As a follow-up to yesterday's post about the intersection of passive and active media in games, I'd like to defend the humble cutscene, for when used in moderation, cutscenes can enhance the experience of play. The way I see it, Blizzard has mastered the cutscene. They are brief, infrequent, and they pack a wallop. For example, the epic scale of the battles truly comes alive here:
Wow! Look how huge that battle cruiser is! Did you see that zergling rush at the end? Here we are given a dramatic representation of what presumably goes on behind the familiar sprites during the game's core play experience. We see the panic in our soldiers' eyes and the callousness of our generals. The film does more than just further the story, it enhances the game. It grants players a sense of empathy by creating an emotional connection. It's much easier to relate to a marine than before, when all we've seen of him is this:
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