Add me to the laundry list of Saint Johners who were really into SC4 and are a little put off by the new title, haha! The game does look very impressive in its own right, but to me this iteration feels more like a prototype than a full-on sequel in the series (at least it's better than SC: Societies
). I share magee_b's gripes about the game, and would only add to that list the always online requirement for even the singleplayer stuff as being particularly disappointing. If I do pick it up, it'll probably be when there's a sale.
Clearly the potential for collaborative multiplayer regions is one of the game's strong points. Make sure you guys post regular updates and screenshots here for the rest of us!