jeffcraven.com: Ding

Friday - December 5, 2008

Ding

Three weeks after buying the new expansion pack for WoW, Wrath of the Lich King, I've hit level 80 with Norlina. I still have a ton of content to see, though.

So far, I think this expansion pack is far better than The Burning Crusade. The starting zone for the new Death Knight "Hero" class is very impressive, but I just wish it lasted a little longer. As part of that experience, you see a new technology Blizzard calls phasing. Basically, as you progress through the story line the world changes around you. The game world may look differently to other players depending on where they sit in the story. You get to see it quite a few times in Northrend too, and it's done impressively each time.

The other major improvement in this expansion, is the fact you are frequently engaged into the main lore of the game. You see the Lich King and various other major figures very early in your journey. In the previous expansion, I never interacted with Illidan because he was hanging out in the hardest dungeon of the game at the time. I think that helps immerse you in the story.

Finally, the graphics have made a pretty big jump in quality. Some of the new character models are very advanced, along with some very impressive dynamic shadows and lighting. I actually did a little upgrading to my PC, and still can't run @ the highest settings across the board. I'll post some screenshots soon.

Overall, I give it a 9/10.

Posted by jcraven at December 5, 2008 4:39 PM