WARCRAFT III: REIGN OF CHAOS

WARCRAFT III: REIGN OF CHAOS
Posted:2002-05-29 By Master Chief Number of View:14238
WARCRAFT III: REIGN OF CHAOS By :Master Chief Posted:2002-05-29 xtreview is your : Video card - cpu - memory - Hard drive - power supply unit source Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment Genre: Real-Time Strategy ESRB: Teen System Requirements  Minimum: PII 400, 128 MB RAM, 8MB 3D graphics accel., Win 9x/ME/XP Recommended: PIII 600, 256 MB RAM, 32 MB graphics accel.     Published: August 2, 2002 A number of analogies come to mind when discussing Blizzard Entertainment: They have the Midas touch, whereby every product they lay their hands on turns to gold. They are the New York Yankees of PC gaming, winning every time they take to the proverbial field with a new title. In taking an average of three years to complete a product, they represent the tortoise against the hare, proving that slow and steady wins the race. Blizzard\'s latest offering is the real-time strategy sequel WarCraft III: Reign of Chaos. With it, the California developer finally enters the era of 3D graphics and maintains all of the aforementioned comparisons - the company\'s latest release took over 36 months to reach the finish line and has already sold over a million copies in less than one month on store shelves. As top-selling budgetware titles have proven, however, seven figure sales do not necessarily equal a five star game. Is WarCraft III good enough to keep Blizzard\'s winning streak alive?   Reign of Chaos begins as Blizzard\'s armies of customers have come to expect - with a bang. The plot unfolds via Hollywood-quality pre-rendered cinematics, complete with letterbox presentation. Indeed, the opening film\'s battle sequence immediately suggests a strong narrative was at the top of the development team\'s list when they crafted WarCraft III. As the movie plays, a pack of orcs and a regiment of humans wage war in a grassy field, fueled solely by their hatred for each other. In the midst of the fight, a violent meteor shower crashes through Azeroth\'s atmosphere, ushering the arrival of a new foe common to both of the dueling races: the otherworldly Burning Legion. With a new entry into the fray, the humans and the orcs prepare for a new conflict. While the pre-rendered cinematics only bookend the game and follow each campaign, myriad in-game cutscenes, rendered by Blizzard’s proprietary 3D engine, also advance the tale. They are used in abundance, being employed prior to every chapter of each campaign and serving to further the title\'s storyline by reinforcing the player\'s belief that his actions are affecting the outcome of the narrative.   The actual gameplay kicks off with players taking the reigns of the orc race for a brief tutorial on Reign of Chaos\' play mechanics and incredibly approachable control scheme. The introductory campaign literally walks newcomers through every step of a quest, from how to build a unit, to grouping multiple units, to attacking and slaying enemies. As per the Blizzard norm, nearly everything is accomplished with the mouse, lowering the inherent intimidation factor of managing dozens of units down to a bearable minimum.                  Once players are familiar with WarCraft III\'s fundamentals, the first of four primary campaigns begins. Playable races include, in the order they become available, the Human Alliance, the Undead Scourge, the Orcish Horde and the Night Elf Sentinels. In opting to start with the humans, Blizzard has chosen to ease players into Azeroth\'s latest conflict with a familiar and balanced class. The Alliance, comprised of dwarves and elves in addition to the humans, offers battle-hardened dwarven marksmen, powerful elven spell casters and sturdy human warriors. They are all led into battle by a hero unit, the first for the humans being the patriotic, but foolish, Prince Arthas. Arthas and the other heroes featured in Reign of Chaos are given a complexity and depth new to the real-time strategy series. They are, in fact, the focal point around which much of the game revolves. With their introduction, WarCraft III borrows a page from Diablo II\'s tome, incorporating a few light, yet highly influential, role-playing elements. These heroes can cast spells on friendly and unfriendly targets, brandish auras that affect units within a measured radius and even gain levels that yield experience points, which in turn lead to the learning of new and more powerful abilities. Arthas, for example, can earn Holy Light, an incantation that heals a targeted Alliance unit or scourges an undead foe. The lich Kel\'Thuzad can encase his undead brethren in a protective Frost Armor shield or unleash Death and Decay on a selected area, wounding all unfriendly units and damaging all enemy buildings in its blast radius. While the heroes are the natural leaders in battle, the title\'s combat and resource management functions would be non-existent without the units themselves. The plethora of units at the player\'s disposal in Reign of Chaos will be immediately familiar to WarCraft veterans. Each of the four races has its equivalent "grunt" class used to construct and repair buildings: the Alliance has the Peasant, which can temporarily convert to sword-wielding Militia in times of crisis. The Undead utilize Acolytes, which summon buildings in mere seconds, thus freeing servants to quickly move on to other tasks. The Orcs employ Peons, which can be trained to siphon gold every time they attack an enemy structure. The Night Elves possess Wisps - energy-based creatures that can detonate nearby enemies and burn their mana. In all, each of the four races features approximately a dozen types of units covering the genre\'s standards. Ground, air, siege and transport units all pepper the battlefield and complement the player\'s arsenal. There also are melee fighters and spell casters, the latter featuring the ability to have their magic autocast, thus freeing the gamer of this burden in the midst of a tense encounter.                             But what does one do with all of these managed resources? WarCraft III\'s mission types are plentiful, varied and often long. The game sports over 30 chapters - around eight per campaign. Each begins with a large block of text in the lower corner of the screen displaying both primary and optional quests. New units, when available, are also prompted here, complete with a basic description of their capabilities. Following this, players are free to forge their army and complete their quests. These missions run the gamut of potential tasks, from eradicating an opposing base, to defending your stronghold for 30 minutes, to killing all of the plague-bearing citizens in a town. After the initial few warm-up chapters, each map transitions to a multi-hour endeavor. Ninety-minute assignments become the standard, with some chapters taking twice that to complete when all of the optional quests are factored in. Reign of Chaos easily offers 40 hours of gameplay to unseasoned real-time strategy consumers, and perhaps a quarter less for those familiar with the previous WarCraft titles.   WarCraft III also offers a fully featured multiplayer mode for players wishing to match their wits against human opponents. As usual, Blizzard\'s proprietary and free Battle.net service is the gateway through which all Internet matches must pass. Besides aiding in the quest to curb cheating, the company also took great care to ensure that the path to a multiplayer battle is an easy one. Three clicks of the mouse are all it takes for players to get into a match. Once inside the game, default foes can become allies with a couple more mouse clicks, thereby sharing resources and strategies. Graphics: Blizzard\'s long-awaited foray into the world of 3D succeeds admirably. While the unit models may not be bump-mapped showpieces, the graphics simply work. Few real-time strategy offerings have even been able to implement 3D visuals without breaking the gameplay, and in successfully marrying the two, Blizzard has accomplished a Herculean task. With literally dozens of models being rendered on the screen at one time, WarCraft III\'s frame rate would\'ve simply buckled under the intense pressure that higher-poly models would have presented. The simplistic models may weaken the look of the in-game cutscenes, but this is more than made up for by the vivid hues Blizzard\'s talented artists brushed onto the title\'s canvas. The intentionally cartoonish world of Azeroth is brought to life in lush, bright colors. Each race is assigned a dominant shade, highlighted by the vibrant blue of the Human Alliance and the stoplight-green of the Orcish Horde. The animation also is above par. Selected units display their portrait near the lower left corner of the screen - and each is far from static. Flowing hair and moving lips are a few of the facial details incorporated into a seemingly secondary aspect of the game. On the battlefield, the units have lost nothing in their transition to the third dimension. Undead Ghouls shift awkwardly from one position to another, flying units bob up and down when stationary, and Alliance Peasants fluidly hack away at trees while harvesting lumber.   Outside of the in-game engine, Reign of Chaos’ pre-rendered cinematics are up to Blizzard’s established standards, which is to say they\'re utterly mind-blowing. The studio employs a dedicated cinematics staff that\'s larger than some developers\' entire teams, and they\'ve once again earned their paychecks. Like Diablo II and StarCraft\'s before them, WarCraft III\'s cinematics are unmatched in the industry, save for perhaps those produced by Final Fantasy developer SquareSoft. People look utterly realistic, down to blinking eyes and moving lips. Grass blows gently in the breeze and birds fly as if they were motion captured into the developer\'s computer. Everything from large battles to one-on-one encounters is stunningly presented. It is not without good reason that Blizzard has released the cinematics from its titles, including Reign of Chaos, onto home video DVD.     Interface: Games such as Myst, Diablo II and The Sims have drawn in scores of players in part because of their incredibly accessibility, and WarCraft III follows the same mantra. The mouse serves as the primary interface tool, with a wealth of simple, easily remembered keyboard shortcuts also available. Left clicking selects units and uses items in the hero\'s inventory, while the right button moves one\'s forces. Pushing [A] while a unit is selected produces a red crosshair used to target a foe. Simply clicking on the terrain and dragging a box around the desired units can select multiple objects, after which grouping them together is as convenient as holding the control key and pressing a number. Strangely, Blizzard does not allow players to remap the keyboard functions, but their default layout is so natural players shouldn\'t find it necessary. The standard mini-map glows with a green crosshair when a unit\'s recruitment is complete and red in the location of an enemy attack. Groups are moved from place to place by either right clicking within the game world or on the mini-map. Creating buildings, gathering units and attacking foes are all accomplished with a few mouse clicks or keystrokes. Though Blizzard may not have reinvented the wheel, they made Reign of Chaos easy to play.   Viewing the action is just as intuitive as controlling it. Moving the mouse to the top edge of the screen scrolls the map in that direction, while rolling the mouse wheel up or down moves the game\'s default three-quarter angle perspective higher into the sky or more level with the ground. Although it\'s difficult to manage resources with the camera set nearly parallel to the ground, this view truly highlights the 3D action and brings the player closer to his or her units. The remaining screen real estate is nothing out of the ordinary; a thin bar running the length of the screen\'s top edge gives resource and upkeep information. The mini-map is entrenched in the lower left corner of the screen, showing explored areas and darkened, uncharted territory. The center of the bottom third\'s interface is the main status window, where a selected unit or group is displayed, along with the stats of those highlighted. Hero portraits are permanent fixtures of the screen\'s northwest corner, presenting health and mana bars as well as any available experience points. To the right of this centerpiece is the current hero\'s inventory, and WarCraft III\'s command center occupies the bottom right corner, where orders can be given to the hero and his troops.                                                                                      The game\'s front end is effectively presented so as not to warrant complaints. Single-player and Battle.net multiplayer menus are given their own designations, while the Options screen offers full control over sound and music volume, sound API and screen resolution. Even the user interface is decorated with animated, full-audio characters and scenes.     Gameplay: One of the longstanding dilemmas of the real-time strategy genre is the intimidating task of managing a large resource pool. Though WarCraft III is undeniably a blast to play, credit must also be given to the developer\'s tutorial. Blizzard holds players by the hand during Reign of Chaos\' first two missions, literally telling newcomers exactly what to do from the beginning of the quest to the end. This, of course, removes any challenge from the inaugural pair of chapters, but it\'s by design. The control scheme is easily learned, but it\'s Blizzard\'s tutorial on how to play the game that makes it so effective.   The manual, too, is a bit daunting. Upon first glance, it\'s an intimidating beast, weighing in at over 150 pages. Much of it, however, is dedicated to weaving a background story for each of the title\'s four races. The rest, besides covering the usual graphics, sound and control configurations, gives players basic information on each of the game\'s units and heroes, including their learned skills.   The campaign itself is seductive. Besides being essentially bug-free, a rare feat, WarCraft III\'s storyline is fully fleshed out and wholeheartedly enriches the experience, grabbing your eyes and ears as you anxiously await the next trial for your hero. Though the missions are varied, each follows the same tried-and-true RTS pattern: establish a base, harvest as many resources as possible, build a platoon of minions and send them to obliterate the opposing force. Cutscenes and cinematics spliced between each of the chapters keep the action fresh. Also, in an example of triple-A game design, Blizzard follows many of the more grueling chapters with shorter assignments, such as defending a base for 30 minutes while wave after wave of opponents attempt to pound through your troops. These missions often come down to the last few seconds. For instance, the final chapter of the Undead Scourge campaign requires players to protect a necromancer at all costs while the spell caster finishes his lengthy summoning incantation. After approximately half a dozen tries, I finally completed the quest with only my hero standing between a wave of angry attackers and the wizard as the clock ticked down to zero. Mass destruction, town eradication and hero protection all spice up the campaigns and succeed in warding off repetition. The use of this variable pattern often extended my WarCraft III sessions deep into the night.   Although the gameplay formula does not stray too far from the norm, the heroes do manage to differentiate WarCraft III from previous titles in this series. Given a strong leader who can turn the tide in battle and gain new abilities via experience points transforms WarCraft III from a copycat sequel into an alluring adventure. The Hero-versus-Hero battles are some of the most gripping and rewarding in the campaigns, yielding a genuine sense of accomplishment when your avatar is victorious.   Once you have completed the primary story arc and are weary of the game\'s crop of multiplayer maps, Blizzard\'s World Editor awaits. With it, you can create new single-player scenarios and multiplayer levels. Though the editor isn\'t for everyone, it\'s far from overwhelming and sure to appeal to at least a small percentage of the company\'s fans - which means there will likely be no shortage of new content as the mapmaking community familiarizes itself with the tool.     Multiplayer: Blizzard\'s releases have long been known for their balanced, addictive multiplayer modes, playable through their free Battle.net service. The company\'s server system continues to evolve with WarCraft III, offering easy access to games and player ladders. The developers have added a "Friends" list, making it easy to arrange matches with familiar players. Chat rooms allow for discussion of past triumphs and personal invitations to a skirmish. No one will have trouble finding his or her way around.   The multiplayer action is as polished as the solo campaign. Each of the four races are equally balanced - another of Blizzard\'s hallmarks - and maps are plentiful. Just as in previous WarCraft entries, players are presented with a variety of match types, including one-on-one, free-for-all and team FFA. After the scenario has loaded, a majority vote can kick a troublesome player out of the match. Friendly gamers can ally with one another, sharing resources, chatting and coordinating attacks; and disbanding at their choosing. A wealth of options is available, allowing for any number of match configurations.     Sound FX: WarCraft III\'s outstanding dialogue infuses the gameplay with wonderful tongue-in-cheek humor. Characters in the fantasy world of Azeroth don\'t shy away from the occasional minor profanity, and don\'t seem to mind that they sometimes sound like a couple of 21st century Californians who are just hanging out. WarCraft veterans will know that repeatedly clicking on one unit can produce some truly sidesplitting remarks - and the individual units are an absolute riot. One notable example comes from the Crypt Fiend, an undead minion that resembles a large insect: "Last week, my top half was on the Discovery Channel," it deadpans. With another click, this is immediately followed by: "And my bottom half was on Animal Planet." Other goofy pop culture references include nods to "The Addams Family" and "South Park."   The remaining sound effects are also excellent. Swords clash, explosions boom and dying enemies gasp their final breath. Siege Tanks roll authoritatively, Gyrocopters putter about in the air and Undead Ghouls gnash the flesh of fallen foes between razor sharp teeth. Humans sound noble, orcs fierce, the undead bone-chillingly cold and the elves stern and confident. None of the audio is out of place or just plain poor. All cues are aptly timed as well. A recognizable tone alerts players to an incoming attack just before the game reveals the approaching onslaught, a quick drumbeat indicates completion of a quest and a harsher riff signals a failed mission.     Musical Score: The orchestral score accompanying each CGI cinematic brilliantly matches the mood of the given scene. Hollywood could not have done it better. The in-game music selections do not detract from the experience, either. In a testament to WarCraft III\'s gripping action, the lyric-free tunes often fade into the background as players focus on the quest at hand. When taking the time to listen to the tracks, however, users will find a rich and layered soundtrack that perfectly complements the action. The looping redbook audio manages to differentiate the races but never strays from the overall somber mood of the score. Just as Blizzard\'s top-shelf cinematics warrant a DVD release, Reign of Chaos\' soundtrack deserves a standalone package.     Intelligence & Difficulty: Pathfinding intelligence and unit AI are two of the most important criteria in any game, and certainly the real-time strategy genre is no exception. Blizzard has never been sub-par in that department, and they once again deliver in WarCraft III. Groups of units logically form themselves, with the hero up front. In battle, the spell casters fall to the back of the party to reach a safe casting distance.   The AI isn\'t perfect, however. Occasionally, units make poor decisions. For instance, a group of Undead Crypt Fiends, which can shoot a web at airborne units, bringing the flying foes to the ground for your land troops to pummel, will sometimes opt to launch their ranged attack at a nearby spell caster instead. Meanwhile, no other units in the group can attack sky-surfing opponents.   Speaking of poor decisions, Blizzard only offers gamers two difficulty settings: Normal and Hard. Where is the Easy mode for casual players who don\'t want to make four or five attempts at trying to complete a chapter? Though the Normal option is far from frustrating, it does become substantially more intense toward the middle of the adventure, often requiring multiple retries of several missions. As the quests become more difficult, the designers give gamers less time to plan their attacks and hurry them into an offensive or defensive mode. More powerful and increasingly plentiful enemies also up the ante. Thankfully, these factors do manage to provide a healthy challenge without eliciting the desire to smash the keyboard.     Overall: Hardcore and casual gamers alike will find something to love in WarCraft III. It\'s easy to pick up, hard to put down and as much fun to watch as it is to play. While the product doesn\'t turn the genre completely upside-down, it introduces and successfully fuses the concept of hero units into the venerable series. Astounding pre-rendered cinematics and a tightly woven storyline are backed by a substantial and varied single-player campaign. Bettering this, a multiplayer mode is included that\'s not only fun but also functions properly out of the box. On top of all this is the trademark layer of polish Blizzard incorporates into every one its products. The company has certainly not rested on its laurels with Reign of Chaos.   xtreview is your : Video card - cpu - memory - Hard drive - power supply unit source we would be happy to answer for your question . if you have suggestion or comment regarding this review our support would be glad to help just join our forum and ask u will get the best answer to discuss check our forum section :-) RATE THIS REVIEW 1 2 3 4 5    / 5   View Stat

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