August 12, 2002 - It seems like an eternity ago that Warcraft III was officially announced, Blizzard had once again shocked the world and their legion of dedicated and loyal supporters. Another Warcraft game seemed like a brilliant idea at the time, and this has sure proven true for Blizzard. In a short period of time Warcraft III has become the fastest selling PC game of all time, and if this doesn't say something about the popularity and entertainment value of Blizzard products, nothing will.

The Warcraft series has been around for about ten or so years, and is without a doubt one of the most popular franchises in the business. Blizzard is a world-renowned company to their many fans, always taking the time to finely tune and present each title, and this is what keeps them on top. Other popular Blizzard series' include Starcraft and Diablo, not to forget their upcoming massively multiplayer title World of Warcraft.

Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos begins with one of the most notable qualities of all Blizzard titles, the introduction and in game cut scenes. The opening video not only sets a standard of what to expect in the game, it's beautifully rendered videos set the standards in this area for the entire industry, always have and will for a long time to come. These cut scenes are integrated into the campaign storyline in a flawless manner, and seen throughout the title. Generally, the product is exceptionally well polished, everything from the basic menu system to the in-game command structure. Development may have taken a much longer time than initially expected, but the final results were well worth the wait.

Warcraft III contains four unique races each offering a different series of attributes. The humans are the first of these races, strong-minded, dedicated, yet lacking in some ways. The Undead are the enemy of the humans, a race of soldiers brought back from the dead and originally created by the Burning Legion. As humans die due to the terrible plague unleashed by the Undead, they join the ranks of these ravaged soldiers, a never-ending supply of troops. The Orcs are one of the most popular races in Warcraft III, once at war with the humans an unsettling peace now covers the land. Once a proud and noble race, the Orcs were corrupted by the Burning Legion and sent to invade and destroy the humans fifteen years before. The Night Elves were the first race to awaken in the World of Warcraft, an immortal and highly advanced species. It was the overuse of magic that drew the Burning Legion to the world, and the Elves suffered such unbearable loss that they vowed never to use magic again in fear of the Legion returning. Each of the four races offers a variety of unique units, heroes, and structures, however the balance between each race is well developed as not to give any single race a distinct advantage all the while providing an entertaining and enjoyable experience.

One thing that makes Blizzard titles so popular is the unique approach on single and multiplayer games. The offline campaign progresses through the four races in a continuing storyline with a similar objective; save the world from the Burning Legion. Another tutorial-based mission is also included that is excellent in providing information on the series and teaching beginners how to construct structures as well as some basic combat training. Among this single player campaign, Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos includes a free multiplayer mode for up to sixteen players through Battle.net, Blizzard's online gaming service. With three or four simple clicks, players can be online and ready for combat. The ability to select which settings you prefer and have the game search for an available opponent based on skill and preferences is superb, without a doubt one of the best multiplayer systems seen to date.