WarCraft III

Summary

Genre: Strategy
Number of players: 1-12

Review

WarCraft III has certainly been expected for a long time. Announced years ago, the game's release date has been pushed back, and back, and back again. Now that it has at last been released, was it really worth the wait, or is it just an overhyped waste of time?


Gameplay: WarCraft III is a real-time strategy game. The RTS genre is already very well-represented on the PC, with many, many such games already being available. In many ways, WC3 is similar to the competition, in that its gameplay revolves around the 'collect resources, create armies, defeat opponents' formula. However, there are plenty of new features as well.

For starters, the biggest difference between other WarCraft III and the rest of the competition is its 'Hero' system. In the game, both single-player and multiplayer, you will have access to one or more hero units at all times in addition to your standard army. Hero units start out no better than a regular unit, but in an RPG-like way, they gain experience points for killing the enemy or killing the monsters hanging around the map. Once enough experience has been accumulated, the heroes gain a level, whereupon they get a 'hero point' which can be invested in one of the hero's spells. As more points are invested in a spell, it gets more powerful. Each hero also has a unique 'ultimate' spell which can be acquired at level 6, which can only have one point put into it, but which is usually a super-powerful ability which can turn the tide of battle.

There are four different teams to play as - the Humans and Orcs, both of which returning from the previous WarCraft games, as well as new races, the Undead and the Night Elves. Unlike previous WarCraft games, each of these four races is completely different from one another, similar to StarCraft. The differences extend not only to different units, spells and play styles, but even down to things like resource gathering and building construction. The result is that playing as each different race feels completely different, which is a definite plus!

The single-player game sets you the challenge of playing through four campaigns in order, featuring each of the four races. In a nice touch, the hero units you use in each campaign 'carry over' from each mission to the next, complete with the spells, items and experience you gave him or her in the previous missions. The story behind the campaigns is quite good, and overall, the single-player game is most enjoyable indeed. The only real fault I'd like to note is that, unlike Blizzard's previous RTS StarCraft, it is completely unclear what role you, as the player, are playing. In StarCraft, you were a 'Commander' or 'Cerebrate' and so on, and the characters talked to you as well as to one another, but in WC3 you are completely ignored by the characters, yet for some reason they all obey your every command. It's not a huge issue, granted, but it does tend to make you feel a little like an outsider, which is a bit of a shame.


Challenge: There are four campaigns to play through, as mentioned, although there are only an average of eight missions in each. The campaign can however be played through either on 'Normal' or 'Hard' difficulty (you can play a mission on 'Easy' if you fail to complete it on Normal, which is a nice touch), and Hard difficulty is certainly a real challenge. Each mission is fairly lengthy, too, so it will take a fair while to get through all the campaigns. Besides just finishing each mission, many of them have one or more 'optional' tasks to complete in addition to the required objectives, which usually provide your hero with a special item or some other reward once completed, so finishing all of the optional quests as well is yet another task to do. Replay value is also quite high, as missions are fun to play again and again, especially since each time you might discover secret areas that you missed on your first playthrough. Multiplayer, too, which I'll come to later, extends the game's life almost infinitely.


Graphics: The game is in full 3D, and you can zoom in and out, or rotate, the screen to your hearts content. The amount of detail on each unit is very high, and graphical variety is equally high. Everything looks brilliant, and there are many nice touches, such as the glowing sparks surrounding your hero if he or she is carrying a special orb. The cinematics which you are rewarded with after each campaign are absolutely excellent, and a league above the impressive cinematics of StarCraft. Overall, the graphics really can't be faulted in any major way.


Sounds: Sounds, too, are excellent. The voice acting for each and every unit is very well done, and the 'annoyed' speeches each unit makes when clicked repeatedly make a very welcome return - some of them are hilarious. Sound effects are fine, and music is also quite atmospheric, although I felt that it wasn't as good as the music in StarCraft and was a little bit too much 'in the background' rather than providing a stirring accompaniment.


Multiplayer: Up to 12 people can engage in a multiplayer match, and the game comes with many maps which can be used for a battle, or you can design your own in the very powerful World Editor mode. Computer players can be introduced to make up the numbers, and you can enjoy a game against all computers if you aren't on the internet. Blizzard's Battle.net service has been expanded for WC3, with players given 'experience points' for every successful win, and deducted for a loss, and increasing in 'level' once enough points have been won. Multiplayer is a great addition, and one that, as mentioned, will extend the game's longevity very considerably.


Summing up: Yes, it's another RTS game, but this one is without doubt the finest one available, so unless you have a pathological dislike of the fantasy theme, or RTS games in general, you really must pick this one up. A terrific title, and well worth the wait!


Gamesmark: 98%


Reviewer: Maverik



Tangycheese's opinion: I completely agree with Mav - this game is great fun to play. The single player will keep you going for some time, the campaign editor is in-depth and relatively easy to use (after a while practising, anyway) and the custom games are great fun too. Takes WarCraft 2 and makes it far better. Top fun.