Since its release in 1998, StarCraft, a military science fiction strategy game, has been arguably one of the greatest video games of all time. It revolutionized the real-time strategy (RTS) gaming industry. The publishers, Blizzard Entertainment, had a clear objective to make an expressive game, and they did. 

Playing the original StarCraft again recently, and I can’t but wonder what a feat it was at the time of release. It was only available on Microsoft Windows, Nintendo 64, and the Classic Mac OS. That is as OG as it gets. This game spawned the StarCraft franchise, which has continued to please gamers around the world.

Cliché Plot That Works

StarCraft is set in a fictitious futuristic timeline in a distant part of the Milky Way galaxy known as Koprili Sector. In a time when overpopulation had reached dangerous levels, humans were forced to exile certain outcasts such as criminals, cybernetically enhanced, and genetic mutants. Although filled with many cliches, the story is compelling enough to keep you coming back.

It revolves around three intelligent species in a war for dominance. They include the Terrans, who are humans exiled from the earth and have mastered the art of adapting to any planet. The Zerg is a race of insectoid aliens who obsessively want to assimilate other races, and the Protoss are a humanoid species with advanced technology and psionic abilities. They have a strict philosophy and want to preserve their civilization.

Well Thought Through Gameplay

You assume the role of three nameless characters through the course of this game, and there are multiple cutscenes that aid in your understanding of the world. An interesting factor in this game is each race’s distinct look and approach. Blizzard successfully avoids the pitfall of preceding strategy games which is monotony. They all use a different tactics in combat which forces you to understand the tribes as unique. The Terrans move buildings, the Zergs burrow into the ground, and the Protoss can construct many buildings in a single swoop. The races are so distinct that they do not share the same construction or repair principles.

Despite these unique capabilities, no tribe could be said to have more advantage over the others. They were evenly balanced out, and no unit is rendered obsolete at any level of the game. They all play key roles and are important in the endgame. The single-player campaign comes with thirty missions divided into ten each, which is lengthy total gameplay. Each level begins at a somewhat relaxed pace and quickly builds into a dynamic and high-stakes game. It keeps you on your toes and keeps you engrossed.

Diverse Multiplayer Level

You could only achieve the multiplayer campaign through Battle.net, which was powered by the developers. It could accommodate only eight players, over LAN and through a variety of game modes. I enjoyed the basic mode of destroying the other player, just like the melee mode. There were other options like ‘king of the hill,’ ‘capture the flag,’ etc.

It also incorporates other famous scenarios such as simulating a football game, bike races, and hunting competitions, which was refreshing. You can also spawn in the multiplayer modes for people with a special product key.

Cinematic Score And Soundtrack

The soundtrack is surprisingly great for a 1998 game. I say ‘surprisingly’ because I don’t think games paid so much attention to the importance of scores at the time of releasing the game. The spectacular score may be due to the era of development and the genre the game is based on. Sci-fi movies are known to have very large-scale thematic music, which gives the gamer goosebumps, and this is what StarCraft attains.

The three tribes also had their own theme soundtracks, which would trail them throughout the game. The music is dark and melodic, which is appropriate for the game. The voice acting in StarCraft is really great. It created an immersive world with the use of distinct and believable sound effects.

Immersive Graphics That Suits Gameplay

StarCraft shines in so many ways, but the graphics are perhaps its greatest strength. It was a great graphic rendering for its time. The cut scenes were playlets characterized by greatly detailed animations. It showed the scale and importance of the world. As I stated earlier, the developers successfully created a unique visual and body language for the three different tribes. This gave the characters a sense of identity and personality, which impacted the gameplay.

This is one of the best 2D games of its time, with a detailed and imaginative style and building animation. There are also some interesting translucent effects in certain units. The game has a cool cinematic touch to it. Although acceptable for the time, the game’s interface was very inconvenient to navigate, and this has been improved greatly in sequels. The game also had really interesting battle effects, which ensured that the game was not monotonous.

Distinct And Great Maps 

One of the strong suits of StarCraft is that it has some of the best maps of any online game. The maps are very distinct and show the variety in the world.

Strong Star Wars Influence

Playing the game recently brings to mind the correlation between Star Wars. This was at the height of the Star Wars craze, and developers began to look far into the cosmos for inspiration.

The crafts are called Starships and the possessed warp abilities and energy shields, and other sci-fi tropes of the time, which is cute. Over two decades after its release, StarCraft remains a titan in the genre of gaming and is highly recommended.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the legacy of StarCraft cannot be overemphasized. It has sparked multiple televised tournaments and professional gaming competitions because it transcends regular gaming requiring strategy. It is noteworthy that some sequels to the original may be more acceptable to contemporary gamers.