Warcraft 3:The Frozen Throne

The Warden Maiev Shadowsong persues her former prisoner Illidan Stormrage across Azeroth. Illidan was met by the demonlord Kil'jaeden, who orders him to destroy the Lich King. He gains the allegiance of the Naga, former Night Elves who were transmuted by Sargeras, Kil'jaeden's master; after their city was blasted beneath the sea ten millennia before. But the Naga do not stop Maiev, who pursues Illidan from Kalimdor to the Tomb of Sargeras. There, Illidan takes the Eye of Sargeras and collapses the tomb in an attempt to kill Maiev. However, Maiev survives, and gains the assistance of Malfurion Stormrage and Tyrande Whisperwind to pursue Illidan all the way to Lordaeron. She aids Prince Kael'thas against the undead, and Tyrande is swept away by a river while defending the retreating elves. However, Maiev holds a grudge against Tyrande for releasing Illidan in the first place, leading to her lying about Tyrande's fate to Malfurion to provoke him to move aggressively against the Naga rather than spend time searching for her. Around this time, Illidan attempts to use the Eye of Sargeras to melt the ice-caps around the Frozen Throne and hence destroy the Lich King. Furion and Maiev successfully prevent Illidan from completing the spell, but in the process, Maiev's treachery comes out, and the Stormrage brothers join forces to save their mutual beloved. Against Maiev's will, Malfurion then pardons Illidan, though he does not revoke his exile, and Illidan departs with Maiev moments behind him.

Heroes - Maiev (Warden), Tyrande (Priestess of the Moon), Malfurion (Keeper of the Grove), Illidan (Demon Hunter), Magroth the Defender (Rescued Paladin from The Ruins of Dalaran).

Enemy Heroes - Illidan (Demon Hunter), Naga Sea Witch (from Wrath of the Betrayer), Lady Vashj (Naga Sea Witch), various Undead heroes (from The Brothers Stormrage).

NPC Heroes - Kael'Thas (Blood Mage).

The Alliance campaign follows the adventures of Prince Kael'thas, leader of the Blood Elves, a group of High Elves that survived the invasion of Quel'Thalas by the Scourge. Originally helping the Alliance, the Blood Elves are imprisoned by a racist human Dark Knight, Lord Garithos, for accepting aid from the Naga (after Garithos pulled all of Kael's non-elven troops to the front line) and eventually rescued by Lady Vashj and her Naga. Vashj then takes Kael'thas to the Outland, the remnants of the Orc realm Draenor, to meet (and free) their master, Illidan; who has been recaptured by Maiev. After fending Maiev off (again) and gaining the allegiance of the native Draenei, Illidan is able to conquer the Outland, where he hopes he will be safe from his failure to use the Eye of Sargeras to destroy the Frozen Throne. But his master, the Demonlord Kil'jaeden, catches them nonetheless, and the episode ends with Illidan renewing his vow to destroy the Lich King.

The Human forces in this campaign are very different from the ones used in the multiplayer game. Instead of the full Alliance, only the High Elven units are available, with the addition of a few new units and a Blood Elf hero added to the expansion pack, as well as the Naga forces(and a few draenei). The single exception is the first mission of the campaign, which takes place before Garithos recalls Kael's non-elven troops such as human Knights and Footmen, and dwarven Riflemen and Mortar Teams, all of which are available during that mission.

Heroes - Kael (Blood Mage), Lady Vashj (Naga Sea Witch), Lady Serpentra (Naga Sea Witch), Illidan (Demon Hunter), Akama (Elder Sage).

Enemy Heroes - Maiev (Warden), Magtheridon (Pit Lord), Lord Garithos in The Crossing (Dark Knight), ghosts of Dalaran (Archmagi), Dalvengyr (Dreadlord from A Dark Covenant), multiple Fel Orc Blademasters (from Chapter 5 and 6).

NPC Heroes - Lord Garithos (Dark Knight), Kil'jaeden(Cinematic) (Warlock), Illidan (non-demonic) (Cinematic), Akama in Gates of the Abyss (Elder Sage).

In the blighted lands of Lordaeron, now known as the Plaguelands, a civil war is taking place within the Scourge. The Undead forces are splintering into three major factions: Arthas and Kel'Thuzad, who are loyal to the Lich King; the Forsaken, led by the Banshee Queen Sylvanas Windrunner; and the Dreadlords (Nathrezim), who are still loyal to the Burning Legion, but are unaware of Archimonde's defeat on Mt. Hyjal. The campaign switches between Arthas' journey to Northrend to assist the Lich King, and Sylvanas' war against the Dreadlords for control of the Plaguelands. In the end, Sylvanas emerges as the nominal ruler of the Plaguelands, while Arthas travels to Northrend to defend the Lich King, meeting the subterranean Nerubian race, and eventually defeating Illidan in a one-on-one duel. He then ascends to the Frozen Throne and becomes one with the Lich King.

Heroes - Sylvanas Windrunner (Dark Ranger), Arthas (Death Knight), Anub'Arak (Crypt Lord), Varimathras (Dreadlord), Kel'Thuzad (Lich), Lord Garithos (Dark Knight).

Enemy Heroes - Baelgun (Mountain King), Lord Garithos (Dark Knight), Kael (Blood Mage), Illidan (Demon Hunter), Lady Vashj (Naga Sea Witch), Varimathras, Detheroc and Balnazzar (Dreadlords), Dagren the Orcslayer, Halahk the Lifebringer and Magroth the Defender (Paladins of the Silver Hand).

The Orc mini-campaign is a departure from the rest of the game. It has features more like an RPG similar to Diablo, featuring a Beastmaster named Rexxar as he helps the Orcs defend and develop their new home of Durotar from various enemies. The Orc mini-campaign was created because the game designers felt that the Orc storyline didn't fit into the main plot of The Frozen Throne. The mini-campaign allowed the designers to move away from standard real-time strategy conventions and explore new level design and gameplay concepts. (This campaign was extended by two more chapters through patches of the main game [1].) It also established plot and setting details in preparation for Blizzard's MMORPG World of Warcraft. Completing the other campaigns is not a requirement to play the mini-campaign as the menu immediately allows the player to choose between the campaign missions and the mini-campaign.

The player controls a group of two to four heroes, primarily Rexxar and a Troll Shadow Hunter named Rokhan. The player can also gain permanent control of a Pandaren Brewmaster named Chen Stormstout and Tauren Chieftain Cairne Bloodhoof, and temporary control of Orc Far Seer Drek'thar, Jaina Proudmoore, Orc Blademaster Samuro, and Cairne's son, Baine Bloodhoof. Maps are interconnected, with each one being set up as various areas of Kalimdor, such as the Orc fortress city of Orgrimmar, and a Human city on the Theramore Isles.

In the wilds of Kalimdor, Rexxar comes across Mogrin, an Orc messenger who is being attacked by Quillboars. Despite Rexxar's rescue, the Orc is mortally wounded, and passes on his message to Rexxar before he dies. Rexxar completes the Orc's mission, giving the message to Thrall, the warchief of the Horde. He stays in the city of Orgrimmar for a while, performing a number of duties for the Horde to earn his keep. Eventually, he discovers that a force of Humans is planning an invasion of Durotar, led by Grand Admiral Daelin Proudmoore, who has seized control of the Theramore islands from his daughter. Rexxar is sent to gather allies for the Horde, old and new, and leads the assault on the islands to end the threat to the Horde. The Admiral is slain, and the Orcs leave the island in peace, but the truce between the Horde and the Alliance seems to be forever strained by the battle.

Heroes - Rexxar (Beastmaster), Rokhan (Shadow Hunter), Chen Stormstout (Pandaren Brewmaster), Cairne Bloodhoof (Tauren Chieftain), Drek'thar (Far Seer), Jaina Proudmoore (A

The minimum specifications for Windows 98/ME/2000/XP are as follows:

* 400 MHz Pentium or better
* 128 MB RAM
* 8 MB 3D video card with DirectX 8.1 support
* 550 MB hard drive space (+ Reign of Chaos install)
* 4X CD-ROM drive

The minimum specifications for Macintosh OS 9.0+/OS X v10.1.3+ are as follows:

* 400 MHz G3 or better
* 128 MB RAM
* 16 MB ATI or nVidia chipset 3D video card
* 550 MB HDD space (+ Reign of Chaos install)
* 4X CD-ROM drive

The recommended specifications are as follows:

* 600 MHz
* 256 MB RAM
* 32 MB 3D video card

The requirements for multiplayer are:

* TCP/IP connection
* 28.8 kbit/s or faster