{S} Soul Reaver (aka Jean Kepler / Keplergamer) round of 8 game review.
I play TA since the 90's, and loved to spend a LOT of time watching replays on that game. And SC:FA is an even better platform to do it.
Decided to rate the replays for my own mental organization of what was happening. Now also describing why I gave the high or low rate. A great guide for those who don't have the time. Or are looking for a game to cast.
I'll add links to casted games when I watch all the tournament matches, to avoid spoilers as much as possible.
Series 1 - Petric (Fremy) vs Turin Turambar (Sonozaki)
12728585 on crazyrush 8
Typical action-packed Crazy Rush game.
12728786 on Frithen 7
Game was kinda even, then it wasn't and boom. Someone's not playing around. Deadly attack.
12728883 on Z-D Rasty Lite 9
With the tournament on the line, he rises up to the challenge and plays a much more solid game. Both sides fight until the very end in a very nice to watch game.
12729025 on The Bermuda Locket 9.5
Amazing game!!! Brutal fight on all fronts, with air, land and sea. Nail-biting, back and forth, action packed duel by 2 very determined players.
Jagged Appliance Cast:
Part 1 - Crazy Rush and Frithen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwjmT7CyeQ8
Part 2 - Rasty Lite and Bermuda Locket: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GwNupw7ydE
Series 2 - archsimkat vs Nexus
12728773 on Frithen 9
Both players moving their land armies in little groups everywhere so much that I thought that I was watching a "Dancing With the Stars" episode. Felt like they were trying every little trick in their book to try and break the enemy line but both stood strong. Until...
12729015 on crazyrush 8
I always love to see the openings here and how each one tackle the energy problem. Nexus gives us a masterclass on that matter. Then I just removed the strategic icons and health bars, zoomed in a enjoyed the fireworks. Love this map!
12729227 on Z-D Rasty Lite r8
The most one-sided game of the series, but it's non-stop action from start to finish, and no early GG - the commander only goes down with a bang.
Jagged Appliance Series Cast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roZ_kRTJm6k
Series 3 - Espiranto vs Tagada
12728602 on crazyrush 8.5
One team with a more solid and expensive approach, building PD's and going for T2 and T3 earlier, while the other on a MASS SPAM of T1 factories. Brutal game. Who will win?
12728808 on Open Palms 7.5
Again one with a more solid expansion, while the other in an aggressive expansion, with the danger of over-extending.
12728942 on Frithen 8
Kinda even until a simultaneous mirrored assault, one is successful, the other isn't, and the game just snowballs from there.
Jagged Appliance Series Cast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPW-7XhwmZg
Series 4 - BlinChik vs TURBO2
12728598 on Painted Desert Rebalanced n/a
Replay corrupted =( ...or connection loss. Was looking to be a great match.
12728714 on Painted Desert Rebalanced 7.5
Great to see this TA classic here. So much mass to reclaim on this SC version! Game is too one-sided for us to properly enjoy a battle on this map. Looking forward to other games here.
12728911 on White Fire v2 8
Ain't this another TA Classic? More even game, but a slow start combined with an early GG right when it was heating up really let's down. Still able to see some T2 Destroyer action.
12729094 on The Ditch 8.5
Wow, so much reclaim available on this map. And so many features on a 20x20km map. It's like Crazy Rush nasty big sis. They said on Total Annihilation that you don't send an army, but a huge ball of doom. This surely applies to this map. Big armies all around. And hard to predict who will win for most of the game.
12729410 on Palaneum 10!!!
What a nice little map, so many cool visual features, a real eye-candy, the map selection for this series has been stellar. But mostly, what a game! With the menace of the elimination, the need to step-up, to fight to the very end. This game is dynamite!
12729608 on crazyrush 8.5
Turbo gets ahead on mass production, but BlinChlk keeps his army closer together and tries to catch-up. Will he succeed? Extra-points for being the first game from this and the summer tourney that don't have an early GG / Comm assassination and we get to see the winning side taking the spoils and destroying the base.
Jagged Appliance Casts:
Part 1 - Painted Desert and White Fire - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xh8jmfe-O8
Part 2 - The Ditch - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ym4ljyZXgY
Part 3 - Palaneum and Crazy Rush - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaP8yVdxWsI