Gradius's HoTS Story Review

[Alar]

Delete this post. :<

[Alar]

Yeah pretty much. From a story perspective, though not from a gameplay perspective.

They expanded the whole thing from a gameplay point of view, but failed to do so when it came to story. There should be a lot more twists and subplots and relationship changers than there are. Again, like it or not, the Zerg campaign from Brood War was denser than Heart of the Swarm is.

It is a shame, yes... I still feel the story could have been so much better. Ah well.

Also, hi guys! Long time no see.

[Telenil]

I have no problem at all with the Overmind not showing up. Why should it speak to them? It has nothing to say. In Brood War, where there is a struggle for command of the Zerg sure, but not in StarCraft. The Overmind is the Swarm. It doesn't need to communicate with other species, because other species are meaningless to it. But unlike the UED, Kerrigan, Amon or others who use the Zerg, the Overmind is the Zerg. Every Zergling is one of its claws, every Overlord is an eye, and so forth. The Overmind is a fantastic villain because it isn't that structure you destroy, that structure is merely the Overmind's brain. Every time you have faced a Zerg unit, you were fighting the Overmind face to face.

I know the discussion stopped a long time ago, but I just wanted to approve that. It is exactly why I loved the Zerg in general and the Overmind in particular as villains.

[Turalyon]

I know the discussion stopped a long time ago, but I just wanted to approve that. It is exactly why I loved the Zerg in general and the Overmind in particular as villains.

Kerrigan: What about me? I said "I am the Swarm!" at the end of HotS so that makes me the same as the Overmind and all that jazz about being one with all the Zerg....*a distant wolf howls*.... please love me....

[Telenil]

Well yes, I did like Kerrigan leading the Zerg in Brood War for the same reason, probably more than the average SCL poster. She used to be human, and in the end she essentially becomes the next Overmind. The major difference is, of course, that the Overmind was the collective sentience of thet Zerg as opposed to someone filling the void its destruction left.

[Gradius]

I didn't like Kerrigan leading the swarm in BW. The zerg deserve a leader that's not a human.

[Turalyon]

Well yes, I did like Kerrigan leading the Zerg in Brood War for the same reason, probably more than the average SCL poster. She used to be human, and in the end she essentially becomes the next Overmind. The major difference is, of course, that the Overmind was the collective sentience of thet Zerg as opposed to someone filling the void its destruction left.

I liked Kerrigan leading the Zerg in Brood War, too, but not because she was destined to be or that she was gifted with it or that she was even ever capable of being an "Overmind" (as Sc2 tries to hammer home). In BW, I'd like to think of Kerrigan as your typical petulant, heavily traumatised and victimised human character who took steps to stop the possibility of being victimised ever again by attempting to best anyone who was in a position to threaten her. In that light, it certainly informs her murderous and spiteful actions in BW. Kerrigan was not (and never will be) Zerg, but a human in control of Zerg. To me, that was a decidedly unique and interesting wrinkle to how the Zerg were represented... the first time. Of course, HotS then goes on to repeat this theme again. *Yawn*

[FanaticTemplar]

I liked Kerrigan leading the Zerg in Brood War, too, but not because she was destined to be or that she was gifted with it or that she was even ever capable of being an "Overmind" (as Sc2 tries to hammer home). In BW, I'd like to think of Kerrigan as your typical petulant, heavily traumatised and victimised human character who took steps to stop the possibility of being victimised ever again by attempting to best anyone who was in a position to threaten her. In that light, it certainly informs her murderous and spiteful actions in BW. Kerrigan was not (and never will be) Zerg, but a human in control of Zerg. To me, that was a decidedly unique and interesting wrinkle to how the Zerg were represented... the first time. Of course, HotS then goes on to repeat this theme again. *Yawn*

Yes, that's kinda what I liked about Kerrigan in Brood War as well. She was a vicious and stupid child trying to hurt back the world that hurt her, and the Zerg allowed her to do that. It's an interesting story, though it - and two other important factors - reduced the role of the Zerg from 'active characters' to 'macguffin'. They became a means to other characters' ends. I really would have wished Kerrigan's removal from the Swarm in Wings of Liberty had been permanent, leaving the way open for a new Zerg leader.

[Turalyon]

She was a vicious and stupid child trying to hurt back the world that hurt her, and the Zerg allowed her to do that.

This is what makes Kerrigan a very brave and interesting choice in terms of her characterisation throughout BW because it demands of you having a conflicting reaction of disliking her actions but feeling great empathy for why she does the things she does. As such, it's extremely hard to pull-off an effective Jerkass Woobie because the "jerkass" part of it is usually the most prominent and overshadowing thing that either totally puts people right off the character or totally loved for being "badass".

It's an interesting story, though it - and two other important factors - reduced the role of the Zerg from 'active characters' to 'macguffin'. They became a means to other characters' ends.

Funny thing is, not many complained about the Zerg effectively becoming mere plot tools in BW. Maybe because it was unique at the time and that Kerrigan was interesting enough to cover up that particular crack (which is, ironically enough, what they're attempting for SC2 yet people are not 'falling' for the characterisation and instead noticing the plot flaws). It only becomes starkly contrasted and obvious now when HotS essentially repeats that whole theme.

I really would have wished Kerrigan's removal from the Swarm in Wings of Liberty had been permanent, leaving the way open for a new Zerg leader.

I totally agree that this would've been a far more interesting and challenging new ground for the Zerg. Granted, it would have been a much more difficult thing to pull of since they'd have to start from scratch in finding and justifying a new Zerg leader whilst also dealing with the fallout of demoting Kerrigan to a nobody in this alternate Zerg/HotS campaign when she was a non-character in WoL already. Also, it would have been great way to give the "finger" to the vaunted prophecy thing about the Queen of Blades being the only thing stopping Amon from ruling the galaxy (Gah! I still reel at this lame exposition!).

[FanaticTemplar]

Funny thing is, not many complained about the Zerg effectively becoming mere plot tools in BW. Maybe because it was unique at the time and that Kerrigan was interesting enough to cover up that particular crack (which is, ironically enough, what they're attempting for SC2 yet people are not 'falling' for the characterisation and instead noticing the plot flaws). It only becomes starkly contrasted and obvious now when HotS essentially repeats that whole theme.

Well, in Brood War it was really the UED that made the Zerg decharacterisation obvious. If it had just been Kerrigan, I might not have noticed as much.

I totally agree that this would've been a far more interesting and challenging new ground for the Zerg. Granted, it would have been a much more difficult thing to pull of since they'd have to start from scratch in finding and justifying a new Zerg leader whilst also dealing with the fallout of demoting Kerrigan to a nobody in this alternate Zerg/HotS campaign when she was a non-character in WoL already. Also, it would have been great way to give the "finger" to the vaunted prophecy thing about the Queen of Blades being the only thing stopping Amon from ruling the galaxy (Gah! I still reel at this lame exposition!).

That Protoss segment of Wings of Liberty is the worst thing I have ever seen with regards to StarCraft. It really should have been cut out entirely. As for finding a new Zerg leader, maybe they could have eased the transition by making Narud's involvement in Wings a ploy to usurp Kerrigan's place. He would have used the Zerg to put forth whatever Amon's plans are (finally involving the Protoss in this game) but making "errors" along the way, as the Zerg would see it, until one of the Brood Mothers, which Kerrigan has created to have more independent thoughts, could have risen up to throw down Narud, giving the Swarm back its self-determination and indirectly resolving the stupid prophecy because Kerrigan was the one who replaced the Crerebrates with more competitive Brood Mothers.