The full versions of StarCraft and the acclaimed expansion pack Brood War, as well as complete strategy guides for each, make StarCraft: Battle Chest a treasure chest for real-time strategy fans.
Instead of two similarly powered enemies facing off, the three distinct races in StarCraft
have unique capabilities and strategies. Everyone still competes in the
RTS genre's typical race for resources, but that's the only shared
trait. Terrans can move their bulky mechanized bases as necessary,
while the reptilian Zerg grow their colonies and warriors from mutating
larvae. Meanwhile, the noble Protoss warp in equipment from their home
world using psionic powers.
Not only does game maker
Blizzard juggle the races' playability and match it with superb art and
sound effects, it also weaves together an engrossing three-act plot.
Early on, as a Terran magistrate, you spend a breathtaking 30 minutes
defending against a Zerg onslaught. As the story unfolds around you,
you'll experience the Zerg's hive mentality and decipher the mysterious
Protoss by the game's dramatic conclusion.
Missions
vary in scope and are effectively framed with dialogue, chapter
screens, and in-mission exposition. Multiplayer games are also very
well represented by Blizzard's own free Battle.net service. If you'd
rather play over a local area network, StarCraft will generously "spawn" up to seven copies so your friends can join in.
In keeping with StarCraft's groundbreaking design, Brood War
presents you with three sides of a galactic conflict. Scheming humans,
insidious Zerg, and proud Protoss collide again, with stunning new
cinematics setting the stage. Old friends and foes and ominous new
arrivals give the story a breakneck pace, while a handful of additions
to each race's arsenal makes for tense battles. Brood War also features stellar new environments and ambient art, as well as more than 100 additional multiplayer maps.
Some
missions require a bit of finesse, breaking the resource-gathering
routine while making good use of the new units. Humans now have
Valkyrie missile frigates as well as medics who automatically try to
heal your grunts. New for the Zerg air force is the acid-spewing
Devourer; the new Lurker unit provides heavy-duty (under)ground
support. Along with the Corsair fighter, the Protoss reenter the fray
with Dark Templar, which can merge to form the devastating Dark Archon.
Unfortunately, units old and new still suffer from weak artificial
intelligence in path finding.