself, it's pretty much pointless to go through all over again, like I did on my preview article, on the multiplayer, the editor changes, the assets, the previous expansions, the works. So, to make it shorter and go straight to business, I'll summarize the remainder of LotV but the story itself in Pros & Cons.
PROS:
The assets have never been better, and the new terrain tilesets *feel* like an expansion. Well, except maybe one or two, which I feel were a bit out of place...
The Protoss soundtrack will make you drop a tear, at times. It did with me.
The new editor additions only make the mapmaker more and more God-like, apart from a few forgiveable nitpicks.
The new UI incorporates the best of both expansions and makes a nice homage to the Brood War campaign selection.
The 'Whispers of Oblivion' prologue is both a nice bridge to LotV and a good warm-up for players, in gameplay terms.
If you didn't read some of the Short Stories in the homepage, you should - It's got some details you may probably miss throughout the campaign and they're pretty much well written.
The short video 'Reclamation' did a pretty good job in exploring Artanis' character and doubts.
That introduction cinematic, whose only unfortune was that it was beaten by the recent WoW: Legion cinematic. Simply go see it, and the rest you'll figure it out.
CONS:
The multiplayer, unfortunately, became what many feared StarCraft to be - A clickfest, no thanks to the macro changes, with micro units that often become more cheese than a viable, lenient counter. Other additions, like Ravagers, Liberators and Cyclones feel unneeded and are grossly unbalanced.
The Co-Op missions, which were advertised as 'Allied Commanders' mode, which could fool people into thinking they'd somehow play a better version of the Co-Commanders from Red Alert 3, is nothing more than MOBA with challenges from previous WoL/HotS missions. At least they did the fitting thing of re-naming it for what it really is.
Occasional FPS problems that came up with Patch 3.0, and will take a while to be optimized like it did with WoL/HotS.
Well, with all this summarized, apart from some issues that got over me on the first showcased mission, like the thing with the campaign opening cutscene (Which I later realized and kind of forgiven, given it made sense), and the 'Mothership Pearl Harbor Stunt' that occurs in the middle of the mission, there was still the remainder of the campaign to analyze. I won't lie, but I felt, especially after HotS and much before BlizzCon 2014, the fear that LotV would take on the same level the Zerg predecessor did, concerning story and gameplay quality, as well as I feared that, in the end, LotV would be nothing more than a copying of all the effort WarCraft III set up for it's MMO, given WoW was running out of steam and StarCraft, in a logical sense, is exploitable as a MMO - There's not only the possibility of Zerg civil war or the various Terran or Protoss factions, but also some separate storylines, the UED which, itself, would warrant a whole expansion pack, it was just a treasure trove filling up and waiting to be plundered.
In a way, much before WoW was even announced, we had little idea of the preparation Blizzard was making for it's medieval fantasy franchise - The Undead and Forsaken, Blood Elves, Kalimdor, even the Pandas got their own expansion. So it always seemed, to me, at least, that since Blizzard struck gold with it's first MMO, they'd try and have lightning strike twice with another MMO. And since Diablo is virtually an RPG and most of it was, in a way, exploited, StarCraft would be the next test subject, because it'd be profitable and you could find a lot to work with, besides the core story - So much so that even arcs from the 'Frontline' comic book saga or the 'Firstborn' book series offer much possibilities, hence why I always considered Blizzard had such plans for the sci-fi phenomenon from 1998 that released Blizzard into stardom.
Well, at least there's a fraction of these plans being showcased, if only limited to StarCraft II itself. Of course, I mean the Nova mini-campaign DLC that's set to be released Spring 2016, is to be set after LotV and it's a separate story arc meant to relieve us of the core cast. While many are complaining that Blizzard's now falling into the DLC hole we see Ubisoft, EA and other companies fall into nowadays, remember that there's a critical difference between Blizzard and these other companies - Yes, it'll sound favoritism, but when Blizzard releases content, the effort's at least shown, and it ends up more than it's worth and there's AT LEAST an option to buy it or not. The other companies either charge too much for a mere skin/animation/weapon, like EA with SW: Battlefront, or they pull it like Creative Assembly and Warhammer: Total War, where an entire core faction, that was meant to be released for free along with the game, is locked unless you've pre-ordered or paid said DLC. And what's worse is that more and more money is charged for things that aren't even worth the price. Not even Arkham Knight escapes this, as all their DLCs offer are nothing more than new skins and a chance to play with them, through storylines that don't connect, don't offer anything new or interesting on the characters and become a mere excuse for new predator rooms/arenas. At least, in the DLC point of view of things, Blizzard doesn't seem to be doing anything wrong, in comparison to the other examples.
But, getting back on track and this personal MMO fear aside, as well as the usual fear that it'd end as awful as C&C 4 or as confusing as Mass Effect 3, I was still determined to play through the final arc and, personally, my favorite race. So much that I even played through WoL, HotSand the Zeratul Prologue again if only for the sake of keeping memory fresh when the time came and so I could make comparisons, and let the game drive my emotion and joy or rage as I considered how it'd end. And, even if it's a few days since we're recovering from the finest BlizzCon yet offered, how does it go?
Of course I can't spoil this much, even after critical content was spoiled a day before and nearly caused outrage across, or say it was good or bad, right here at the beginning, but suffice to say this:
That I've commited the ultimate sin of 'judging a book by it's cover', when that first mission was showcased by Eurogamer.
And this is exactly what I mean with it, because Legacy of the Void not only managed to return to the levels of Wings of Liberty, but it also surpassed them. It upped the visuals, it upped the music, it upped the action, it upped the drama, it even upped the comedy. Yes, some Protoss in particular, out of all people, *will* rip a giggle out of you. And though a few nitpicks could've been done here and there, the missions themselves are much more than I expected. Or deserved.
But, for the sake of it, let's get on with the story itself, that was presented to us in Blizzcon - Artanis and the Protoss try reclaiming Aiur thinking it's all safe, but then Amon comes up, corrupts the Khala and forces Artanis and the few survivors left to both run away to the Spear of Adun, the last Protoss Arkship and that somehow survived the Zerg invasion (And which I think it could've been explained a bit), and thus must face the new enemy in which even the Zerg and Terrans are involved. Also, it's discovered that not only Kerrigan didn't make as much progress as she expected to do, but also the Terrans whom were along with Narud were much more than Raynor or Valerian expected. So, it becomes critical that not only the Protoss, but the three races are forced to unite, but also figure out the salvation out of Zeratul's prophecies, all the while the Protoss themselves, even Artanis, being forced in challenging their original pre-conceptions in order to survive - Not only this means being separated from the communal link they once shared but it's now corrupted, but they must too face new truths, make difficult choices, take undesirable risks and will have to accept harsher realities as well.
And how it goes?
The day before LotV was released, campaign videos and achievements spoilering the story were leaked, though not as explicit as was with HotS - As the files were well encrypted, this time, and background downloads were done piece-by-piece, it didn't 'prepare' us, so to say, for disappointment, much early on. I nearly even got into a fight here, on the forums, because of spoilers being shown, and people talking about it like if it's commonplace, when it wouldn't hurt to wait a mere more 24-hours until it was released and we got to talk about it. When I mentioned, in a post, "Let's just get angry tomorrow rather than being spoon-fed disappointment", I meant that it was much better to simply get surprised and thus respond, on the moment, to the revelations, instead of being revealed too early and thus ruining what could've been a good experience. This happened weeks before HotS was released, and thus the result was I didn't like it, I got used to it and merely thought to myself 'Just get over with it...' At least, the incidents here, I think, were minimal, and I could choose to ignore them, which I did, wanting to put faith in what could be the redemption to Blizzard's lowest moment to it's most iconic franchise.
Well, why do I mention leaked spoilers of LotV? It's because the eventual talking about them inevitably spoiled iconic moments and surprises, and one of them we get right in the beginning, with a core character buying the farm. When I said it'd happen, in my preview article, I didn't mean I'd seen spoilers or was predicting the future, it was all based on Blizzard's standard M.O. (Modus Operandi) of axing favorites, that still persists 'til today, like it happened to Deckard Cain in Diablo III. But what should matter, instead, isn't the death itself, but what it meant and how it'd drive the story. And the way it was done, that was only meant to kick forward the story, I swear, this was VIRTUALLY how I wished Heart of the Swarm could've possibly done instead of just using that infamous old trick and having Kerrigan simply run towards revenge. Yes, it was cliched. Yes, in essence it ripped 'Iron Man' in a way. However, not only this time it made total sense, but also drove Artanis' motivations much more better, because it wasn't only the impact, but the weight this falls into Artanis' character. For the first time, you feel that this isn't shoved in, you get to know what this evil is capable of and realize 'Man, we just gotta stop that!'. There is a motivation to fight Amon, there is a motivation for Artanis' character, there is a motivation to set things right.
The other arcs, true, could've used a bit much more of explanation or some more good sense into them, but aren't as forced or hammered in as the previous campaign. Much of this is owed to the dialogue which was much more thought out than in... y'know, the predecessor! As well as the music that accompanies it and this is what makes the Protoss struggle much more intense and interesting. I confess, when the soundtrack leaked, I played through it and I enjoyed the orchestra. I think that the only wrong stuff leaked, IMO, is plot-related and stuff, and music definitely isn't, unless it's titled plot-related, which in this case is totally understandable. Fortunately, it wasn't for the LotV soundtrack, and it's one more reason to ask 'Why didn't you play it?'.
Unfortunately, if only everything were to be good, and it shows on the exploding planet shown on the previous trailers and the BlizzCon announcement... Not in the gameplay sense, but in the lore sense, instead, the choice not only surprising AND shocking (As well as it's the LAST planet anyone would conceive it to would blow up), but the major flaw I found with that arc, in particular, was in how much it was handled callously, without any emotional attachment to the world, or what it represented to the core Protoss lore, as well as the absence of some elements which would turn the ultimate decision an inevitable one instead of simply choosing so. If there is a weak point for LotV's story, it's the exploding planet, not on how it was chosen, but how it was carelessly handled, like 'Let's just blow it up rather than fighting for it'.
But if you believed the chosen exploding planet couldn't shock enough, or cause any reaction, then definitely the Purifier arc, for the hardcore 'purists', can be called a reason for a riot, especially as something happens that, well, wasn't expected, either... An old character returns, sort of. As I've read through the commentaries, on YouTube, other forums and social media, there was so much praise as was IMMENSE backlash, because of it's return, and "how it virtually butchers the lore and the past becomes meaningless", people saying it virtually became what Stukov was for the Heart of the Swarm campaign. Yes, virtually what could've been a 'YAY' (And kind of was, for newer audiences), turned into a 'BOOO' amongst REAL hardcore fans.
BUT, in it's defense (YES, I WILL DEFEND A RETCON, THE END IS COMING), I'll point out the differences between him and Stukov and how THIS return, in opposite to the other one, makes complete sense: In Heart of the Swarm, the appearance, explanation and how Stukov got to work with the Zerg was poorly explained and poorly handled, to the point of saying virtually 'It's a long story, let's just kill some Hybrids'. Here, it's technically still a machine with someone else's memories, kinda recalling Total Annihilation lore, meaning the original character, the fleshy one, is STILL dead, and even it's memories are too old to recall recent events or relationships, given it was centuries since the Purifiers, according to lore, were shut down. And, with all this time, as Protoss are centuries-old, it's more than obvious that this character's memories would somehow end up being backuped somewhere. And while one virtually came re-hashed out of a map I personally consider non-canon, the other's origins remain pretty much unaltered, just different, and it brings up interesting concepts and ideas about the power the Protoss let slip by with their attachments to the Khala, as well as other factors that makes us connect with their culture and their core themes.
And then, we move forward to the said 'second act', where Kerrigan shows up. That moment, I simply rubbed my eyes whining 'Oh, god, we finally come to it, didn't we?'. SURPRISINGLY, the gameplay was good, and the lines Kerrigan spouted weren't as bad as HotS was. Mozared may've said that she "still sounds like a comic book villain", but these ones, thank the Emperor, are forgettable, this time. And you even let it go aside as the Xel'Naga lore is introduced, and gives quite an impressive background through images and words, describing not only their existence, but also their M.O. and the way they view life and death in the universe which kind of returns to Blood Omen mythos, and also leads to a surprising twist related to the Protoss' very origins. It's only sad there's only a serious flaw with explaining it, and that it didn't answer, and I know I'm spoiling it, but it didn't explain 'If the Xel'Naga came from the same place as Amon, how did he end up corrupted and the others didn't?'
The other part of the second half continues the Purifier arc, but also unexpectedly introduces you to what you'd think you'd use the least, the Tal'Darim. Literally, the Chaos Space Marines of the Protoss, and if StarCraft had it's bases on Warhammer 40k lore, naturally there had your Abaddon. Enter Alarak, whom, while his backstory could've been explained better, not only does he deliver the finest missions and challenges, but also his character is... I'll explain it below, on a paragraph of his, along with the others, because I gotta finish the story part here. The third part, as I literally predicted, would end up on Aiur, but pretty much unlike Wings of Liberty or Heart of the Swarm, there's no big invasion, but instead small team insertion. All the references and eventual hold-out, pretty much like Wings of Liberty, are delivered with the usual catharsis, as well as a deserved honoring where's due. And pretty much like Wings of Liberty, you feel like everything's changed, now, forever. With 'Heart of the Swarm', you just felt nothing was accomplished, you just killed a bad guy and... that's about it.
Then the final arc, 'Into the Void'. This is where I'd say 'it all went downhill', but I was still willing to face it, because, hey, they handled everything back then SO WELL that I was actually invested in the final battle. Sadly, it's all a bit more clichéd with mere straight up fighting, the villains getting it, painful Anime AND religious 'I AM JESUS!' references, and a jackhammered 'Happily Ever After' of sorts. But I'll be fair, if only for the sake of the best previous campaign's integrity - I think it was a 'little to no choice', the manner which had to be done. If it didn't end with a bang, people would say 'this isn't like Blizzard at all', and if it did, people would still say 'This wasn't epic enough, especially for Blizzard's standards'. But apart from that, with only the positive point that you play each race per mission and the introduction of the final character, the rest (LotV Protoss campaign, I mean) is simply too good to bash - It delivered interesting point of views, discussions and ideas, it delivered much more emotional impact than I thought I'd get, and, above all, it delivered some of the best new characters to date.
Characters
Well, let's get to it, then, and I'll straight-out say it's surprising in how not only Blizzard DID NOT stick to stereotypes, but they sounded bizarrely the opposite of it, apart from a new lines here and there, which would follow just like that, stereotypes. In particular is Vorazun herself - the one I most dreaded to be the most hated character surprisingly didn't try to seek blood out of Kerrigan or Zeratul or disrupt Artanis' plans in a quest for payback or rebellious swings. I'd even say she's a bit too mature, at times I thought I was seeing Raszagal 2.0. And then Rohanna, the Preserver, which I thought would be wise and mystical, apart from being possessed time to time, which did happen, is about the most stubborn of all Protoss I've met. I'd say she's almost like Aldaris' wife, not just in her convictions but also in her inability to change until the final act. And yet, her stubborness strangely enough represents a sign of strength that's commonplace with Protoss: Fortitude. I think the only one I got to hate, if only at times, was Karax, the engineer, but only because his voice occasionally sounded too much chippier and bubbly, almost Terran happy. As well as his insistence in gathering more and more solarite, which I don't mind, I do it for the ships' powers, but you just don't go all 'Oh, how exciting!', because I don't think that'd be how a Protoss character would be. At best, he could be like Martellus, from Dawn of War II, just not *so* bright.
But when it comes to the best character of all, I'll just admit, Alarak gets the Academy Award. What. A . Character. He's got a great design, he's got a devious voice, he's got THE cunning mind, he's got the best comebacks and he's got the arrogance, evil tone and cockiness of a Game of Thrones villain, and his conversations are just downright enjoyable. He makes LotV, perhaps a bit more than Artanis, I'll admit. I'd say he's Tyrion and Stannis combined and in reverse, but suffice to say, that he's the Protoss Mengsk. Or at least the Mengsk WE EXPECTED out of Mengsk. I'll spoil it further talking more about him, but I swear, if Blizzard doesn't do a DLC dedicated to this guy, even if it's just him doing EEEVVIILLL stuff around, I'll just be outright pissed, because he clearly deserves it!
The others? Well, Amon's just the 'Big Evil' with a bit more of depth into his story, a bit more interesting, but that's just it. Everyone else is merely everyone else doing cameo, but the Xel'Naga Ouros. Many complained about how the Xel'Naga drink heavily from Lovecraft's squid man (Ctu something), but the design bizarrely works for both 'good' and 'bad' versions. The bad version, as you expected, is evil uncontested and supreme, while the good one, which is Ouros, seems like docile, patient, everlasting and surprisingly omniscient, kind of like a Humpback whale with tentacles, IMO. As well as I think that the twist when he appears is rather well done and ingenious, it shows how he's intelligent yet he's subtle enough to convey key actions across the whole trilogy, which is what he did - He said and did little, often posing as others, but this little was critical to get to that point and to get where he wanted to be. To me, that'd nearly be like a space god, after all.
So... That's about it, talking about the story. If I can say one last positive thing, is that it managed to surprise me with a few twists and turns, even if I knew where it was leading towards. The visuals, we've all seen, the audio, we've all delightfully heard, apart from a few negatives here and there (But only some unit sounds, like the Corsair), so it makes sense we get into...
Gameplay
Look, I don't even give a damn if it's just all recycled WoL missions all over again, unlike HotS, THESE were much well more worked upon, weren't as so plastic-gimmicky, and more than one not only gave me challenges, but also allowed me some free play, like the first Ulnar mission and the third mission, as well. Yes, we still have some tug-of-war missions, races against time, 'take and hold this position' or 'kill that structure or couple of structures' and 'Protect that unit as it goes around', but these ones were worked out much more, and most of it is also owed to the fact I was trying out, having fun I didn't have in quite a good time, a lot of crazy new units, beside your standard ones, which are improved post-starring mission with twists.
You get Dark Templar that either go 'All Ninja' vs all opponents, survive after death and return 100% shields and health or that stun a unit, mostly a defensive structure. You get Zealots that either do the Diablo 3 Barbarian spin of death, stun enemies on contact or revive after being killed, which saves a lot in rebuildiing. But we also get the best nostalgic returns, like the Dragoon, Reaver and Corsair, though I only have a nitpick with the Reaver, and how fast it suddenly is. xD But it must be because I never had the chance of using either Warp Prisms, Shuttles or even Observers in-game, so it must've been sped up to avoid dragging the game, having to wait too long just to get them into position. And it's about as similar, yet as different as Heart of the Swarm, in the fact that you're not choosing a particular upgrade, but a WHOLE different unit altogether. If I have to pick favorites, I'd say Tal'Darim Immortal, Reaver, Dragoon, either Nerazim or Purifier Zealot as well as Sentry.
But units aren't just this best addition, that manages to make a difference in these missions, but also the Spear of Adun's powers themselves. All and every Solarite you gather to access these powers makes it worth it, in not just how it helps you progress or out of a tough spot, but also in starting fast, or building up fast. And, unlike Kerrigan, where she was needed in every mission and she was so OPed, these ones are not as so intrusive as in the gameplay, they take time to charge up and this requires you to be on your own for a while. Fair and fair in both sides, and that's good in my book and they're fun. Invoke the NPC hero in the middle of an enemy base, and you'll know what I mean with it.
The micro missions have twists as well, apart from trudging across mini-bosses or armies with a super-dash and health regeneration, they also added a few good twists. Like in the first Aiur comeback mission, where, pretty much like EivindL did in his final Aureolin Eclipse mission, you have to stealth your way across, a bit. My only regret is that we didn't get said REAL 'Boss Fights' per say, but it must've surely been the hangover of so many bosses in a single arc, in the previous expansion...
But is there a downside? Unfortunately, there wasn't no AI or B&D missions but those I decided them to be, like the Ulnar first mission. There wasn't much surprises in-game that weren't pinged to me as 'Alert! Alert! They're coming!', and the only surprise attacks were those because I was far away and was distracted with a battle. Many times, it followed a bit of HotS in the way of it was all a time race, and that's the thing I like the least, being pressured to hurry up and get everything before it's over. But, apart from that, I was surprised by the overall quality of the missions and I didn't even get as much absurd 'Michael Bay' stuff I thought I was going to get, even after I saw, you know, A MOTHERSHIP PULLING A PEARL HARBOR!
Conclusion
So, in the end, the question remains: 'Was it worth it?' I'd rather instead ask, this time, 'What wasn't worth it?', and what wasn't worth is so few in my book, at least related to the story, because if I factored the multiplayer, it'd just damage the final score, and I'm focusing on the campaign, for this one. And even if you don't like the ending, the 'Into the Void' one, at least, I'll say the prologue and the Protoss campaign themselves MORE than make up for it, it's definitely worth your investiment. As well as the assets, the units, the mechanics and all that.
The soundtrack is memorable, the visuals are memorable, you can forgive the retcons and some nitpicks, even the parts you'd think are forgettable are memorable.
In a short note, THIS is what HotS should've been, but only now I realize this would actually either be a U-turn or A-turn related to Blizzard progress - If the middle was better, the final would've sucked. Thank god, I now realize that HotS at least now had an utility, it was how it was necessary to converge into this, into the definite StarCraft game. Or, as Aaron Eckhart would put it 'The night is darkest just before the dawn'. And if HotS was the said 'darkest night', then LotV is the dawn he spoke of.
Of course, if it weren't for the 'Into The Void' run and some nitpicks here and there, I'd give this the maximum note. But, I don't think it should get lower than what it deserves, so let's just say it was too close. Almost breathing it. Just... Thanks for that one, Blizzard.
Nice work hitting so many points! I think I agree with you on nearly everything, positives and negatives... this one actually felt like a fulfilling SC game and I appreciate you taking the time to articulate why for the rest of us.
One question, what are referring to with this "Pearl Harbor" Mothership thing? Do you mean the one that crashes? Pearl Harbor was a surprise attack by the Japanese airforce against a big naval yard, so I guess I don't understand the reference. I'm not looking to disagree about why you didn't like it - I'm just genuinely curious to what you're referring to.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Visit my channel where I showcase custom content! Send me a PM or respond to my YouTube thread if you'd like to see your map/s on my channel (eventually!)
Remember the 'Pearl Harbor' Michael Bay movie? There's a scene there where both pilots do an ego-stroking stunt, both in training and in battle (They call it 'who chickens out first', I guess), that nearly crashes their planes mid-air, in the most inplausible way possible. And they don't even get reprimanded, for either irresponsible military aircraft use, endangering themselves, or damaging thousands-of-dollars equipment.
That's what I mean when the Mothership, in the very first mission, does that, because a ship THAT size clearly wouldn't just dodge out of crashing in Artanis' war party way in the last second. That vessel behaved more like a jet than it did a capital ship, which's everything but fast. That's what I usually call the 'Michael Bay's world of physics.'
Also, nice to see you liked the review, though I thought you'd disagree with something like the ending, for an instance. Well, actually, I thought it was kind of okay, though it was... normal, for Blizzard's standards. That's the best way I can put it.
One key note about Alarak, that massively explains his appeal. He is voiced by John de Lancie, who plays Q in Star Trek. So if you know anything about Star Trek and Q, you will recognize why Alarak is what he is.
So I'm probably going to read this in pieces. Probably read about the first fourth so far. I gotta say I roll my eyes whenever people complain about HoTS, and also about not enough brood war stuff being mentioned into the game. I really enjoyed HoTS and had a lot of fun. I enjoy the journey and experience of a new story, and I don't want to hear about exposition of past events. I already played those games, time for something new! I bring this partially up because you also mentioned how they didn't explain much about Stukov. Personally I wouldn't want them to bore me with a bunch of exposition about how he got there. LoTV had tons of exposition about the Khala and the wars that came before it. Personally I'd rather they have something new happen in the story for 10 minutes, than have them explain something old for 10 minutes. Seriously, they're constantly mentioning those clan wars.
Yeah, I'm not sure about the ending. I think about what it potentially could have been because it just seemed so campy to me. At the same time, I feel inexplicably satisfied. I think it's because the story actually ended and there's closure. I'm not sure if that aligns exactly with your thoughts as well. I basically think that it could have been better (without a doubt), though I'm happy enough with it to feel some decent closure for the series.
Also, followup on that crazy Mothership, didn't it actually crash? You see it crashed with rescuable units near it soon after moving forward. I agree that the way it moves is bizarre, and it would be even stranger if it somehow recovered, though I think it was actually going down.
Visit my channel where I showcase custom content! Send me a PM or respond to my YouTube thread if you'd like to see your map/s on my channel (eventually!)
Well, at least we can agree that, if per chance in a far future, Blizzard decides to make a third game, it'll have to somehow follow the path of the upcoming 'The Force Awakens' (Which, BTW, has the best Japanese trailer ever), in which known characters can be cameos, but core ones will have to be totally new, to provide a refreshing course for both old and new audiences.
On the Mothership, yeah, it did crash, along with rescueables, but it could've just crashed straight down, like any big ship could. I mean, Battlecruisers fall straight, as well as Carriers, so why Motherships can't follow that rule? xD
Yeah, well, I had no Dark Eldar characters to reference, and that were as close to Alarak as Abaddon was. Also, everyone virtually calls him a Sith Lords, because of the KotOR villain design. Good to see Blizzard draws good inspiration, still. :)
Good review. Some sentences are a bit oddly formulated and I would've worded some things differently myself, but overall I completely agree. Can be very simple this time.
That said; where are you getting it from that I said Kerrigan sounds like a cartoon villain? I feel like you might've misinterpreted something I've said - I think this is the case for some characters, but not really for Kerrigan (she isn't really a villain to begin with).
Well, truth be told, Kerrigan is an odd case - One hour she's all innocent, another she's a villain, another she's remorseful, another she's got no regrets, in another she's all into it, another she's hesitating... It even seems, if you look at a certain angle, that Blizzard doesn't know what to do with her, and that's why they put her through more stuff than every StarCraft character combined.
•The new editor additions only make the mapmaker more and more God-like, apart from a few forgiveable nitpicks.
LotV did not add anything to the editor, patch 3.0 did. Unless you are referring to assets which also have nothing to do with the editor and do not need LotV to use in the editor.
Quote:
•The Co-Op missions, which were advertised as 'Allied Commanders' mode, which could fool people into thinking they'd somehow play a better version of the Co-Commanders from Red Alert 3, is nothing more than MOBA with challenges from previous WoL/HotS missions. At least they did the fitting thing of re-naming it for what it really is.
This makes no sense. They are nothing like an AoS ("MOBA"). The closest they come is if you play the Zerg commanders. Both Protoss and Terran have a good RTS theme to them and they do become challenging at Hard and Brutal difficulty where there is a sudden spike in what the enemies get (dozens of Hybrid behemoth and air).
Only problem with them is the missions are sort of bland. They could have had so many different missions, even involving 3+ players.
That is true, 3.0 added the editor capabilties, not Void, but for many, they are effectively synomous. Also, 3.0 technically gave us void, in the preloading.
As for Coop: It is pretty obvious they simply modified existing campaign scenarios, and spent most of the time getting the infrastructure of it in place (THe commander data, the UI, and so forth). I trust that the level and tech designers who were working on the campaign are now working on new Coop missions. There is already a 7th commander on the way (Karax).
@DeltaCadmius
One thing I just reread and wanted to comment on
'If the Xel'Naga came from the same place as Amon, how did he end up corrupted and the others didn't?'
This is Genesis, chapter 1, why did Satan, an Archangel of Heaven, become disiluusioned and birthed evil and absolutism?
Amon has the same flaw that is always associated with evil: Absolutism. Amon can not conceive that the imperfection of the evolution process is the strength of it, that evolution must be discarded in favor of "designing" life, that the sum of many mistakes can somehow be better then something that is designed. It is always a flaw and part of evil because such a mentalitiy presumes one thing: That the entity doing the designing is omnisicent. And such an attitude comes from another great flaw, hubris.
Well, thanks for elaborating to Imperial, but it was a specificity issue, and while both are closed, they're very separate too. Often 3.0 is confused with Void itself, if only because of the new UI, a portion of Assets and stuff. So, I'm sorry about the confusion.
Also, on the Amon thing, yeah, while hatred and stuff are reasonable, that alone would hardly fit well with a being which apparently, the Void doesn't do anything with it. Unless it was this emotion that somehow lowered his immunity and allowed the Void to involuntarily corrupt him, or some external source, just 'he's just Anakin/Lucifer hating' doesn't cut so well, particularly from an evil that was built up to this point, what with visions or directly talking to the Tal'Darim in the prologue mini-campaign. Just a criticism on his 'dark' origins but, apart from that, even though I think he could've done more in the previous games, and made his presence subtle, yet relevant, he's technically fine.
When you first hear the 'Allied Commander' thing, particularly if you played Red Alert 3 like I did, you'd imagine not co-op with human players, but with an AI of sorts you could control indirectly, issuing orders to defend an area, kill a specific unit/structure. Except that, since it's Blizzard, it'd come with many more options, like 'Expand to this site' or 'Build this building or unit' or 'Research this tech above anything else and right now'. Unfortunately, we got MOBA heroes and teamwork using ideas from campaign missions. And while Terran and Protoss' abilities MAY fell RTS-ish, they still fall on MOBA category, because they're so unique per commander you feel you're actually playing LoL RTS instead of any other map.
Amon has the same flaw that is always associated with evil: Absolutism. Amon can not conceive that the imperfection of the evolution process is the strength of it, that evolution must be discarded in favor of "designing" life, that the sum of many mistakes can somehow be better then something that is designed. It is always a flaw and part of evil because such a mentalitiy presumes one thing: That the entity doing the designing is omnisicent. And such an attitude comes from another great flaw, hubris.
If you read the transcripts from the last mission you will find out why Amon wanted to destroy the cycle. You will not hear it at lower difficulties due to how fast you can complete the mission.
The cycle states that a being of pure form and a being of pure spirit must come together in the presence of Xel'naga to become a new generation of Xel'naga and continue the cycle. Amon was once both a being of pure form and a being of pure spirit. Much like how the Queen of Blades was a being of pure form and the one Xel'naga (Tassadar's spirit? its unclear if he was just projecting an illusion or if he really took form as Tassadar and died in SC1) gave her pure spirit to become a Xel'naga. Xel'naga can also die and have limits to their power like all life so are not truly gods.
The being known as Amon thus had at least 1 life similar to Kerrigan did before her transformation to Queen of Blade. He probably had love interests, felt emotions, was happy. This was taken from him (them) when the Xel'naga manipulated them to ascend into new Xel'naga as they had achieved purity. After ascension the Xel'naga then wonder the void making life in new universes and eventually coming back once their creations are ready for ascension to produce a new generation of Xel'naga. Amon hated this because his life was taken away from him in an instant just to produce more life which ultimately individuals would suffer a similar fate that he did and also have their lives taken away from them to become Xel'naga.
Amon was not alone with this thinking. Other Xel'naga (Duran, and others) also felt the same way and suffered similar loss as a result of the cycle. They wanted an existence free of the cycle. They wanted to consume all existence with the void, populating it with their already perfect artificial Xel'naga, the Hybrid. The cycle would be broken as it is already completed and so no one would ever suffer the fate they did, an end to all suffering. With no life the cycle cannot continue and so is broken.
Amon began to take over the Void. Other Xel'naga tried to stop him but were killed be him and his allies. Eventually only 1 was left who may or may not have taken the form of Tassadar.
Amon then came across the Protoss and artificially uplifted them to be pure of spirit. After they had done he uplifted the Primal Zerg and gave them an Overmind to become purity of form. The results then combined by Duran to produce the Hybrid, mass producible artificial living Xel'naga which could be used to populate all existence with no need for the cycle since the cycle had already completed. Further more he would become one himself, giving him back a life that was taken away from him to become Xel'naga.
The cycle was ultimatly destroyed in a different way. Kerrigan gained natural purity of form from the Primal Zerg, as was intended by the cycle. The one Xel'naga who wanted to stop Amon sacrificed his purity of spirit. The difference with this merger was that both Kerrigan and the Xel'naga willingly became a Xel'naga (despite objections from Raynor), unlike Amon who was forced. The resulting Xel'naga Kerrigan strove to destroy the cycle another way by ending the Xel'naga completely and so preventing them from causing any suffering with the cycle. With no Xel'naga the cycle cannot continue so is broken.
Quote:
When you first hear the 'Allied Commander' thing, particularly if you played Red Alert 3 like I did, you'd imagine not co-op with human players, but with an AI of sorts you could control indirectly, issuing orders to defend an area, kill a specific unit/structure. Except that, since it's Blizzard, it'd come with many more options, like 'Expand to this site' or 'Build this building or unit' or 'Research this tech above anything else and right now'. Unfortunately, we got MOBA heroes and teamwork using ideas from campaign missions. And while Terran and Protoss' abilities MAY fell RTS-ish, they still fall on MOBA category, because they're so unique per commander you feel you're actually playing LoL RTS instead of any other map.
You must not be playing a hard enough difficulty. Once you reach Hard you actually need to be good as SC2 RTS in order to win since your abilities do not do much against 2,000+ HP Hybrid Tormenters.
[REVIEW] Starcraft II - Legacy of the Void Campaign
WARNING - This will be a very long article. Plenty of time and discretion is recommended.
And *finally*, November 10th hath come, the Last Expansion Plot. And I see no reason why such an expansion should ever be forgot. As well as we shouldn't forget the excitement, the tears of nostalgia, the curiosity and above all, the fear that came to us since, y'know, that previous expansion.
I'm DeltaCadimus, and this is the review I've promised to make on Legacy of the Void, one that seeks to be as straight-to-the-point as possible on the campaign and story and, bizzarely, the most vague as well. As there's no spoiler alert, but those I make throughout the article, I can't just expose major plot points for those whom didn't play it through, yet, but being vague like many reviewers out there isn't this a difficult thing - Merely elaborate a point where the said plot hole will happen, say, 'that mission on the machine world', and referring to that spoiler as 'Remember that thing from that TV show you like? They repeat it here', or something like it. Yes, it can get confusing, but once you get the hang of it, you virtually can pretty much do a lengthy, yet spoiler-less review.
And since we've been through much of LotV but the campaign itself, it's pretty much pointless to go through all over again, like I did on my preview article, on the multiplayer, the editor changes, the assets, the previous expansions, the works. So, to make it shorter and go straight to business, I'll summarize the remainder of LotV but the story itself in Pros & Cons.
PROS:
CONS:
Well, with all this summarized, apart from some issues that got over me on the first showcased mission, like the thing with the campaign opening cutscene (Which I later realized and kind of forgiven, given it made sense), and the 'Mothership Pearl Harbor Stunt' that occurs in the middle of the mission, there was still the remainder of the campaign to analyze. I won't lie, but I felt, especially after HotS and much before BlizzCon 2014, the fear that LotV would take on the same level the Zerg predecessor did, concerning story and gameplay quality, as well as I feared that, in the end, LotV would be nothing more than a copying of all the effort WarCraft III set up for it's MMO, given WoW was running out of steam and StarCraft, in a logical sense, is exploitable as a MMO - There's not only the possibility of Zerg civil war or the various Terran or Protoss factions, but also some separate storylines, the UED which, itself, would warrant a whole expansion pack, it was just a treasure trove filling up and waiting to be plundered.
In a way, much before WoW was even announced, we had little idea of the preparation Blizzard was making for it's medieval fantasy franchise - The Undead and Forsaken, Blood Elves, Kalimdor, even the Pandas got their own expansion. So it always seemed, to me, at least, that since Blizzard struck gold with it's first MMO, they'd try and have lightning strike twice with another MMO. And since Diablo is virtually an RPG and most of it was, in a way, exploited, StarCraft would be the next test subject, because it'd be profitable and you could find a lot to work with, besides the core story - So much so that even arcs from the 'Frontline' comic book saga or the 'Firstborn' book series offer much possibilities, hence why I always considered Blizzard had such plans for the sci-fi phenomenon from 1998 that released Blizzard into stardom.
Well, at least there's a fraction of these plans being showcased, if only limited to StarCraft II itself. Of course, I mean the Nova mini-campaign DLC that's set to be released Spring 2016, is to be set after LotV and it's a separate story arc meant to relieve us of the core cast. While many are complaining that Blizzard's now falling into the DLC hole we see Ubisoft, EA and other companies fall into nowadays, remember that there's a critical difference between Blizzard and these other companies - Yes, it'll sound favoritism, but when Blizzard releases content, the effort's at least shown, and it ends up more than it's worth and there's AT LEAST an option to buy it or not. The other companies either charge too much for a mere skin/animation/weapon, like EA with SW: Battlefront, or they pull it like Creative Assembly and Warhammer: Total War, where an entire core faction, that was meant to be released for free along with the game, is locked unless you've pre-ordered or paid said DLC. And what's worse is that more and more money is charged for things that aren't even worth the price. Not even Arkham Knight escapes this, as all their DLCs offer are nothing more than new skins and a chance to play with them, through storylines that don't connect, don't offer anything new or interesting on the characters and become a mere excuse for new predator rooms/arenas. At least, in the DLC point of view of things, Blizzard doesn't seem to be doing anything wrong, in comparison to the other examples.
But, getting back on track and this personal MMO fear aside, as well as the usual fear that it'd end as awful as C&C 4 or as confusing as Mass Effect 3, I was still determined to play through the final arc and, personally, my favorite race. So much that I even played through WoL, HotS and the Zeratul Prologue again if only for the sake of keeping memory fresh when the time came and so I could make comparisons, and let the game drive my emotion and joy or rage as I considered how it'd end. And, even if it's a few days since we're recovering from the finest BlizzCon yet offered, how does it go?
Of course I can't spoil this much, even after critical content was spoiled a day before and nearly caused outrage across, or say it was good or bad, right here at the beginning, but suffice to say this:
That I've commited the ultimate sin of 'judging a book by it's cover', when that first mission was showcased by Eurogamer.
And this is exactly what I mean with it, because Legacy of the Void not only managed to return to the levels of Wings of Liberty, but it also surpassed them. It upped the visuals, it upped the music, it upped the action, it upped the drama, it even upped the comedy. Yes, some Protoss in particular, out of all people, *will* rip a giggle out of you. And though a few nitpicks could've been done here and there, the missions themselves are much more than I expected. Or deserved.
But, for the sake of it, let's get on with the story itself, that was presented to us in Blizzcon - Artanis and the Protoss try reclaiming Aiur thinking it's all safe, but then Amon comes up, corrupts the Khala and forces Artanis and the few survivors left to both run away to the Spear of Adun, the last Protoss Arkship and that somehow survived the Zerg invasion (And which I think it could've been explained a bit), and thus must face the new enemy in which even the Zerg and Terrans are involved. Also, it's discovered that not only Kerrigan didn't make as much progress as she expected to do, but also the Terrans whom were along with Narud were much more than Raynor or Valerian expected. So, it becomes critical that not only the Protoss, but the three races are forced to unite, but also figure out the salvation out of Zeratul's prophecies, all the while the Protoss themselves, even Artanis, being forced in challenging their original pre-conceptions in order to survive - Not only this means being separated from the communal link they once shared but it's now corrupted, but they must too face new truths, make difficult choices, take undesirable risks and will have to accept harsher realities as well.
And how it goes?
The day before LotV was released, campaign videos and achievements spoilering the story were leaked, though not as explicit as was with HotS - As the files were well encrypted, this time, and background downloads were done piece-by-piece, it didn't 'prepare' us, so to say, for disappointment, much early on. I nearly even got into a fight here, on the forums, because of spoilers being shown, and people talking about it like if it's commonplace, when it wouldn't hurt to wait a mere more 24-hours until it was released and we got to talk about it. When I mentioned, in a post, "Let's just get angry tomorrow rather than being spoon-fed disappointment", I meant that it was much better to simply get surprised and thus respond, on the moment, to the revelations, instead of being revealed too early and thus ruining what could've been a good experience. This happened weeks before HotS was released, and thus the result was I didn't like it, I got used to it and merely thought to myself 'Just get over with it...' At least, the incidents here, I think, were minimal, and I could choose to ignore them, which I did, wanting to put faith in what could be the redemption to Blizzard's lowest moment to it's most iconic franchise.
Well, why do I mention leaked spoilers of LotV? It's because the eventual talking about them inevitably spoiled iconic moments and surprises, and one of them we get right in the beginning, with a core character buying the farm. When I said it'd happen, in my preview article, I didn't mean I'd seen spoilers or was predicting the future, it was all based on Blizzard's standard M.O. (Modus Operandi) of axing favorites, that still persists 'til today, like it happened to Deckard Cain in Diablo III. But what should matter, instead, isn't the death itself, but what it meant and how it'd drive the story. And the way it was done, that was only meant to kick forward the story, I swear, this was VIRTUALLY how I wished Heart of the Swarm could've possibly done instead of just using that infamous old trick and having Kerrigan simply run towards revenge. Yes, it was cliched. Yes, in essence it ripped 'Iron Man' in a way. However, not only this time it made total sense, but also drove Artanis' motivations much more better, because it wasn't only the impact, but the weight this falls into Artanis' character. For the first time, you feel that this isn't shoved in, you get to know what this evil is capable of and realize 'Man, we just gotta stop that!'. There is a motivation to fight Amon, there is a motivation for Artanis' character, there is a motivation to set things right.
The other arcs, true, could've used a bit much more of explanation or some more good sense into them, but aren't as forced or hammered in as the previous campaign. Much of this is owed to the dialogue which was much more thought out than in... y'know, the predecessor! As well as the music that accompanies it and this is what makes the Protoss struggle much more intense and interesting. I confess, when the soundtrack leaked, I played through it and I enjoyed the orchestra. I think that the only wrong stuff leaked, IMO, is plot-related and stuff, and music definitely isn't, unless it's titled plot-related, which in this case is totally understandable. Fortunately, it wasn't for the LotV soundtrack, and it's one more reason to ask 'Why didn't you play it?'.
Unfortunately, if only everything were to be good, and it shows on the exploding planet shown on the previous trailers and the BlizzCon announcement... Not in the gameplay sense, but in the lore sense, instead, the choice not only surprising AND shocking (As well as it's the LAST planet anyone would conceive it to would blow up), but the major flaw I found with that arc, in particular, was in how much it was handled callously, without any emotional attachment to the world, or what it represented to the core Protoss lore, as well as the absence of some elements which would turn the ultimate decision an inevitable one instead of simply choosing so. If there is a weak point for LotV's story, it's the exploding planet, not on how it was chosen, but how it was carelessly handled, like 'Let's just blow it up rather than fighting for it'.
But if you believed the chosen exploding planet couldn't shock enough, or cause any reaction, then definitely the Purifier arc, for the hardcore 'purists', can be called a reason for a riot, especially as something happens that, well, wasn't expected, either... An old character returns, sort of. As I've read through the commentaries, on YouTube, other forums and social media, there was so much praise as was IMMENSE backlash, because of it's return, and "how it virtually butchers the lore and the past becomes meaningless", people saying it virtually became what Stukov was for the Heart of the Swarm campaign. Yes, virtually what could've been a 'YAY' (And kind of was, for newer audiences), turned into a 'BOOO' amongst REAL hardcore fans.
BUT, in it's defense (YES, I WILL DEFEND A RETCON, THE END IS COMING), I'll point out the differences between him and Stukov and how THIS return, in opposite to the other one, makes complete sense: In Heart of the Swarm, the appearance, explanation and how Stukov got to work with the Zerg was poorly explained and poorly handled, to the point of saying virtually 'It's a long story, let's just kill some Hybrids'. Here, it's technically still a machine with someone else's memories, kinda recalling Total Annihilation lore, meaning the original character, the fleshy one, is STILL dead, and even it's memories are too old to recall recent events or relationships, given it was centuries since the Purifiers, according to lore, were shut down. And, with all this time, as Protoss are centuries-old, it's more than obvious that this character's memories would somehow end up being backuped somewhere. And while one virtually came re-hashed out of a map I personally consider non-canon, the other's origins remain pretty much unaltered, just different, and it brings up interesting concepts and ideas about the power the Protoss let slip by with their attachments to the Khala, as well as other factors that makes us connect with their culture and their core themes.
And then, we move forward to the said 'second act', where Kerrigan shows up. That moment, I simply rubbed my eyes whining 'Oh, god, we finally come to it, didn't we?'. SURPRISINGLY, the gameplay was good, and the lines Kerrigan spouted weren't as bad as HotS was. Mozared may've said that she "still sounds like a comic book villain", but these ones, thank the Emperor, are forgettable, this time. And you even let it go aside as the Xel'Naga lore is introduced, and gives quite an impressive background through images and words, describing not only their existence, but also their M.O. and the way they view life and death in the universe which kind of returns to Blood Omen mythos, and also leads to a surprising twist related to the Protoss' very origins. It's only sad there's only a serious flaw with explaining it, and that it didn't answer, and I know I'm spoiling it, but it didn't explain 'If the Xel'Naga came from the same place as Amon, how did he end up corrupted and the others didn't?'
The other part of the second half continues the Purifier arc, but also unexpectedly introduces you to what you'd think you'd use the least, the Tal'Darim. Literally, the Chaos Space Marines of the Protoss, and if StarCraft had it's bases on Warhammer 40k lore, naturally there had your Abaddon. Enter Alarak, whom, while his backstory could've been explained better, not only does he deliver the finest missions and challenges, but also his character is... I'll explain it below, on a paragraph of his, along with the others, because I gotta finish the story part here. The third part, as I literally predicted, would end up on Aiur, but pretty much unlike Wings of Liberty or Heart of the Swarm, there's no big invasion, but instead small team insertion. All the references and eventual hold-out, pretty much like Wings of Liberty, are delivered with the usual catharsis, as well as a deserved honoring where's due. And pretty much like Wings of Liberty, you feel like everything's changed, now, forever. With 'Heart of the Swarm', you just felt nothing was accomplished, you just killed a bad guy and... that's about it.
Then the final arc, 'Into the Void'. This is where I'd say 'it all went downhill', but I was still willing to face it, because, hey, they handled everything back then SO WELL that I was actually invested in the final battle. Sadly, it's all a bit more clichéd with mere straight up fighting, the villains getting it, painful Anime AND religious 'I AM JESUS!' references, and a jackhammered 'Happily Ever After' of sorts. But I'll be fair, if only for the sake of the best previous campaign's integrity - I think it was a 'little to no choice', the manner which had to be done. If it didn't end with a bang, people would say 'this isn't like Blizzard at all', and if it did, people would still say 'This wasn't epic enough, especially for Blizzard's standards'. But apart from that, with only the positive point that you play each race per mission and the introduction of the final character, the rest (LotV Protoss campaign, I mean) is simply too good to bash - It delivered interesting point of views, discussions and ideas, it delivered much more emotional impact than I thought I'd get, and, above all, it delivered some of the best new characters to date.
Characters
Well, let's get to it, then, and I'll straight-out say it's surprising in how not only Blizzard DID NOT stick to stereotypes, but they sounded bizarrely the opposite of it, apart from a new lines here and there, which would follow just like that, stereotypes. In particular is Vorazun herself - the one I most dreaded to be the most hated character surprisingly didn't try to seek blood out of Kerrigan or Zeratul or disrupt Artanis' plans in a quest for payback or rebellious swings. I'd even say she's a bit too mature, at times I thought I was seeing Raszagal 2.0. And then Rohanna, the Preserver, which I thought would be wise and mystical, apart from being possessed time to time, which did happen, is about the most stubborn of all Protoss I've met. I'd say she's almost like Aldaris' wife, not just in her convictions but also in her inability to change until the final act. And yet, her stubborness strangely enough represents a sign of strength that's commonplace with Protoss: Fortitude. I think the only one I got to hate, if only at times, was Karax, the engineer, but only because his voice occasionally sounded too much chippier and bubbly, almost Terran happy. As well as his insistence in gathering more and more solarite, which I don't mind, I do it for the ships' powers, but you just don't go all 'Oh, how exciting!', because I don't think that'd be how a Protoss character would be. At best, he could be like Martellus, from Dawn of War II, just not *so* bright.
But when it comes to the best character of all, I'll just admit, Alarak gets the Academy Award. What. A . Character. He's got a great design, he's got a devious voice, he's got THE cunning mind, he's got the best comebacks and he's got the arrogance, evil tone and cockiness of a Game of Thrones villain, and his conversations are just downright enjoyable. He makes LotV, perhaps a bit more than Artanis, I'll admit. I'd say he's Tyrion and Stannis combined and in reverse, but suffice to say, that he's the Protoss Mengsk. Or at least the Mengsk WE EXPECTED out of Mengsk. I'll spoil it further talking more about him, but I swear, if Blizzard doesn't do a DLC dedicated to this guy, even if it's just him doing EEEVVIILLL stuff around, I'll just be outright pissed, because he clearly deserves it!
The others? Well, Amon's just the 'Big Evil' with a bit more of depth into his story, a bit more interesting, but that's just it. Everyone else is merely everyone else doing cameo, but the Xel'Naga Ouros. Many complained about how the Xel'Naga drink heavily from Lovecraft's squid man (Ctu something), but the design bizarrely works for both 'good' and 'bad' versions. The bad version, as you expected, is evil uncontested and supreme, while the good one, which is Ouros, seems like docile, patient, everlasting and surprisingly omniscient, kind of like a Humpback whale with tentacles, IMO. As well as I think that the twist when he appears is rather well done and ingenious, it shows how he's intelligent yet he's subtle enough to convey key actions across the whole trilogy, which is what he did - He said and did little, often posing as others, but this little was critical to get to that point and to get where he wanted to be. To me, that'd nearly be like a space god, after all.
So... That's about it, talking about the story. If I can say one last positive thing, is that it managed to surprise me with a few twists and turns, even if I knew where it was leading towards. The visuals, we've all seen, the audio, we've all delightfully heard, apart from a few negatives here and there (But only some unit sounds, like the Corsair), so it makes sense we get into...
Gameplay
Look, I don't even give a damn if it's just all recycled WoL missions all over again, unlike HotS, THESE were much well more worked upon, weren't as so plastic-gimmicky, and more than one not only gave me challenges, but also allowed me some free play, like the first Ulnar mission and the third mission, as well. Yes, we still have some tug-of-war missions, races against time, 'take and hold this position' or 'kill that structure or couple of structures' and 'Protect that unit as it goes around', but these ones were worked out much more, and most of it is also owed to the fact I was trying out, having fun I didn't have in quite a good time, a lot of crazy new units, beside your standard ones, which are improved post-starring mission with twists.
You get Dark Templar that either go 'All Ninja' vs all opponents, survive after death and return 100% shields and health or that stun a unit, mostly a defensive structure. You get Zealots that either do the Diablo 3 Barbarian spin of death, stun enemies on contact or revive after being killed, which saves a lot in rebuildiing. But we also get the best nostalgic returns, like the Dragoon, Reaver and Corsair, though I only have a nitpick with the Reaver, and how fast it suddenly is. xD But it must be because I never had the chance of using either Warp Prisms, Shuttles or even Observers in-game, so it must've been sped up to avoid dragging the game, having to wait too long just to get them into position. And it's about as similar, yet as different as Heart of the Swarm, in the fact that you're not choosing a particular upgrade, but a WHOLE different unit altogether. If I have to pick favorites, I'd say Tal'Darim Immortal, Reaver, Dragoon, either Nerazim or Purifier Zealot as well as Sentry.
But units aren't just this best addition, that manages to make a difference in these missions, but also the Spear of Adun's powers themselves. All and every Solarite you gather to access these powers makes it worth it, in not just how it helps you progress or out of a tough spot, but also in starting fast, or building up fast. And, unlike Kerrigan, where she was needed in every mission and she was so OPed, these ones are not as so intrusive as in the gameplay, they take time to charge up and this requires you to be on your own for a while. Fair and fair in both sides, and that's good in my book and they're fun. Invoke the NPC hero in the middle of an enemy base, and you'll know what I mean with it.
The micro missions have twists as well, apart from trudging across mini-bosses or armies with a super-dash and health regeneration, they also added a few good twists. Like in the first Aiur comeback mission, where, pretty much like EivindL did in his final Aureolin Eclipse mission, you have to stealth your way across, a bit. My only regret is that we didn't get said REAL 'Boss Fights' per say, but it must've surely been the hangover of so many bosses in a single arc, in the previous expansion...
But is there a downside? Unfortunately, there wasn't no AI or B&D missions but those I decided them to be, like the Ulnar first mission. There wasn't much surprises in-game that weren't pinged to me as 'Alert! Alert! They're coming!', and the only surprise attacks were those because I was far away and was distracted with a battle. Many times, it followed a bit of HotS in the way of it was all a time race, and that's the thing I like the least, being pressured to hurry up and get everything before it's over. But, apart from that, I was surprised by the overall quality of the missions and I didn't even get as much absurd 'Michael Bay' stuff I thought I was going to get, even after I saw, you know, A MOTHERSHIP PULLING A PEARL HARBOR!
Conclusion
So, in the end, the question remains: 'Was it worth it?' I'd rather instead ask, this time, 'What wasn't worth it?', and what wasn't worth is so few in my book, at least related to the story, because if I factored the multiplayer, it'd just damage the final score, and I'm focusing on the campaign, for this one. And even if you don't like the ending, the 'Into the Void' one, at least, I'll say the prologue and the Protoss campaign themselves MORE than make up for it, it's definitely worth your investiment. As well as the assets, the units, the mechanics and all that.
The soundtrack is memorable, the visuals are memorable, you can forgive the retcons and some nitpicks, even the parts you'd think are forgettable are memorable.
In a short note, THIS is what HotS should've been, but only now I realize this would actually either be a U-turn or A-turn related to Blizzard progress - If the middle was better, the final would've sucked. Thank god, I now realize that HotS at least now had an utility, it was how it was necessary to converge into this, into the definite StarCraft game. Or, as Aaron Eckhart would put it 'The night is darkest just before the dawn'. And if HotS was the said 'darkest night', then LotV is the dawn he spoke of.
Of course, if it weren't for the 'Into The Void' run and some nitpicks here and there, I'd give this the maximum note. But, I don't think it should get lower than what it deserves, so let's just say it was too close. Almost breathing it. Just... Thanks for that one, Blizzard.
NOTE - 4.5/5
Nice work hitting so many points! I think I agree with you on nearly everything, positives and negatives... this one actually felt like a fulfilling SC game and I appreciate you taking the time to articulate why for the rest of us.
One question, what are referring to with this "Pearl Harbor" Mothership thing? Do you mean the one that crashes? Pearl Harbor was a surprise attack by the Japanese airforce against a big naval yard, so I guess I don't understand the reference. I'm not looking to disagree about why you didn't like it - I'm just genuinely curious to what you're referring to.
Visit my channel where I showcase custom content! Send me a PM or respond to my YouTube thread if you'd like to see your map/s on my channel (eventually!)
@JayborinoPlays: Go
Remember the 'Pearl Harbor' Michael Bay movie? There's a scene there where both pilots do an ego-stroking stunt, both in training and in battle (They call it 'who chickens out first', I guess), that nearly crashes their planes mid-air, in the most inplausible way possible. And they don't even get reprimanded, for either irresponsible military aircraft use, endangering themselves, or damaging thousands-of-dollars equipment.
That's what I mean when the Mothership, in the very first mission, does that, because a ship THAT size clearly wouldn't just dodge out of crashing in Artanis' war party way in the last second. That vessel behaved more like a jet than it did a capital ship, which's everything but fast. That's what I usually call the 'Michael Bay's world of physics.'
Also, nice to see you liked the review, though I thought you'd disagree with something like the ending, for an instance. Well, actually, I thought it was kind of okay, though it was... normal, for Blizzard's standards. That's the best way I can put it.
One key note about Alarak, that massively explains his appeal. He is voiced by John de Lancie, who plays Q in Star Trek. So if you know anything about Star Trek and Q, you will recognize why Alarak is what he is.
So I'm probably going to read this in pieces. Probably read about the first fourth so far. I gotta say I roll my eyes whenever people complain about HoTS, and also about not enough brood war stuff being mentioned into the game. I really enjoyed HoTS and had a lot of fun. I enjoy the journey and experience of a new story, and I don't want to hear about exposition of past events. I already played those games, time for something new! I bring this partially up because you also mentioned how they didn't explain much about Stukov. Personally I wouldn't want them to bore me with a bunch of exposition about how he got there. LoTV had tons of exposition about the Khala and the wars that came before it. Personally I'd rather they have something new happen in the story for 10 minutes, than have them explain something old for 10 minutes. Seriously, they're constantly mentioning those clan wars.
@ArcaneDurandel: Go
Interesting... One more reason as why the character's great, then. :D
@DeltaCadimus: Go
Yeah, I'm not sure about the ending. I think about what it potentially could have been because it just seemed so campy to me. At the same time, I feel inexplicably satisfied. I think it's because the story actually ended and there's closure. I'm not sure if that aligns exactly with your thoughts as well. I basically think that it could have been better (without a doubt), though I'm happy enough with it to feel some decent closure for the series.
Also, followup on that crazy Mothership, didn't it actually crash? You see it crashed with rescuable units near it soon after moving forward. I agree that the way it moves is bizarre, and it would be even stranger if it somehow recovered, though I think it was actually going down.
Visit my channel where I showcase custom content! Send me a PM or respond to my YouTube thread if you'd like to see your map/s on my channel (eventually!)
@JayborinoPlays: Go
Well, at least we can agree that, if per chance in a far future, Blizzard decides to make a third game, it'll have to somehow follow the path of the upcoming 'The Force Awakens' (Which, BTW, has the best Japanese trailer ever), in which known characters can be cameos, but core ones will have to be totally new, to provide a refreshing course for both old and new audiences.
On the Mothership, yeah, it did crash, along with rescueables, but it could've just crashed straight down, like any big ship could. I mean, Battlecruisers fall straight, as well as Carriers, so why Motherships can't follow that rule? xD
taldarim are more dark eldar than chaos space marines. well, very toned down dark eldar. or rathger just siths
Go play Antioch Chronicles Remastered!
Also, coming soon, Antioch Episode 3: Thoughts in Chaos!
Dont like mapster's ugly white? Try Mapster's Classic Skin!
@Alevice: Go
Yeah, well, I had no Dark Eldar characters to reference, and that were as close to Alarak as Abaddon was. Also, everyone virtually calls him a Sith Lords, because of the KotOR villain design. Good to see Blizzard draws good inspiration, still. :)
Good review. Some sentences are a bit oddly formulated and I would've worded some things differently myself, but overall I completely agree. Can be very simple this time.
That said; where are you getting it from that I said Kerrigan sounds like a cartoon villain? I feel like you might've misinterpreted something I've said - I think this is the case for some characters, but not really for Kerrigan (she isn't really a villain to begin with).
@Mozared: Go
Well, truth be told, Kerrigan is an odd case - One hour she's all innocent, another she's a villain, another she's remorseful, another she's got no regrets, in another she's all into it, another she's hesitating... It even seems, if you look at a certain angle, that Blizzard doesn't know what to do with her, and that's why they put her through more stuff than every StarCraft character combined.
The birth of the Legion
LotV did not add anything to the editor, patch 3.0 did. Unless you are referring to assets which also have nothing to do with the editor and do not need LotV to use in the editor.
This makes no sense. They are nothing like an AoS ("MOBA"). The closest they come is if you play the Zerg commanders. Both Protoss and Terran have a good RTS theme to them and they do become challenging at Hard and Brutal difficulty where there is a sudden spike in what the enemies get (dozens of Hybrid behemoth and air).
Only problem with them is the missions are sort of bland. They could have had so many different missions, even involving 3+ players.
@ImperialGood: Go
That is true, 3.0 added the editor capabilties, not Void, but for many, they are effectively synomous. Also, 3.0 technically gave us void, in the preloading.
As for Coop: It is pretty obvious they simply modified existing campaign scenarios, and spent most of the time getting the infrastructure of it in place (THe commander data, the UI, and so forth). I trust that the level and tech designers who were working on the campaign are now working on new Coop missions. There is already a 7th commander on the way (Karax).
@DeltaCadmius
One thing I just reread and wanted to comment on
'If the Xel'Naga came from the same place as Amon, how did he end up corrupted and the others didn't?'
This is Genesis, chapter 1, why did Satan, an Archangel of Heaven, become disiluusioned and birthed evil and absolutism?
Amon has the same flaw that is always associated with evil: Absolutism. Amon can not conceive that the imperfection of the evolution process is the strength of it, that evolution must be discarded in favor of "designing" life, that the sum of many mistakes can somehow be better then something that is designed. It is always a flaw and part of evil because such a mentalitiy presumes one thing: That the entity doing the designing is omnisicent. And such an attitude comes from another great flaw, hubris.
@ArcaneDurandel: Go
Well, thanks for elaborating to Imperial, but it was a specificity issue, and while both are closed, they're very separate too. Often 3.0 is confused with Void itself, if only because of the new UI, a portion of Assets and stuff. So, I'm sorry about the confusion.
Also, on the Amon thing, yeah, while hatred and stuff are reasonable, that alone would hardly fit well with a being which apparently, the Void doesn't do anything with it. Unless it was this emotion that somehow lowered his immunity and allowed the Void to involuntarily corrupt him, or some external source, just 'he's just Anakin/Lucifer hating' doesn't cut so well, particularly from an evil that was built up to this point, what with visions or directly talking to the Tal'Darim in the prologue mini-campaign. Just a criticism on his 'dark' origins but, apart from that, even though I think he could've done more in the previous games, and made his presence subtle, yet relevant, he's technically fine.
@ImperialGood: Go
When you first hear the 'Allied Commander' thing, particularly if you played Red Alert 3 like I did, you'd imagine not co-op with human players, but with an AI of sorts you could control indirectly, issuing orders to defend an area, kill a specific unit/structure. Except that, since it's Blizzard, it'd come with many more options, like 'Expand to this site' or 'Build this building or unit' or 'Research this tech above anything else and right now'. Unfortunately, we got MOBA heroes and teamwork using ideas from campaign missions. And while Terran and Protoss' abilities MAY fell RTS-ish, they still fall on MOBA category, because they're so unique per commander you feel you're actually playing LoL RTS instead of any other map.
If you read the transcripts from the last mission you will find out why Amon wanted to destroy the cycle. You will not hear it at lower difficulties due to how fast you can complete the mission.
The cycle states that a being of pure form and a being of pure spirit must come together in the presence of Xel'naga to become a new generation of Xel'naga and continue the cycle. Amon was once both a being of pure form and a being of pure spirit. Much like how the Queen of Blades was a being of pure form and the one Xel'naga (Tassadar's spirit? its unclear if he was just projecting an illusion or if he really took form as Tassadar and died in SC1) gave her pure spirit to become a Xel'naga. Xel'naga can also die and have limits to their power like all life so are not truly gods.
The being known as Amon thus had at least 1 life similar to Kerrigan did before her transformation to Queen of Blade. He probably had love interests, felt emotions, was happy. This was taken from him (them) when the Xel'naga manipulated them to ascend into new Xel'naga as they had achieved purity. After ascension the Xel'naga then wonder the void making life in new universes and eventually coming back once their creations are ready for ascension to produce a new generation of Xel'naga. Amon hated this because his life was taken away from him in an instant just to produce more life which ultimately individuals would suffer a similar fate that he did and also have their lives taken away from them to become Xel'naga.
Amon was not alone with this thinking. Other Xel'naga (Duran, and others) also felt the same way and suffered similar loss as a result of the cycle. They wanted an existence free of the cycle. They wanted to consume all existence with the void, populating it with their already perfect artificial Xel'naga, the Hybrid. The cycle would be broken as it is already completed and so no one would ever suffer the fate they did, an end to all suffering. With no life the cycle cannot continue and so is broken.
Amon began to take over the Void. Other Xel'naga tried to stop him but were killed be him and his allies. Eventually only 1 was left who may or may not have taken the form of Tassadar.
Amon then came across the Protoss and artificially uplifted them to be pure of spirit. After they had done he uplifted the Primal Zerg and gave them an Overmind to become purity of form. The results then combined by Duran to produce the Hybrid, mass producible artificial living Xel'naga which could be used to populate all existence with no need for the cycle since the cycle had already completed. Further more he would become one himself, giving him back a life that was taken away from him to become Xel'naga.
The cycle was ultimatly destroyed in a different way. Kerrigan gained natural purity of form from the Primal Zerg, as was intended by the cycle. The one Xel'naga who wanted to stop Amon sacrificed his purity of spirit. The difference with this merger was that both Kerrigan and the Xel'naga willingly became a Xel'naga (despite objections from Raynor), unlike Amon who was forced. The resulting Xel'naga Kerrigan strove to destroy the cycle another way by ending the Xel'naga completely and so preventing them from causing any suffering with the cycle. With no Xel'naga the cycle cannot continue so is broken.
You must not be playing a hard enough difficulty. Once you reach Hard you actually need to be good as SC2 RTS in order to win since your abilities do not do much against 2,000+ HP Hybrid Tormenters.
I just love how everyone is loving and appreciating Legacy of the Void. "The definite Starcraft game". Well put indeed.
There does seem to be a consensus on it being the best part of the trilogy.
Thats like comparing Gold to Crap. Yes, the one is clearly better than the other, but it doesnt describe just HOW GOOD Gold actually is.