Say what you like about their games (I have on many occasions) no one quite puts a cinematic together these days like Blizzard. In fact, they’re the ones who really pushed the envelope on in-game cinematics years ago. It’s no surprise that after almost 20 years the teasers and trailers for many of their games are as important to the experience of playing a Blizzard game as anything else. These days much of the hype involving Starcraft II revolves around its multiplayer, but after releasing the intro cinematic to Heart of the Swarm I dare to say that at least a few people are a bit more psyched for the single player campaign as well, I know I am.
I started playing the original Starcraft all the way back in 1998. I’ve never really played the multiplayer, at least not to the level many have, but I did take the time to play the single player campaigns of both the original and its expansion pack, Brood War. After that, even though it was almost ten years later, I found myself going through the single player campaign in Starcraft II when it was released as well.
I had forgotten all about it until today when I saw the opening cinematic for Heart of the Swarm, and now I’m once again interested in what’s going on in the single player world of Starcraft II. I guess that’s really all it takes; a well put together cinematic with a few characters I already know and sort of care about. I doubt it will be enough to get me into the multiplayer, but I’m pretty sure I’m already sold on the idea of potentially serving Mengsk his well deserved revenge.
There is no character more tortured in the Blizzard world than Kerrigan. The trailer makes it pretty clear that the game is still about her which is exactly where it should be. I’m sure the game itself will be full of more cinematics like this, which I will enjoy just as I did over ten years ago.