EPTAs a way of introduction, let me just state this: I have always been fascinated by Blizzard games. Ever since I first played Warcraft: Orcs & Humans back in '94, I have been a loyal fan. The only thing from Blizzard that I have ignored is the WoW franchise.
Blizzard has a history of sneaking in a lot of SciFi/Fantasy references and other humorous content into the games, which may not be noticeable at a quick casual glance at the game. In particular, the unit sounds for the various RTS's they have produced have contained a lot of gems in this category.
From Warcraft II and onwards (and this could possibly be present in WC1 as well, I honestly don’t remember), there are special unit sounds that can be triggered by selecting the same unit over and over again, usually causing the unit to respond in an annoyed fashion. This is where you will find most of the interesting stuff, sound wise, in Blizzard RTS’s.
Now, one of the first things I do when I get a new Blizzard RTS is to go through all of the unit sounds, to see what they have come up with. Usually, this is quite fun, since they tend to be very well written and well acted, well connected to the overall theme and feel of the game, and quite funny. No so much for Starcraft II.
Now, it’s not total crap, and there are some nice stuff in there (more on that shortly), but overall I feel the unit sounds in SC2 lack the quality of the previous games. The writing, for the most part, feels a bit forced, like they had a meeting where they just got it all over with, rather than the more spontaneous feel of the old games. The voice actors, in them selves, are pretty good, but would it have been to much to ask for a Protoss voice actor to know how to pronounce Aiur?
A much bigger problem with the voice effect overall is that they sound like they’ve been produced by some 16-year-old who’ve just discovered audio effects. The Protoss voices in particular are very bad in this regard. It’s like they tried to emulate what they did in SC1, but forgot how, and just turned echo and reverberation up to max and hoped no one noticed. Seriously, every single Protoss unit has so much reverb that they all end up sounding like crap (except for the Mothership, which I think they’ve done quite nicely).
The Archon is no longer this deep, thundering evil bass voice that puts fear into your enemies. Now it sounds like a 60 year old chain smoker living in a cave. The Zealot, rather than sounding like a.. well, like a bad ass Knights Templar, now sounds like a Footman from WC2 over a bad phone connection.
Then there are the ones who just don’t fit at all. The Raven is a prime example of this. It’s like giving the Terran army an AI operated Arbiter. It’s probably supposed to convey high-techiness, but it ends up just being plain bad. And uh, what’s up with the Marauder? I know “black guy with attitude” is supposed to be cool and all, but… you’re doing it wrong.
So, since I’ve just finished adding the unit quotes for every unit over at
Liquipedia II (except for the Marine and most of the SCV which someone had added already), let me give you some of my personal likes and don’t likes.First, we have the Archon:
You all look so... different on this side.
Break on through.
It's beautiful.
They should have sent a poet.
Energy never dies.
I'm having a flareup.
One plus one equals... One!
People say, I lack substance.
I'm lit.
Burning doing the neutron dance.
Break on through.
It's beautiful.
They should have sent a poet.
Energy never dies.
I'm having a flareup.
One plus one equals... One!
People say, I lack substance.
I'm lit.
Burning doing the neutron dance.
Now, the first four were in SC1 as well. But, while they sort of fit the unit in SC, in SC2 they sound awful. Partly because of the crap filters, partly because the voice actor. Bonus points if you got the Contact reference in #3 and #4. The rest of those lines however.. Sorry to say it, but they are just plain awful, especially when you here them spoken aloud.
Then we have the High Templar. Really cool sounding in the original game, but now it just sounds like some generic mage that lack confidence in himself. And then we have lines like this:
Do you know what happens to a frog, when it gets hit by lightning? Same thing, that happens to... other stuff.
Oh my, how delightfully random. And, then we have the Marauder:
Baby, if I could rearrange the alphabet, I'd put 'U' and 'I' together.
What's your sign baby? Mine's explosive!
I am so sexy, I sometimes romance myself.
Actually, that is a grenade in my pants.
Ugh.. I guess it kind of works in the context of the unit, but the whole thing is just so crappy, and this highlights it quite well. And of course, the Battle Cruiser. Once the pride of the Terran fleet, now piloted by some stereotype drunken captain from a fishing trawler. Hooray.
Let's go this way, really really fast! If something gets in our way, shoot it!
This battlecruiser shoots, it destroys, but wait! It does more!
What's with all these blinky lights?
Do svidanya, don't get any on 'ya.
I've lost my hat! Swing around, we'll pick it up.
The Yamato is loaded. And so am I.
I am seeing double. Shoot them both!
Ah, it's happy hour. Wonderful!
What do you mean, we're out of olives?
I have an announcement: I am drunk.
Don't panic, just grab a hold of the nearest crew member. Ops, sorry dear.
This battlecruiser shoots, it destroys, but wait! It does more!
What's with all these blinky lights?
Do svidanya, don't get any on 'ya.
I've lost my hat! Swing around, we'll pick it up.
The Yamato is loaded. And so am I.
I am seeing double. Shoot them both!
Ah, it's happy hour. Wonderful!
What do you mean, we're out of olives?
I have an announcement: I am drunk.
Don't panic, just grab a hold of the nearest crew member. Ops, sorry dear.
Sigh.. But, there are some that I liked. The Raven has some choice quotes from 2001: A Space Odyssey, and even a Portal reference (Who said anything about cake?) The Thos has a line that should be enjoyed by all Conan fans and Terran players:
What is best? To crush the Zerg, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of the Protoss.
The Marine seems to have begun to understand his role in the army:
You ever notice how no one returns to the barracks?
The ghost has some nice ones as well:
You call down the thunder...
...now deal with it.
Almost counts in horseshoes and nuclear strikes.
...now deal with it.
Almost counts in horseshoes and nuclear strikes.
And finally the Medivac:
Hurry up! What, are you missin' a leg or someth... Oh.
Attention passengers, the local time... doesn't matter, since you'll all be dead soon anyway.
We're hit! We're hit! WE'RE ALL GONNA' DIE! WE'RE.. Haha, just kidding, should have seen the looks on your faces.
The weather outside is hostile, with a slight chance of fog of war.
Uhh, why you boys all wearing red shirts, anyways?
Attention passengers, the local time... doesn't matter, since you'll all be dead soon anyway.
We're hit! We're hit! WE'RE ALL GONNA' DIE! WE'RE.. Haha, just kidding, should have seen the looks on your faces.
The weather outside is hostile, with a slight chance of fog of war.
Uhh, why you boys all wearing red shirts, anyways?
Sad to say, I think that red shirt line is the only Star Trek reference in all of SC2.
Oh well, this has been a long rant with little point to it. Suffice it to say, I feel that the overall sound effect quality of SC2 is a big step down from its predecessor, and I feel like it is taking some of the atmosphere away from the game. No big problem for the multiplayer parts, of course, but I think this will show quite clearly in the single player campaigns, and that worries me.
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