  "World of Warcraft: Cataclysm." (HO) |
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm
PC, Mac
Activision Blizzard
Rating: Teen
Score: 5 (out of 5)
For World of Warcraft's 12 million players, the fictional world of Azeroth is not just a fantasy land for their characters to explore and do battle in - it's a virtual home in which they've spent hundreds of hours of their lives.
With Cataclysm, the latest expansion to the world's most popular massively multiplayer online game, that home is getting torn asunder.
For the uninitiated, World of Warcraft is an incredibly large-scale role-playing game in which players take up arms as part of either the Alliance or the Horde, two factions that have been warring for centuries for control of Azeroth. As players gain experience and become more powerful, they interact with the millions of other live players as companions or as enemies.
What's always made World of Warcraft stand out in the volatile MMO market is the stability of its world and the depth of its lore. All of that is changing with Cataclysm as Deathwing, a colossal demonic dragon, has risen from deep within the earth and destroyed much of the landscape in the process. The geography veteran players have come to know over the past six years has literally been reshaped.
This colossal redesign has given developer Blizzard the chance to update some of its oldest content, bringing a much more modern feel to the game's earliest segments. Where many players would get frustrated with boring quests about collecting wolf pelts or delivering messages, they can now enjoy far more involved and cinematic experiences right from the start.
Players no longer have to endure 60 levels (about 125 hours of playtime) just to get to the "good stuff" because the design sensibilities adopted over the last two expansions have been implemented for all players to enjoy, regardless of status. This means that for new players the game is a lot easier to play, and more importantly a lot more enjoyable.
For longtime players, the transformation is bittersweet. The redesign has enabled many new features, such as flying mounts in every part of the game world, but it comes at the cost of seeing recognizable places irreversibly altered.
The benefit greatly outweighs the price, but for sentimental players it can feel like Deathwing has vandalized their hometown. Still, veteran players will want to get Cataclysm for the ability to raise their characters to level 85 and explore the new high-level areas, such as the underwater city Vashj'ir or the uncharted desert of Uldum.
They'll also have an opportunity to start fresh and tackle the new content as one of two brand new races. As a green and greedy Goblin, players will experience the exodus from their island home in the wake of Deathwing's destruction before joining the Horde. Meanwhile, Worgen characters come to terms with their newfound lycanthropy as they transform into werewolves and battle the undead as part of the Alliance.
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm adds a ton of new content to a game already brimming with things to see and do. With the massive changes sweeping the game in this update, there are plenty of good reasons to hop on and start a brand new character.
Bottom Line
New players will enjoy a streamlined experience, while experts will have fun beginning a new adventure in the transformed world of Azeroth.
