I hated the demo!!!
I loved SC1 and FA (Especially FA). I felt betrayed when I played the demo. Where did my huge maps go? Where are my tiers? Where are my experimentals?
Well I will say this. Not everyone will accept the changes. After I sat down with the game for a while, I have decided I love the Tech tree idea. Again, you are shooting for overall strategy here, not tactics. The tiers were so unbalanced in SC that this system creates a choice for the player on how they wish to play.
Units. Simplified, yes. Bad, no. Each unit can be upgraded to fit numerous roles and nearly everything is useful (minus mobile sheild. Wow are they weak). Really the units is SC1 became worthless as you tier'd up.
Experimentals are now about right. I wish they had a bit more health, but the are just highly powerful units now that fit new and unique roles. Some are better then others, but overall 27 of them = awesome!
Economy... My biggest complaint. Too simple. I wish they could have kept the stream that you could build against.
Maps... From what I have seen. Beautiful, but yes much smaller. This is a good and bad. I loved the size and scope of SC1 but really most of the map was just dead space in a 1v1 game. Choke points are much better in this one, and their is always a way around.
Streamlining... excellent. The player has been removed from shift-moving, and formations, and poor pathfinding, and manual upgrades, and all the other base tending issues. In a way I miss, them, but the fun factor is up for sure.
Story... Honestly, okay. Voice acting, bad. Choppy storytelling. Doesn't mesh well with SC1 and FA's story. Story is small though.
Overall, a totally addictive strategy game that retains enough epic strategy to feel big, but enough action and fast pace to melt the hours away!
Oh and skirmish/multiplay. Great!!! Try maxing your base tech with arty and experimental arty. Have a friend max land. You clear the way, he cleans up. Or you go all air, and he goes all land. Protect his forces, and then crush. The teaming with the tech tree makes this an amazing choice and far superior.