The Stepping Stone To Two Of The Greatest RTS's Of All Time.
User Rating: 8.7 | Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness PC
Many people like to bang on Warcraft II's (WC2's) cloned races, they are extremely balanced only because they are basically carbon copies. This is a gnawing fact, but it still does not deduct from the games solid gameplay, the core concept of the two races very well founded and rounded. The tech tree is very existent, and the rush to a fully leveled ogre magi and a death knight with haste is a very apparent and entertaining factor in the game. The graphics have taken a hit over time, the effects rather dull and non-existent, yet two-dimensional graphics generally keep a lot of their distinct flair, and the non-animated character faces are totally wicked. The sound has taken a harsh turn for the worse over the years, the grating noise of sword on shield, along with the entertaining, but ultimately annoying voices. The thing that has really stayed intact over the years is the value of this game. It's purpose was to be the milestone launch to push forward this whole genre, making gamers accustomed to a very solid tech tree. It was basically pre-Starcraft and Warcraft III, bringing out a lot of ideas and fast paced gameplay in a genre that was fairly clunky back in the day. 
