Misja: epidemia. Strach przed mutacją jako podstawa światotwórcza gier z trylogii StarCraft II

In the chapter Mission: Outbreak. A Fear of Mutation as the World-building Basis for the StarCraft II Trilogy, Krzysztof M. Maj recognizes the postmodern reinterpretation of the figure of the zombie in real-time-strategy-based world-building. Having considered a zombie-centric narrative as central to both the game mechanics (survival scenariosin zombie-infested gameworlds, fortification and last-stands design in tower defense games etc.) and to the retroactive nature of post-apocalypse (zombies as remi niscence of a former human form), the author proceeds with a detailed analysis of the two major aspects of the StarCraft II storyline: the anthropocentric fear of mutation and xenonological need for evolution through assimilation. All things considered, the chapter invites a critical reading of postcolonial and paradigmatic discourses that allows Terrans and the Protoss to reduce the Zerg’s xenobiological ability to evolve through infesting other lifeforms and absorbing theirgenetic material to a mere parasitism and a travesty of the proces of natural evolution. Interpreted as zombie like xenomorphs, the Zerg seem to reveal an unexpected depth in their design which all the more contributes to a better understanding of how the myth of zombism may influence science fiction and fantastic world-building.