Video Game Tribute #13 – Starcraft

My next tribute goes out to one of the greatest Real Time Strategy games our generation has ever witnessed… And I'm not talking about Warcraft. Warcraft is child's play compared to this… I'm of course talking about Starcraft!

Starcraft allows you to take control of three different races and battle each other to the death for domination of the entire galaxy. Those three races are as follows… 1.)  Terrans - Because what space game isn't complete without the incredibly mediocre humans? 2.) Zerg - Pretty much a big animalistic Alien species hell-bent on devouring and destroying everything in their path like a parasite… Think about Marvel's Brood meets the bugs from Starship Troopers. 3.) Protoss - Basically the baddest aliens in the universe, they have energy blades, shields, and the ability to kick your hyde no matter what race you're using. I'm sure the game tried their best to balance all the races, but really, these guys are more like a cheat code come to life.

The gameplay goes something like this… You start out with a main command center and a couple of miners. You gather minerals and gas (think of it as money) so you can construct an army. You begin to build structures which allow you to build various army units and all the while you build defenses for your base. Now that you're base is guarded and your army is ready to kick butt, you go out and annihilate the enemy… Or get annihilated… Which will most likely happen. This game shows no mercy. The campaign has a lot of varied styles of missions, defense missions, assassination missions, escort missions, and straight up dog fights. The multiplayer version is really about you and a teammate building armies and taking on the computer… Which I must warn you is the most frustrating thing you can ever do.

Why is it frustrating? Because, it's a tradition that computer games cheat. While you're still gathering minerals to build your basic fighting units, the game has managed to amass a thousand-unit death squad and have sent them to rape, pillage, burn and re-rape your puny two-man army. Seriously. As much as I love this game, I want to throw my computer out a window and onto a homeless man just so I can have the satisfaction of killing SOMETHING.

Really, you should check it out though, it rocks.

Live for the swarm!
~ Mark