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StarCraft:
Ghost
I'm a huge fan of extreme heavy metal. Some of my favorite groups sing
about eating dead babies while worshipping Satan. In such an underground
scene, the fans protect their own with fierce loyalty, but are also the
first to cry, "Sellout," when a group changes its style even
mildly.
In my research of StarCraft: Ghost (SCG), I found it interesting that
Blizzard made a point in their FAQ to highlight the fact that they
started out developing console games before they took to being one of
the best developers of RTS and action RPG games on the PC. It seems that
they were perhaps expecting a backlash for developing a title that is
exclusively console oriented. Before we delve any further into the
actual merits of the game, let me be one of the many who will likely
speak the word that illustrates pure envy on the part of PC/Mac gamers
everywhere towards their console playing cousins, "SELLOUTS!"
Despite being seemingly completely out of their element, Blizzard is
looking to pull of something fairly ambitious, with the help of
developing partner Nihilistic. For those of you unfamiliar with
Nihilistic, they were responsible for the hopelessly flawed yet
unbelievably addictive Vamipre: The Masquerade Redemption. As a
development team, they don't seem to have too much experience in what
they are trying to accomplish, yet if there is a development company
that could pull off something so out of their element it would probably
have to be Blizzard.
As the title indicates, gamers will play as Nova, one of the elite ghost
operatives introduced in the original StarCraft. No plot details have
been released yet except that the plotline will figure into the existing
StarCraft story. Players will have the abilities associated with being a
ghost; psionic abilities, extreme agility, and speed, and the ability to
cloak. Players will also have access to weapons that are familiar to
gamers from the original StarCraft game. As Nova, you will also have the
ability to call down massive strikes on huge land targets.
With an
open-ended gameplay style, the development team is looking for that
level of perfection where players will be able to complete missions the
way that they want to and not exactly the way developers have decided
for them. Vehicles will also play an integral part of the game, and
players will be happy to see the cameos of certain units from the RTS
game. All in all, a high level of continuity with the existing StarCraft
universe is being sought by the development team. Online plans for the
game are still up in the air, but the development team hasn't ruled out
including some form of multiplayer.
All this may sound underwhelming at the moment for most PC gamers, and
some console gamers who have seen way too many 3D action games sink. A
quick look at the screenshots may convince some otherwise that this game
will be worthwhile, but the ultimate judgment will have to wait until
the game is released next year. And for all those concerned, especially
PC gamers, it also states on the official site's FAQ specifically that
this game is not StarCraft 2, and that that project will be explored
sometime in the future.
- Mark Leung
Features:
Outmaneuver
your enemies at sonic speed.
Infiltrate bases and sneak past guards using the cloak ability.
Lock down vehicles and electronic devices to immobilize them.
Engage in both face-to-face firefights and planet-scale warfare.
Leverage the Resources of an Entire Army.
Call down massive Battlecruiser and Siege Tank strikes.
Take control of familiar StarCraft vehicles.
Wield a variety of familiar weapons, such as the Gauss Rifle and
Perdition Flamethrower.
Join your allies in battle and do your part to ensure mission success.
Experience the World of StarCraft in 3D.
See the world of StarCraft on a personal level.
Visit familiar planetary settings.
Explore 3D environments designed for strategic interaction
Use the camera to find unique strategic possibilities.
As Nova, players will be able to scale fences, hang from wires, climb
poles and scale walls, and negotiate tightropes.
Unveil the Next Chapter in the StarCraft Saga.
Experience story-driven missions complete with multiple plot twists.
Play a crucial role in the rich StarCraft history.
Engage in combat with a variety of fully rendered units from the
StarCraft universe, including the Terran, Zerg, and Protoss.
