Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness takes the continuing saga of Azeroth to the next level as the battle rages on over land, sea, and air. Using new weapons of war, including Dragons, Battleships, Elven Archers, Zepplins, Death Knights and Juggernauts, both Humans and Orcs must use combined-arms tactics in an effort to become the true rulers of Azeroth.

The game also includes a new strategic "fog of war" feature which allows players to only see activity within their units' line of sight. Players are not able to see their enemy's movement outside the fog of war, but they can see the terrain of explored areas. This adds a whole new level of strategy as scouting and sentries become vital to defending your territory.