So what's RPS all about then? RPS adds a selection of characters that have some permanence - you carry them between levels - and set of extra abilities; they can level up (as they gain experience in-game), they can find and carry extra items (to add abilities / improve their stats) and they generally kick much butt in combat. Indeed, in a multiplayer game, levelling up your hero quickly can mean the difference between survival and defeat; it's not uncommon for a well handled hero to turn the tide against seemingly insurmountable odds.

RPS is not the only change to the Warcraft staple - far from it. The obvious change to 3D engine (more on this in the graphics bit), increase from 2 to 4 playable races, many new weapons / buildings / unit types, 3D terrain / line of sight effects and much more. With all of these additions, you would expect it to feel totally different - but no! It, unlike so many sequels, has achieved the next to impossible holy grail; it feels familiar yet improved, accessible yet powerful when compared to its (admittedly ancient) prequels. Another new feature, introduced with Warcraft III, is the concept of NPC type characters: Dragons, trolls and goblins populate the forest (quite often defending things you want, like gold mines etc) and your hero can gain experience by slaying them - they also drop useful artifacts and spells that your hero can use. In addition, there are occasionally Mercenary encampments (from which you can hire instant additions to your army, additions of the type that you cannot normally build) and Goblin labratories (from which you can purchase new spells and items, etc) hidden on both single and multi player maps. The fantastic humour is still there (keep clicking on units, if you are unfamiliar with the Warcraft family), as are the many little touches that make Warcraft "Warcraft". If you are new to this series, don't worry, knowledge of the earlier games is far from necessary - this game stands on its own, in its own right.

The singleplayer arc of the gameplay is both a great place to learn your craft for your multiplayer pursuits, and like reading a fantasy epic, all in one. Even if you never have plans to play this game against another human, what you learn here will stand you in good stead when you try and take on the computer in a skirmish match; you'll need all the help you can get! The singleplayer campaign follows a forced path - you start with the humans (you can do a 3-level training campaign as Orcs first, if you want to), move on to the undead and so on - the story that ties all the races together unfolding as you go. The story is told mostly using in-game cinematic sequences but there are occasional FMV sequences too, the quality of which is at a level that only Blizzard seem to be able to deliver - truly spectacular. As the story unfolds, there are twists and turns aplenty - make sure you play this without knowing what happens, for maximum enjoyment!

Strategy is highlighted in this game more than almost any other before it. The age-old tactic of building vast armies with which to flood your enemy's base is long behind us. If you try that in Warcraft III, you will very quickly encounter "upkeep" - once a certain number of food units (created by building house-type buildings) are in use (they are relinquished when your units die), your income (gold and wood) will be taxed. First at 30%, then at 70% - if you have a large army, most of your gold and wood will go on upkeep. What this translates to is a very strategic construction of your base and very careful selection of the units that make up your army - should you build a reasonable army (say, 30% upkeep) now and be ready in case of invasion, or should you concentrate on defences and maximise the limited returns from your goldmine, so you have enough money to build later? All of these decisions (and more) change as you play, as you adapt to the level layout and to your opposition's strategy.

Each of the races offers its own unique attributes that alter the way you will need to play them for maximum effect. For example, only one Orc grunt can be used at a time to build a structure. The humans can use as many as will fit around the structure, while the undead simply "cast" a structure (which then grows on its own) and can immediately move on to another task. The Elves don't chop down trees (as you can imagine), simply encircling them for an endless supply of lumber - the other races must all consume wood (and therefore destroy a possible source of natural defence) to obtain it, destroying the forests as they go. The Elven structures can mostly uproot and move to a new location while the undead can only build on poisoned land. These are just a few examples of the many differences between each race - this is not just another "change the look and colour of each race, that should do it" clone game. You will need to develop unique strategies for each of the races, if you plan to succeed.