With Starcraft being such a major title, can its successor jump into the ring and knock it out with one punch?
In simple terms, hell yeah it can!
I've been playing this for the last few hours and so far, although I haven't explored all aspects of the game I can tell you that it certainly is everything the original was and ALOT more.
Wings of Liberty is the first in the trilogy and the main race you play in the single player is terran. Unlike the first game inbetween missions you have an interactive station on Jimmy's ship. This involves talkin to various characters, some old some new. Playing Lost Viking on a video arcade machine. Hiring mercenaries which will later be used in mission, and specific research points to help you defend yourself against the protoss and the zerg.
Unlike Starcraft 1, you actually have the option of where you want the game to go, which missions to do and it gives it a very sandbox feel to it in a sense.
As for multiplayer, if your new, or rusty to the RTS/Starcraft series, do not panic or be put off. There is a mode in single player called challenges which helps you a great amount to picking things up. If you still feel that your struggling, then go to the practice league where you can have upto 50 games to practice, know your place and develop your skills. Watching replays and looking where you went wrong or what needs improving on is a massive part of Starcraft multiplayer and always has been.
The leagues are revamped, and battle.net certainly has outdone itself.
The only thing with this game is, there is no LAN, you need an internet account for activation (guessing for anti-piracy). Aside from that.. there is absoloutly no reason why you shouldn't by this game.
I mean hell... it's about time!
Have fun and see you all in game my brothers!