Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne is the gripping expansion to the acclaimed Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, a real-time strategy video game by Blizzard Entertainment. Step into a frozen world consumed by dark forces and embark on a new chapter of the epic saga. This expansion introduces new campaigns that delve deeper into the intricate lore of Azeroth, revealing the fate of beloved characters and introducing new heroes to the fray.

Plot

In the main game, Arthas Menethil, a noble human paladin, falls victim to corruption at the hands of the Lich King, Ner'zhul. Encased within the icy confines of the "Frozen Throne," Ner'zhul is an undead sorcerer who seizes control over Arthas, transforming him into his loyal lieutenant. Under Ner'zhul's influence, Arthas launches an assault on the kingdom of the High Elves, where he mercilessly slays their general, Sylvanas Windrunner. Rather than granting her peace in death, Arthas raises Sylvanas as an undead servant to further his cause. This vile act ultimately sets the stage for the imminent invasion of Azeroth.

Gameplay

New campaigns: The expansion added new single-player campaigns that continued the storylines of several characters from the original game and introduced new heroes and factions. You are allowed to continue your hero's progression from the Reign of Chaos campaigns, making the heroes more potent.
New units and structures: Each of the game's races received new units, structures, and upgrades, expanding the tactical possibilities during battles. For example, Humans can now recruit Blood Mages and Spell Breakers, Orcs can train Shadow Hunters and Spirit Walkers, Scourges can invoke Crypt Lords or Obsidian Statues, and Naga have Wardens and Druids.

New faction: You will discover a brand new faction called the Naga you can play in several Sentinel and Alliance missions and also in custom maps. The Naga are masters of sorcery and formerly Highborne night elves, some of the most formidable villains of Azeroth.
Neutral heroes: In melee maps, you have the option to use neutral heroes by hiring them from the Tavern, which is a neutral building. The Tavern also offers the service of instantly reviving any fallen hero, albeit at an increased resource cost and with reduced health and mana for the revived hero. To access the tavern's services, a nearby unit is required.
New items: New item mechanics are introduced, including the addition of the neutral Marketplace, where players could find a rotating inventory of items. Additionally, players could now construct shops to sell items and access inventory upgrades for non-hero units.

Graphics and sound

As it comes only a year after Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, The Frozen Throne features good graphics and sound. The new units and heroes seamlessly blended into the existing game world, maintaining a cohesive visual style. Additionally, the quality of the in-game cinematics received favorable comparisons to the highly praised cinematics of the main game.

Duration and game modes

The game's main story is about 20 hours long if you focus on finishing it through the single-player game mode. In addition, it features a multiplayer game mode where you can battle against other players online or against AI-controlled opponents.

You will discover a set of new campaigns that continued the epic storylines from the original game while introducing new characters and factions. The expansion featured four main campaigns, one for each of the four races in the game: Humans (Curse of the Blood Elves), Orcs (The Founding of Durotar), Scourge (Legacy of the Damned), and Night Elves (Terror of the Tides). Each campaign consisted of multiple chapters, offering a diverse and engaging gameplay experience.

The multiplayer component was enriched by introducing clans and automated tournaments, which now feature a precise 30-minute time limit. Additionally, players gained the ability to engage in chat conversations with others while waiting for a game to start. The expansion brought forth a wealth of content, including 62 new multiplayer maps and custom scenarios inspired by popular mods. Moreover, it enhanced the multiplayer experience by enabling up to twelve players to participate simultaneously, fostering larger and more dynamic battles.

What do the reviews say?

Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne has a Metacritic score of 88/100 and stands as a commercial success.

"The perfect example of what an expansion should be - it takes the original game to new heights, and lets us all find the joy of playing WarCraft all over again." (ActionTrip)