World of Warcraft: Cataclysm Review

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The third, highly anticipated expansion for the most played MMORPG in the world has finally arrived and it makes sense to get back into the world of Warcraft?

And finally here we are. The long awaited moment has come, and for players of World of Warcraft Cataclysm it is a new era.

It’s been years since the release of World of Warcraft, taking the world by storm with its revolutionizing and addicting MMORPG structure. Blizzard retains a reputation for its differentiating approach to expansions when compared to other developers. WOW players have had to wait years in order to receive this new fully fledged expansion pack. This has created quite a bit of tension for the community as limited expansions means more expectations. There’s no doubting the controversies that lay upon these packs, and Cataclysm is only hoarding our hopes. The demand has been high, the anticipations boundless, and with both the Burning Crusade and the Wrath of the Lich King being fantastic additions to the core game, has Blizzard succeeded in living up to the hype?

The answer is yes! There’s some kind of intangible quality that is retained all throughout Cataclysm that doesn’t seem to appear to us in other MMO’s. When the expansion released just yesterday, the excitement boiling up in everyone’s veins were boundless. There’s no doubting why, seeing how Cataclysm gives us what we would all expect from an expansion; offering two new races, new zones, a new level cap, new spells, new dungeons, new raids, new quests, the ability to flying in Azeroth, new guild additions, and so much more. I entered with extremely high expectations and I’ve come away very satisfied and delightfully surprised with all of these incredible improvements.

The two new races are great additions to the game. The Alliance was given the ferocious Worgen and horde, the abnormally short Goblin. Both of these races are given two new starting zones to introduce them to the world. Each of these areas is different and exceptionally original in their own unique way. We could describe the Goblin area as a very tech orientated one. Goblins being the “oh so intelligent” race with all that kaja’mite, have invented these wonderful contraptions that are used all around the starting area. The new Goblin highways and mount inventions are wonderful to ride and toy around with. They’re beneficial to your game, so it’s great to see a further use for them rather than just for fun or for forced tasks. The Worgen area is much more gloomy and depressing. It’s a nice twist to see areas go from happy and colorful, to dark and sad. It helps add dimension to our feelings. I felt that it pulled me in more to see something highly relatable to the races in their own environments. It’s also great to learn about the Worgens and Goblins as you begin leveling up. It should be noted that both of these places offer some great cinematic quests to experience. Blizzard has really learned how to create storyline in their tasks. They actually make you feel like you want to complete them rather than having to producing a much more polished starting experience.

The most notable change to WOW is the obvious Cataclysm. Azeroth is a totally different place now, with known areas changed and transformed due to the havoc unleashed upon them by Deathwing. The detail here is fantastic and it’s really great to see areas we have already explored with a completely new change. I’ve had moments where I would just stop what I was doing and take a flight to Stranglethorn to witness the new whirlpool just outside of Fort Livingston or the new entrance to Stormwind. It’s very sad to think about all the new World of Warcraft players that never got to experience what the original world was like before the Cataclysm. It really makes you cherish your original memories preceding the upheaval.

There’s of course a new level cap. All the maxed 80 players would be pleased to hear that there are now 5 new levels to reach with new spells to add to your spell book. All this along with new weapons, tiers, and armor to add to your collection and increase your total days played. It’s disappointing thought that the level cap didn’t raise up 10 levels like all the previous expansions. It feels like it decreases our value. But of course, this is just a small thought to mask our primary emotions. There is so much content in Cataclysm it’s insane. This will be lasting diehard WOW player a very, very long time.

New graphical effects and areas are also fantastic to look at. Of course, there’s the new Azeroth skin, but locations like Deepholm and Vashj’ir are truly great sights to see. The amount of detail Blizzard has managed to achieve here is exceptional. I must have found myself starring at all of the nature existing in the depths of Vashj’ir a good thousand times. This is all improved upon by the incredible new water and lighting effects. Go ahead, log in right now if you haven’t already, and experience the very realistic looking water. Step in and notice the dribbles, the waves, the reflections, everything. It’s great to see these truly realistic additions. Not only this, but the new ray effects are also very realistic. Fly your mount in the direction of the sun and you’ll see small rays peer off of your character. I’ve hardly even seen these in console games, so it’s incredible to see them in an MMO. These small additions have made the game a much more immersive, engrossing world that we’re welcoming with open arms.

It really is great to see that Blizzard is taking into consideration the demands of the community. With all these new additions, World of Warcraft players will not be disappointed. Returning back to the world has never felt so good, and I have a strong feeling that we’re all going to be sucked back in for a long time to come. Say goodbye to your girlfriend, your family, your friends, and your social life. The dominant MMORPG is back and better than ever.

The third, highly anticipated expansion for the most played MMORPG in the world has finally arrived and it makes sense to get back into the world of Warcraft.

And finally here we are. The long awaited moment has come, Blizzard has pressed one of its magic buttons and suddenly, at midnight on December 7, 2010, for players of World of Warcraft, it is a new era! In truth, the real beginning was last Nov. 24, when clients around the world hit the 4.0.3a patch, changing the game world on a permanent basis through the narrative device of the cataclysm that is also the title of this expansion.

World of Warcraft is an integral part of gaming history since its debut in 2004 and with six years and two expansions on the shoulders, has literally seen it all and more. Sometimes feeling sluggish in the gameplay, but leaning against a team of developers with volcanic ingenuity, to say the least, World of Warcraft has once again captured the attention of the media with a real rewrite of itself. The third expansion, which was officially announced during the BlizzCon 2009, has been transformed before our eyes for months, and between the delays, changes and advancements, has come into our homes in a form that may be a little different from our initial expectations, but no less attractive and ambitious.

The question now is: what else is there to tell?

There are so many stories to tell, in reality, and the narrative point of view Cataclysm takes is a real tribute to those who follow the dawn of Warcraft. From that Orcs & Humans in 1994 that began the saga, everything revolves around the return of Deathwing, and a catastrophic event that triggered a series of branching consequences for the planet Azeroth. The cataclysm, in fact, not only led to an evolution in the geographic setup, but also cracked the delicate balance of power and the already tumultuous relationship between Horde and Alliance factions. In the past, the main storyline of each expansion may have been criticized for being less clear, but this does not occur with Cataclysm: each and every NPC along the quests constantly remind us of the seriousness of the situation, the depth of the destruction caused by the disaster and the fundamental importance every action, even the most insignificant, can have on the course of events. The cycles of crossing each new area of this proposed expansion follows the now-traditional game design at Blizzard, leading the player seamlessly from one premise to conduct a crescendo of situations. Cataclysm is the culmination of a media universe that over the years has expanded like wildfire through novels and comics, on occasions of this all-out war on multiple fronts, Blizzard has rescued many people who were more or less important in the formation of the franchise, as Malfurion Stormrage or Cho’gall ogre.

Nearly every quest in Cataclysm exudes epic importance, whether it is supplying ammunition to the soldiers for instance in the invasion or rejecting Vash’jir elemental Mount Hyjal: The player has an incentive to take part in the struggle not only by the promise of rewards and experience points, but also, and above all, the feeling of being part of a larger story, beautifully told through witty dialogue, unique narrative tricks and an amazing orchestral soundtrack. The phasing system is almost abused in this expansion to create situations decidedly original and ever-changing: the world is changing before our eyes, and because of our actions, the increase in the feeling of immersion is essential in this kind of adventure. Cataclysm cut-scene movies do not need to be told, you just need a bit of identification and a good knowledge of English to appreciate the many twists that make this world more alive.

Collector’s Edition

As with previous expansions, Cataclysm is also sold in two editions: Standard and Collector’s Edition (which to tell the truth is the brand-new version for digital download). The quality of the Collector’s Edition is definitely worth a dedicated box. In fact, the type of content is exactly the same proposal in the corresponding editions of The Burning Crusade and Wrath of the Lich King.

A large cardboard box with just the game logo embossed hides a padded case in which we find, first of all, the DVD software and an extra DVD featuring a series of discussions on the development of the expansion; full of interviews, commentary and unreleased films. The third disc, a CD in the traditional square box contains the soundtrack of Cataclysm and several tracks already integrated into the game with the patch 4.0.3a for a total of seventeen tracks. The most valuable element of the package is certainly the illustrated book, bound and full color, which serves about 180 pages of artwork, sketches, drafts and unpublished images through which shows the evolution of the development of Cataclysm. Another gadget is the exclusive mouse pad depicting Deathwing himself in the foreground. For fans of the official card game; the Collector’s Edition also offers a deck of 60 cards from Wrathgate, the recent series, which includes two unpublished special cards depicting Worgen and Goblin. The complete package comes with a virtual gift: register your copy of Collector’s Edition and each character tied to the account will receive, by in-game mail, an exclusive companion pet: Lil Deathwing. While Blizzard does not stand out for originality in relation to the contents of its Collector’s Edition, there is no question, however, their quality, starting from the materials used, and that of Cataclysm is definitely a valuable piece.

Worgen and Goblin

For new players, or veterans looking for new challenges and situations, World of Warcraft: Cataclysm opens the doors of two new introductory areas related to many unusual breeds that can be selected after you install the software: Worgen and Goblin. The last time there was an addition such as this, things did not go completely in the right direction: Blizzard has declared itself satisfied with little integrations of Draenei and Blood Elf in the mythology of Warcraft with the expansion of The Burning Crusade.

But what about Worgen and Goblin you ask? It’s a different kettle of fish. The two new races, which start respectively from Kezan Gilneas and have previously had a narrative construction of a certain thickness and their annexation to Alliance and Horde seem obvious and natural in the light of their past and the events caused by Cataclysm. Players are immersed in the history of these races through long cycles of quests, through phasing and cut-scenes, leading straight to the new departure points, which integrating players into the world of Azeroth in an organic and natural way. Just as they did initially with the Death Knight in Wrath of the Lich King, to whom they are a perfect evolution. On a more practical level, the two new races are beautiful: the ferocity of the Worgen is in conflict with the kingship of Alliance members, a contrast that reflects the funny nell’annessione Goblin Horde, for which mimic madness and sympathy compares to the ingenious of the gnomes. The new races have characteristic features that differentiate them from the other ten selectable races, mostly in the form of racial skills or ability of mounts (in the case of Worgen it’s actually a real race on all fours), but also placed in the care of animations which is much higher than that of the pre-Cataclysm races, whom appear to be a bit more antiquated as polygonal modeling, texture and detail.

Towards the 85

Obviously not a real expansion without a new level-cap and unpublished areas to explore in order to achieve the max level; Breaking the tradition of the ten additional levels, the new level cap that is introduced by Cataclysm is 85: in reality, the five new levels originally would have had to weave with a new system of growth named Path of Titans, but was then discarded in favor of more traditional mechanic that rewarded the player with three new skills or spells per class and more talent points to place.

Five is the perfect number?

The fact is that there are only five new levels, however, you must not think of a lack of content or less intense experience: the new high-level areas are vast and overflowing with this, the variety of missions that become available are greatly over the top and the sophisticated design breaks the monotony of the typical fetch-quest to collect is present as usual but always well disguised. The new locations each have precise narrative plots, particularly linked to the return of the destroyer and the invasion of the elementals. The size of each location are such as to accommodate multiple geographical variations, making each room a carousel of situations, color and atmosphere, always consistent and inspiring. As usual, the quotes are not wasted film, literary and gaming, which always manage to tear a smile, thanks to the ability of the developers to calibrate in unique and perfect consistency. Technically, the artwork is masterful: it is there that World of Warcraft shows an artistic direction to compensate for the amazing three-dimensional outdated engine. Thanks to the refinement of 3D modeling and colors that never dull, we find ourselves faced with breathtaking views and landscapes, whether they are the temples of underwater Vashj’ir, devastated by the wind or the dunes of Uldum. Reaching 85 is unique and exciting for everyone. The difficulty of the quest is calibrated to perfection and really suits all players, even those who prefer to play alone. For more multiplayer oriented players there are still the dungeons and raids.

Dungeon & Raid

One of the predominant features in World of Warcraft comeback in Cataclysm with a starter pack of instances and dungeons nothing short of superlative. The work on this aspect of the MMORPG has been very commendable, able to reconcile the fans of the game on one of the most discussed and criticized aspects in recent years: the difficulty. Cataclysm is released with seven previously unreleased dungeons, which are added to the seven changed dungeons in Heroic mode and versions of Heroic Deadmines and Shadowfang Keep. Abandoned too linear structure of The Burning Crusade, the design of the various dungeons remind of what Wrath of the Lich King achieved with environments that are not particularly large but sufficiently intricate and require a fair amount of skill to defeat the various enemies, and above all, the many bosses, each with, as usual, special skills that require specific offensive strategies.

The normal dungeon can appear quite simple, but hardcore players fear not! Blizzard has definitely listened to the criticisms of the low difficulties of Heroic dungeons in Wrath of the Lich King, making those in Cataclysm more than a simple variant with a challenge in calibration mode that is more severe than the previous expansion, but less frustrating than what happened in The Burning Crusade. The result is nearly perfect: the Heroic dungeons require timing, precise crowd-control and good teamwork. Not surprisingly, Blizzard has also disproved the old saying “epic for all.” The items of epic quality are now the prerogative of any raid above 10 or 25 players. The three raids launched by Cataclysm have already created a natural evolution of the mechanics in Wrath of the Lich King where communication is everything, accuracy is essential and the execution is what really matters. The endgame PvE Cataclysm is configured in short as a further evolution of the philosophy of World of Warcraft, which guarantees each player challenges, and rewards, of proper value.

PvP Today

World of Warcraft is not just a PvE game, especially since the PvP Arena has become a sort of virtual sport with tons of prizes. World of Warcraft PvP is also far from flawless, subject to change, and continuous change also triggered by the constant changes to the game system and mathematics on which each skill or magic is based. It’s therefore a bit too early to assess the evolution of Cataclysm in PvP since the real test, the Arena, will not be judged until a few weeks of running the server and it is important to note the impact that the new values of the statistics, in particular the increased health, will have on the interaction between players. With that said, Cataclysm also introduces three new scenarios in the form of two new PvP Battleground, and a disputed region. In the first case, we are faced with two variants of the old Warsong Gulch and Arathi Basin. Twin Peaks and Battle for Gilneas, respectively, offer the race to win the flag or resources which will compete in up to ten players per team, mixing some features of its predecessors.
The two new Battlegrounds are definitely fun and different, enhanced by truly inspired asymmetrical maps, and allows for fans of fast games to break the monotony of the past years of PvP environments and tactics to learn from scratch. Tol Barad is now the new Wintergrasp for high level players as in the case of the area added to Wrath of the Lich King. Also Tol Barad runs every two hours and focuses on the conflict between the Horde and Alliance. The battle is 30 minutes long in which you will have to defend or achieve some strategic points to maintain control over the territory. The winning side will then have access not only to a temporary raid-boss, but also a quest-hub of considerable size, reminiscent of the Isle of Quel’Danas introduced towards the end of The Burning Crusade. Tol Barad is much better than Wintergrasp in both environmental quality and variety of situations, but its implementation depends, as usual, from the server where you play and, above all, the balance between the two factions of the population, which can make an epic battle or a complete bore.

All are a bit Indy

Players that were a fan of the archaeologist played by Harrison Ford will be happy, as the players will remember they had the opportunity to solve the quests related to the NPC Harrison Jones, which has been raging in World of Warcraft for several years. Despite being an integral part of the repressed Path of Titans, the profession was finally held in Cataclysm: Archaeology, becoming a secondary profession like First Aid or Cooking. In fact, Archaeology is a mini game more than a profession, a rarity especially addressed to lovers of lore. The mechanism is quite simple and essentially Archaeology can triangulate the location of hidden treasure in some parts of the world.

Although you can also find rare and precious pieces of equipment, objects that are recoverable with Archaeology, especially in the wake of a collectible companion pet or tabard, the profession itself, in fact, has no practical value. On the other hand, Cataclysm players will be able to expand their skills in crafting to a new skill-cap, acquiring the ability to produce items, weapons, armor and other goodies such as gems or charms that are completely new. And here we are, therefore, to be a leader, to strengthen our characters, to calculate which object is best for us and which dungeon to repeat in hopes of collecting a new weapon to use in PvP or maybe to get some more points for Guild experience, a new feature that rewards the efforts of a group with real rewards and perks that are common to all members. Cataclysm in short, does not betray the expectations of the players of World of Warcraft, offering a wide range of content that does not in any way alter the structure and philosophy, now cemented at the base of the game. If this is good or bad it’s an opinion that it is absolutely individual to each player, old or new, but from the point of view of content, Blizzard MMORPG fans are not left much room to complain about this third, very good expansion.
The care put into the creation of this third expansion is nothing short of manic and the amount of content that suggests a rosy future for the portfolios of Blizzard employees. That said, World of Warcraft: Cataclysm is a “more of the same” excellent, but still giving diversity in game play. Players do not expect conceptual revolutions or completely new ways to play: Never change a winning team and Blizzard is well aware, a nod to all users, from casual to hardcore, offering content for all without going too far from the beaten path for years. But what about the performance, there is little to say: Cataclysm is the exact reason why World of Warcraft has ten million accounts and other MMORPG‘s do not.

This review has been translated from multiplayer, and that may not be well structured, but that will help you learn more about it.