~Warcraft : Orcs & Humans

Strategy game by BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT

Review by Lu Richardson


Anything which comes on four HD floppies is something of a 
curiousity these days, and I am inclined to think that it has to be 
well programmed and, therefore, worth having.

Well, it is indeed a very nice game, reminiscent in some ways of 
Civilization - you know the sort of thing, overhead view, obscured 
screen which has to be explored to reveal what it contains.  The 
graphics and animation are neat, the sounds good and the idea simple 
and catchy.  The interface is a dream.  You can play solo or with 
others, through a modem.  And, as the name implies, it is all about 
humans trying to get rid of an orc plague.

You get briefed on your mission, you go to the starting screen and 
you get on with it.  There are two types of scenario:  in the first, 
you have to build up a village in support of your warriors, and the 
first steps are to explore around to identify the source of two 
essential commodities:  lumber and gold.  Usually, the forest and 
the mines are quite close to the village and all you have to do is 
to explore around a little and send your two villagers to get the 
stuff.  From there on you, you build your facilities and keep 
marauding orcs at bay with your warriors.  Eventually, when you are 
all set, you go after the enemy and kill them all and destroy their 
village to win the level.  It is not as easy as it sounds.

The other scenario is when you have to explore a cave or whatever in 
order to get at some baddy or other.  In this case, you cannot 
create any new units and you've got to manage with the warriors 
you've got.

In both cases, strategy is vital and, until you hit on the right 
combination, you are likely to start each level several times -
till you get really good at it.

For gamplay so simple and even repetitive, it is extraordinary how 
addictive it can become.  Of course, towards the end the whole thing 
goes over the top a little bit and eventually you'll reach a level 
impossible to complete - but, on the way, you will certainly have 
lots of fun.

This Article Copyright (c) 1995 Eurowave Leisure Ltd.