Just getting around to playing this game, and I'm sorry that I missed out on it for so long. One of the best RTS games.
Gameplay: It's a somewhat traditional RTS game, with resource collecting, base-building, and map exploration. However, even these aspects are handled in a fun way. Resource-collecting is not done via the back-and-forth trips of peons, but instead resources are "captured" by meditating hero and general units (more of these shortly). Base-building is structured around five tiers, which unlock various units and abilities. The most interesting dynamic in the whole game is the roleplaying elements. Nearly every unit can level up and become stronger, and each side has a hero unit. These units are created before a match and are persistent. You can name them, determine their class, race, and even appearance (in a limited way). There are a whopping 16 races in the game and at least as many classes, ranging from paladin and archmage to deathknight and necromancer. The races are fairly distinct, with very little overlap in units or buildings. As you level up in your chosen class (done by killing enemies and winning battles), you will unlock and enhance various abilities and stats. It's really a well-done, fun part of the game that gives it more longevity than the typical RTS game. Some maps have little quests that you can perform for rewards, and your hero can acquire various items (weapons, armor, magical loot, etc.) by killing other heroes, neutral bosses, or completing missions. You can get quite attached to your hero over time (and you can create as many as you'd like, but can only use 1 per match). You can also earn a retinue that includes generals who can fight with you from battle to battle, until they are killed (there's even a graveyard screen for you to remember deceased members of your retinue!). It's just a really well thought out and creative system that keeps the game from being just another RTS game.
There is a single-player campaign that allows you to create a hero and adventure with him/her across the lands of Etheria in search of the "fifth horseman." It's rather standard fare for these kinds of games and is really about teaching you how to play the game. Nothing particularly exciting, and it would be a bit bland if not for the hero dynamic and the ability to play various races in the campaign. The skirmish mode is quite fun and well constructed, and the skirmish AI is pretty good and adjustable. You can play with various win conditions, create random maps, set up teams, determine difficulty level of AI players, and so forth. There is even a map editor. Overall, there are a lot of custom options in skirmish mode that should suit the taste of many players, including Ironman mode which results in the permanent death of your hero if s/he gets killed in a match.
The problems with WBC3 are relatively minor, but all together they keep me from giving the game an even higher score. I would have liked to have been able to set up team matches using any one of the win conditions (such as Fortress), but some of the win conditions are limited to free-for-all matches or online multiplayer. You also cannot set starting positions on random maps nor is there a camera-zoom feature. Base-building is expected in RTS games, but this game has a few too many buildings that need to be constructed in order to unlock various units and abilities. Thus, you cannot really avoid the ugly base sprawl that plagued the last generation of RTS games. Beyond having a map editor, this game really should have come with modding tools that allowed for further customization and creativity. There are some tools scattered across the internet if you don't mind looking for them, but they really only allow for the tweaking of hero and unit stats, along with a few other things. Individually, these issues will not keep most people from enjoying this game; however, they may limit the replayability a bit.
Graphics: Dated to be sure, but still quite serviceable. Actually, the game (at 1280x1024 resolution) looks better than I was expecting, though it does not match the looks of contemporaries like Dawn of War or Battle for Middle Earth. The maps are well detailed, and the buildings and unit animations are convincing enough. Just don't expect this game to measure up to some of the better-looking RTS games out there.
Sounds: Most things are fine in the audio department. Most units have verbal (or at least audible) acknowledgments. Sound effects are appropriate; I believe that you can even shift between a male or female narrator. Some of the voice acting is quite good, and a few of the units have humorous lines. The music gets a bit repetitive over time, but no big deal.
Technical issues: The game has been quite stable on my computer, at least with the 1.03.24 patch (I purchased the game at www.gog.com for $9.99 already patched). I also still run on XP SP3--I'm just old school like that!). A helpful .pdf manual comes with it, and hero and spell manuals can be found on the internet. If you decide to mod the game, be sure to backup the original files. Also, there is no annoying DRM of any kind in the game (at least not the GOG version).
Replayability/Value: I was hooked on this game for a solid 3 weeks, playing skirmishes, modding, and finishing the campaign. I still haven't played with about half of the 16 races or most of the different hero classes. Thus, the replay value is quite high. There are a few major mods on the internet, but I haven't used any of them. Much of the game is hard coded, so I don't think that really deep modding is possible without some skill and commitment. Since you can buy this game for as little as $10, it's a very good value. I don't suppose that there is much of a multiplayer base out there now for online matches, but the single-player content is robust enough to warrant a purchase. I highly recommend the game to any RTS gamer or even those who like roleplaying games with a twist.
Pros:
+Huge number of races, classes, units, maps, and customization options
+Hero and roleplaying systems
+Loot drops and mini-quests, even in skirmish mode
+Skirmish options
+Random map generator
+Skirmish AI can pose a good challenge
+Campaign is decent
+Technically stable
+No DRM!
Cons:
-Limited modding possibilities with available tools
-Too many buildings and inevitable base sprawl
-No camera-zoom option
-Limited number of win conditions for team matches