Of All The Lairs In The World...

Evil Genius is a game that stays for you for a very long time - and is bound to find its way to your hard drive every time there is a new Bond film hype. After the deluge of the latest DRM-ruined games, I went looking through my gaming library for older gems to play. This is definitely one of them!

In a classic Ian Flemming's setting, you start in a desert tropical island where you are to design and build your secret lair. In a Sims tradition you do not control your minions directly, instead you control the Evil Mastermind behind everything that is brilliantly nefarious: a stocky Bloomfield-lookalike in a gray Mao/Nehru jacket and an insatiable mood to take over the world (the other choices are the heavy-accented seductress Alexis and efficient Shen Yu - but we all know how chauvinistic the world of self-indulgent espionage can be).

Besides the Evil Genius, you can (partially) control a couple of major Evil Henchmen/women. I said partially because once given an order they will take their sweet time to execute it - if ever. No wonder Bond always won in the end: the Evil nemesis had to do everything himself!

Including making ends meet. Yes, even the most evil of geniuses apparently cannot print money. Hence, the need to built hotel and vacation resorts - not only to hide but also to finance the plans to take over the world. From hotelier to World Dictator - everyone not born with a silver spoon in his mouth has to pay his dues I guess...

Nevertheless, the real fun of the game is designing your lair and setting up the traps! Since there seems to be an endless number of possible combinations this alone multiples the replayability of the game.

Plan carefully ahead and watch the invading Secret Agents be thrown helplessly from one trap directly to the next - and finally out of your lair (or into a body-freezer room). Until the Super Agents that is.

The Super Agents make the game almost impossible to win. Again, in a true Ian Flemming fashion, good should prevail - and should do so easily (funny that concept never seemed to caught on in real life...). Nevertheless, the game is not unbeatable - it just needs a lot of practice. (I needed more than half a dozen tries - and they were all fun!)

In these Middle-Age days of PC gaming, when the industry decided to go to the dark side, it is a good idea to unwind with a brilliant classic.

Westwood Went Out With A Bang!

The Spice Must Flow! I loved the original story (even though not the endless franchised series been constantly ghost-written as you are reading this). However, one needs not be a Dune fan to enjoy this wonderful game!

In Emperor: Battle for Dune the graphics may be quite dated today, almost at par with C&C:Generals. On the bright side, they will truly shine even on currently low-end machines or tablets. The units are well designed and clearly visible in any zoom-level - something surprisingly rare even in new games (such as Supreme Commander) in which one can either zoom-in or play. Plus, the battlefield view is rotatable, another feature I miss in many new RTS games. I especially enjoy the way the buildings come up and the targeting-lasers of the snipers as they move around.

If this is not the the best strategy game, it is definitely well within the Top-5 all-time RTS! Well balanced gameplay (if you liked C&C: Tiberium Wars, you will love Emperor: Battle for Dune). A Solid story-line, interesting videos and random environmental events (sand-storms, worm-attacks) to keep the field level in the name of Shai-Hulud.

Sad but true, greedy lawyers and bean-counters have taken over the gaming business. True game-designers, the likes of Westwood Studios, are pushed around - if not entirely out of the picture.

I bought the game some years back but still take it out once in a while. They just don't make them like this anymore...

Get it for the nostalgia. Experience it for its polished gameplay

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Excellent. Just Excellent!

These past years indie groups seem to be the ones keeping PC gaming alive. After the brilliant World of Goo and the innovative iFluid and Crayon Physics, Defense Grid: The Awakening came along and to remind us all how much fun an intelligent PC game can be.

The basic idea is simple enough: you have a power supply with a limited number of cores. Aliens will try to walk (and some fly) in and out with one or more of them. Your job is to place defensive towers to kill them off before they reach the exit. The more aliens you kill the more credits to spend on towers you get. Wave after wave even more aliens will come - so you better choose wisely where to place your towers. It seems simplistic but I assure you it is not.

Different aliens require different types of defenses. From projectile and field to short and long range (and numerous upgrades), there is no short supply of defense towers. And since their deployment and upgrades are not instantaneous, you need to plan ahead (there is a tactical screen on top that foretells what kind of aliens are incoming).

As the game progresses there is more freedom in where to place your towers and, subsequently, reroute the aliens' influx. That is really fun! Make them serpentine around your more powerful towers (and delay them with the Temporal Distortion ones) to wipe them out before they even reach your power cores.

The graphics are very well done, with full zooming capabilities. The camera gets a bit jumpy when fast zooming in, a feature I particularly liked because it reminded me of the Battlestar Galactica external shots. The environments are beautifully designed with attention to detail and (contrary to full-priced releases such as Space Siege) never get boring.

I really liked this game. I liked it so much I made sure to buy both expansion DLCs and all four Map packs. If you decide to bite the bullet too, be prepared to get really hooked. This is the most addictive game ever since Civilization II!

No New Tricks For El Presidente - But Still Great Fun

Every regime turns old and stale. Every banana-republic runs out of national resources to sell-out for kickbacks. And every dictator can hide only so many populist aces up his sleeve. So in the end he calls for ...degenerate capitalist image-makers to reinvent his persona and make the beard hip again. It's the same old story.

Power corrupts - and absolute power corrupts absolutely. True - but aren't you tempted? Not even a little?

The original Tropico and its expansions were of those rare RTS games that manage to blend absurd stereotypes with classic gaming genres and reinvent them with humor. From the old Dungeon Keeper to the unsurpassed Evil Genius most of these games are hard to fail. And how could they - what is there not to like?

In Tropico 3 the economy must be tended to: from agriculture, fisheries and tourism, to oil and mining, you must decide on how to keep your regime solvent and well into the black. On the other hand, neglect the well-being of your citizens at your own risk. Both superpowers as well as brewing guerrillas are always at your heels, ready to dispose of you and install their puppet in your boots.

So make sure to strut around and let your subjects take a good hard look at their leader. If that is not enough to discourage dissidents, making a long-winded populist speech surely will. Push come to shove, you can always rig the elections of course...

This installment's sin is that it offers little new besides improved graphics and minor gameplay touch-ups. However, this is not necessarily a bad thing.

If new to the series, buy all means buy it! Not only will you greatly enjoy the gameplay but you will also experience it in its best incarnation. If you already have experienced the previous installments of Tropico, I know you have to see what the original game looks and feel like in 3D and Shader Model 3 graphics.

The game comes free for any intrusive DRM nonsense. Neither online activation nor any limit on installations, just a serial key. What you know, even ruthless tyrants have more sense than game publishing executives...

Thwart those insolent revolutionaries before they gain traction!

Send them for cultural re-education to the banana fields.

Little To Command And Nothing To Conquer

It is always sad when a great historic game franchise comes to the end of its road. But it is depressingly sad to watch it do so in this condition.

KANE IN DISNEYLAND?

The graphics of Command & Conquer 4 are laughable. True, EA has been steering the C&C franchise towards the ...cartoon direction ever since the Red Alert 3 installment. But the Red Alert Series had always been more playful. Even so, what was barely palatable for a Red Alert game is outright insulting for a Tiberium one.

If his tanks could still run-over infantry units, have no doubt, he would hunt down whoever did this to him.

Because, you cannot mock Kane and avoid having your lungs infused with Tiberium fumes!

MORE UNITS? PLEASE WAIT BEHIND THE YELLOW LINE. FOREVER.

One of the most annoying features of the new C&C4 is the units cap. You cannot produce more units above a (very low) number. Upgrading your tech-tree with such a unit cap in place means you have to kill and replace most of your units - and make painful decisions as some units are more equal than others. It feels like having to deal with a (small) Diablo-like inventory: whatever does not fit within the grid must be left behind to rot.

And to add insult to injury, extra units are bestowed with a dropper. A tiny one.

This cap reeks of one thing: an attempt to turn this series into a Massively Multiplayer Online Game (fewer units means less lag). And no one seems to care that this took away one of the most fun tactics in a C&C game: tank rushing.

SORRY, ALL OF OUR TIBERIUM-HARVESTERS HAVE BEEN RECALLED. WOULD YOU CARE FOR A SENSIBLE COMPACT?

A Command & Conquer game without harvesting? It could be an RTS game of any name (and there have been baseless RTS games before), why did it have to be a C&C game? Because, once again, EA proves to have no respect for this beautiful art-form. If it means exploiting a classic title in its swan song to sell a few more units, so be it.

Moreover, game publishers seem to have an ever declining expectation of their targeted customer IQ. Hence the ever simplified games released. So, yes, this feels like C&C-for-Dummies.

BATTLEFIELD CONTROLS OFFLINE? YOU'RE ROYALLY SCREWED COMMANDER!

Yes, this must be the most inconvenient DRM scheme ever.

If you hate STEAM for requiring endless updates, this is worse.

If you hate games that require online activation because they never actually become yours, yes, this is worse.

And if you hate games that come with Limited Activations and become worthless the moment you pop the box, well yes, this is worse.

This inconceivable scheme demands for the owner of this game to always be online to verify that the copy he payed for is legitimate. That's right, not just activation, always OnLine. Yes, even for a single player game.

Will it deter piracy? No, pirates will be playing the game without all those DRM hassles. Legitimate gamers are left complaining - and, once more, EA will turn a deaf ear.

All in all, C&C4 will not appeal neither to old friends of the series nor younger gamers. And (for as long as it will keep working), it will have you jumping through hoops for the privilege of having ...bought it. And I thought it was the other way around.

This Tiberium field has been depleted long ago.

Move along Commanders.

In Space No One Can Hear You End Your Turn

Sins of A Solar Empire is an excellent game that takes the galaxy civilization games a clear step further. Open-ended like a new science-fiction world and played as a seat-of-your-pants RTS game, this is a very intelligent hybrid that I greatly enjoyed.

In effect, SoaSE is a successful blend of the wonderful Galactic Civilizations and Homeworld series, with a sprinkling of Total War for good measure. This is not a turn-based civilization game, so expect a much faster pace. What this means is that while it maintains the characteristics of classic turn-based 4X civilization games (eXploration, eXpansion, eXploitation and eXtermination), by relieving from the micromanagement tedium, it allows for an intense RealTime Strategy experience. Now, this probably may not appeal to turn-based purists, but I would advise an open mind: this is a good game.

This concept-blending is new, so expect a slow learning curve - it took me a number of ...false-starts to get the hang of it: after all, it plays like an RTS and (although simplified) it still has enough of turn-based features that need to be taken care of. The interface is simplified and informative at the same time, with info trees sliding out only when needed.

There are three different factions to choose from (financiers, technologists and psitecs) - yet, their differences focus mainly on research tree-branching and ship designs. What I did not like was that the ships of all three factions are effectively the same and their differences are only skin-deep. What I would have liked to find (and was disappointed to the point of withholding the 5th star for fun) was ship design and building! Remember how much fun was to design our own spaceships (from freighters to battleships) in Galactic Civilizations II? Well, no such luck here. Let's hope they keep it in mind when the next patch gets prepared (up to the latest patch, 1.191, one can customize maps and starbases but not starships yet).

Quick and constant exploration is not only encouraged by a necessity if one wants to survive - let alone win. Spaceships built within a solar system cannot travel beyond it, unless using "wormhole"-like singularities. This adds to realism but can stretch your finances to their breaking point - since only locally built ships can be used. Moreover, it makes really hard to locate the strategic points to either built defenses or focus an attack. The AI will constantly be bypassing your planning like the Maginot line - and leave you with such a French feeling...

The graphics (of all of backgrounds, planets and units) are very nicely done. I really liked the multiple afterburners tracing through space as a spaceship squadron was dopplering past my screen...And less-than-cutting-edge PC owners rejoice: even 4-5 years old systems can handle this game like a breeze!

What I truly appreciated was the realistic scale of things. Galaxies are much larger than star systems, which in turn are much larger than planets, which in turn are much larger than space stations...than spaceships and so on. How is this achieved? Excellent zooming!

Supreme Commander was the first game to introduce strategic zoom; however, SoaSE implements it much better and shows how it should had been done: from a galaxy to a single planet and to a single spaceship, zooming in or out firmly maintains the effectiveness of battle controls by grouping and simplifying the info-tiles as one zooms out. In Supreme Commander we had to chose between either discerning the units or moving ...info-tiles around the battlefield - not a bad first attempt, mind you. In SoaSE, one almost never looses perspective: ongoing battles, critical hotspots, or colony revolts are all easily identifiable in real-time.

On another note, this game is a StarDock release which, yes, means their specialized installation utility (IMPULSE). Nevertheless, this game hides no DRM or other intrusive security idiocy. Since trust and respect between a game publisher and its customers is a two-way street (and StarDock was willing to prove its friendship first), SoaSE deserves our support.

For a price much lower than that of the original game one now gets both mini-expansions (Diplomancy and Entrenchment)  as well. Entrenchment improves the graphics and introduces a number of new bases and weapons upgrades. Diplomancy adds more weight to diplomatic options and actions (braking a peace treaty now will cost you dearly!), even making a diplomatic victory possible.

Launch!

The Art Of Real-Time S.T.R.A.T.E.G.Y.

The RTS genre had become pretty much saturated for some time now. The addition of more on-screen units and richer environments (with the consequent increase in hardware requirements) did little to invigorate it. In R.U.S.E., although you will recognize several classic RTS components, they are skillfully combined together and blended with a number of new ideas so that the end result seems fresh and innovative.

To say that R.U.S.E. was over-hyped would be an understatement. Nevertheless, it is one of the rare games that manages to live up to its hype and deliver hours of solid fun and enthusiastic immersion.

Strategic placement of your units will determine their line of sight and their range - but also their vulnerability to enemy units. Concealment and ambush are essential parts of the gameplay. For a game that presents units as oversized board-game tokens when zoomed out, battlefield realism is kept high with vehicles permitted to move only on roads (and thus cannot claim the advantage of higher ground) and nested units having to either be pummeled with artillery or circumvented in order to advance. Unlike tactical decisions, resource gathering has been simplified and kept to a minimum.

However, the real strength of R.U.S.E. lies elsewhere. What you will enjoy the most are, well, the...ruses. Whether you create a spectral decoy army that will divert the enemy or ask Bletchley Park to break his communication codes for you to be waiting for his units at the right location, those battlefield ruses are what make this game so great and immensely replayable.

Now, the good news is that UBISOFT has finally abandoned the idiotic DRM used in their latest games which required an always-on connection to their servers to play your game. The bad news is this game comes with mandatory OnLine STEAM activation, which makes it a piece of rentware it never becomes yours. This is what prevented me from giving this game full marks. Whether this bothers you or not, you can now make an informed decision.

The Top-10 PC Games Opening Cinematic Sequences

From the early age of Pong, games have matured into a complete art-form. Story and cinematics are often as important as graphics and gameplay. Video games are the closest we have come so far to creating a holo-deck. You can be anyone and anything you want and you can dive head-first into this myriad of imaginary worlds. We may not realize it but gaming is a major component of what is known as the invisible literature, reproducing themes, memes and emotional states that constantly remodel and reshape our collective unconscious.

The cinematic Opening Sequences are there to start the story and make you want to follow it; to set the emotional framework and, carefully, lay hooks that will lead you to the surface. Some are Computer Generated Images (CGI) while others make use of real actors, making them short movies. These are the very best.  

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10. SYBERIA: The Wound-Up Funeral 

Syberia is a wonderful Adventure game. A young professional arrives in the French Alps looking for the heir to a toy factory. However, just like life, everything is complicated. This is only the beginning. 

The dark yet playful atmosphere is set early on. Who really is this girl arriving alone in the rain? Whose is this funeral and why are automata honoring the deceased? Not only is this opening sequence artistically impeccable but it is also effective in reeling you into the world of the game.

9. RIVEN: Through the Linking Book

Riven, another first person adventure, was produced in the wake of Myst’s huge success. Although technically a superior game in every aspect, it did not duplicate the success of its prequel, mostly because a number of Riven’s puzzles were too difficult for the average gamer (in all honesty, I had to consult a walkthrough guide to get past the rotating room!). 

This however, can take little away from the hypnotic opening sequence which absorbs you into this beautiful world of magic books, steampunk islands and damsels in distress.     

8. EMPEROR - BATTLE OF DUNE: 
The History of the Houses

The only thing better than an intro with Bene Geserit witches in it, is one where they use The Voice against each other.  Emperor: Battle of Dune is a masterpiece of a real-time strategy (RTS) game (Westwood’s swan song, just before it was absorbed and homogenized by EA) is set just after the end of the 1984 movie adaptation of the original novel. The sets and the costumes are very close to David Lynch’s vision whereas the acting follows on the footsteps left on the desert sands by the cast of the movie. 

This opening sequence makes the list because it does two things and it does them well: it recaps the history of the Houses (for those unfamiliar with the Dune universe) and it creates the anticipation of the coming conflict. The conflict you are about to get involved in. Because, no matter what, the Spice Must Flow! 

7. GRIM FANTANGO: Travel Agent to the Afterlife

Grim Fantango is an adventure game set in a 1920’s noir atmosphere, about the Land of the Dead (where little is actually different from the land of the living), can hardly avoid greatness. And this greatness is more than hinted in its subtle opening sequence. Manny Calavera is a travel agent to the souls, trying to make enough profit in order to move along himself. He may be down on his luck, exploited by his boss and ridiculed by his coworkers but nothing can make Manny loose his Humphrey Bogart cool. And the opening sequence is exactly that.     

6. CALL OF DUTY 4 – MODERN WARFARE: Driving to an Execution

CoD4-MW makes the list not because of the graphics or the artwork but because of the ingenious way it was directed. It plays out like an episode out of Homeland and it manages to both set the mood and jump start your adrenaline for the first-person shooter (FPS) that is about to explode on your screen. It can be accused of emotional manipulation but that is only to be expected of games. If an FPS manages to make you angry just before the shooting begins, so much the better! And it is the details, such the authentic interior of the late 80’s Mercedes SL you are transported in to the jailer’s sweat beading on his forehead, that convince you that you are a man about to die. 

5. SHOGUN - TOTAL WAR: The Art of War

Shogun: Total War is the game that started the THQ’s Total War series and for that alone, it is monumental. Nevertheless, the game’s opening sequence is included because it is one of the most artistic. By use of a Japanese-accented voice-over the gamer is both immersed into the world of medieval Japan and offered a number of gameplay tips that he or she will need shortly. From the traditional Japanese paintings and the koto music in the background to explaining the turned-based strategy (TBS) of a game structured on bushido, this opening sequence is a masterpiece on its own. 

4. MAX PAYNE 2: The Darkness Inside

Sequels always have the not so easy task of bringing up to speed people who missed on the previous installments. Max Payne 2 does this in NYC style. The sad story of Max Payne is outlined in a noir graphic novel that unfolds one frame at a time. The leather clad, back-combed NY detective may have gone through hell but his sufferings are far from over. Because revenge is a tiger; it is easier to ride her than slide off her. And there is always a bullet, patiently waiting in its nest, your number to be called up.   

3. STARCRAFT 2 – WINGS OF LIBERTY: 
The Price of Freedom

The sequel to StarCraft, one of the most popular RTS ever, was years and years in the making. Building on this anticipation (and actually making fun at it) this opening sequence of StarCraft 2: WoL only turns this built up tension into an unbearable desire to finally play the game. The CGI sequence is immaculately made and, even if it does not explain the mechanics of the game (most of us already know them anyway) it does set the foundations of the emotional build up that is about to unfold. “It’s about time” indeed!

2. FALLOUT 3: 
War. War Never Changes.

This one is beautiful and brilliant at the same time. It is sad and nostalgic of a futuristic world on the verge of extinction. It starts off Fallout 3 with the credits in a series of slides projected on a radiation-hardened screen. Then the Ink Spots sing the 1941 jazz hit “I don’t want to set the world on fire”, the voice coming from a still functioning tube radio in a burned out public bus. The camera pulls back to reveal the world after the nuclear holocaust. That is when the famous “War, war never changes…” monologue can be heard. And, then, in a small number of story interruptions, the gamer gets to make the choices required at the beginning of every role-playing game (RPG). Pure brilliance.

1. HALF LIFE: Black Mesa Inbound

Half Life 2 may be a better game (and one of the best games ever made), however, when I started this list there was not a single doubt in my mind on who would be at the No.1 spot. The opening sequence of the original Half Life, entering the Black Mesa research facility, is, by far, the greatest cinematic opening in any PC game.

It sets the mood and the tone of the game. It allows the gamer to try out the controls of moving around in the confined environment of the train car. Brief credits flash and fade out cinematically at the corners. You are passed by different levels, rooms and environments, all hints of what awaits you in the game about to begin. And yet you are still driven further, deeper into the research facility. You learn that your name is Gordon Freeman, you are a low level scientist. And what is the purpose of such a huge facility? Well, Dr Freeman, you are about to find out.

(NOTE: the game has been recently revived by the – unbelievable! - Black Mesa MOD which is free and can be installed on STEAM).   

Kan-Zen

About a decade ago Shogun: Total War was the masterpiece that launched one of the best Strategy simulation franchises in gaming history. It was a perfectly balanced game that combined turn-based strategic decisions with real time battles in a beautiful interface made in the style of medieval Japanese artworks.

The game was based on the teachings of Sun Tzu, the Chinese strategist, who believed in the indirect approach: search for comparative advantages, use your forces with economy, surprise and deceive, and only fight limited wars. The medieval Japanese setting (relatively small armies made up from a limited number of distinct units fighting on different terrains), served as the perfect substrate to implement these strategies.

I have played every single Total War game since and they were all a joy to experience - yet nothing surpassed to the first Shogun. Until now.

Know Thyself, Know Thy Enemy. A Thousand Battles, A Thousand Victories (Sun Tzu)

In Total War: Shogun II the gameplay has matured, deepened and acquired a number of new features, including some RPG additions. We now have Mastery of Arts, a tech tree branching into Bushido (warfare) and Chi (governance & finances). There are now hero units, inspiring the troops, going after the enemy general or turning the battle at that crucial point.

Generals are upgradable and modifiable, increasing their effectiveness and making them indispensable. The honorable death of a seasoned general will affect many aspects of your overall strategy and may prove the decisive point of the entire campaign. Which is why subterfuge is so important.

There may be no honor in using Ninjas - but now they can assassinate the enemy general or soften up the enemy defenses by sabotaging their production or the integrity of their defensive structures. And because the Ninja knife cuts both ways, make sure to have enough Metsuke units to sniff out the ninjas send by the enemy.

Children serve as hostages to ensure cooperation whereas marriages are arranged to strengthen alliances. And since no army fights on an empty belly, one should make sure to set up complex trade agreements. Ones that will hold through the treacheries of war. Because sooner than later, your task will graduate from impossible to you-gotta-be-kidding-me.

Invincibility Lies in the Defense; The Possibility of Victory in the Attack (Sun Tzu)

The AI will make your life miserable. Enemy units will try to flank you from every possible direction and they will try to make use of your troops movement in order to achieve this. And then, just when you think you are winning, every single clan and province turns against you...

It is possible to let the AI auto-resolve all battles and play the game as a highly sophisticated turn-based Civilization game - but why miss all the fun?

Unlike the first game, Shogun II also has sea vessels and battles. While in a sea battle, you either board and take over or burn the enemy vessels. However, the real strategic consideration is this: when attacking a neighboring province, did you leave adequate defenses to prevent, say, the sacking of your own castle? Because the AI does not forgive such oversights.

Opportunities Multiply As They Are Seized (Sun Tzu)

The graphics and sounds of Shogun 2 are something one has to experience to believe. Even on DirectX 9 (WinXP - which is the OS I am experiencing this on), the strategic map feels like flying over the real Sengoku period Japan whereas the game design goes into unbelievable details. Every ribbon on a set of armor, every blade of grass, every ray of light reflected on raised katanas or refracted through the clouds are just gorgeous.

The game absorbs you into its world and never let's go. In one word: Kan-Zen (Perfection).

He Who Knows When He Can Fight And When He Cannot, Will Be Victorious (Sun Tzu)

I usually rate lower any game that comes with any form of DRM that requires online activation or ties your game with digital shackles. Because even the retail version of Shogun II comes with mandatory STEAM, I did exactly that. However, because I rated the game well...above perfect, this could not become apparent and the game still gates full marks.

Yes, STEAM is the pheasant festering on the porch someone has to do something about. However, Shogun II is one of those extremely rare games that are worth their DRM hassle. If STEAM is still a deal-breaker for you, well, now you can make an informed decision either way.

Total War: Shogun II truly embodies The Art of War - and it will stay with you for a very long time.

What's The Frequency, Kerrigan?

One can only respect Blizzard for not setting a release date for their games before they know they can meet it. No matter that this was the most awaited game for over a decade, they would release it "whenever it would be ready". Well, Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty is ready, it is here and it rocks. Too bad they kicked the respect bucket in the end. But first things first.

THE GOOD OLD GAMEPLAY GETS THE CIGAR

Seasoned and new gamers alike will appreciate the simple yet highly enjoyable gameplay. The factions are well balanced and the units perfectly valued. You gather minerals and vespene gas, you build up your defenses, you upgrade, you expand, you gather your forces - and you unleash hell. Repeat as needed until satisfied.

STARCRAFT: THE QUICKENING

The game is much faster than the original. Resource gathering, building, researching and expanding all go faster now. This is something that will appeal to most and I for one liked it. It conveys an enjoyable sense of urgency, adding to the immersion. And because the game is richer and deeper, the tension just keeps mounting.

SWARMS!

The game designers either enjoyed Starship Troopers one times too many or they are fond of killer bees documentaries. Either way, be prepared to have to deal with a lot of swarming enemies! The plains shall be soaked in Zerg blood leaving you with a thick metallic aftertaste of accomplishment.

SPACE. SPACE IS BEAUTIFUL

Visually this game is just gorgeous. It looks like Command & Conquer IV was supposed to (but failed miserably). The units are detailed in design yet clearly discernible whereas the environments are superbly done (although not that variable). True, I could do with somewhat more realistic graphics but I can see that this could only be done at the expense of clarity when the number of units rises. What needs a bit getting used to is how some of the buildings do not look that different. No complaints about how they look but one can easily confuse them and build the same building twice.

COME FOR THE VESPENE GAS. STAY FOR THE STORY

The story picks up just where the StarCraft: Brood Wars expansion left off. Following each mission nicely done videos move the single player story along (no spoilers, not to worry) that, although we are given the illusion of choosing between different paths, apparently they converge towards a predestined end.

DAMN IT JIM, WHERE IS THE REST OF THE GAME?

Why so many people are dissatisfied with this game then? Well, in a nutshell: Corporate GREED.

Apparently ActiVision's influence is not very healthy to customer relations. It is painfully obvious that, together with Blizzard, they are trying to turn the StarCraft franchise into yet another World of WarCraft phenomenon - and, at the same time, using the huge fan-base of both StarCraft II and Diablo III, turn BattleNet into the new STEAM. Unfortunately this results in a barely palatable product. And trying to manipulate the fans of the company you were entrusted with only to advance your corporate ambitions is always tacky.

Although priced even more than a full premium game, this is not a complete StarCraft sequel. You would not know this by its price-tag(!) but this is only A...THIRD of the game. This is the first part of three: you can only play the Terran campaign. The Zerg and the Protoss campaigns will be released independently later (and priced as if they were full games, one could safely bet). The first expansion, Heart of the Swarm, will add the Zerg campaign and it is to be released in March 2013.

OK, I KNOW YOU DO NOT WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT - BUT THERE IS A HYDRALISK IN THE ROOM, ISN'T THERE?

Much more serious is the NeverLettingGo-OnLineActivation requirement. The game will ask for activation during installation, which also includes signing up to BattleNet (and, yes, this means that even this expensive game never becomes yours to keep). But that is not all: a periodic OnLine confirmation is also required EVERY THIRTY DAYS, FOREVER. You can play offline but no more than a month between re-activating.

Unlike the latest EA and Ubisoft flops (which have an idiotic Always-OnLine requirement), with SC2, after its initial Activation, you CAN play a single player game (campaign and skirmishes) without logging on to BattleNet. Only, to do this you have to log on as a ..."Guest" (I know, a Guest to your own game and your own computer...). You will be able to save your progress but you cannot tie it to your BattleNet account later, so any progress (or accomplishments) are lost for your online Account. After your 30 days are up you have to re-activate once more.That is why a Broadband Internet connection is included in the minimum system requirements.

SORRY TO BRING THIS UP BUT SPAWN SEEMS TO BE MISSING FROM MY COPY...

Remember how we could take our original StarCraft to a gathering of friends, Spawn it on everyone else's PCs and start a LAN party? Now one can play with his friends only through the BattleNet - and the Spawn function has been eliminated! Yes, that means each one of your friends now has to have his own original copy of the game!

The brass at the top conveniently forgets that the ability to Spawn games was the main reason both StarCraft and Diablo acquired such huge fan-bases.

Et tu, Blizzard?

This is a good game, one I think we will be enjoying for years - or for as long as Blizzard shall allow us to do so. However, I had higher hopes for this company's respect to its own customers.