Warcraft III: Forsaken Kingdom review

Yesterday, Blizzard surprised the Warcraft III community with the release of the Forsaken Kingdom update, a substantial update that few players were expecting. At a time when most updates for classic strategy games tend to focus on balance tweaks, bug fixes, and the occasional quality-of-life improvement, Blizzard has gone much further by delivering entirely new campaign content, a new hero, Map Editor enhancements, and visual upgrades. For a game that originally launched more than two decades ago, it's amazing to see this level of continued support, and after spending time with the update, I'm genuinely impressed by what Blizzard has delivered to what is still, after 24 years, my favourite game of all time.

As someone who considers Warcraft III my favourite game of all time, I was deeply disappointed by the launch of Reforged in 2020. Like many long-time fans, I felt Blizzard had failed to do justice to one of the greatest RTS games ever made. That's what makes the Forsaken Kingdom update such a pleasant surprise. For the first time in years, it feels like Blizzard isn't simply maintaining (and fixing the Reforged issues) Warcraft III, but actively expanding it.

One of the most refreshing aspects of the Forsaken Kingdom update is that it goes far beyond the usual cycle of balance changes, buffs, and nerfs that have characterised many of the game's recent patches. Instead, Blizzard has provided two fully-fledged new campaigns that expand the game's story in meaningful ways.

The campaigns cover the final days of Lordaeron and the story of the Forsaken, and both are excellent. They are engaging, well-paced, and highly cinematic throughout. In fact, the presentation often reminded me more of Diablo III than anything we've previously seen in Warcraft III. The storytelling feels modern while remaining faithful to the Warcraft universe, creating a fresh experience without abandoning the game's roots. It's genuinely impressive to see this level of quality being added to a game that first released over twenty years ago.

While the campaigns are the headline feature, the rest of the update is equally noteworthy. Blizzard has made several welcome improvements to the Map Editor, including the addition of new triggers and better Lua support. Also, something I've wanted for a very long time has now come to the game: an Expandable Backpack. For map creators and modders, these are significant upgrades that should make creating custom content both easier and more powerful. Given how important the modding community has been to Warcraft III's long-term success, it's fab to see Blizzard continuing to invest in the tools that support it.

The gameplay additions are also a major highlight. The new Forsaken Paladin has quickly become my favourite hero in the game. What makes his addition particularly special is the fact that he arrives twenty-two years after the last heroes, the Alchemist and Firelord. For many players, the idea of receiving a completely new hero in Warcraft III felt unlikely, making his arrival all the more exciting. Not only is he a welcome addition to the roster, but he also demonstrates Blizzard's willingness to continue expanding a game that many assumed had already received all of its major content years ago.

Visually, the update is another success. The new graphical improvements look excellent and help modernise the experience without sacrificing the distinctive style that made Warcraft III so memorable in the first place. There are, however, still the occasional graphical glitches scattered throughout the game. Thankfully, these issues are relatively minor and infrequent. They exist, but they are far too few and far between to overshadow everything that Blizzard has otherwise achieved with this update.

Overall, Warcraft III: Forsaken Kingdom feels far more like a mini-expansion than a standard patch. The two new campaigns are engaging and cinematic, the new Forsaken Paladin is a fantastic addition to the roster, and the Map Editor improvements demonstrate Blizzard's continued commitment to the game's creative community. While there are still occasional graphical glitches that need attention, they are minor blemishes on what is otherwise an exceptional update. In fact, this is one of the most enjoyable updates to any game that I've experienced in a long time, and it's exciting to see Warcraft III receiving meaningful new content more than twenty years after its original release.