Warcraft 3 is the RTS for people who don't like RTS games, and the RTS for the people that do.
Anyway.
While playing World or Warcraft, many of my guildies would talk about the lore of the game, and I'd respond "there is no lore in this game, and if there is, it's implied very, VERY loosely."
"Oh, we're talking about all the stuff they brought from Warcraft 3."
"I never played it."
To which they would respond the same exact way.
"DUDE!!! You've NEVER PLAYED IT?!?"
So, after hearing tidbits and such, I finally decided to give it a try.
And, HOLY GOD, this game is absolutely amazing!
From a story standpoint, it's incredible! It follows a hero, and you literally watch him become a villian, in a very believable, George Lucas should have taken some notes kinda way! Then, perspectives flip, and you lead the orcs through their new land, and watch their hero rise as their legends fall. And finally, the Night Elves, and you watch the warrior women fight demons, enlist their darkest foe, and revive their great leader, and all 3 stories come together in a way that only the most masterful stories are able to do.
On a gameplay standpoint, it is equally amazing. For a guy like me, who has never played an RTS before this, it does a good job of holding your hand, and all the while varying the missions, the terrain, the resources, and the objectives in a way that keeps it fresh, forward moving, and carries the narrative along with it.
At points, the game is humerous. At others, it's very powerful, and sometimes flat sorrowful. Blizzard did a masterful job combining great gameplay with great story, often so well that one blends into the other in a very seamless way, allowing you to enjoy it when it has something to say, and play like you mean it, because the narrative seems to matter in a way that most games can't convey.
Warcraft 3 is an amazing experience. For current WoW players, it's a must play. It does more to breathe life into Azeroth than WoW ever hoped to achieve. For RTS fans, it seems to be a hit, and for people like me, who just like good storytelling married with great gameplay...Warcraft 3 delievers in a VERY big way. It's an unmistakable experience, a barsetter, a game that holds it's own with age, and just overall a very engaging and fun game to play.