Blizzard sure likes to put a little RPG in their RTS

[Wolfram23]

So, like many, many people out there, I picked up Starcraft 2 yesterday. So far so good, I've played at around 5 missions so far. They're fairly cool, lots of new elements for the SC series. Anyway, this isn't really a review, so I'll get to the point.

They turned Starcraft into an RPG. Is this bad? Well, we'll have to wait and see. It's not quite to the level of Warcraft 3 where you get a hero to level up and give him items to use. However, between missions you get to purchase unit and building upgrades, as well as choose some new research technology if you've acquired enough research points.

So far, I do like it, but at the same time it can sort of drag down the game. I say this because there's just so much fluff in between missions. Check the Armoury, can you upgrade? Check the Lab, can you research? Check the Cantina or go to the Bridge and select a mission. Not to mention in all these areas you can chat with certain characters. I found myself spending as much time there as in actual gameplay. Oh and there's even an arcade game you can play in the Cantina.

So, if anyone's played some SC2 campaign, I want to know how you feel about this? I think it's neat, and I'm sure I'll get used to it... but it's a lot of change. I did not like the WC3 campaign a whole lot mostly because of the RPG stuff, but I think that SC2 is much better so far mostly because you don't have the heros to worry about upgrading and such. Although they DO have random mineral and gas deposits your units can find scattered about.

 

[Weaver]

I've beat the game. (midnight release Monday coupled with marathon play).

I liked it. In general, the bonuses you get on the units are just gravy, you don't really NEED them. What pissed me off the most, is I found for the armory I never got enough money to buy every upgrade (that's including all the $ bonuses you get for excess research on protoss and zerg tech).

So word of caution to players, CHOOSE WISELY.

I'd recommend just never buying mercenaries, they're a waste of money IMO.

 

[ladof84]

One thing I'm not sure I like is the fact that you don't get all the units in multiplayer. I was in beta, and enjoyed it, but when I picked up the release version, I was surprised to find Firebats and Medics again. I hadn't seen hide nor hair of them in beta. Why can't we use these in multiplayer?

As for the RPG element in the single player, I kinda like it. It's a decent way to expand the story without using endless forced movies. you only need to watch what you want to watch.


AC10, I think they did that for replay value. Go back and do another campaign for unlocking everything to figure out what you like the most...

 

[Keava]

One thing I'm not sure I like is the fact that you don't get all the units in multiplayer. I was in beta, and enjoyed it, but when I picked up the release version, I was surprised to find Firebats and Medics again. I hadn't seen hide nor hair of them in beta. Why can't we use these in multiplayer?

It's a smart marketing ploy combined with balance issues. Both zerg and protoss wait for their 'expansions' to introduce their campaign specific units in full glory. Adding just the terran units like medics or hover tanks for eg. into multiplayer now would put Terran army at advantage without same being done for other races. That's one of the drawbacks of splitting the game into 3.

As for the RPG element.It's not that much of RPG element really, it's just typical upgrade after mission element. From what i heard it's Zerg campaign thats supposed to be more RPG-like eventually. So far tho, i found the singleplayer good, but a little uninspiring, hence i took a break from campaign to get gold medals for challenges. Actually found that part more fun, wish there would be tad more of them tho.