Product Description
The WarCraft III: Reign of Chaos Collector's Edition features several exclusive items, including The Art of WarCraft, a high-quality coffee-table book featuring rare and never-before-seen images from the WarCraft universe. Art from every stage of game development is included, from early concepts to finished pieces, along with behind-the-scenes commentary from the Blizzard development team.
The official WarCraft III cinematic DVD includes complete WarCraft III in-game cinematics, digitally remastered in widescreen format for TV viewing. Exclusive special features include concept art, storyboards, original cinematic trailers, and audio commentary from the Blizzard cinematics team.
Also included is the WarCraft III soundtrack CD, a commemorative collector's edition manual signed by the WarCraft III development team, and four limited-edition 8x10 prints featuring rich artwork portraying battle-hardened veterans from each of WarCraft III's races.
Review
Saying that Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos has been eagerly awaited is an understatement. Millions of wannabe Orcs and Elves have been clamouring for Blizzard's latest slice of fantasy strategy, so was it worth the wait?
After a 15-year stewing period, the Orc clans have regrouped and decided to unearth the hatchets and bury them in the human alliance. In true RTS fashion, you choose from Orcish Hordes, the Human Alliance, the Undead Scourge or the Night Elves Sentinels and, using wood and gold reserves, build bases and armies needed to leather the competition.
Unlike many a strategy fest, Blizzard have done away with unit envy and opted to give you more control over much smaller groups, but rest assured, the developers have really done their homework on this one. Expenditure of those all-important reserves won't allow you to sustain massive armies, so the key lies in developing your forces with a considered upgrade and maintenance approach.
It may be a time of war, but it's also a time of heroes, and you'll need them in order to stand a fighting chance. Whatever race you choose, quests and battles endow your heroes with greater physical and magical abilities, and experienced heroes help your surrounding troops, adding some zing to their swing.
Unsurprisingly, Blizzard have done more than just spruce up the gameplay; the proprietary 3-D engine produces a beautifully detailed world in which to wreak bloody mayhem. It all sounds great too, with believably voiced and regularly comical dialogue. --Tae Mawson
