Jason Grant: Sure, several arguments can be made for StarCraft II's perceived flaws. You've got the loss of some of its multiplayer modes; the e-sport scene, which constantly reminds players of the game's skill level glass ceiling; and the story being far harder to believe than the first. Yet it's still StarCraft. It's on top of its genre for a reason, and that reason is the core game being constantly honed to a razor's edge by its creators. I definitely plan to check this out when it drops.

Tony "OUberLord" Mitera: Wings of Liberty was a surprisingly story-driven affair, filled with excellent cinematics and voice acting. With its ending leaving a whole lot unanswered, I have just as much anticipation for Heart of the Swarm's continuation of the story as I do for the new gameplay additions and campaign content. It'll also likely serve as a convenient excuse to get back into the hyper-competitive multiplayer component, where I will undoubtedly go up a few ladders before getting swiftly annihilated by the crazies who have the build orders down to a science.

Erik "NekoIncardine" Ottosen: Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty proved that Blizzard knew what it was doing when it split Starcraft II into three campaigns. It has paid off, even if there are plenty who will still argue that the first is better in multiplayer. Blizzard's support efforts, which include Blizzard DOTA and the hilarious Starjeweled, show how seriously it takes its releases, and the official expansion, Heart of the Swarm, shows that Blizzard plans to continue this vibe as the story viewpoint shifts from series recurring hero Jim Raynor to the Queen Bitch of the Universe. Should it happen this year, Heart of the Swarm is almost guaranteed to be in the running for expansion/DLC of the year, given Blizzard's traditional obsessive quality-keeping strategies. (That said, there's nothing Blizzard could do to make the community happier than to implement some form of LAN support — even if a full-on Internet connection has to be in there somewhere.)