EPTI think the best matchup in all the history of SC2 was TvZ in the early HotS years, when it was about parade push MMMM vs LBM all game long, with little engages and constantly trading armies with no player able to mass them because of the constant pressure faced/applied.
Here's an example of this style exeptionally demonstrated on LotV by Dream:
You can see after a calm start from both players the game gets more and more fast, not many multipronged attacks (none to be honest) but the game was basically a constant trade (i think players never got more than 160 supply, with like 65-70 being workers) action packed micro intense game.
I am a terran player so i was clearly cheering for Dream here, but i have to admit i was kinda sad when i noticed he was getting ahead because i knew the game was going to end (actually Losira played very well after the parade begun, i thought the game would have been quicker after the first 1-2 engages)
This, in my opinion was the best style of the best matchup. For the players (i enjoy this style A LOT, even if i admit my micro is not the best) for the casters, for the viewers, for everyone.
Now, if u agrre with me, please notice:
- Basically no new unit/mechanic was used or was relevant in this match
- The new LotV economy made the fun part of the game last less time because Losira ran both out of steam (because Dream played better) and out of money (he was desperately trying to expand near the end of the match) and also i think the larva nerf had an impact on this game but im not sure about this
- Surprise, the most boring part was the stupid worker harrass, im fine with the first hellion drop, but the liberator worker harrass is just a BORING mechanic to see as spectator and to do as a player. Fortunatley Dream had better plans.
- Both the Ultras and the Libs being THIS strong ruins this style, because zerg usually try to get em fast, so no time for parade push, just turtle up to Hive, and Terran upon seeing mutas starts to turtle up aswell trying to mass those Libs OR just goes for a massive deathball timing attack just before Ultras are out. Fortunatley once in a while both the T and the Z plan not to do it and we can get a game like Losira - Dream game 2.
This game was a piece of beauty in my opinion, of the rare really all-around beautifull games that we had since LotV, and did not had worker harrass basically at all. No turtle, no gimmicky speedbanshees rush, no mass Liberators, no fast Ultras. I mean, if u saw Maru vs Solar you know, that was the exact opposite, i didnt found it fun AT ALL (even if i like Maru a ton)
This was classical in his way, with T trying to force as many non-drones as possible while stretching mechanics and multitask by forcing small early game engagements, and Z trying to drone as much as possible without dying, all of this unitl the parade beguns. Unfortunately (for the show) Dream did a little bit better in both sides so he won, but the match was entertaining for me, a ton.
So, a "cool factor" of some strange map was needed in order to make this match happen? No. The match has been played on Dusk Towers, but really any other map would have been the same, actually strange maps are just getting in the way of matches like this one.
Worker harrass was needed in order to make this match happen? Not at all. Zerg i think never saw a single SCV for the whole game, and T killed i think not more that 5 drones.
New economy was needed in order to make this match happen? No. sure the 12 workers help speeding up the early game, but the less minerals also lead to a quicker end.
Again, new units? No. Liberator, Buffed Ultras, Ravagers, or things like Nydus, ling drop, ranged libs build, tankivac ecc ecc, are those new features more entertaining than a classic, well-designed TvZ? Lower tier of high mobile units all game long, possibly no T3 swtich at all apart from upgrades, NO DEATHBALL AT ALL, thus the game is action packed way more that the average XvX from LotV.
Is it just me having niche tastes for matches, or someone else agrees with the analysis?
