Starcraft II Review

[Buckles-1237]

On Steam I hit all my games with this same review and I realized that I’ve never been able to review a Blizz game because they don’t let you do it anywhere. Yesterday I decided start reviewing Blizz games and just post it on the games forum since there’s nowhere else to put it. So here’s Starcraft II…

10 Questions:
1. Does this game require an account?
Yes, It requires a Battle.Net account. (0)
No, but there are additional features when using an X account. (0.5)
No (1)

2. When I click on the shortcut, does it launch the game or a launcher?
Game (1)
Game Selection Launcher (0.5)
“Launch Game” Launcher (0.5)
3rd Party Launcher (0)
yes… battle.net is a “3rd party launcher”.
Party 1 = me
Party 2 = game
Party 3 = other programs

3. Can I play the game without an internet connection?
Yes (1)
Yes, but multiplayer would be unavailable (1)
Yes, but some content/features are unavailable offline (0.5)
No (0)

4. Can the developers revoke my ability to play the game in any way for any reason?
Yes, technically access can be revoked, but it’s unlikely. (0.5)
Yes, ability to access multiplayer content can be revoked. (0.5)
Yes, ability to access the whole game can be revoked. (0)
No (1)

5. Is my saved game/profile progress saved on my computer?
Yes, all saved game/profile data is stored on local system. (1)
Yes, some saved game/profile data is stored on local system. (0.5)
No (0)
N/A (1)

6. Can I make a backup of my saved game/profile progress on an external drive?
Yes, external physical backup and restore is completely supported. (1)
Yes, external physical backup and restore is supported for some data. (0.5)
No (0)
N/A (1)

7. Is this a phone game?
Yes, game was made for phones then ported to computers. (0)
Yes, game was made for computers then ported to phones. (0.5)
No (1)

8. Does this game use real money for in-game purchases?
Yes (0)
Yes, but an in-game point system can also be used. (0.5)
No (1)
No, but it has an excessive amount of DLC. (0.5)

9. If the developers go out of business or the servers go offline, will I still be able to play?
Yes (1)
Yes, but multiplayer would be unavailable (0.5)
Yes, but some content/features would be unavailable (0.5)
No (0)

10. Does this game list Windows 10 as a minimum requirement?
Yes (0)
Yes, but XP, Vista, 7, 8 or “64-bit system” are also listed. (0.5)
No (1)

BONUS QUESTION 1: Is this game “early access” or “greenlit”?
Yes (-1)
No (0)

BONUS QUESTION 2: If I buy this game, but don’t play it for a year will I miss content?
Yes (-1)
No (0)

Conclusion:
Total Score = 2/10
I recommend this game. (7.5-10)
I recommend this game, but it has it’s issues. (4-7)
I don’t recommend this game. (0-3.5)

(This review has nothing to do with how much I like this game or my opinion on how good of a game the game is. Personally I would have scored this game a 9 or 10, but that’s just my opinion. This is a review.)

[Kelthar-1277]

I think you need to do some homework. SC2 does have offline functionality and locally saved games for the campaign. Its not trivially accessed, but you can play offline.

[OldWhovian-1356]

@Buckles-1237

Personally I would have scored this game a 9 or 10

@Buckles-1237

I don’t recommend this game.

If your system for reviewing contradicts your own opinion of the game then your system sucks.

[Kelthar-1277]

@OldWhovian-1356

If your system for reviewing contradicts your own opinion of the game then your system sucks.

Also, the fact that the alleged review of the game doesnt actually review the game would seem to suggest some problems.

For example, if you apply this to an MMO, which is definitionally online, it will basically never get a good score.

[OldWhovian-1356]

Pretty much the only things that would do well on this reviewing scale are games from GoG that were made in the mid-90s. It’s amusing to me that they mention using this on all their steam games given that

@Buckles-1237

1. Does this game require an account?

is literally a point off every single Steam game just as a blanket review punishment.

[Kelthar-1277]

@Buckles-1237

yes… battle.net is a “3rd party launcher”.
Party 1 = me
Party 2 = game
Party 3 = other programs

Also, i have to dispute this. Battle.net is a Game Selection Launcher based on the options given. A 3rd party launcher would be… Actually, im struggling to think of any examples. Shockingly, most games dont want other groups or companies to be in charge of people playing their games.

[OldWhovian-1356]

Maybe Easy Anti Cheat? I think that’s the only example I can think of as it had its own launcher flash screen for Halo: MCC and Elden Ring

[Rem-1577]

I bet a lot of people here like to play it for pvp, in my case I play it against AI only. Yet I’m satisfied with playing it that way, I’m just very frustrated of how poor is the interaction of the game devs/staff with the community.

In my case it only concerns the fixing of bugs related to the editor, but for a while ago, they left this game to die so much, that I only hope that Microsoft will sort this up.

[Miro-11607]

@Buckles-1237

3. Can I play the game without an internet connection?
   Yes (1)
   Yes, but multiplayer would be unavailable (1)
   Yes, but some content/features are unavailable offline (0.5)
   No (0)

Incorrect. The correct answer would be 0.5. Campaign is available, but there are no achievements or multiplayer aspects of the game available to play.

@Buckles-1237

5. Is my saved game/profile progress saved on my computer?
   Yes, all saved game/profile data is stored on local system. (1)
   Yes, some saved game/profile data is stored on local system. (0.5)
   No (0)
   N/A (1)

This is also incorrect as you have save game files located on your PC. Where they’re located is another thing, you just have to find them. Replays, campaign progress for missions etc.

So again 0.5

@Buckles-1237

8. Does this game use real money for in-game purchases?
   Yes (0)
   Yes, but an in-game point system can also be used. (0.5)
   No (1)
   No, but it has an excessive amount of DLC. (0.5)

Terrible metric - the game isn’t a gacha game. Monetary purchases are strictly cosmetic only unless you’re looking for expansions or co-op commanders, and you know what you get every time.

@Buckles-1237

9. If the developers go out of business or the servers go offline, will I still be able to play?
   Yes (1)
   Yes, but multiplayer would be unavailable (0.5)
   Yes, but some content/features would be unavailable (0.5)
   No (0)

Yes, you would still be able to play, though without certain features. Again, 0.5

Your review system frankly sucks. It has nothing to do with the gameplay whatsoever, even though some of these things are nice to know, it’s clear that there was no research done, no actual effort put into this and it’s a terrible, terrible representation of what the game is because almost every single part of your review was almost entirely irrelevant.

What’s important is dependent on the individual game. For sc2, how good is its campaign plot, mission variation and map variation/design? Are the units responsive and do they feel good to use? What is it like graphically? Is the price of the game worth it for the amount of content you get? More recently, is there customization options available to the player?

And that’s just talking about the campaigns specifically. The game has Co-op, a vast, expansive arcade with plenty of user made content and dev made content, and pretty robust multiplayer system.

@Buckles-1237

(This review has nothing to do with how much I like this game or my opinion on how good of a game the game is. Personally I would have scored this game a 9 or 10, but that’s just my opinion. This is a review.)

This is EXACTLY what a review should be though - it SHOULD be based on the merits of the game itself, not the arbitrary BS that you’ve dumped here. Sorry it sounds blunt, but it’s the truth.

[InfestedTerr-2659]

For Question 5 and 6, it’s actually yes.

[thrasher-1486]

Do you work for IGN?

[Undead-2724]

I stopped reading after hitting 2 or 3 evidences it was trolling and aiming at giving a 0 to the game.
Now I will post this and confirm if it does end with a zero.

edit: actually, there are troll questions to give points, but it still achieve the result of getting a minimal note.

[InfestedTerr-2659]

No idea what that is, so nope.

[Kelthar-1277]

IGN is a game review group that once infamously gave Heroes of the Storm (another blizzard game) a score of 6.5/10, and if you actually read the review it was pretty clear that whoever wrote it had not actually played the game and was making things up, as what they claimed did not match reality at all.

Blizzard, naturally, ran with the meme, giving out ingame banners with the number 6.5 on them, and going so far recently as to celebrate the 6 and a half year anniversary of the game. Its probably my favorite blizzard meme now.

[SunRise-6441]

While not an outside company; games bought on Steam from EA and Ubisoft fall into this category… requiring their own launchers for said games.

Rockstar as well.

[CollegeWings-1825]

Your system is trash, and so are you

@Buckles-1237

3. Can I play the game without an internet connection?
   Yes (1)
   Yes, but multiplayer would be unavailable (1)
   Yes, but some content/features are unavailable offline (0.5)
   No (0)

Wrong - you should have checked yes, but some content/features are unavailable offline

@Buckles-1237

4. Can the developers revoke my ability to play the game in any way for any reason?
   Yes, technically access can be revoked, but it’s unlikely. (0.5)
   Yes, ability to access multiplayer content can be revoked. (0.5)
   Yes, ability to access the whole game can be revoked. (0)
   No (1)

Doesn’t this apply to any game then? You’re basically giving a -1 to almost every game except games that are purely single player

@Buckles-1237

5. Is my saved game/profile progress saved on my computer?
   Yes, all saved game/profile data is stored on local system. (1)
   Yes, some saved game/profile data is stored on local system. (0.5)
   No (0)
   N/A (1)

Wrong - yes, some saved game/profile data is stored on local system. When you play arcade games, your data is stored on the local system. I’m sure there are a few other examples.

@Buckles-1237

6. Can I make a backup of my saved game/profile progress on an external drive?
   Yes, external physical backup and restore is completely supported. (1)
   Yes, external physical backup and restore is supported for some data. (0.5)
   No (0)
   N/A (1)

I think some data can also be backed up externally and can be restored…

@Buckles-1237

7. Is this a phone game?
   Yes, game was made for phones then ported to computers. (0)
   Yes, game was made for computers then ported to phones. (0.5)
   No (1)

Really?

Terrible criteria…

[Shadow-244788]

Probably the guy who like phone mmo gacha games instead pure rts

[THAC0-1708]

1. you need to do homework this game dos have offline functionality and such
2. Your biased as hell
3. git gud.

[Alternate-21482]

Relax if servers ever die StarFriend will probably resurrect and you could play through them they had implemented offline play and lan into this game and even went so fart to have some sort of ladder but then game went f2p.

I do kinda miss them this was my go to place when i stuck vs something like def canon rush in pvp and so on…

[FireStorm-2281]

This is a bit weird. So you review all your games without even once thinking about the fun they provide, their graphics, mechanics required, music? All only only on additional features that many poeple dont care about? And btw I dont buy early access game, they are unfinished, and in many cases remain unfinished, its a steam plague.