World of Warcraft : Wrath of the Lich King Review

Let me be honest with the MMORPG readers upfront. Wrath of the Lich King has been released for close to two months and unless you've been living under a rock, chances are you've heard a few things about it. Let's face it there's no way one review can cover all the elements of this expansion. Good thing there is ample coverage, guides, and additional reviews covered right here at MMORPG.com. Well without any further covering of my own short comings or promotion of the website you are already reading, on with the review.

Overview:

Wrath of the Lich King is $%#@ing AWESOME. There it is folks. Quite frankly that could be enough to say and it would a fair and accurate assessment of the expansion in my opinion.

What more needs to be said about World of Warcraft that folks don't know already? I'll save the readers the tedious ramblings here. The key features of WotLK are the introduction of World of Warcraft's first hero class The Death Knight, ten more levels raising the maximum level to eighty, new PVP zones, and a brand new continent Northrend.

I pondered what would the best way to approach this review, and decided to go old school format. For long time MMORPG readers you'll recognize the "classic" break down of subjects. Sure it may be a little clinical, but it's my hope you gain some insight to how the game ranks, rather than something that reads as just another fan-boy's ramblings, although there may be some of those, as well as a rant thrown in.

Performance/Lag:

I am running the game with Windows Vista Ultimate on a Dual Core E6750 @2.66, Dual ATI Radeon HD 3850, 2 Gig Corsair RAM and cable modem. Once in the game, the game play was mostly smooth. I played the game on the factory default settings and never saw the need to adjust. In fact in never occurred to me to adjust them until I just typed this. Of course there were the standard 800 plus queues to battle. The most notable lag for me was found in the most heavily populated areas, such as Dalaran (the new major hub of WotLK) a lesson a think would have been learned from introduction of Shattrath. I mean really, do the Horde and Alliance need to share a city?



Graphics:

When the Burning Crusade was released, it was new, but was it anything that really caught the players' attention? In my opinion it was not. Many of the creatures looked liked different color versions of the original game. I don't care what you call them or what you color you shade them a murloc was a murloc. That is far from the case with WotLK, Blizzard really seems to have outdone themselves on the designs of the graphics, environment and creatures with this expansion. There are a tremendous amount of unique looks through the Northrend continent. I personally enjoyed the whole Norse aspect to the expansion. There are Vikings, Viking Women, and Undead Vikings, it's just a great departure from the pre existing look of Warcraft. Sure there are some old creatures making their way back into WotLK, but how many different ways can you really make a spider or wolf look?

Sound:

This is the second time in my history of purchasing collector's editions, that the accompanying soundtrack has escaped the confines of its cellophane prison. Most of the music was the standard fair that we've come to expect from most MMOs, there's your standard ominous dungeon percussion, and general synthesized tunes. Yet, throughout some zones, there were hints of Celtic music, and I could swear there was a piano in there somewhere.

User Interface:

No real improvement for the basic game User Interface as whole. It's still the standard we've come to expect from WoW. The one notable exception is the variety of user controlled "vehicles" throughout the expansion. During questing, instances and even PVP players will have an opportunity to control a variety of NPC "vehicles". Take control dragons, mammoths, tanks, and weapons each with their own set of abilities. These user controlled items add a tremendous amount of fun to the game. Whether it's riding around on a dragon blasting enemies with a variety of breath weapons or doing your best Ash impression in steam controlled tank to mow down the legions of the Scourge, this additional feature is bound to be a crowd favorite.



Game Play:

The achievement points added to WoW pre WotLK personally enhanced the leveling grind for me. Sure I was in a rush to reach level 80, yet oddly I was compelled to explore the entire continent of Northrend first. I personally didn't think the grind to 80 was too bad. There are more than enough quests to propel a player through the levels. In fact if you really wanted to you could solo your way to 80 quite effectively. A tad anti-social? Perhaps, but it beats the hell out sitting looking for group for an hour. I feel it's great for getting those bubs in the extra moments before work or school. Dungeons in WotLK don't seem to take nearly as long as their previous counterparts either. Maybe I'm just used to the time commitment, but it truly seems that the game is much quicker now. Another addition I feel bears mentioning is the removal of dungeon grinding for faction. Let me clarify that statement. Yes you do still need to grind dungeons for factions' experience, but you don't have to grind the same ones over and over. Oh, and over and over again. How is this done? The introduction of faction tabards is the key. By wearing the appropriate faction tabard any experience earned in any level 80 dungeon is distributed appropriately. Need Ebon Hold faction, but want to hit the Nexxus, go ahead. I think it's a great innovation.

Community

The World of Warcraft website is an extremely well thought out website. I really don't see too much room for improvement there. Unless the time comes where browser based transaction affect game play I think this is as good as it gets. WoW's site is full of the game information a player can hope for as well as solid gaming community. Additionally their active gamer forums are second (ok maybe far from second) only to those here at MMORPG.com



Customer Service

In my opinion if the expansion falls anywhere short, it is unfortunately here. I know I am only a millionth of their customers so why should what I think matter? Let's all call it what it is, we gamers all think we are the only player that counts and to a certain extent we're correct. Service has improved over the years, but it still seems like it takes forever to get a response from a GM. Additionally, hailing from the East Coast, those extended service Tuesdays; almost always go over their estimated time, not by ten or fifteen minutes, but often two or more hours. Tell me up front and it won't be so bad, tell me at log on time and I get cranky. I have achievements that need achieving. It's been four years; this should be a science by now. Is it selfish of me to think so? HELLS YES!! But I'm a gamer and that's how I feel. On the plus side this only happens once a week so is really that bad? On any day but Tuesday I would suppose not.

One last Customer Service rant: Server queues. I can't help but think that something could be done to resolve this. It's not a player's fault that there are a large number of players per server. In my opinion there is NO reason for a player to have to wait in excess of ten minutes let alone an hour to play a game you pay for. Hopefully over time that will resolve itself, but currently to all it a nuisance is an understatement. There should be some kind incentive for server changes. An Achievement, a title, a mount or even an in game pet, may be enough to get some motion.

Conclusion

Service not withstanding Wrath of the Lich King rates Fantastic - This game has exceeded the expectations that we have for an MMORPG. Not buying this game could be a colossal mistake.

Sure, accuse of me sucking up to the potential biggest game of 2008, but I truly don't see how a game gets much better than this at the moment. Sorry Blizzard the service keeps you from a Perfect this round. Let's hear from all of you out in the Forums. What's been your favorite addition? Love WotLK? Hate it? Let's hear it folks.

Wotlk Review: We Come From The Land Of The Ice And Snow

Last month, the World of Azeroth got a great deal larger as Blizzard released the second expansion for World of Warcraft, Wrath of the Lich King.

The ambitious new expansion pack gives players access to the icy continent of Northrend, home to the Lich King, the ungodly powerful melding of former Draenor warchief Ner'zhul and former crown prince of Lorderon, Arthas Menethil. Along with new lands to explore and new quests to fulfill, Wrath of the Lich King also introduces the game's first Hero Class in the form of the dreaded Death Knights, plate-wearing wielders of runic power.

I've spent a significant amount of time exploring all that's new in Azeroth. Was it just a temporary visit, or does Wrath pack enough punch to lure me back in full-time?

Loved
More Better Quests: Continuing the trend started with The Burning Crusade, quests in The Wrath of the Lich King are even more dynamic and enthralling that ever, with new mechanics to keep things fresh. Sure, you'll still find plenty of kill X number of Y quests, but you'll also find yourself flying rickety planes to remote locations, launching cannon attacks on huge creatures, or participating in giant battles that leave you giddy afterwards.

The Scenic Route: Northrend is far more than snow. You'll find rolling hills, steep mountain slopes, ruined temples, and floating cities in the sky — along with a fair amount of snow. Zones in Wrath are gigantic, lovely to look at, and seem a great deal more vertical than what I'm used to in World of Warcraft. Expect to see many breathtaking sights on your first run through the frozen lands.

Multiple Starting Points: A large improvement over The Burning Crusade, Wrath gives both factions two-different areas to launch their expedition into Northrend from, rather than dumping every one in the same starting area so they can kill quest mobs to extinction. It also means that leveling multiple characters in the expansion isn't quite as repetitive as it was in the previous expansion.

Open-World Instancing: Open-world instancing is a new technique they are using to effect changes to the game world without zoning you into your own private instance. It's almost like having another instance of the same location layered on top of the first, only with changes to reflect the state of the quest you are in. It's used to great effect in the Death Knight starting area, where different stages of a massive war are all played out in the same area. One moment you're fighting to take over a human settlement, the next moment things seamlessly transition to the same settlement raised to the ground by your efforts. It really gives the illusion that your actions are making a difference.

The Knights Who Say Death: Blizzard introduces the first Hero Class to World of Warcraft in a truly epic fashion. The starting area for Death Knights is brilliantly executed, deftly weaving a tale of corruption and redemption over the course of a few hours. The aforementioned open-world instancing plays a large role in the starting experience, and the final battle at Light's Hope is one of the most spectacular moments I've seen in the game. As for the Death Knights themselves, they make excellent additions to most parties, whether you play them as the far superior frost-build tank or the dime-a-dozen DPS unholy spec.

More Realistic Equipment: I'm really digging the dark and gritty look of the equipment drops I've managed to collect in the expansion so far. A far cry from The Burning Crusade's Final Fantasy meets Sid and Marty Croft colorful glowing weapons, Northrend equipment looks more like something out of a Frank Frazetta or Brom painting.

Hated
Easy Mode: The main thing that Wrath of the Lich King lacks is any sort of significant challenge. The progression to level 80 is far faster than it should be, with even casual players in my guild already at or quickly approaching level 80. The new dungeons are particularly simple, even compared to the easy beginning dungeons from The Burning Crusade. I blazed through several of them with pick-up groups the first evening of release with little or no problem at all. I know World of Warcraft isn't exactly famous for it's difficulty, but I would have expected a steeper climb.

Not For Noobins: There is absolutely no reason to buy Wrath of the Lich King if you are new to the World of Warcraft experience. You cannot create a Death Knight unless you already have a character who is level 55 or more, and all of the new content is geared towards players level 68 and above. Not a problem for veterans, but new players won't be missing out on anything should they give the expansion a pass for now.

The launch of a major expansion pack in an MMO always has its upsides and downsides, and Wrath of the Lich King is no different. It did flood Hellfire with hundreds of baby Death Knights looking for healers, fill the general chat channels were filled with players asking questions that could be easily answered by reading quest text, and there is some general bugginess in some of the new zones (hello, Zul'drak). Those few nagging issues are balanced by the excitement of discovering new things and the revitalization of guild dynamics as old players flock back to see what's going on. After nearly two years of getting to know everything there is to know about The Burning Crusade, it's good to feel like a total noob all over again, even if the feeling doesn't last very long.

Wrath of the Lich King does what an MMORPG expansion should, adding tons of new content and refreshing the sense of wonder that drew players to World of Warcraft in the first place.

Wrath of the Lich King was developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment, released in North America on Nov. 13 for Windows PC and MAC. Retails for $39.99. Spent countless hours playing through expansion content, leveling a Death Knight to 70 and Mage to 75. Participated in multiple dungeons under both guises. Completed far too many quests to mention. Earned achievement for killing turkeys.

On November 13, Blizzard released its much-awaited World of Warcraft expansion, Wrath of the Lich King. As stores all over the U.S. opened their doors at midnight, longer than anticipated lines of gamers formed to get their hands on it, some say eclipsing the lines at both the iPhone and PS3 midnight sales.

It’s been a couple of weeks since then, and so far seven new servers have been added to handle the influx of new players and returnees. Most of the end-game enthusiasts have already reached the new max level by now and are on their way to conquering the WotLK raiding instances. We hope than in the process of speeding ahead of the pack, they did not miss too much of the new content because as with all Blizzard offerings, this one is chockfull of that.

When WoW was first released in 2004, the sheer volume of engaging original content captivated not just the regular MMORPG gamer crowd, but their spouses and offspring and non-gamer friends as well, blowing the MMO market wide open in a totally unexpected way. In the succeeding years, as everyone else struggled to find new and meaningful ways to entertain these gamers, the Blizzard devs have apparently been going quietly about their business, actually creating those things. The stomping grounds being introduced in WotLK recapture much of that old WoW feeling of wonder at seeing new places and discovering things, and serve to prove that unique content – and plenty of it - is king.

One thing worth mentioning up front is that WotLK is an expansion aimed at those who have been playing the game for a while now. Whereas Burning Crusade, the first expansion released early last year, offered new starting races for beginning players or those who were willing to start over, this one offers WoW’s first hero class, the Death Knight, which can only be unlocked by players who have reached at least level 55.

This new expansion also raises the level cap to 80, allowing end-game players to enjoy ten more levels of questing in the new area, Northrend.

From Outland to Northrend

Unlike Burning Crusade’s Outland which was in another dimension totally off the map, Northrend is physically located north and center of the Azeroth map.

Players can get to it by taking the boat out of Menethil Harbor or Stormwind, or a zeppelin from Undercity or Orgrimmar. Anyone, regardless of level, can do this provided that they have WotLK installed and their accounts upgraded. But take heed - the mobs in the area are all in the high 60s and upwards, and quests are only available to level 68 characters and above. Players are given a choice to start adventuring from the westernmost zone (Borean Tundra) or the easternmost one (Howling Fjord).

Much of Northrend is icy and cold but both starting areas are thawed out hives of activity. Valgarde Keep in particular, is a scenic spot and the boat ride into the harbor is very reminiscent of a theme park ride. The fact that your initial encounter with the new world is a pleasant visual experience definitely helps make a good first impression. And it doesn’t end there either. The rest of the continent is a wintry mix of snow and ice with pockets of autumnal forests that make you wonder why everyone else scoffs at this game’s graphics. A pretty picture, no matter what brush or style it’s drawn in, is still a pretty picture.

Scenic ride into Valgarde Keep.
As any continent deserves a capital city, so does Northrend. In the lore, the domed city of Dalaran, previously resting impregnable except by the most desperate (or bored) exploiters in Alterac, has now been transported by the Kirin Tor mages dome and all, and is floating high above the Crystalsong Forest. Unlike the Outland capital of Shattrath, Dalaran is not so easily accessible. Players will need to complete an attunement quest to get in through the front door, available only at level 74 (71 if you’re a mage). Of course, others have found backdoor entrances and got in way before they were eligible for attunement.The city itself is a sight to behold - purple and blue domes and minarets jutting out into the sky with snow-capped mountains in the background. It’s like a page out of A Thousand and One Nights. Up close it’s more like Disneyland’s main street, with cobblestone-paved streets and vendors plying their merchandise.

Travel within Northrend has been spiced up with the introduction of new modes of transportation. It’s still pretty much travel by air and sea but you get to ride on an airplane, on a dragon’s back, and on a boat that’s powered by a turtle going after a bunch of carrots on a stick. Do turtles even eat carrots? Well they do in Azeroth.
Death Knight: The Lich King’s Minion Redeemed

The Death Knight starts his journey as a level 55 soldier in the lich king’s army. It’s pretty amazing how the developers managed to accomplish several things through his starting experience – introducing him to the rune system that governs his abilities, helping him allocate his talent points and acquire his fast steed, all the while weaving the story of how he came to be in that position and what it meant.

The story progression is quite seamless, too. As he starts out, the lich king is calling the shots from his floating fortress Ebon Hold, high above the town of Havenshire in Eastern Plaguelands. The town is controlled by the Scarlet Crusade and there are citizens fleeing in panic. After completing several quests, the scene changes and we find Havenshire in flames, the battleground having shifted to the next town, New Avalon. Finally, Arthas himself descends from his fortress and the Death Knight takes to the skies to mount an overhead attack on the crusaders. Eventually, he breaks free from the lich king’s command and joins the Alliance/Horde in their fight against Arthas. The switch from one scenario to the next is so smooth that it takes you by surprise the first time you experience it.


The Lich King commands his armies from Ebon Hold.
Although the story is conveyed rather well through this starting experience, I always felt that the Death Knight’s role in this is more of an observer than a participant, watching himself do all those evil things without really having a choice. While this is somewhat fitting since his mind is being controlled by the lich king throughout the scenario, his redemption in the end also comes as a result of someone else’s choice and not his own.As a class, Death Knights are meant to fill a damage-dealing or tanking role. Playing one effectively can take a bit of strategic thinking. Some of his abilities consume specific types of runes that have a cooldown period, while others consume runic power that’s built up as the rune-consuming abilities are used. This means that the Death Knight has to constantly balance his moves to make them more effective.

He also has very interesting abilities, some of which are dependent on talent point allocation. All Death Knights can summon ghouls to fight alongside them, but some can actually command these ghouls much like a hunter commands a pet. Others can freeze the water they tread on so their whole party can virtually walk on water – and even ride their mounts. It might be an understatement to say that the Death Knight is all-in-all, a rather interesting new class.

Kill Quests With A Twist

Perhaps the best feature being offered in WotLK – more than the pretty new areas to explore and the exciting new hero class – is the twist on most quests that makes them a tad more interesting to do than the mundane kill, collect or deliver quests.

For example, instead of telling you to kill 5 magmoth crushers, you are asked to test a special gun on them. Using the gun can have…well… sometimes unexpected results. In the end it’s still the same old kill quest, but the twist livens it up.

Other than the usual, several quests require you to use items or perform other actions to complete them. You get to control a robot construct, wear various disguises, dive for fish, set buildings on fire, surf on a flaming harpoon and much more.

Of course not all innovations are created equal. There are some, like the painstakingly slow bombardment from a zeppelin quest, that only those who like to suffer would ever want to do twice. And then there are the ubiquitous excrement collection quests. Yes it’s funny in a brown kind of way, but why must we collect so much dung in this game?

For the most part though, the new quests are fun and quite different from the same old formulas. Because of this, the story behind the quests become more meaningful as the player gets more involved in the plot, like actually collapsing a mine shaft to close down operations instead of just killing some baddies inside for example.


Quests are fun and innovative.
Another amazing thing that I can’t quite get over is how they made use of seamless instancing (or phasing) to change the environment. After the player completes certain major quests, a whole area changes for him. While this sort of multi-person instancing isn’t really new – I’ve seen it in both Guild Wars and Lord of the Rings Online – the way it’s implemented in WotLK is smoother. There are no loading screens and no warps – nothing to indicate that you have moved from the multi-person instance to the rest of the world or vice versa so the immersion factor is much higher.Flexible Raids For the Win

For those who enjoy beating down bosses in group and raid dungeons, WotLK introduces a number of these. What’s unique about them is that all raiding instances will be playable with either a 10-man or 25-man group. The encounters will play out similarly for both, but 25-man groups will get loot that’s one tier above that of the 10-man group. This allows those who do not have the time or means to join a large raiding guild to experience the content with a smaller group while at the same time rewarding the larger raiding group with better loot because of the greater difficulty.

While this has drawn the usual gripes about unfairness from both sides, we think it’s a step in the right direction towards making raiding content more accessible to the majority of players.

So What’s The Score?

When Burning Crusade came out last year, I was quite honestly disappointed by the high level content because it seemed to be more of the same stuff that WoW players had already been doing for two years. Sure there were new zones and new races, but the whole package tasted much like the same candy in a different wrapper, so to speak.

Wrath of the Lich King is different. Hard as it may seem, I think that in this second expansion, the WoW developers have managed to surpass themselves in creating MMO content that’s unique, innovative and very addictive.

My score: 9.5