World of Warcraft Breaks The Mold (and a bit of the world)
World of Warcraft has been placed in the hands of over eleven million players each year with all the expansions bringing new excitement to the game. Since the beginning players battled the dragon Nefarian in Black Wing Lair. Now his father has destroyed Azeroth and the defenders of Azeroth must obliterate him. No matter how skepitcal players were of The Burning Crusade or The Wrath of the Lich King, Cataclsym will be the gameplay experiance that fans have been yearning for.
When beginning the game you start in one of five starting zones depending on where the player would like to begin. You can begin in Vashj’ir, Mount Hyjal, Deepholm, Twilight Highlands, or Uldum. Each new quest is jam packed with various activities and cinematic adventures.
For example, when completeing the chain quest to arrive in Vashj’ir, the players will experience their ship being attacked by the giant sea creature Ozumat! After almost drowing, the Earthern Ring will come to the rescue and take everyone back to an abandoned ship where the new zone begins. There are then quests, dungeons, and finally an underwater mount that the players can enjoy!
Blizzard Entertainment really got the new quests spot on in this expansion. The quest monsters spawn much quicker, and PvP guardians stand watch to ensure there is no frustration with other players while leveling.
So, how about those new dungeons in Cataclysm? They are ever entertaining and interesting, but challenging for players who are just starting to complete heroics at level 85. One complaint is how hard the new heroics are. Do not be scared by these issues. The player must first understand the bosses they must fight and always be properly geared.
Unlike the previous expansion The Wrath of the Lich King the new dungeons require much more concentration and crowd control, this creates a much more enjoyable game experience. There are many new dungeons such as Grim Batol or Throne of the Tides. Aside from these new dungeons, Blizzard has also added two previous instances; Deadmines and Shadowfang Keep. The remaking of these old dungeons really allow the veteran players to remember what the original places where like but with different bosses.
One huge factor in the game has always been the professions. These have always been key in upgrading the players gear or even making money, but in Cataclysm these boundaries are extended.
For example the new profession Archaeology allows the player to learn how to find artifacts. So it’s great if you’re looking for a raptor mount, an epic item or the very cool flying dragon mount.
Whether it’s crafting or inscripting, blacksmithing or alchemy, every profession’s items and materials are still in very high demand on the auction house and for the other players.
Apart from the new professions there are new perks to the other professions. Alchemists can now turn into plants, engineers can become invisible, and inscripting can now make relics and shoulder enchants.
The most popular and exciting part to the WOW franchise has been the PvP. For a very long time millions of players have logged on to engage each other in combat, and why would that change now? So how did Blizzard revamp the most popular form of the game?
New rated battle grounds.
This new activity allows the players to form a group, of a predetermined number according to the battle ground. The groups can then go head to head against other guilds and groups. This new feature enables the ability to strategically think and create ways to battle an equally matched team. The players are then rewarded with conquest points upon their victory. Conquest points are another additional feature added to the mix. These points are awarded by winning an arena match or a rated battleground. The points are used to buy new PvP gear and items. This new system has enabled the ability for the players to obtain top-of-the-line gear, and still give them a new challenge along the way.
These features really set this new expansion apart from the others. With the fan base of World of Warcraft growing, this expansion has new features and the same great game play to interest new players and keep the veteran players coming back. So whether you are a veteran player or a first timer, this game’s new features make it a must have MMORPG.
I give it a perfect 5 gems.
I do have to give a major shout out to my nephew Matthew Watkins. If not for him this review would contain a lot less meat. His expertise and skills at the World of Warcraft game series made this all possible, so I salute you.
Editor’s Note: Game reviewed on a PC.