Favorite HoTS Arcs

[ragnarok]

Char > Space > Skygierr > Umoja > Zerus > Kaldir

I hate Kaldir the most. One of Kerrigan's traits is that she doesn't take prisoners. Yet, after 4 years under her leadership, Izsha captures Lasarra. One of many flaws in that arch that ends up not making any sense at all.

And you're the one hoping for the good story in LotV?

I've tried to argue for months on the battlenet forums that she didn't have a choice in the matter. Sure, she might have HOPED the Protoss wouldn't notice the awakening of the Brood, though that's unlikely. At least for that one she didn't take pleasure in the killing like with the Dominion military.

Dont worry, about 95% of the fanbase that can actually think logically hate this arc the most.

You said most of the fanbase just hate the WHOLE of HotS anyway.

[RetlocLive]

... *sigh*

hate this arc the most.

As in, Kal'dir is hated the most amongst all the HotS hate.

[ragnarok]

... *sigh*

As in, Kal'dir is hated the most amongst all the HotS hate.

Did you, among first playing the game?

[Gradius]

You said Narud was a poor excuse because we don't even know where he came from, and Stukov's explanations weren't exactly favorable...

"We don't know where he came from"?

I never said that. I said it was very disappointing that one of the greatest manipulators in SC went out like a pathetic chump. Still better than the other arcs though IMO.

The true path for me went Umoja > Kal'dir > Char > Zerus > Space > Skygeirr > Korhal

But then again, I also think Kal'dir just shouldn't be included at all since its the closest thing HotS has to filler like the Hanson/Tosh arcs were for WoL.

I'd agree except I might flip Char and Zerus.

Dont worry, about 95% of the fanbase that can actually think logically hate this arc the most.

Zerus has to be one of the worst though. The very idea of noble, individualistic warriors for zerg is just a mind-boggling failure.

[ragnarok]

I'd agree except I might flip Char and Zerus.

Char SHOULD have been the last of the 3.

When Mengsk made the announcement of Raynor's "death", he knew Kerrigan would turn back to the swarm, and the most obvious location would be Char. He would have expected her there, and planned the launching of the two way communicators.

[RetlocLive]

As for the order from best to worst...

Char > Skygeirr > Korhal > Umoja > Space > Zerus > Kal'dir

I honestly hate Korhal's story...but the gameplay once you have all the Zerg upgrades and stuff is just too damn fun to have it at a low rank. Also, I do agree that Char would make a hell of a lot more sense if it came after Zerus. Puts Zagara and Warfield seeing the new QoB in a different light.

[ragnarok]

As for the order from best to worst...

Char > Skygeirr > Korhal > Umoja > Space > Zerus > Kal'dir

I honestly hate Korhal's story...but the gameplay once you have all the Zerg upgrades and stuff is just too damn fun to have it at a low rank. Also, I do agree that Char would make a hell of a lot more sense if it came after Zerus. Puts Zagara and Warfield seeing the new QoB in a different light.

Thing is, if you did Char AFTER Zerus, it would put Zagara HERSELF in a different light as well.

Remember the convo with Izsha: she would ask Kerrigan how Zagara could still stand against her. With the primal transformation complete, Zagara should have no chance at all. Kerrigan explained that Zagara is different from the other broodmothers, tougher and meaner.

This just shows how much of the original QoB template was used on Zagara: refusing to bow to ANY authority no matter WHAT the circumstances are.

[FanaticTemplar]

Umoja. I always have a fondness for the small scale, more personal atmosphere of the early game, before the shit really hits the fan... same thing with early Rebel Yell and the Mar Sara missions of Wings of Liberty.

The worst is definitely Zerus. I don't remember having any particular problem with Kaldir... I've only played the game once (because I hate the hero-centric gameplay of Heart of the Swarm) but I remember the Protoss being quite clear that they were keen on killing Kerrigan while she was vulnerable. A position I am entirely on board with, of course (HINT HINT The Insurgent Zeratul) but it does explain why she felt she had to eradicate them. However, I'm getting the impression that this goes differently if you go to Zerus first?

[TheEconomist]

Skygeirr because it's the closest thing Heart of the Swarm has to dealing with larger sci fi concepts. Even though Duran's arch is so unfathomably weak that it was by far the worst experience I have ever had with a fictional world. Duran is the most wasted character of all time and I'm not sure anyone but the biggest of Star Wars fans after waiting years for Episode I can understand but only in that very special, once-in-a-lifetime moment when they first realize just how awful Episode I is.

Least favorite is anything dealing with Mengsk or Raynor x Kerrigan. Thankfully, I can't remember which parts those are. Heavy drinking and pill popping aided in this psychological cleansing.

I liked Zerus more than Gradius, but only because I disliked the other parts so much and I prefer alien lore trash to human dumb shit.

Funniest moment was the one Queen take over of a ship of the most technologically advanced and intelligent race known in the galaxy. I liked the drum roll and laugh track afterwards though. I might have feared it was actually canon otherwise. Good one Blizz, you got me.

Most facepalm moment was the Kerrigan sad eyes in a cinematic. God fucking damnit. God. Fucking. Damnit.

[ragnarok]

Umoja. I always have a fondness for the small scale, more personal atmosphere of the early game, before the shit really hits the fan... same thing with early Rebel Yell and the Mar Sara missions of Wings of Liberty.

The worst is definitely Zerus. I don't remember having any particular problem with Kaldir... I've only played the game once (because I hate the hero-centric gameplay of Heart of the Swarm) but I remember the Protoss being quite clear that they were keen on killing Kerrigan while she was vulnerable. A position I am entirely on board with, of course (HINT HINT The Insurgent Zeratul) but it does explain why she felt she had to eradicate them. However, I'm getting the impression that this goes differently if you go to Zerus first?

There's not really THAT much a difference. If you went to Zerus first, and THEN Kaldir, the Expedition leader would tell Kerrigan she was foolish to come here without her swarm.

In addition, if you went to Zerus first, then when Lassara tells Kerrigan that she didn't have to do this, Kerrigan would answer that the swarm never runs from its enemies, that'd be a sign of cowardice.

Which, ironically enough, would be contradicted during the Korhal invasion, when Kerrigan told Zagara that if she's killed, the broodmother is to take the swarm and leave Korhal immediately.