Greatest Game of All Time. (At least of all the games I have ever played… and that's a lot.)
What makes Brood War so great?
Graphics: Not especially, although they were good at the time they were never anything to brag about.
Sound: The sounds and music in Star Craft and Brood War are spot on and are absolutely wonderful at immersing you in the gaming experience. Sill, nothing in the soundtrack is as memorable to me as a Halo theme, the Final Fantasy soundtracks, or the unforgettable verbal quips from GLaDOS in Portal.
Play Control: Well done, but not too different from its contemporaries.
So why all the praise? Why do millions of people around the world still play this 10 year old game?
Answer: Good writing, great fun, and perfect balance.
The Brood War campaign has a very engaging story as well as deep, likeable characters. You play for the strategy and action, but the story does a great job of giving you a reason to engage in the single player fun. Everyone should play through the campaign before jumping into the multiplayer. It is not only a great learning tool, but it gives some background to the military characteristics and cultures of the three races.
However, as any long-time Star Craft fan knows, the meat of this game is the Multi-Player. Whether you are playing on-line or holding a lan party in the basement, it is hard to find more fun than some Protoss on Terran on Zerg action. The new units and abilities in this expansion just add to an already fulfilling and deep experience. The three races are brilliantly balanced, yet completely distinctive. Each one gives you a unique way to play while never putting you at a disadvantage against your opponents. A feat many games have tried to copy, but none have pulled off with the same degree of success.
The game also comes with a wide enough variety of maps and game-types to keep you challenged, but if you find yourself growing board with the developer's offerings you can always make your own landscape to pillage. They map editor is easy to use and can really put a neat spin on the competition depending on how you and your friends like to play.
I am not one to overhype anything, much less a PC game, (99% of the games I play and own are on consoles) but this game is the real deal. There is a lot of hype going on right now about Star Craft 2 and its impending 2009 release, but if you haven't played the original or its expansion, you owe it to yourself to pick them up. You will never find a greater gaming experience, especially for under 20 dollars.