Blizzard just quietly released remasters of Warcraft 1 and 2 that look like Zynga games made by a blind duck

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Well, that was quick. After artwork leaked last week for what looked very much like a remaster of the real-time strategy classic Warcraft II: Tides Of Darkness, Blizzard sneakily released both it and the Warcraft: Orcs & Humans remaster last night. They are included with Warcraft III: Reforged – along with the novel patch – in the “Warcraft Remastered Battle Chest”, which also includes older versions of the first two games. The chest is available on Battle.netwhere it will set you back £34.99/$39.99. If you’re just after the older titles, they cost £9/$10 and £12.59/$15 respectively.

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In terms of changes in the remasters, the controls in Warcraft 1 have been updated, making them more similar to the sequel, as well as adding some customizable UI and UX elements. Warcraft 2’s multiplayer is apparently fully intact, and older custom maps are compatible and playable. Both contain remastered assets. Warcraft 3: Reforged has received update 2.0, which Blizzard says “features updated Classic HD assets and improved Reforged environment graphics. Customize your army to play with the graphics you prefer.

Personally? I think the remasters look like a mistake. I’d say they reminded me of a flash game from Newgrounds, but I’m sure I’ve played a few that were much nicer. It looks like a pop-up book from a dentist’s waiting room, put through a few cycles in the washing machine, and then brightened with an MS painting tool designed to imitate crayons made from the sun. It looks like he’ll try to offer me a discount on the energy pack so I can farm for another hour, but only if I send an invitation to my aunt. If I am blinded by nostalgia, I choose to remain blind forever. In fact, please, I’ll have ten percent more blindness. There are still too many colors.

Still, if nothing else, they’re now a thing that exists and that Blizzard sells, so that’s it. Enjoy it, I guess.

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