Starcraft II (Mac/PC CD)

Although there are many games which are still popular now, years or even decades after their original release, none have remained at the very pinnacle of the genre as long as StarCraft. One of the best selling PC games ever, the original real-time strategy game came out in 1998 but it's taken until now for a sequel to be deemed necessary. This gives developer Blizzard (makers of World Of WarCraft) the unenviable task of creating a game that is both new and accessible - and yet will not upset the millions of fans of the original.

The basic set-up is still the same with three playable races: the Terrans (humans), the Giger-esque Zerg and the psychic, elf-like Protoss. There will be approximately the same number of units for each race as in the original (about a dozen each) but many are all new and those that do return have been significantly altered, from simple things like giving the Protoss Zelaot a new dash attack to replacing the Terran Goliath mech with the Viking which can now transform into a jet.

One of the most obvious changes in the game is the difference that a decade of graphical advancements has brought about, with ultra high resolution maps filled with hundreds of units. Online fans will love it but the single player experience has also been greatly enhanced with new CGI and real-time cut scenes and a complex storyline. With an extremely powerful in-built game editor as well this sequel should last at least another ten years.