StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty

Starcraft 2: Wings of Liberty is a science fiction real-time strategy game. It is a sequel to the original game, the Brood War game series, and the first Starcraft sequel, and now also includes a sizable expansion pack that was released in installments after the original release.

Game Information

This game is set four years after the last Brood War game, during which the Terrans have become the dominant species in the region. (See below for more information on the three species in the games.) Jim Raynor is a bitter and cynical human who worries that the Terran Dominion has grown too powerful, neglecting interspecies vigilance to subdue and annihilate their enemies.

Raynor feels guilty about Sara Kerrigan's disappearance—some events occurred in the previous game, but cutscenes and voiceovers explain everything so new players can easily follow along. As the story unfolds, Raynor hopes to be able to enjoy something during his time of redemption.

Raynor assembles Raynor's Raiders, a group of like-minded rebels to fight back against the Dominion. They begin their battle on Mar Sara, slowly wresting control from the enemy, meeting the locals and accidentally finding a piece of a mysterious artifact along the way. The Raiders include a former Dominion psychic assassin (Spectre) named Gabriel Tosh, while Matt Horner serves as Raynor's second-in-command.

They are joined by, among others, Ariel Hanson, a Zerg researcher and leader of a small farming community. She is caught between the Zerg invading the region and the Protoss, who are determined to eradicate the Zerg, with the local farmers—her community—caught in the crossfire.

One of their missions is to find the remaining pieces of the mysterious artifact and sell them all to the equally mysterious Moebius Foundation to raise funds for their resistance missions.

What you need to know

The story is linear, but you can spend your time wandering through that plot, popping in to complete side quests and missions that earn you rewards, upgrades, and currency you can use to purchase upgrades and additional units.

As noted above, the plot requires some knowledge of previous installments as some of the characters and villains from the first games reappear, but you should be able to immerse yourself in the game even if you miss some of the references, which will not affect your ability to play and enjoy the game.

This game is mostly terran versus terran with the other two species seeming to be minor players in the battle, but getting their big moments in some of the later levels.

Explore the landscape freely and be sure to click on anything that seems interesting: sometimes you might enjoy a funny quip or prank from an NPC or have to tolerate a biased news broadcast, but you can also get some good advice or updates.

The game's progression is well thought out, with even the training missions serving a purpose in the overarching narrative: for example, you take down propaganda posters and the like in the tutorial, at the end of which the new, open-minded population joins you on your mission against the Dominion and their despotic leader, Arcturus Mengsk.

Pro tip: Choose some of your upgrades and research paths carefully, as some choices are permanent and lock you out of others, so changing your mind isn't an option. Some also have a ripple effect on the story arc, somewhat determining your course of action in the future of the game.

However, you can replay the game later and make different choices. This gives the game great replayability, as the achievements, rewards, battles, and more are all very different the second time around.

A single full trial is a solid fifteen hours of playtime, giving you time to get engrossed and engaged—enough to replay it with different options. And, of course, you can spend a little longer playing, completing all the missions assigned to you to earn useful rewards and perks.

The cutscenes are excellent, complete and beautifully voiced and acted, making the gameplay even more enjoyable to experience.

Who's who?

There are three species in the game, and while this game is primarily terrestrial, you will have the option to play with others as well.

Terranians, essentially humansThe Zerg, a super-species of various assimilated lifeformsThe Protoss, technologically advanced beings with psionic (psi) powersStarcraft 2: Wings of Liberty is a great addition to the game's lineage, allowing fans of the franchise to explore new areas and meet new characters.