StarCraft 2 - Special Edition

I had fallen in love with the StarCraft series when it first came out while I was in high school. I remember the rush of beating a level and the excitement of progressing the story. I also remember the fun challenges I gave myself (can I deplete all the resources before I destroy the enemy? Can I destroy the enemies with just the race’s workers?) that would cause me then to play the game over and over.

When StarCraft 2: Sons of Liberty was announced, I was insanely excited. My (then) boyfriend got me the game and I beat it in 3 days. During an Anime Convention. I don’t remember much of that convention. I just remember the excitement of seeing the characters again, the heightened graphics and the continuation of the story. 

When I reached the end of the Sons of Liberty, it dawned on me that I had to wait for part 2, and I whined. A lot. When I found out it was going to be longer than I had hoped (Honestly, was 3 weeks too much to ask for after over ten years of waiting to see the next game? I think not!) to see the next update, the whining got worse. 

However, when Heart of the Swarm was announced and we got our shot to look at Kerrigan (again) the excitement came right back to the top of the surface (Yes, I am a HUGE Kerrigan fan). After the date was announced and pre-orders were available, my (now) husband jumped on reserving the Special Edition of the game for me.

So, what came in the Special Edition of Heart of the Swarm?

An artbook full of sketches, designs, and quotes of all three races. A large collection of the art revolved around the Zerg and background images.

A mouse pad with an image of the Zerg Invasion from The Opening Trailer.

2 Guest Passes for Sons of Liberty and 2 Guest Passes for World of Warcraft

StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm Original Soundtrack

StarCraft 2 Behind the Scenes DVD

A pair of Kerrigan’s wings for a Diablo 3 character and a Baneling pet for World of Warcraft

The Game CD (naturally)

All of the items were placed in a box that opened up like the classic Terran doors that showcased each item.

To make this a lesson learned type story, when the husband and I went to pick up the Special Edition of this game, the associates at the store couldn’t find the game. Instead of complaining about the wait, we politely stepped to the side so other people could get serviced while we waited for them to find the game. 10 to 15 minutes later, they found them, hidden away so they couldn’t get lost, which we had a good laugh about. As a thank you, the associate rung up one of the hardcover Heart of the Swarm guidebook, free of charge for us. Lesson learned: be nice to store associates. There’s a chance you get a sweet thank you in return.

The Guidebook came with a set of paper fold characters along with the sleek looking cover and helpful information (which I’m refusing to read until I finish the game).

Overall, the Special Edition for the Heart of the Swarm was worth it for me since I enjoyed looking at the art book, seeing the references of the characters, and enjoy listening to the soundtrack while at work and working at home. The mouse pad is something I’m waiting to use for another day when I have a set location for my laptop. If you’re not a fan of artwork, getting to see how they created the game, mousepads, or background music, this might not be a special edition for you. Also, if you don’t play Diablo 3 or World of Warcraft, the in-game extras might not be something you’ll want to spend the extra money on.

As for the game itself? That’ll be a review for another day.