Patch and ATI drivers released
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Haven't played that much out of it, only up to the crystal thing with the vision missions coming from it.
Pros so far:
- RTS part. I'm not a RTS fan but it looks rather solid so far.
Cons so far:
- Raynor. Looks like a bad imitation from Red Dead Redemption. I know, game was so long in development that it can't intentionally but still.... his run-down, disillusioned space-cowboy attitude just doesn't work for me.
- Story so far. Somewhere along the crystal missions, it pretty much looked like going the same road as that other popular space game (creators returning, destroying everything and so on). It changed with the last of those missions, revealing the plot (so far) - guys.... really? You took that long to make that damn thing and couldn't come up with something more original? Build that story arc with great cinematics up for a shameless copy of the first part? Bummer.
- Story writing. Would definitely change some parts if I could. Like the release of T. at the very beginning. It starts great and ends with a "damn, was about time"? I still remember where you and Raynor meet Kerrigan first in part 1 and that funny "you pig" dialog. Haven't seen anything that comes even close of being an instant classic to be remembered. Oh, they surely try, no doubt about it. But it just didn't score so far.
- Ship stations. Looks like they tried to catch that Privateer feeling at a space station. While I like the intention and the abilities available there, the whole thing doesn't seem fitting for me. More like an afterthought put on.

ugh.. have been telling myself i should wait before buying this.. but the temptation is wearing me down. i don't suppose some kind soul out there has an extra guest pass for a north american region trial?

I have to call nostalgia on that one, the Tychus and Raynor dialogue is just as well done as the Kerrigan stuff in the first one, which is to say cute but nothing special. Blizzard has never had great dialogue in any game, really.

Can you give me your email? (I have one for the NA region from a dude on another forum)

Warcraft 3? :( I love the dialogs in that game, they make the story much more epic.

oh sweet, you are too kind - understyled at gmail dot com
many thanks, good madam/sir

Okay, check your email. :)

Forgot to add: what I didn't like the most - boxart.
Starcraft and Brood Wars, Warcraft 3 and Frozen Throne, Diablo 1, 2 and LoD, WoW and both expansions.... all with the same style, showing mostly a single person, preferable up-close.
And the boxart for Starcraft 2 is [insert drum roll] up-close person nr. 11 - congrats Blizzard, who would have guessed? :p

Blizzard's titles have all had this similar style. Expect to see Kerrigan for the Zerg expansion and Zerathul for the Protoss expansion.
I like the box art. :p

Funny you mention Mass effect 2, I can't help but feel that the ship stuff in Starcraft 2 has been heavily influenced by that game.
I'm also enjoying this game a lot the mission design is particularly well done, each mission has very different objectives but at the same time it's always crystal clear what you need to do.
Gameplay is a little narrow and old skool for my taste nowadays especially considering you could probably complete 90% of the game using barracks units only. I guess if they took away that simplicity it would cease to be Starcraft anymore.
I suppose if I had to find a real gripe here it would be the excessively long load times between missions.
Still a very solid, polished and enjoyable experience. I will however put the cat among the pigeons and say Mass Effect 2 is a better game :)

You know that SC2 was in development long before ME2 was even an idea, right? :)
Also, SC2 is a pure classic RTS, ME2 is a TP Shooter with RPG elements. Comparing them is unideal. :)

Yeah, that's the point. Since 1996 (Diablo 1) the same over and over again with little to none variation - yawn.
And yes, I see Kerrigan and probably Zerathul coming, too.
True. Still it's one high profile game against another, regardless of their genre. And for that I'd have to side with ME2 also as the better overall game.

anyone else having issues getting the game to patch?
every time I hit play it says i need a patch.... then after supposedly patching i hit play... and it goes back to saying i gotta patch.... :( damn.....
nevermind.. it's my shitty ass isp dropping my internet connection every few moments.

Ok you guys got me to buy the game with what you all said about it and i must admit so far it is excellant. It is great they kept the game mechanics based on the original game mechanics not like Dawn of War 2 or dare i say it that turn known as C & C 4.
Looking forward to the next parts although was never a zerg fan.

With hindsight maybe I would have simply said there are similarities(note to self : don't post late at night)
Why is it not OK to compare games of different genres when comparing the complete product? There are many top 10 games lists that aren't sorted by genre, we're not exactly talking apples and oranges here, you know?