It has been four years since the Brood War Conflict ended within the ravaged Koprulu Sector. In that time, Sarah Kerrigan, the self-styled Queen of Blades, has become the undisputed ruler of the zerg Swarm - and the most powerful entity in the galaxy.

Emperor Arcturus Mengsk, Kerrigan's sworn enemy, has rebuilt much of his Terran Dominion and consolidated a new military force despite the ever-present threat of the zerg.

Mengsk, with the aid of his newly appointed advisor - General Horace Warfield - has begun a clandestine research project code-named Project: Shadow Blade. This covert program utilizes a rare and deadly form of gas known as terrazine to alter the genetic makeup of the Dominion's psychic Ghost operatives.

These Ghosts are transformed into terrifying Spectres - shadowy superhuman beings bent on executing the will of their true master. In this boiling cauldron of strife and subversion, the young Ghost known as Nova has come of age. Having received years of intensive physical and psychic training, Nova has become the Dominion's most lethal and promising Ghost in years.

However, it is the multiplayer options that make this game REALLY shine. Blizzard provides its own FREE online service, Battle.net, and here you can meet Starcraft and Diablo players from around the world. The newly improved Battle.net will feature multiple chat rooms, a World Wide Ranking Ladder, and Online Tech Support! It's definitely one of the best done online services out there and it's the perfect one.

Here are some key features of "StarCraft":

· A blend of stealth and action gameplay featuring advanced weapons and powerful psi abilities
· Revolutionary multiplayer that combines fast and furious action with unique StarCraft elements
· Large-scale battles brought to a new level of interaction with tactical Calldown abilities
· Control the ground or the skies with some of your favorite vehicles found in StarCraft
· A deeply evolving storyline set in Blizzard's gritty sci-fi StarCraft universe

Utilizing a combination of pure physical aptitude, innate psychic power, and advanced technology, Nova can infiltrate any situation and strike without being seen or heard. Like a phantom in the shadows, she exists only as a myth to the enemies of the Dominion she serves.

Yet, despite her skill and cunning, Nova is about to uncover a conspiracy that will force her to question her deepest loyalties as well as her own identity. Ensnared in a bitter struggle between the Dominion and the rebel Koprulu Liberation Front, Nova will embark upon a perilous mission to uncover the frightening truth behind Project: Shadow Blade. Now, the dark path that Nova must tread threatens to not only change her forever - but upset the very balance of the galaxy.