by Blizzard Entertainment
Platform:
Windows 98 / Me / 95, Mac
(30)6 used & new from $58.99
(Visit the Best Sellers in Strategy list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)
WarCraft II isn't exactly the freshest real-time strategy game on the market, but that doesn't mean it's any less fun than it used to be. For those of you who missed it the first time around, WarCraft II is set in a fantasy realm where knights hack at trolls with swords, deadly spells crisscross the battlefield, and powerful fortresses dot the landscape. The game pits the evil orcs against the humans, letting players choose whichever side they want in a series of battles over the world. With the WarCraft II: Battle Chest, players can experience the magic of the original game along with the added enhancements of the Beyond the Dark Portal expansion pack. Rounding out the Battle Chest is a complete strategy guide that will walk beginners through the basics and provide more experienced players with advanced tactics so they can master the game. That's good, because players will need all the help they can get challenging other WarCraft II fans online. It's possible to challenge one to eight other players on the developer's free Battle.net servers, while more solitary gamers can immerse themselves in one of the fun single-player campaigns or stand-alone missions. WarCraft II's finely balanced gameplay has lost none of its charm, even if the graphics are aging. In most missions you start with a small force and must gather enough resources to build a strong base of operations that can field a formidable army. We had the most fun with the set-piece battles, where we had to shepherd a few beleaguered troops across an enemy-infested map to either link up with a larger force on the other side or protect a hero on his way to some goal. Blizzard is famous for delivering games with terrific production values, timeless gameplay, and lots of extras, and the WarCraft II: Battle Chest is an inexpensive reminder of why the company has such a terrific reputation. --T. Byrl Baker
Pros:
- A true classic with timeless gameplay
- Multiplayer mode is a lot of fun
- Plenty of campaigns and scenarios to satisfy the single-player set
- Graphics are showing their age
Blizzard Entertainment presents WarCraft II: Battle Chest, a set that combines updated versions of the original classic real-time strategy game WarCraft II: Tides of Darkness and the WarCraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal expansion set. It also includes the official strategy guide by Prima Publishing for each game and free Internet play over Battle.net, allowing up to eight opponents from around the world to compete in fantastic warfare.
Play as either the noble humans or the brutish orcs as you experience the epic saga of Azeroth, from the orcs' initial invasion to the humans' quest to forever seal the Dark Portal between the two worlds. Along the way, you'll need to carefully manage your limited resources as you train fantastic troops, research powerful magicks, and construct buildings and ships to carry the battle over land, sea, and air.
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