Giant Protoss sentinels guard a relic that Raynor's boys are looking to take. If you missed the 4-minute singeplayer gameplay video, you can find that here.
Only looking forward to StarCraft II’s multiplayer? Think singleplayer RTS is a snoozefest, right? Think again. Blizzard promises to deliver a singleplayer experience unlike any other in their long awaited sequel, and it starts with mission design.
Almost every RTS delivers the same scenario for 8 to 10 missions, across 10 or so maps: Build a base; train some units; go destroy the enemy’s base. The cut scenes may progress a storyline, but the actual gameplay frequently has little to do with it.
Blizzard aims to change that by having a number of mini-game-like scenarios that will not only hold your attention, but help to tie in and progress the storyline. Classic scenarios like “hold out” have their place of course, but there will be some new interesting ones that involve elements of terrain -- like lava rising and potentially destroying all your workers mining the mineral line if you’re not paying attention. Perhaps one of the coolest aspects of singleplayer is the fact that it will incorporate lots of units that you won’t find in multiplayer, such as the Firebat, Vulture, and Medic.
After the jump I discuss the first 7 missions in StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. Also, there are over 30 new screen shots, complete with captions, for you to browse in the attached gallery.
Note: Since SC2’s singleplayer allows for branching choices, some missions are labeled “a” or “b” to reflect when they become available to you in Story Mode.
Mission 1
Marines lay seige to the shipment center. Click for a larger version.
Name: Liberation Day
Location: Mar Sara
Opponent: Terran (Dominion)
Mission Objective: Destroy the Dominion shipment center
Mission 2
You're there to get an artifact, but this is just the first part of your objective.
Name: The Dig
Location: Mar Sara (Dominion salvage planet)
Opponent: Terran (Dominion)
Mission Objective: Seize the alien artifact
Bonus Objective: Rescue rebels
Mission 3
The Hyperion comes to rescue the day after you're swarmed by the Zerg.
Name: Zero Hour
Location: Mar Sara
Opponent: Zerg
Mission Objective: Hold out until extraction
Bonus Objective: Save trapped rebel forces
Mission 4a
The Zerg are coming and the Dominion has left civilians behind to die...over Raynor's dead body that is.
Name: The Evacuation of Agria
Location: Agria (fringe world colony)
Opponent: Zerg
Mission Objective: Evacuate the Agria Colony
Bonus Objective: Harvest chrysalis DNA
Mission 4b
Get in, get the artifact, and get out. Just watch out for crazy Protoss sentinels.
Name: Tooth and Nail
Location: Monolith (Protoss shrine world)
Opponent: Protoss (fanatics), Zerg (Kerrigan)
Mission Objective: Seize the Alien Artifact
Bonus Objective: Find four Protoss relics
Mission 5a
Name: Outbreak
Location: Meinhoff (Kel-Morian Evacuation Refuge)
Opponent: Zerg
Mission Objective: Investigate the Meinhoff Infestation
Bonus Objective: Harvest chrysalis DNA
Mission 5b
The lava rises and consumes the entire lower area, so watch out for your workers!
Name: Mining Your Own Business
Location: Redstone III - Hazardous mining planet (Kel-Morian Combine)
Opponent: Zerg
Mission Objective: Exploit resources on Redstone, collect 8,000 minerals
Bonus Objective: Kill Zerg Brutalisk
The Countdown to BlizzCon '09
Keep checking back to omgstarcraft.com as lay out my predictions for what will unfold during Friday and Saturday’s events. Don’t forget omgrpg.com and omgstarcraft.com will be live at the convention in Anaheim to bring you all the news as it breaks!
