StarCraft II

StarCraft II is the long awaited sequel to the real-time strategy game StarCraft, announced on May 19, 2007, at the Blizzard Worldwide Invitational in Seoul, South Korea. Though currently no release date has been given, it has been stated that development on the game began shortly after Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne back in 2003 and that the game development is "very far along," and already playable in multiplayer will all three factions. The game will feature a physics engine, allowing "debris [to] roll down a ramp", as well as improved 3D graphics. Its lead designer is Dustin Browder. The game will come with a map editor called "scumedit".

History
According to the narrator of Blizzard's WWI video, StarCraft II has been in development since Blizzard released WarCraft III: The Frozen Throne (July, 2003). As such it has been in development for roughly four years.

Gameplay
StarCraft II retains some units from the original game, although some of these units have been given new abilities. Due to story events from the previous game, some units have been phased out or replaced. For example, the conquest of the Protoss homeworld of Aiur has prevented the creation of more Dragoons - the transplanted souls of Protoss warriors in exoskeletons - resulting in the remaining Dragoons to be redesigned with different weaponry and a shield that absorbs heavy damage and renamed to "Immortals".

The demo reveals new abilities that involve more complex interaction with the game environment than StarCraft. Terran units known as Reapers can swiftly leap over cliffs, and Protoss Stalkers are capable of short-range teleportation to pursue fleeing enemies. Additionally, new abilities have been extended to structures. The Protoss are able to warp prefabricated units within range of their Pylons, and also possess the Phase Prism, a unit that acts as a mobile Pylon, providing power to Protoss buildings in the absence of conventionally built Pylons.

Races
The sequel introduces no new playable races and keeps the three original races Protoss, Terran, and Zerg.

New units

 * Terran
 * Reaper: Uses dual pistols, can jet pack across terrain.


 * Protoss
 * Colossus: A large quad-legged vehicle that fires strong dual lasers in a "wave-like" pattern well-suited to destroying swarms of weaker units. Shown in the video destroying a large wave of Zerglings. This unit can also traverse differences in terrain height due to its long legs. The Colossus has no anti-air weapons.
 * Immortal: Replaces the Dragoon. Strong defense against powerful attacks, but vulnerable to weaker attacks.
 * Mothership: A powerful flying unit which consumes an extreme amount of resources to produce, but is a unique unit (1 at a time). Has the Timebomb ability, which slows all enemy missile attacks, and the Earth Cracker, a large laser that obliterates anything in its path, in the style of Independence Day. Also has an ability to create a black hole that can suck in ships as large as Battlecruisers. Looks like a floating sand dollar.
 * Phase Prism: A dual-purpose unit, able to transport units or act as a mobile Pylon.
 * Phoenix: This anti-air unit can overcharge its guns for a multiple projectile blast, but after the blast the ship is rendered inert for a short period. The Phoenix is very weak versus large enemy air units such as a Battlecruiser, but is powerful versus small and medium air units.
 * Stalker: A Dragoon-like unit of the Dark Templar, able to blink (short-range teleport) and deliver ranged attacks against air and ground units.
 * Warp Ray: Flying unit that deals damage with a blue laser that does more damage as it focuses on the same target. Good versus heavily armored targets like Battlecruisers and buildings, weak against small arms fire.


 * Zerg
 * Nydus Worm: Can be used to transport small units such as Zerglings underground.
 * Succubus: Special ground unit. "Infect" ability allows takeover of hostile organics for a limited amount of time, ending in the target unit exploding and damaging everyone around it.

Updated units

 * Protoss
 * Zealot: Will have a new charge ability, allowing a zealot unit to quickly close the distance between itself and an enemy unit.
 * Gateway: Has the ability to turn into a Warp Gate that can transport troops around the map.


 * Zerg
 * Zergling: New ability to mutate into suicidal "Banelings", that can roll across the terrain.

New racial abilities

 * Protoss: will be able to warp prefabricated units close to any Pylons or deployed Phase Prisms with the upgraded Gateway, known as a Warp Gate.

Storyline
The game takes place four years after StarCraft: Brood War, the same time as the storyline of StarCraft: Ghost. StarCraft II will take place both in new worlds and in worlds that had appeared in the original game. Char is back. One of the new worlds is Bel'Shir, a jungle Protoss world that was a religious retreat until it was attacked by the Zerg; it now houses many ruined temples. The world shown in the cinematic is Braxis Alpha. Jim Raynor is set to continue his adventures.


 * 1) The United Earth Directorate forces were destroyed by Infested Kerrigan's zerg armies (though a few surviving companies may still be around somewhere).
 * 2) The Terran faction in StarCraft II will primarily consist of the "evil empire" of the Terran Dominion.
 * 3) The Xel'Naga will fit into the story "in a rather epic tale". It is important to note that the "greater whole" of the Xel'Naga race was wiped out, which means some of them may still be alive.

Hybrids
The Hybrid does not appear to be available as a playable race in StarCraft II, but a strange creature which may be a Hybrid is portrayed in a StarCraft II trailer. The Hybrid may appear in the single-player storyline.

Fan sites

 * StarCraft 2 News