StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void Reviews
Legacy of the Void is a triumphant swan song for the Starcraft 2 trilogy, boasting a fantastic Campaign mode, fun casual multiplayer and a robust competitive multiplayer scene. Starcraft is a game about planning and forethought, and that's definitely something that Blizzard had in mind when making Legacy of the Void: in its aims to finish the Starcraft narrative, accommodate for new players and reinvigorate the competitive scene, this game is everything that it needs to be. There's really something for everyone in this title regardless of your experience in RTS games, with a great story, heaps of different ways to experience the game's content for all skill levels and for those who want to be the very best, there's a gauntlet of tough opponents just waiting for you.
StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void gives what a final-chapter should be. The compelling story of the Protoss and their struggle to fight for their freedom and legacy marks the closure of the StarCraft narrative; with having all of the old favorite units back makes the trilogy complete. En Taro Artanis!En Taro Zeratul! En Taro Adun! En Taro Tassadar! And En Taro Artanis!
Legacy of the Void is the most fun I've had with StarCraft 2, perhaps because it's more mellow, and more generous with players who don't want to focus entirely on the elite competitive experience. It's a challenging RTS when you want one, but it also lets you have fun stomping AI with friends and trying out new toys. Legacy remembers that it's a game as much as it is an esport.
The campaign fails to deliver compelling storytelling, but varying faction unit styles and custom call-in abilities add a jolt of life. Multiplayer is better than ever, featuring new units, daily and weekly tournaments for all skill levels, and co-op action
Professional gaming aside, StarCraft 2: Legacy of the Void offers a pretty solid amount. While I'm still not entirely behind the idea of splitting Terran, Zerg and Protoss campaigns into three separate releases, I must admit that Legacy of the Void won me over. It has everything I expected it to have: addictive gameplay, solid plot, great characters, Blizzard's trademark kick-ass cinematics, exciting campaign missions and a rich multiplayer package.
Legacy of the Void offers a stellar single-player RTS experience, which is nothing new for Blizzard. But the story provides a strong emotional pull that hasn't been achieved in previous installments, making it an exceptional framework for the overall RTS experience. The new co-op campaign most definitely falls flat, but Archon mode and Automated Tournaments make up for it by providing something new and exciting for both beginner and advanced players. [OpenCritic note: Single player was rated 4.5 / 5 stars. Multiplayer was rated 4 / 5 stars.]
It isn't perfect, but StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void allows the series to end on a high note, offering a comprehensive experience which should make every type of RTS player happy.
I like Legacy of the Void—genuinely, I do. It's just that I don't really want to play it now that I've finished the campaign. The focus on unlocking and swapping between different units in the same slot makes for a highly customizable and highly "for your tastes" kind of experience in the campaign—I just wish that had carried over to the multiplayer to really shake things up.
I had far more fun with Legacy of the Void than I was expecting to. The campaign is excellent, and even as a newcomer, transitioning from the single-player to dabbling in multiplayer was surprisingly smooth. RTS fans past and present should take this opportunity to return to StarCraft, or - even better - join the action for the first time.
Starcraft 2 - Legacy of the Void is best described using the words that Blizzard makes a character utter relatively early in the campaign: "It's technology is ancient, yet highly advanced." The phrase manages to capture the way the developers at Blizzard have kept the series fresh, by mining the classic ideas of the real-time strategy genre while seeking to mix them with innovative approaches. For Legacy of the Void the words also nicely encapsulate its relationship with the game engine and the structure of the campaign and multiplayer modes, both of which are as old as the franchise itself but still offer gamers plenty of surprises. Starcraft II deserves its place as one of the most influential releases of the past five years, and this Protoss-focused chapter manages to deliver a fitting end to its core narrative while opening up the multiplayer in some interesting ways.
Although the series is beginning to feel dated and will likely need to be revamped for its next release, StarCraft II does well in catering to its niche audience while accommodating newcomers in a way that allows everyone a gaming experience that, overall, is very enjoyable.
With a visible and oft-recited commitment to further balancing efforts and post-release content, Legacy is shaping up to be among the best games in the genre, and a fitting final performance for South Korea's would-be national sport. [OpenCritic note: GamesBeat separately reviewed the single player (73) and multiplayer (92). Their scores have been averaged.]
Legacy of the Void is a StarCraft game, which means it is quality by default. Indeed, this is a game that upholds expectations.
A solid end to StarCraft II's five year journey, although beyond the co-op missions it offers no real clue as to the genre's future.
Starcraft II: Legacy of the Void is an excellent follow-up to 2013's Heart of The Swarm, even if it doesn't quite match the brilliance of Wings of Liberty.
Legacy of the Void has something for everyone with changes to multiplayer that shake up the formula, cooperative play, and a satisfying conclusion on the story front.
Blizzard's third, and final, expansion for StarCraft II adds new units and game modes, and ties up loose plot threads in the galactic saga of this storied real-time-strategy franchise.
A beautifully crafted end to StarCraft II's reign
What looks like pure chaos and confusion from the outset, becomes something that feels great to play.
'Starcraft II' remains a household name in the RTS genre, and 'Legacy of the Void' joins an already great pair of games to make a compelling trilogy. The replay value is high and strategy gamers can enjoy many hours of play after finishing the decent campaign, especially those interested in the robust multiplayer options.