StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void
By Marc Saltzman,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Thrilling, violent end to the StarCraft II strategy series.
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StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void
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Based on 2 parent reviews
Korean streamers are unwatchable on twitch
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A very noggin straining game
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What’s It About?
STARCRAFT II: LEGACY OF THE VOID is the concluding chapter to 2010's StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty and 2013's StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm -- this time allowing players to guide the powerful Protoss alien race in an ambitious, explosive campaign. You'll work together with different Protoss tribes to help them prepare for the overall goal: to unite the three once-rival races -- Terran (humans), Zerg, and Protoss -- to confront an even more power ancient evil that threatens all life in the universe. Like its predecessors, StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void lets you build and control units on large battlefields from an angled top-down perspective. This real-time strategy (RTS) game has you look for and mine resources to fuel your battles, upgrade your buildings and units, and take advantage of the environment for both offensive and defensive actions. This sequel features many new units and introduces new competitive and cooperative modes.
Is It Any Good?
Though it doesn't mess with the formula that made its predecessors so successful, this is an engaging, challenging, and rewarding RTS game expansion for computer players. In fact, the tale (and related missions) nicely tie up everything for those who've been following along over the past couple of games. Despite some cheesy dialogue and sometimes confusing side stories, it's a gratifying end to the story arc. The game looks and feels familiar, which is a good thing, as you build structures that produce units, mine for resources, explore the map, and engage in tactical skirmishes that can last from a few minutes to close to an hour.
Along with the single-player campaign, which offers some welcomed unit, name, and character customization, Legacy of the Void adds some online cooperative (co-op) missions, where you and a friend choose from a half-dozen characters and work together to complete various tasks. The matchmaking works well through the online lobby. There's also an option to play the new Archon Mode, where you and a friend share one base and army and take on another Archon. As you'd expect, StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void also introduces a few different competitive multiplayer modes with new units, maps, and tournaments. For StarCraft II fans, buying this game is a no-brainer. Real-time strategy lovers who haven't yet played the previous games might consider them first. Legacy of the Void is an intensive and immersive "lean in" RTS experience to help keep you glued to your monitor for hours on end.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about strategy titles. Do games like this encourage critical thinking, tactics, time management, and risk-reward lessons, or is it solely focused on battle and combat?
Talk about the violence in the game. Is the combat acceptable because it's against aliens, or is it gratuitous and unnecessary?
Game Details
- Platforms: Mac, Windows
- Subjects: Language & Reading: following directions, reading, Science: engineering, rocks and minerals, Social Studies: citizenship, exploration, Hobbies: collecting
- Skills: Thinking & Reasoning: decision-making, strategy, Creativity: making new creations, Self-Direction: achieving goals, set objectives, time management, Collaboration: cooperation, teamwork
- Pricing structure: Paid
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
- Release date: November 9, 2015
- Genre: Real-Time Strategy (RTS)
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires, Robots, Science and Nature, Space and Aliens
- ESRB rating: T for Blood and Gore, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Last updated: January 13, 2022
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