Starcraft II: Heart of the Swarm

 PC
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1640 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,240 out of 1640
  2. Mixed: 224 out of 1640
  3. Negative: 176 out of 1640
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  1. iamthewizard2
    Mar 15, 2013
    0
    In the HOTS campaign, my very own intelligence was insulted. I managed to finish the whole game with barely a base defence. I hardly even touched an upgrade in the evolution chamber. most missions a few handful of zerglings was enough to get the job done. I didn't even have to think. I didn't even have to plan. I was even on the phone to my friend with one hand and with the other clickingIn the HOTS campaign, my very own intelligence was insulted. I managed to finish the whole game with barely a base defence. I hardly even touched an upgrade in the evolution chamber. most missions a few handful of zerglings was enough to get the job done. I didn't even have to think. I didn't even have to plan. I was even on the phone to my friend with one hand and with the other clicking away aimlessly and before I knew it....MISSION SUCCESSFUL. I don't think there was even a mission that wasn't complete in less than 30 minutes. But it just doesn't stop at the poorly thought out difficulty curve (which treats us like babies who've just developed an opposing thumb). The HOTS story carried the same childish, cliché, predictable, and cringe worthy moments that were dished out to us from WOL. No momentum was lost in the declining storyline. No brain cell was spared either for all of mine were lost just witnessing it.… Expand
  2. AC1DSKU11
    Mar 15, 2013
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Blizzard has managed to bring back a sliver of the old magic with HOTS. It doesn't exactly live up to Brood War or Frozen Thrown in terms of expansions but they made quite the solid effort. There are quite a few interesting units and missions throughout the campaign. While the game is plagued by horrible mission types forcing the player to escort and protect heroes and destroy structures a few missions managed to shine above the rest. With a little more work and restructuring the story and game play could have been absolutely brilliant (the ending cinematic shows that). On the whole the campaign keeps the Starcraft universe interesting without bogging it down to heavily with bad mission design Campaign: 7/10. The multiplayer is an entirely different story, while there are the expected balance issues from the start the matchmaking and interface drastically improve the quality of the multiplayer experience. This quality of community content and level of enthusiasm is very difficult to find these days in games and is absolutely above par Multiplayer: 9/10. On the whole I would give Starcraft II: Heart of the Swarm a great 8/10… Expand
  3. Mad-Pharm
    Mar 15, 2013
    10
    The story is great and the characters are integrated well into it, and although I am not a lore junkie I thoroughly enjoyed delving into the Zerg history. Graphically there are only minor tweaks and even though the graphics are not cutting edge, It is the atmosphere that is achieved with them that make this game look so good and gives it a lasting visual appeal. There are some great,The story is great and the characters are integrated well into it, and although I am not a lore junkie I thoroughly enjoyed delving into the Zerg history. Graphically there are only minor tweaks and even though the graphics are not cutting edge, It is the atmosphere that is achieved with them that make this game look so good and gives it a lasting visual appeal. There are some great, intuitive additions to the UI which adds to the amazing game play in both single and multiplayer. Overall, 'Heart of the Swarm' is the near perfect compliment to "Wings of Liberty'.… Expand
  4. Avadon
    Mar 15, 2013
    4
    Blizzard have made Brood War and Frozen Throne, two of the best RTS expansions of all time, both with jaw-dropping campaigns that were memorable for years to come, and also with changes to multiplayer that COMPLETELY changed the way the game was played. Compared to those, HotS is painfully average. Campaign: The story is okayish, mainly because most of the dialogue is between ZergBlizzard have made Brood War and Frozen Throne, two of the best RTS expansions of all time, both with jaw-dropping campaigns that were memorable for years to come, and also with changes to multiplayer that COMPLETELY changed the way the game was played. Compared to those, HotS is painfully average. Campaign: The story is okayish, mainly because most of the dialogue is between Zerg characters and has an appropriately odd ring to it, but when it switches back to human dialogue it's once again infuriatingly cliche and facepalm-worthy. The missions vary in quality, there are a couple refreshingly good ones but most of them suffer from the same problem as the WoL missions, i.e. they are extremely gimmicky and serve mainly as a means to introduce a new unit that is super useful for that specific mission and not so much later. There are also extremely frequent time constraints in missions, which don't allow you to enjoy them at your own pace. That's a really lazy way to do challenge. Very rarely will you find a mission that just gives you a giant enemy base and lets you just use your units in your own way and check for weaknesses to kill it, it's all scripted and on a strict timer and feels gimmicky. Very disappointing overall. Multiplayer: Nice additions with clans and replays. The new units however are not that great. Only the Viper can be considered a decent addition, and the hydra speed opens up a couple of more viable army comps, but for the other races it's pretty lackluster. Watch any stream where players are interested in actually winning and not just messing around with the new units, and you 'll see most matchups play similarly to WoL, especially TvT is exactly the same except you start with a couple of mines here and there. Overall, for Blizzard RTS standards, HotS is just meh. It barely shakes things up online, and the campaign is mediocre. Not good enough.… Expand
  5. Ming120
    Mar 15, 2013
    9
    I quite thoroughly enjoyed Heart of the Swarm. I find that the campaign is fairly well written and stands its own even compared to some of the RPG typed games that I've played. Like Wings of Liberty, the narrative brings a certain depth to some of the characters we know, such as Jim Raynor and Sarah Kerrigan. The campaign is about 27 missions long, which is fairly lengthy consideringI quite thoroughly enjoyed Heart of the Swarm. I find that the campaign is fairly well written and stands its own even compared to some of the RPG typed games that I've played. Like Wings of Liberty, the narrative brings a certain depth to some of the characters we know, such as Jim Raynor and Sarah Kerrigan. The campaign is about 27 missions long, which is fairly lengthy considering the original Starcraft had about 30. The cutscenes are of course beautifully done, and the way the missions are panned out really gives the game an extra flavor, since it's not always about building and conquering. The new additions to multiplayer also seems to be a welcoming sight, with a few unique units that offers up to strategies to your game. If you are a Starcraft fan, don't pass this game up.… Expand
  6. Wamstad
    Mar 15, 2013
    10
    Surprised over the story! Only tried the singleplayer yet, and it's quite good! Well written and it makes me get excited for Legacy of the Void. Loved the Zerg campaign. Good job Blizzard!
  7. wordy_actions
    Mar 15, 2013
    8
    A solid addition to Starcraft 2. The campaign has a wide variety of fun missions, and the added units in mutliplayer add a needed shift in competitive strategy. If you don't already like Starcraft, you probably won't like this, but for any fans of the series this is a must.
  8. elgringo
    Mar 15, 2013
    10
    After finishing this masterpiece I have to say it offers you much better campaign than SCII: WoL and the new units for multiplayer are nice as well. Balancing is a subject to change anyway so I won't even bother to say that race x is too strong for race y. If you only get this game for singleplayer it will still be worth your coins because the it offers more variety than multi and the newAfter finishing this masterpiece I have to say it offers you much better campaign than SCII: WoL and the new units for multiplayer are nice as well. Balancing is a subject to change anyway so I won't even bother to say that race x is too strong for race y. If you only get this game for singleplayer it will still be worth your coins because the it offers more variety than multi and the new characters are fantastic. Strongly recommend getting this game.… Expand
  9. L4rry
    Mar 15, 2013
    8
    Starcraft 2 is the best real time sci fi strategy game out there. Period.

    Pure gameplay, math, strategy, and last but not least APM. The campaign was fun, didn't really have high expectations for that though, I played all sc campaigns, they all seem the same to me, ending in some big battle where you have many bases and tons of units. The downsides: The races aren't that    Starcraft 2 is the best real time sci fi strategy game out there. Period.

    Pure gameplay, math, strategy, and last but not least APM.

    The campaign was fun, didn't really have high expectations for that though, I played all sc campaigns, they all seem the same to me, ending in some big battle where you have many bases and tons of units.

    The downsides:

    The races aren't that balanced, and they CANNOT be exactly balanced because they're so different.

    And last, as in any game you ll play against guys who have a TON of games played and know the game much much better, which is kinda ridiculous.

    Mirror match-ups aren't that fun.    … Expand
  10. Darkmark
    Mar 15, 2013
    10
    Awesome expansion to an awesome game. The campaign story while still not great has definetly improved a lot from WoL. And the campaign is self was simply amazing! None of the missions were alike and they were all great. I especially like having Kerrigan as a kind of hero, which really added more depth to the already great gameplay. The changes to the multiplayer though not many have made aAwesome expansion to an awesome game. The campaign story while still not great has definetly improved a lot from WoL. And the campaign is self was simply amazing! None of the missions were alike and they were all great. I especially like having Kerrigan as a kind of hero, which really added more depth to the already great gameplay. The changes to the multiplayer though not many have made a major impact on the gameplay. It's fun and interesting and with the new units hundreds of new tactics will appear and make sure that each game is different than the last one, which really keeps the game interesting. One of the best games in a while and i'm sure i will play even more SC 2 in the future, now that HotS has arrived.… Expand
  11. vladmods
    Mar 15, 2013
    10
    Don't believe the hater crowd, guys. This game is a gem and it is worth every penny.

    I a big fan of the Starcraft universe and I've played Starcraft and Brood War. When Starcraft 2 Wings of Liberty was launched, I had very high hopes about the game. It proved to be great. This time, Blizzard took a great game and made it even better. Heart of the Swarm is wonderfully crafted. A lot of    Don't believe the hater crowd, guys. This game is a gem and it is worth every penny.

    I a big fan of the Starcraft universe and I've played Starcraft and Brood War. When Starcraft 2 Wings of Liberty was launched, I had very high hopes about the game. It proved to be great. This time, Blizzard took a great game and made it even better. Heart of the Swarm is wonderfully crafted. A lot of attention has been given to the story, the cinematics, the multiplayer and even the graphics ("Extreme"). Sarah Kerrigan is more impressive than she has ever been and it truly shows that Blizzard tried to make her a more complex character. Those of you who've been disappointed a bit by the light tone of Wings of Liberty will be pleasantly surprised by the darker story of HOTS.

    Thank you, Blizzard, for a wonderful game! I can't wait for The Legacy of the Void. En taro Tassadar!    … Expand
  12. Tom_q
    Mar 15, 2013
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'm disappointed on multiple counts. First, understand that I'm a relatively casual gamer. I'm 27. I used to be quite good at warcraft 3, some years ago; but I'm not a no-life teenager anymore. When I buy a game now, it's not in the hope of making it a full-time occupation. So, from this point of view, the problem is that the game is not enjoyable if you do not train yourself intensively: dozens of keyboard shortcuts, ridiculously high APM, boring but time-intensive resource management (why can't the optimal production of workers be automated??) are necessary before you can start thinking about strategy beyond "make an army and rush". I don't want to train for days for a game, I want to start playing and enjoying it almost immediately; in Starcraft II that's not possible, and the campaign doesn't help. That is what I dislike about the multiplayer. But you already know that if you own WoL.

    So I have to rate this extension based on the campaign, gameplay, and story, from the point of view of an older and more casual gamer. Well, if you fit my profile: WoL is okay, but HotS is not worth your time and money. The atmosphere is a bit of a mix between the original Starcraft, Jersey shore (steroid-pumped Raynor, high-heels/smooth-buttocks Kerrigan, nonsensical/trashy love stories, everybody acts irrationally) and dragon ball Z (power levels, Kamehameha fights, martial arts abilities, anthropomorphic Zergs that speak English, but make grammar mistakes). It's clearly written for teens. And the ending is strongly anti-climactic. In addition to this, many of the missions are worthless filler (evolution missions) and a lot of them are not very enjoyable...

    If I can indulge: the Zerg have lost their soul when they lost the Overmind at the end of the original Starcraft. Kerrigan does not compare. Ideally, in HotS, Mengsk would have been thrown away by the people following the events in WoL, Kerrigan would have definitely re-joined the Terrans, a new (different and possibly non-enslaved) Overmind would have spawned, the swarm would have killed and eaten Raynor instead of searching for him in the name of love, and Kerrigan would have emerged as the new human leader... Altogether providing an ideal set-up for the upcoming Protoss campaign. That was my fantasy. It's much too late for any of that now.     … Expand
  13. JohnLSD
    Mar 15, 2013
    0
    I have played more and I have changed my mind about the last review. This is really a good addon. It doesn't have a lot of new additions but they can really change the game on multiplayer. I also like the leveling system. The story is not great, the movies are very nice and many. The gameplay is still starcraft 2, nothing special about that, is just cute, I liked WoL better. There are newI have played more and I have changed my mind about the last review. This is really a good addon. It doesn't have a lot of new additions but they can really change the game on multiplayer. I also like the leveling system. The story is not great, the movies are very nice and many. The gameplay is still starcraft 2, nothing special about that, is just cute, I liked WoL better. There are new tilesets, winter, desert, etc, I like that. What is missing is DotA, they where talking about a DotA mode. I am happy I bought it, I recommended to everyone, pro or regular players.

    I wish I could disable the newbish interface (those orange help cards) and the message when you select a enemy unit that you cant move it.    … Expand
  14. RogerWilco2099
    Mar 15, 2013
    4
    Very average. I think most of these 9 & 10 reviews are based off people still on the hype train. The writing, average, the story average, the game mechanics average and nothing excelling or pushing the boundaries. That said nothing is bad about this game, its just it never seems to go anywhere. Everything is predictable. The cinematic videos are superb but this is a game and not aVery average. I think most of these 9 & 10 reviews are based off people still on the hype train. The writing, average, the story average, the game mechanics average and nothing excelling or pushing the boundaries. That said nothing is bad about this game, its just it never seems to go anywhere. Everything is predictable. The cinematic videos are superb but this is a game and not a movie. They do redeem this from scoring lower. A lot of potential wasted, a buy for the true fans or people, an easy skip for everyone else.… Expand
  15. KLoWn
    Mar 15, 2013
    10
    A really good expansion! The campaign is awesome with nearly every mission being different from previous. The side characters you meet are all likeable and in some cases absolutely bad ass.
    The story is what it is, hardly a masterpiece, but it's entertaining, and it brings you to a lot of very interesting and neat looking places.
    The multiplayer aspect of it is enhanced with the new    A really good expansion! The campaign is awesome with nearly every mission being different from previous. The side characters you meet are all likeable and in some cases absolutely bad ass.
    The story is what it is, hardly a masterpiece, but it's entertaining, and it brings you to a lot of very interesting and neat looking places.

    The multiplayer aspect of it is enhanced with the new addition of XP and gaining levels as you play, which is something I myself appreciate as it gives me another reason to go back and grind some ladder.

    In short, awesome expansion. If you like RTS games then this is a must buy.    … Expand
  16. VeryDarkJedi
    Mar 15, 2013
    3
    A truly disapointing expension pack at a huge price. The new campaing is way too short and quickly over and generally feels uninspired. If you wan't to play custom games there is not much new stuff being added.

    I wouldn't have complained if it was priced somewhere around half of what it is not and even that is fairly high for what you get. With the price they actually charge this is a    A truly disapointing expension pack at a huge price. The new campaing is way too short and quickly over and generally feels uninspired. If you wan't to play custom games there is not much new stuff being added.

    I wouldn't have complained if it was priced somewhere around half of what it is not and even that is fairly high for what you get. With the price they actually charge this is a rip-off. Definitely not worth it.    … Expand
  17. althea
    Mar 15, 2013
    8
    I had to uninstall Starcraft 2 completely before I was able to install this expansion, so I had to wait hours to play it. Besides that it's a nice game. The campaign is amazing.
  18. Mithrawn
    Mar 14, 2013
    10
    I really loved the single player campaign. The story is just as good as ever and its really great to see Sarah and Jim working together in (a few missions) but just having them on screen together is amazing. I've been waiting to see this for a decade and it hasn't disappointed. My only complaint is more time with them together would have been good. Also, lots of the upgrade decisions areI really loved the single player campaign. The story is just as good as ever and its really great to see Sarah and Jim working together in (a few missions) but just having them on screen together is amazing. I've been waiting to see this for a decade and it hasn't disappointed. My only complaint is more time with them together would have been good. Also, lots of the upgrade decisions are meaningless since the Zerg tend to just swarm over everything. The upgrades don't matter much or aren't noticeable. But I'm here for the story not upgrades and I loved it!… Expand
  19. Bubblegum
    Mar 14, 2013
    9
    Nice balance even in campaign, who cry about an easy game should pick brutal there comes t2/t3 units that active use their spells. Well done-cinematrcs looks fantastic the story but is a bit dull
  20. cobras52
    Mar 14, 2013
    9
    Better story than WoL, not as good as it could be, but still an improvement. The gameplay in the campaign is pretty interesting, yet sometimes it just gets weird (random boss battles). Havnt tried PvP yet, but I assume its still good old starcraft, so not much I can say there. Overall ive had a really good experiance with the game, and not to mention im pretty happy they didnt try and sellBetter story than WoL, not as good as it could be, but still an improvement. The gameplay in the campaign is pretty interesting, yet sometimes it just gets weird (random boss battles). Havnt tried PvP yet, but I assume its still good old starcraft, so not much I can say there. Overall ive had a really good experiance with the game, and not to mention im pretty happy they didnt try and sell it at 60$… Expand
  21. puddingpiepoper
    Mar 14, 2013
    10
    Best game I've ever played, seriously it was an absolute blast and my only complaint was I wish it was longer, anyone who doesn't like this game eats ice cream with a foot ball helmet on because they might hurt themselves.
  22. OrthoStice
    Mar 14, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is a magnificent game. I think when reviewing this game it makes sense to break it into two parts: THE CAMPAIGN

    I thought this was well executed and a blast to play. The overarching plot is a bit thin and your ability to interact with NPCs, as compared with a game like ME2 or ME3, is sharply limited, which limits the depth of the ancillary characters. Nevertheless I thought Abathur was hilarious and extremely well-animated. The campaign only units and upgrades were well conceived and fun to use. I found the missions to a tad easier to complete than they were in WOL but also more entertaining than the ones in WOL. I've heard some complaints about the voice acting but I actually thought that at least the actress who played Kerrigan did a really good job and the writers did a good job giving her character some depth and an edge without making her tedious or annoying. The animators also did an amazing job with her facial expressions (and making her extremely attractive). The cinematics are universally acknowledged (even by those who otherwise hate the game) best in class. MULTIPLAYER

    They've managed to improve on the best RTS (and in my opinion) best game in history. Changing the multiplayer is tremendously difficult in light of the delicate balance necessary to make the game viable at a professional level and the need to make the game fun for casual players. The hardcore SCII gaming community is extraordinarily hard to please, yet after 15 or so balance adjustments in beta they were able to create a game that, at a professional level, in the view of that community, was superior in most ways to WOL there is more action and gameplay is generally more dynamic, more varied and all around better than it was in WOL. The game is not perfectly balanced (terran is now the strongest race whereas in WOL it was clearly zerg) at a professional level, and the balance among the races will continue to shift as players develop new strategies and Blizzard reacts to prevent any one race from gaining to much of an upper hand on the other two and to keep the game from falling into undesirable playing patterns (where, e.g., one race always loses in the end game). This is inevitable and everyone will just have to be patient. The new units have added significant depth to multiplayer play and each race has gotten significant new additions to its army. I think the most interesting unit is the Swarm Host. Although it's somewhat in the doghouse among the SCII community at present, it has the greatest potential, in my view, to increase the skill cap and to impact all the zerg versus protoss and zerg versus terran matchups in interesting ways. Time and many, many pro games of course will ultimately determine the fate of the Swarm Host, but I really love the way the unit is drawn, its mechanics and its potential to create chaos (in a good way) all over the map. Blizzard has taken many steps to make the multiplayer more accessible to newer players or players who suffer from "ladder anxiety". There is now unranked play and the AI is a bit more helpful of an opponent if you're trying to figure out what the multiplayer is all about. They've also improved the social aspects of the game and added a leveling system that will likely appear to players familiar with LoL and other similar games. I think that everyone should give the multiplayer a try; it is the deepest, most strategic and wonderful video game I've ever played and preposterously addictive. It can be played in a frenetic manner, but you don't have to play that way if you're smart about your strategy and precise with your actions, and you can still be very successful. Also although this is generally perceived as a kid's game, I'm 30+ and have had a blast playing in my spare time. I didn't have any background in RTS games and I was able to achieve a "masters" rank in zerg and terran in WOL, so don't believe the "you can't be good at this type of game if you're not a kid" line of thought about this game. Do yourself a favor and buy this game.    … Expand
  23. fox294
    Mar 14, 2013
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'm rating this as an expansion, not as a game. Starcraft 2 is a great and fun game. Heart of the Swarm added nothing positive. To the contrary, the path that Blizzard opted to follow with the campaign's story is really quite bad. The Zerg were a lot more interesting as mindless killing machines. Choosing to make them muppets was a bad call. Reinfesting Kerrigan pretty much undid the entire plot of Wings of Liberty. And this whole prophesy storyline is so played out. It's obvious to the point of nausea that the end of the trilogy will feature a Protoss+Zerg+Terran vs. Amon battle royale. You did that already, Blizzard. It was called Warcraft 3. And it was lame then too. Blizzard has some truly untalented and uncreative people doing their writing these days. First Diablo and now Starcraft have been ruined with this trite drivel. What a shame.… Expand
  24. z0mb1e
    Mar 14, 2013
    9
    STORY: If you're expecting a storyline to rival Wheel of Time or A Song of Fire and Ice (Game of Thrones), then you're going to be disappointed. Really I think they could have done better with the story, which is why I knocked off a point. They have the resources to do better and it is a step down from Broodwar in my opinion. But compared to any other RTS I've played, the story isSTORY: If you're expecting a storyline to rival Wheel of Time or A Song of Fire and Ice (Game of Thrones), then you're going to be disappointed. Really I think they could have done better with the story, which is why I knocked off a point. They have the resources to do better and it is a step down from Broodwar in my opinion. But compared to any other RTS I've played, the story is excellent.

    CAMPAIGN GAMEPLAY: This campaign has more "mini game" mechanics than WoL. Personally I love it. When I want to play the strategy portion of the game, there's good AI and people to play against. So to me the campaign should have something different and I was not disappointed at all. Actually I would love for them to have a hero mode in multiplayer as well.

    MULTIPLAYER GAMEPLAY: Not much has changed since WoL. Yes there are new units and there will be new strategies. And yes it is an evolutionary step, but nothing revolutionary here. Which isn't bad. SC2 has earnings nearly double what any other game has. The Starcraft franchise has earnings that are triple the next game, LoL. If you don't like the multiplayer, that's you, not the game.

    SUMMARY: This is a Starcraft game, you should know what to expect by now. If you are new to the series, then you don't start here, you should be playing WoL first.    … Expand
  25. uncoldolan
    Mar 14, 2013
    9
    Wonderful CGI, great story, and excellent gameplay are overflowing in Starcraft 2 Heart of the Swarm. The story is absolutely engrossing and the game play is the Starcraft we all have come to know, expect and love. Blizzard hits the nail on the head with this great expansion. New Multiplayer units have changed multiplayer strategy for the better, and have added some rejuvenation andWonderful CGI, great story, and excellent gameplay are overflowing in Starcraft 2 Heart of the Swarm. The story is absolutely engrossing and the game play is the Starcraft we all have come to know, expect and love. Blizzard hits the nail on the head with this great expansion. New Multiplayer units have changed multiplayer strategy for the better, and have added some rejuvenation and diversity to multiplayer. All in all, great game, hours of fun.… Expand
  26. TaylorJames
    Mar 14, 2013
    10
    This game is $40. It features a lengthy and fresh campaign (with multiple options, branches and subsequent replay value for achievement farmers like myself) PLUS the expansion to the true heart of SC2, the multiplayer. I've been playing SC2: Wings of Liberty since it launched in 2010. That game was $60. There is NO BETTER band for your buck when it comes to games, than purchasing aThis game is $40. It features a lengthy and fresh campaign (with multiple options, branches and subsequent replay value for achievement farmers like myself) PLUS the expansion to the true heart of SC2, the multiplayer. I've been playing SC2: Wings of Liberty since it launched in 2010. That game was $60. There is NO BETTER band for your buck when it comes to games, than purchasing a Starcraft game. I expect to play HoTS everday for the next three years, and for a one-time cost of $40, that is absurd. I need no other games. No other console. This is the definition of value.… Expand
  27. drbarlog
    Mar 14, 2013
    10
    Great game. Everything is simply perfect. Campaign, multiplayer, sound. 10/10 Brilliant game!
    A little bit better than Wings of Liberty. I hope Legacy of the Void will be soon.
  28. FrostbyteCA
    Mar 14, 2013
    10
    Wings of Liberty was an awesome game, and this campaign was even more fun and engaging! My only sadness is that I need to wait another couple of years for the 3rd and final chapter. That's ok, multiplayer and the community maps will keep me busy until then! Thanks Blizzard, you didn't disappoint.
  29. Zyklone
    Mar 14, 2013
    10
    If you're a fan of playing fun, quality games then don't let the masses of complainers get to you and buy starcraft 2. This is coming from someone who frequents the official forums and cries imbalance quite often. However, I can not deny that this game is fun, despite the multiplayer being frustrating. The campaign story is occasionally a little cheesy but the cast is interesting and freshIf you're a fan of playing fun, quality games then don't let the masses of complainers get to you and buy starcraft 2. This is coming from someone who frequents the official forums and cries imbalance quite often. However, I can not deny that this game is fun, despite the multiplayer being frustrating. The campaign story is occasionally a little cheesy but the cast is interesting and fresh enough to make you click the next mission button just to hear what they have to say next. I am giving this game a score of 10/10 as a measure for how much of my purchase price I am receiving in return.… Expand
  30. Tacoss23
    Mar 14, 2013
    7
    I'm a SC2 Fan, and personally liked WoL a lot. Now, I play SC2 for the REASON it's supposed to be played, which is a competitive RTS and E-sport. That's the strength of this game and the sole reason the first one lasted 2 decades. If you judge Starcraft by its campaign then you are not very smart, it's like going to eat steak at red lobster....they serve it, but you'd be a fool to go thereI'm a SC2 Fan, and personally liked WoL a lot. Now, I play SC2 for the REASON it's supposed to be played, which is a competitive RTS and E-sport. That's the strength of this game and the sole reason the first one lasted 2 decades. If you judge Starcraft by its campaign then you are not very smart, it's like going to eat steak at red lobster....they serve it, but you'd be a fool to go there specifically to eat one. That aside, the improvements to Battlenet, and Blizzard's desperate attempt to keep up with the current Moba E-sports has made this expansion a good improvement over WoL in so many areas that the list is too long to mention. The Balance of the game is off, of course it would be of, it's a new expansion, but frankly I didn't expected to be this bad considering the extensive Beta and good feedback they got. So, all in all, is a good expansion, good improvements, a poorly written campaign (considering the wonders you can do with the Starcraft universe), with several of the units being potentially overpowered for the first few months and some other minor technical improvements. Not a 10 in my books, even though I'm a fan, but definitely not bad at all.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

17
#17 Best PC Game of 2013
33
#33 Most Discussed PC Game of 2013
52
#52 Most Shared PC Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 68 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 66 out of 68
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 68
  3. Negative: 1 out of 68
  1. PC Master (Greece)
    Jun 10, 2013
    90
    The tutorials and the A.I have been improved, giving newcomers the chance to calmly try new tactics… before playing against experienced players that will go straight to their jugular. [April 2013]
  2. Games Master UK
    May 9, 2013
    85
    Accomplished, if not exactly groundbreaking. [June 2013, p.80]
  3. Hyper Magazine
    May 9, 2013
    90
    Heart of the Swarm is ScarCraft made better. Welcoming to newcomers, but never dumbed-down, the franchise at its best. [June 2013, p.66]
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