Starcraft: Ghost

With the console-exclusive StarCraft: Ghost, Blizzard is looking to win over not only grizzled veterans, but those completely unaware of the StarCraft universe?a tough mission, to be sure.

What do you think of when you hear the word ?StarCraft?? Real-time strategy fans instantly recall the three-way war between the Terran, Zerg, and Protoss races. Anyone who didn?t play the PC hit is more likely to respond ?StarWhat?? With the console-exclusive action/adventure thriller StarCraft: Ghost, developer Blizzard is looking to win over not only grizzled veterans of previous campaigns, but also those completely unaware of the rich StarCraft universe?a tough mission, to be sure.

The StarCraft Universe
A rich history can be both a blessing and a curse for games. Story continuity often falls victim to the fine balancing act of satisfying fans while not alienating newcomers. The StarCraft saga has its own unique peculiarities, such as how the previous two installments told its story through three different points of view.

StarCraft: Ghost?s tale will mainly be told through the eyes of Nova, an ultra elite psionic soldier who has just completed 20 years of exhaustive training. In the background, the battle for control of the universe still rages on between the humanoid Terrans, the Geiger-esque Zerg, and the malevolent Protoss. Nova is sent in to investigate a small Terran refinery, which has made a discovery that will forever alter the landscape of this great galactic conflict.

Going Super Nova
Adjusting from the idea of commanding dozens of units to controlling just one character is a whole lot easier when said character is someone like Nova. There have been a number of self-proclaimed cool action heroes recently, but none can boast Nova?s crazy psionic powers like self cloaking, second sight, hyper speed, or the ability to call in a nuclear strike! Especially eye-catching is the hyper speed ability, which slows down enemies similar to the bullet-time effect employed in games like Max Payne and BloodRayne, except Nova can still move at a normal clip.

When a mission calls for less flashy means, she can fall back to her extensive hand-to-hand combat skills or a deadly arsenal. Nova?s weaponry will include, among other things, a sniper rifle that she can fire while hanging upside down on ladders or any other overhead objects. Her weapons can also gather valuable data on enemies and structures simply by pointing at them, but not while firing.

Super-Size It
StarCraft fans will certainly get a kick out of seeing all their familiar units up close, and there will be plenty of visual references that only the experienced will understand. Fresh recruits, on the other hand, will still be able to appreciate the careful crafting that each ally and enemy has undergone over the years. Developer Blizzard is hoping this additional layer of detail will help Ghost stand out from the pack when it begins its assault across all major consoles this fall.

Comments [0]

post a comment

Post a Comment