| Though massively multiplayer online | | | | reference manual that goes into specific |
| role-playing games have been around for | | | | detail about most of the various aspects |
| years, it has taken this long for the | | | | of play. It's also important to point |
| genre's breakthrough hit to finally | | | | out that World of Warcraft runs fast and |
| emerge. Here is the online role-playing | | | | smooth. You can go from your desktop to |
| game you should play, no matter who you | | | | being in-game in just seconds, and it's |
| are. This is because World of Warcraft | | | | virtually just one great, big, seamless |
| brings out all the best aspects of this | | | | world. Loading times are as rare as they |
| style of gaming, if not many of the best | | | | are brief. They only crop up when |
| aspects of gaming in general. It also | | | | traveling across the game's enormous |
| features many of the specific | | | | continents or entering some specific |
| characteristics that have made Blizzard | | | | higher-level zones that are instanced |
| Entertainment's previous games so | | | | for each player group, which guarantees |
| entertaining, memorable, long-lasting, | | | | you a fresh challenge. |
| and successful. Of course, the company's | | | | So World of Warcraft is painless to get |
| past track record did not guarantee that | | | | into--with the possible exception of you |
| World of Warcraft could have turned out | | | | needing a credit card or prepaid game |
| this well. Such high quality simply | | | | card to create an account, as well as |
| cannot be expected, nor should it be | | | | initially deciding on which sort of |
| missed. | | | | character to play, since so many of the |
| In World of Warcraft, you create your | | | | options seem like they could be |
| alter ego by choosing from a variety of | | | | interesting. And it turns out they are. |
| colorful races and powerful classes, and | | | | So why not try them all? The game lets |
| then you begin exploring, questing, and | | | | you create multiple characters on the |
| battling in Azeroth, the fantasy setting | | | | dozens of different available "realms," |
| featured in Blizzard's Warcraft | | | | each of which is a unique instance of |
| real-time strategy games. Fans of those | | | | the gameworld that is capable of hosting |
| games (especially Warcraft III and its | | | | thousands of simultaneous players. Some |
| expansion pack) will spot tons of | | | | of the realms cater to role-playing fans |
| references here, and they will be | | | | that prefer to play in character the |
| impressed at how faithfully World of | | | | whole time, while other realms are |
| Warcraft translates so many of | | | | custom-tailored for player-versus-player |
| Warcraft's little details and even some | | | | action. Regardless, World of Warcraft's |
| of the finer points of its gameplay into | | | | realms are nicely (if not densely) |
| such a seemingly different style of | | | | populated already, and the unfortunate |
| game. Meanwhile, fans of other online | | | | issues with login and lag that plagued |
| role-playing games will be impressed at | | | | the game when it first launched were |
| the sheer breadth and volume of content | | | | mostly taken care of in a matter of |
| on display in World of Warcraft, whose | | | | days. The game just has a solid feel to |
| setting seamlessly connects a bunch of | | | | it that's uncharacteristic of the genre, |
| wildly different-looking types of places | | | | and for an online RPG, World of Warcraft |
| and somehow makes them appear as if they | | | | is surprisingly responsive. Actually, no |
| all belong as parts of a whole. | | | | qualifications are necessary: World of |
| World of Warcraft is superficially | | | | Warcraft boasts the tight control and |
| similar to numerous other games that | | | | polished presentation that's desirable |
| came before it, and it clearly draws | | | | in any kind of game. |
| inspiration from some of them. The | | | | The imaginative world of Azeroth is |
| fundamentals are all here, such as | | | | already teeming with players. |
| fighting dangerous creatures (optionally | | | | After countless hours spent playing, the |
| including other players), exploring the | | | | great first impression doesn't wear off. |
| countryside either alone or in the | | | | This style of gaming is notorious for |
| company of other players, undertaking | | | | being a time sink and for effectively |
| various quests, gaining experience | | | | forcing players to engage in repetitive, |
| levels and new abilities, and acquiring | | | | monotonous gameplay for hours on end in |
| powerful items. However, directly | | | | order to make progress. But in contrast, |
| comparing World of Warcraft with any of | | | | World of Warcraft will keep throwing |
| its predecessors would be almost like | | | | variety at you, and the combat system at |
| pitting a professional sports club | | | | the heart of it features fast, visceral, |
| against a school team. With all due | | | | action-packed battles that are fun and |
| respect to the other online role-playing | | | | intense, whether you're fighting alone |
| games out there, World of Warcraft is in | | | | or in a group. Furthermore, World of |
| a league of its own. The game clearly | | | | Warcraft finally achieves that |
| benefits from not being the first of its | | | | long-sought-after goal of many massively |
| kind, as the design issues that plagued | | | | multiplayer games, which is to make the |
| previous online role-playing games are | | | | player feel rewarded regardless of how |
| handled extremely well in World of | | | | much time he or she invests in a single |
| Warcraft. In addition, the game's own | | | | sitting. |
| subtle innovations turn out to have a | | | | This is due to several key reasons. For |
| dramatic impact on the flow of the | | | | one, World of Warcraft has a nice, brisk |
| action from minute to minute, hour to | | | | pace to it, and the fast-loading, |
| hour, day to day, and beyond. So the | | | | seamless world obviously has a lot to do |
| particulars of the game's design--along | | | | with this. But, in addition, recovery |
| with its incredibly vast, beautiful, | | | | times between battles are minimal, as |
| majestic world--translate into a | | | | even those characters without healing |
| one-of-a-kind experience that seems | | | | spells can still easily recover from |
| fresh and original in its own right. | | | | their wounds by using bandages, eating a |
| Fortunately, the game is very | | | | quick meal, or just from natural |
| approachable. World of Warcraft is a | | | | healing. The battles themselves are |
| complex game whose complexity is | | | | quick, too, and they scale nicely so |
| carefully disguised by a simple, highly | | | | that higher-level encounters don't just |
| legible, uncluttered interface and an | | | | seem to drag on. Yet the pacing of the |
| impressive 3D graphics engine, which | | | | combat seems to strike a perfect |
| delivers high performance on a wide | | | | balance, because it's not so hectic that |
| range of systems while not skimping on | | | | those unaccustomed to fast-paced action |
| pure flash. The game's interface is so | | | | games 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 quickly | | | | intelligent foes that will do such |
| intuitive, that there isn't even a | | | | things as flee when injured, tag-team |
| tutorial to wade through; there are just | | | | with their comrades, and use some |
| some helpful, optional pop-up tool tips, | | | | dastardly special abilities against you. |
| as well as an excellent printed | | | | |