Here we are: World of Warcraft. Whether you see it as the most successful Western MMO, or an elaborate Skinner Box designed to trap players with addictive personalities, there’s no denying its superlative craftsmanship compared to other entries in this genre. I suppose it helps when Blizzard’s monthly subscription intake is enough to fuel multiple AAA titles. With the impending release of its latest expansion, Cataclysm, we’ve decided to give it a rundown.
WoW is the continuation of the Warcraft storyline. When it launched, the game’s loose plot was based around the world after the events of Warcraft 3. The war had ended and though the Alliance and Horde were not actively fighting each other, tensions were high. You fought a lot of dragons and that was that. With the release of subsequent expansions, WoW’s storyline came more into the forefront: The Burning Crusade focused on defeating Illidan, who you’d remember from The Frozen Throne, and Wrath of the Lich King completed the story cycle of Arthas.
Cataclysm is the story of the return of Deathwing, who is certainly more fully realized than he was way back in Warcraft 2. You see, he decides it would be a good idea to blow up the world, and we, the players, have to deal with the repercussions. What a jerk.
So here’s what Cataclysm brings to the table:
New Playable Races:
- Goblins
- Worgen
New Features:
- A new secondary profession, Archaeology
- The Mastery system
- Guild Advancement
- Rated Battlegrounds
- The ability to use flying mounts in Azeroth
- New race/class combinations
In addition to the bullet points, the entire Classic WoW experience has been turned on its head. Quests were redone, entire zones were rebuilt, new storylines were added, and two of the capital cities (Orgrimmar and Stormwind) have been changed, thanks to our pal Deathwing’s temper tantrum.