Your ultimate game resource on the web


World of Warcraft review

Though massively multiplayer onlinereference manual that goes into specific
role-playing games have been around fordetail about most of the various aspects
years, it has taken this long for theof play. It's also important to point
genre's breakthrough hit to finallyout that World of Warcraft runs fast and
emerge. Here is the online role-playingsmooth. You can go from your desktop to
game you should play, no matter who youbeing in-game in just seconds, and it's
are. This is because World of Warcraftvirtually just one great, big, seamless
brings out all the best aspects of thisworld. Loading times are as rare as they
style of gaming, if not many of the bestare brief. They only crop up when
aspects of gaming in general. It alsotraveling across the game's enormous
features many of the specificcontinents or entering some specific
characteristics that have made Blizzardhigher-level zones that are instanced
Entertainment's previous games sofor each player group, which guarantees
entertaining, memorable, long-lasting,you a fresh challenge.
and successful. Of course, the company'sSo World of Warcraft is painless to get
past track record did not guarantee thatinto--with the possible exception of you
World of Warcraft could have turned outneeding a credit card or prepaid game
this well. Such high quality simplycard to create an account, as well as
cannot be expected, nor should it beinitially deciding on which sort of
missed.character to play, since so many of the
In World of Warcraft, you create youroptions seem like they could be
alter ego by choosing from a variety ofinteresting. And it turns out they are.
colorful races and powerful classes, andSo why not try them all? The game lets
then you begin exploring, questing, andyou create multiple characters on the
battling in Azeroth, the fantasy settingdozens of different available "realms,"
featured in Blizzard's Warcrafteach of which is a unique instance of
real-time strategy games. Fans of thosethe gameworld that is capable of hosting
games (especially Warcraft III and itsthousands of simultaneous players. Some
expansion pack) will spot tons ofof the realms cater to role-playing fans
references here, and they will bethat prefer to play in character the
impressed at how faithfully World ofwhole time, while other realms are
Warcraft translates so many ofcustom-tailored for player-versus-player
Warcraft's little details and even someaction. Regardless, World of Warcraft's
of the finer points of its gameplay intorealms are nicely (if not densely)
such a seemingly different style ofpopulated already, and the unfortunate
game. Meanwhile, fans of other onlineissues with login and lag that plagued
role-playing games will be impressed atthe game when it first launched were
the sheer breadth and volume of contentmostly taken care of in a matter of
on display in World of Warcraft, whosedays. The game just has a solid feel to
setting seamlessly connects a bunch ofit that's uncharacteristic of the genre,
wildly different-looking types of placesand for an online RPG, World of Warcraft
and somehow makes them appear as if theyis surprisingly responsive. Actually, no
all belong as parts of a whole.qualifications are necessary: World of
World of Warcraft is superficiallyWarcraft boasts the tight control and
similar to numerous other games thatpolished presentation that's desirable
came before it, and it clearly drawsin any kind of game.
inspiration from some of them. TheThe imaginative world of Azeroth is
fundamentals are all here, such asalready teeming with players.
fighting dangerous creatures (optionallyAfter countless hours spent playing, the
including other players), exploring thegreat first impression doesn't wear off.
countryside either alone or in theThis style of gaming is notorious for
company of other players, undertakingbeing a time sink and for effectively
various quests, gaining experienceforcing players to engage in repetitive,
levels and new abilities, and acquiringmonotonous gameplay for hours on end in
powerful items. However, directlyorder to make progress. But in contrast,
comparing World of Warcraft with any ofWorld of Warcraft will keep throwing
its predecessors would be almost likevariety at you, and the combat system at
pitting a professional sports clubthe heart of it features fast, visceral,
against a school team. With all dueaction-packed battles that are fun and
respect to the other online role-playingintense, whether you're fighting alone
games out there, World of Warcraft is inor in a group. Furthermore, World of
a league of its own. The game clearlyWarcraft finally achieves that
benefits from not being the first of itslong-sought-after goal of many massively
kind, as the design issues that plaguedmultiplayer games, which is to make the
previous online role-playing games areplayer feel rewarded regardless of how
handled extremely well in World ofmuch time he or she invests in a single
Warcraft. In addition, the game's ownsitting.
subtle innovations turn out to have aThis is due to several key reasons. For
dramatic impact on the flow of theone, World of Warcraft has a nice, brisk
action from minute to minute, hour topace to it, and the fast-loading,
hour, day to day, and beyond. So theseamless world obviously has a lot to do
particulars of the game's design--alongwith this. But, in addition, recovery
with its incredibly vast, beautiful,times between battles are minimal, as
majestic world--translate into aeven those characters without healing
one-of-a-kind experience that seemsspells can still easily recover from
fresh and original in its own right.their wounds by using bandages, eating a
Fortunately, the game is veryquick meal, or just from natural
approachable. World of Warcraft is ahealing. The battles themselves are
complex game whose complexity isquick, too, and they scale nicely so
carefully disguised by a simple, highlythat higher-level encounters don't just
legible, uncluttered interface and anseem to drag on. Yet the pacing of the
impressive 3D graphics engine, whichcombat seems to strike a perfect
delivers high performance on a widebalance, because it's not so hectic that
range of systems while not skimping onthose unaccustomed to fast-paced action
pure flash. The game's interface is sogames will feel overwhelmed. You can
slick and easy to learn and understand,also look forward to facing some fairly
and the gameplay itself is so quicklyintelligent foes that will do such
intuitive, that there isn't even athings as flee when injured, tag-team
tutorial to wade through; there are justwith their comrades, and use some
some helpful, optional pop-up tool tips,dastardly special abilities against you.
as well as an excellent printed



1 A B C D E F G H 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159