World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King Review

By Oli Welsh Published 17 November, 2008

Going North.

Few games have been as exhaustively detailed ahead of their release as second World of Warcraft expansion, Wrath of the Lich King. After Blizzard failed to plug the leaks from early testing, it resigned itself to the inevitable and lifted any and all non-disclosure restrictions from the public beta test. The insatiable hunger for information of 11 million fans was just too great a force to resist, even for a company as powerful and protective as Blizzard.

The result was a tidal-wave of detail on wikis, databases, fansites and forums across the internet. Even the five hands-on previews we've published in the last seven months barely scratch the surface. The voracious WOW fanbase seems to have chewed up and spat out this expansion, two years in the making, before Blizzard has had a chance to serve it.

So how come it feels so new?

It really ought not to. This is essentially a four-year-old game, after all, as ubiquitous and familiar and over-exposed as they come in the live-fast, die-young world of videogames. And on the surface, Wrath of the Lich King doesn't seem to be the most adventurous expansion. Compare it to Lord of the Rings Online's Mines of Moria, out this week; it's taken Blizzard twice as long to serve up the same number of levels, half as many new classes, and answer Turbine's game-changing Legendary item system with one percentage-playing profession, Inscription. Oh, and the ability to get haircuts. There's Achievements of course - but LOTRO already had those.

'World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King' Screenshot 5

The Tuskarr race are the most lovable new faction.

Wrath of the Lich King ought to be stale - but it inspires wonder. It ought to feel dated - but it makes WOW's newest rivals look clumsy. It ought to seem derivative and formulaic, one step behind the curve - instead, it takes the bar WOW set for quality in MMOs and casually lifts it far out of reach.

Blizzard hasn't repeated the excitable, haphazard and slightly barmy revisionism of first expansion The Burning Crusade. Instead, it has brought to bear every ounce of its legendary perfectionism, craftsmanship and attention to detail. It has made the world's best MMO better, and - here's the remarkable thing - it has done so in a way that works for almost everybody, in almost every situation.

The character classes might be the best example of that. The original nine were always one of WOW's strongest suits. They weren't just great MMO class design, they were some of the best RPG class designs ever: flexible, powerful, clearly defined, conceptually strong, they bounced off each other well and (for the most part) scaled from solo to large group play effortlessly. A few weak or over-specialised character builds here and there, a few useless skills, a few periods in the doldrums for certain classes; it was ever thus in MMOs, to be expected, and a small price to pay for such an excellent line-up.

'World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King' Screenshot 3

For the most part it's pure high fantasy, but Blizzard indulges its love of steampunk and sci-fi with the Titans.

But it turns out Blizzard thought that price was too high, and its designers have enjoyed a miraculous moment of clarity in Lich King. Restrictions have been shrugged off left, right and centre. Sensational new utility has been added across the board, from fundamental reworkings of the most basic early-level skills to the new top-tier talents and level 70 to 80 skills. Every class, and virtually every build of every class, has been sharpened, empowered and granted one or two logic-defying super-abilities that seem to defy all sense and balance (but don't, naturally).

The most single-minded and dry designs - Protection-spec Warriors, for example - have overnight been granted the same colourful and gratifying exuberance as everyone else. Every class is more fun to play now than it was before, and that's even before you start levelling. It's an amazing, improbable achievement, and it may never be repeated, so enjoy it while you can.

Alongside the classic classes stands the Death Knight. It's a testament to the strength of that line-up that Blizzard has only dared make one addition in four years, and the first Hero Class doesn't let the side down. This heavily-armoured undead warrior is perhaps Blizzard's strangest hybrid yet - magical damage through melee attacks, summoned creatures, and a complex resource system that attempts to combine strategic interplay of skills with a more rhythmic build-and-release style of play. It has no right to work. It does, serving up depth with a side-order of cackling satisfaction. Admittedly, it's something of a loose cannon at the moment, but it will find its place.

Everyone should play a Death Knight, if only for two levels. Those two levels would take you through the introduction to the class, a bravura piece of showmanship, storytelling, and gratifying, villainous excess. It's unusual to find such a perfectly self-contained and satisfying single-session experience in an MMO. It enriches Warcraft's world and Wrath of the Lich King's main story immeasurably, and does so with humour and brevity. It's a perfectly encapsulated taste of what's to come.

It's also a showcase for one of this expansion's least-discussed but most profound changes: phasing. This technology finally allows players to feel like they're influencing events - or at least, feel like they're part of a changing world. What's remarkable is that it does so seamlessly, with minimal instancing or breaks in the experience. Complete a certain quest chain and a whole new encampment of quest-giving characters might appear for you, but be invisible to your friend who hasn't done the same chain - without removing either of you from the underlying persistent world for a second.

The system is not without its oddities, but it's a more integrated and classically MMO approach than, say, Lord of the Rings Online's well-crafted but rigid use of instancing for one-off story events. Story flows smoothly around what you choose to do, rather than forcing you along a set path, and only occasionally isolates you from other players. Villages burn, populations move, characters die, capital cities are attacked or overrun with refugees.

'World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King' Screenshot 4

The Lich King lords it over Utgarde Pinnacle.

Phasing is used to spectacular effect in two gigantic set-pieces at the heart of Wrath of the Lich King's storyline - the Wrathgate quests in the first half, and the climactic battle for control of the Icecrown zone. These bring all the drama and spectacle of high-end raids to every single WOW player - and then some.

Until now, WOW's very best content has remained the preserve of the raiding elite. Wrath of the Lich King redistributes that wealth of experience to everyone. Every raid dungeon is now open to teams of ten as well as 25, giving a much larger proportion of players a chance of seeing everything in the game. Not just that, but some of the neatest tricks and challenges of raiding, the most sophisticated and rewarding bits of boss design, have been incorporated in the five-man dungeons - which are fewer in number than in The Burning Crusade, but of a higher overall standard (and this from the undisputed kings of dungeon design).

Even the solo player - which, let's face it, is most of us, much of the time - has had the same level of attention. In fact, you might say that day-to-day questing is the most radically improved part of the game. WOW's detractors have often pointed accusing fingers at its doggedly traditional monster-mashing quest design, and not without reason. Lich King is unavoidably built on the same foundations, and if you never again want to be collecting random animal parts for some bitch's brew - well, you're out of luck.

'World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King' Screenshot 2

Naxx is back, baby. Naxx is back.

But the overall experience is a universe away. Burning Crusade improved the variety, density and reward of quests several times over. Lich King does it tenfold, adds more interesting enemy designs into the mix, and then weaves the quests together into eventful, entertaining, coherent and beautifully-paced pockets of adventure, studded with memorable characters and opportunities to break out of the grind, cut loose and have fun. One minute, you're using a mind-controlled abomination to pull ten enemies at once, and kill them in a single explosion; half an hour later, you're manning a cannon, shelling an angry giant from the deck of a pirate ghost ship.

Grinding isn't supposed to be this much fun. Where's the masochistic slog that MMO fans - gaming's hair-shirted, hard-working puritans - so love to hate? Consigned to the bin where it belongs, and replaced with a lavish, Catholic banquet of entertainment. Halfway to 80 - if that - and you'll already be looking forward to bringing another character through Northrend to do some of what you missed.

Time and again, you'll find things simplified and made more coherent, barriers lifted, makework removed. The Burning Crusade's labyrinthine and perplexing system of faction reputations, for example, has been streamlined. The ability to start a Death Knight at level 55 on any server, as long as you have a character of that level or above, grants every player a shortcut to join friends and a chance to try a different class in condensed form.

There is just one feature of Wrath of the Lich King where this isn't true, and it's no surprise that it's related to what's always been WOW's weak spot: organised, open-world player-versus-player fighting. You know, the "war" bit in Warcraft, lately superseded by the strange sporting subculture of Arenas.

Blizzard's attempt to revive this moribund aspect of the game - under intense pressure from its belligerent new rival, Warhammer Online - is Wintergrasp. This dedicated PVP zone sees one side attempt to take a fortress from the other every couple of hours, by fighting first for control of workshops to make siege engines and other vehicles. There are also opportunities for skirmishing in the lulls between battles.

A pitched battle in Wintergrasp is dramatic and fun, and the system of rewarding players for contribution to the battle with access to better and better vehicles is satisfying. But it's involved, initially a bit baffling, and was imbalanced and buggy even in the very final hours of the beta test. Resting the future of world PVP on a single, large-scale and intricate project is a gamble to say the least, especially when large numbers of players are needed for it to be at its best.

'World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King' Screenshot 6

The fortress at Wintergarde. Alliance cowards cowering within: not shown.

It doesn't help that much of what makes Wintergrasp great is available instantly and more straightforwardly in the new Strand of the Ancients battleground. Hopefully the promise of extra dungeon rewards for the winners' entire faction - plus the chance to pilot those tasty vehicles - will motivate players to get involved in Wintergrasp.

Or maybe the pursuit of Achievement points will. Blizzard's implementation of the must-have feature of late-noughties gaming isn't terribly imaginative, being, by and large, a slightly refined version of Xbox 360's. But it's the design of the Achievements themselves that counts, and here Blizzard has done an excellent job, tempting players step-by-step into epic treks into those backwaters of WOW they might not have explored yet - the fishing profession, perhaps, or seasonal events. With these superb Achievements, a grand new meta-game has been added on top of WOW's actual endgame, and you should never feel like you have nothing to do.

That feeling is some way off, though. Between you and it is Northrend, which is, by a comfortable margin, the greatest game environment ever created.

Blizzard's artists and world-builders are the best. They were the best in 2004. They're still the best now. But it's inconceivable how much better at their craft they've got in the last four years. With Burning Crusade's Outland, they ran riot, creating a gasp-inducing, lurid patchwork of science-fantasy that entertained, but was as fragmented as its shattered planes of rock, as removed as the space that surrounded it.

'World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King' Screenshot 1

Strand of the Ancients - siege vehicles in a turnabout game of base-defence.

Northrend swaps madness for lyricism, spectacle for heart-wrenching, melancholy beauty. Its vast zones have been sculpted with infinite care around the non-linear flowering of the quest lines. They have tremendous variation and density of detail, stunning vistas everywhere you look, impressive architecture, and an eerie, haunting quality that will be familiar to anyone who's visited our own far North, be it Iceland, Siberia or the Canadian Rockies. Even the skies, lit with shifting veils of aurora, are enough to make your hair stand on end (assisted by the atmospheric musical score). It is classic fantasy.

All of this is delivered to you via a dramatic graphical upgrade. Increased draw-distance has a huge impact, making the pull of exploration even more irresistible. Lighting, shadowing and the quite magical effects have been brought bang up-to-date - visually, WOW has always been carried by its superlative art, but now that art has the frame it deserves. But it's Northrend's people and creatures that leave the strongest impression; they are strikingly imaginative and charismatic, and far more detailed in appearance and animation than anything in WOW before. They bring this perfect world to life.

Wrath of the Lich King takes the best-of-breed MMO and improves everything about it. It's a work of supreme confidence and quality that is twice as fun and ten times as beautiful as classic WOW, not to mention anything else in the genre. But above all else - in the breathtaking sweep of Northrend, in the assured, epic storytelling, in the constellation of brilliant quests - it is a grand adventure. Perhaps the grandest adventure in all gaming. In every sense, Azeroth is still the place to be.

10 / 10

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About Oli Welsh

Oli is Eurogamer's acting deputy editor and reviews editor and likes to take things one word at a time. He is among the best dressed people in South London.

Read more articles from Oli by visiting the Oli Welsh archive page.

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Comments (109) Latest comment 3 years ago

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  • Trystero #1 3 years ago

    Good review. Looking forward to this.

  • ProtoformX #2 3 years ago

    I hate reading such great stuff about WoW. I've played all of the Wracraft games and I love the storylines Blizzard create and I'd love to participate in this stuff in WoW. But to get to this stuff requires getting to level 70 (Now 80) and I just don't have the time for it. Plus I find the grind so boring. I bought The Burning Crusade on launch day and still haven't even made it into Outland yet. Maybe I should give this thing one last push to decide once and for all whether to really get into it just just delete the game.

  • CapnCloudchaser #3 3 years ago

    Screw it.

    I'm on a games design course. Loads of my fellow students came in showing off their shiny new expansion, and the big boxed version looked so damn hot. And then the lecturer himself, a well known WoW addict, mysteriously comes down with an illness and cancels everything on Friday.

    It's all just added to my temptation to finally give in and play WoW :(

  • Genji #4 3 years ago

    Sounds great.

    I'm still not going to play it, though.

  • saku_luk #5 3 years ago

    You gotta be a wow addict to give it 10/10!!

    Looks cool, but blizzard is biased, and its still not enough to make me play wow again (played it since release till BT)....

    Waiting for Aion EU Beta tho ;p

  • berelain #6 3 years ago

    There still just doesn't sound like enough new or interesting stuff in here to tempt me back to WoW. LOTRO offers the same accessible gameplay, but does it in a much more mature, thought-out way, and with an exceptional storyline to boot. Since experiencing the epic questline of LOTRO, every other MMO has felt rather lifeless and pointless to me, with no real reason to do anything in the game other than to get to the next level. To me, WoW feels very outdated, and I don't see this expansion changing my mind.

    Oh well. Mines of Moria it is for me, then.

    But as for the WoW-additcs... I'm sure theres a lot to love here.

  • stoopidgreg #7 3 years ago

    i hope my girlfriend, recovering MMO addict, doesn't read this. she was eyeing up the box in gamestation yesterday... sigh

  • Pirotic #8 3 years ago

    Did EG ever get around to revising the terrible WoW 8/10 review? If not, now might be a good time ;)

  • SentientNr6 #9 3 years ago

    10? - lol
    Edited by 1 at 17/11/08 @ 08:35

  • Trane #10 3 years ago

    "10? - lol"

    Get out.

    This review has tempted me damn it =(

    I played from release until 18 months ago, and this is genuinley the first time I've even considered it.

    Great review Mr Welsh (you get bonus points for the surname).

  • Oldern #11 3 years ago

    I have been tanking my way trough half of the instances (closing with the fantastic Violet Hold), i would add to fans who are skeptical after the dungeon design Burning Crusade has: Wrath of the Lich King's dungeon design has improved in every sense possible.

    With six different dungeon, we got six different visual style, even Azjol Nerub and its neighbor, the Old Kingdom has drastically different atmosphere - i just cant believe this after the quite boring pinkfest of Tempest Keep or the strange "i am blue and gray" feeling of Auchnidon. Go to dungeons, they are beautiful. And quite easy for an overgeared (t5 at least) party.

  • dk71 #12 3 years ago

    Quote from the review...
    "All of this is delivered to you via a dramatic graphical upgrade."

    I saw the game for many hours this weekend...

    Where is that "dramatic graphical upgrade" ???
    On a brand new 2000-euro PC, with all settings Max, it Still looks like a very ooooold game.

    LOL

  • Tzetrik #13 3 years ago

    but it still looks like something from 1991

  • Katsumoto #14 3 years ago

    I have to say, the Death Knight campaign was absolutely amazing and i'm enjoying running through Outland from the horde perspective.

    Haven't got so far in Northrend yet due to horrible overpopulation but from what i've seen it looks incredible, can't wait for the mad rush to die down a bit and explore it properly.

  • tobsen #15 3 years ago

    Oh dear, now even more people's lifes will get sucked away by this game...

  • Oli Verified Reviews Editor, Eurogamer.net #16 3 years ago

    Pirotic - yeah, it was my very first order of business when I started the MMO channel: http://ww w.eurogamer.net/article.php?art...

  • Gearskin #17 3 years ago

    Must.Grind.Harder!

    I installed Questhelper last night. All you gots to do is grab a load of quests and check the map. The add-on tells you what quests to tackle and in what order, so you scoop the XP in the fastest possible time.

    Will still take 100 hours.

  • Inigo #18 3 years ago

    I played this for a couple of hours and enjoyed the quests, Blizards level design has realy come along from some of the original starting areas. The problem is that its too busy and full at the moment. Theres always about 10 people waiting to do a quest.

  • karstux #19 3 years ago

    "Blizzard's artists and world-builders are the best. They were the best in 2004. They're still the best now."

    I'd say that this is really a matter of personal preference, and I've never found WoW's art style appealing. I'm not even talking about the low-polyness of it all, since I realize they're targeting older computers with that. But with all those oversaturated crayon colors on just about everything, and clumsy, bulky, ungainly shapes - it's hard to take seriously. The screenshots don't inspire grand fantasy, instead I'm reminded of children's books.

    But, to each their own.

  • Tyranix #20 3 years ago

    I'm a big fan of WoW and I personally think 10 is too high for an expansion that basically does very little new. Arguably the Burning Crusade did more new (and successful) things like flying mounts, an endgame that allowed everyone to participate etc. WOTLK just refines the formula. It's fantastic yes but this review smacks of being pulled in by novelty value. Still a nice read though.

  • kestral #21 3 years ago

    Just to clarify things for future buyers: "The ability to start a Death Knight at level 55 on any server, as long as you have a character of that level or above, grants every player a shortcut to join friends and a chance to try a different class in condensed form. "

    Unfortunately this is incomplete (or i'm interpreting it wrong). Wikipedia said it wrong as well, wowwiki says it right:
    "Players can create one Death Knight per realm as long as they have at least one character that is level 55 on the realm they wish to create it on."

    ie. You cannot create a Death Knight on a realm that you don't have a level 55 character on! I couldn't anyway.
    Edited by 3 at 17/11/08 @ 09:48

  • viper_h #22 3 years ago

    Read the first paragraph and gave up on this.

    Fanboy alert. What a load of old toss. If it still has "Collect 10 Feathers" quests, it's the same old crap. 10/10 my ass,

  • Bartacus #23 3 years ago

    I will not even try WOW for fear of falling under its drug like qualities it also seems too much like work, it's ancient looking, costs a packet by installments & seems to entrap anyone who dares to play it.

    I prefer games where there is skill involved this game is more like a meeting area for strange folk who are chained to their PC's.
    Edited by 2 at 17/11/08 @ 10:26

  • BigJonno #24 3 years ago

    I hated the WoW re-review. I thought it was a blinkered, fanboyish mess. I've played the game almost constantly since beta and I felt dirty reading it.

    So when I say that this review doesn't do Wrath justice, you should know that it's a big deal. The only downside to the whole thing is that it makes classic WoW and BC look like utter shite in comparison. Levelling a death knight through Outland is going to be tough.

  • groovychainsaw #25 3 years ago

    As always, I'll wait 6 months, pick it up and wander through the areas (now quiet, due to the lack of queues of people). I prefer exploring in a frozen wasteland, rather than in a bear-killing shopping mall ;-). Does sound great though

  • spudsbuckley #26 3 years ago

    Been playing since last thursday morning whenever i get the chance.

    It's fantastic. I had given up about two months ago because of the poopsocky nature of the endgame raids but the expansion has really got me back into it. The levelling no longer feels like a grind as it did in TBC as well as most other MMORPGs, something with Blizzard should be commended for.

    Looks like i'll never play WAR or LOTRO again :D

  • JahB #27 3 years ago

    10? this must be some kind of joke, a mmorpg expansion getting this grade. could we please get reviews that are written by objective journalists instead of fanboys?

  • mull #28 3 years ago

    Poopsocks!

  • Katsumoto #29 3 years ago

    "a mmorpg expansion getting this grade" - should it be reserved to first person shooters, then?

  • spudsbuckley #30 3 years ago

    Let's not bother reviewing any direct sequel then. Can't be good if you haven't played the original.
    Edited by 1 at 17/11/08 @ 11:17

  • Benno #31 3 years ago

    It's a great expansion, I am enjoying it more than BC

  • kapowaz #32 3 years ago

    Forget objective journalists; how about some objective commenters? Did everybody here drop in to say UR RONG WOW IS FOR LUZERS LOL ? Because sure, it's real objective when people who have bigoted views come in to express said view.

    The fact is, if you are predisposed to hate MMOs, you will probably still hate WoW. But a lot of the reasons that people hate MMOs in general or WoW in particular have been addressed in this recent expansion. Less boring grind quests? Check. A greater sense of the world actually changing around you as you quest? Check. 5-man dungeons that you can finish in under an hour? Check. No need to be a member of a hardcore guild in order to see all the endgame content? Check.

    It's a shame that so many of these comments are so childish and bigoted. There are reasons to be critical of Blizzard (in fact, the review touches on some of them; PvP balance is now such a difficult thing to get right that there are problems — I'm particularly upset with the way they've changed retribution paladins, for example). Perhaps the fact that the expansion has been so popular that literally tens of thousands of former players have returned, swamping the servers and forcing queues to get into the game. These are issues though, that they'll eventually fix, because they always do.

  • Gl3n #33 3 years ago

    "it has done so in a way that works for almost everybody, in almost every situation."
    - Well this is false for a start. I'm not of level to reach northrend, there are no new level 1 classes as with BC so i'll not see northrend for a long time. I'm a casual player and can't stand the solo-play that is forced upon you in WoW. It's made ascension into the upper levels tough and lonesome. Consequently i have a fist full of alts all languishing in the lower half of the levels, where the grind is fairly kind and play isn't repetatively time consuming in order to get anywhere.

    The expansion doesn't solve the problem that all these add ons do is to add content for the high end, and no-one else. The high level players will chew up the content in weeks and be left with the usual gear grind for another couple of years.
    I'd love to be able to play this new content, i just wish it was accessible.
    Edited by 1 at 17/11/08 @ 11:17

  • kapowaz #34 3 years ago

    @kestral: with regards to creating a Death Knight — the ability to create death knights on a realm you don't have another level 55+ character on yet has temporarily been disabled, to prevent people swamping new servers (they've always introduced fresh servers with each expansion, and with this feature enabled death knights would be able to get a massive head start on those servers). The feature will be re-enabled later.

  • Red-Moose #35 3 years ago

    Hmm so to get the benefit of this sequel/expansion I need to have spent how many hundreds of hours, days or weeks of my life invested in it? And even then you admit that Blizzard comes up wit far less new additions than another MMORPG? But of course the WOW one gets the 10 because you've actually invested weeks of your life in something so if Blizzard released something stuid like haircuts, it would be a bonus.

    Oh christ, that's exactly what they did. For the future sake of humanity, stop this. I could go and buy this now and it will be useless to me. Does it still get a ten? Is it like Spore?

  • merkdot #36 3 years ago

    GOTY

    Best seller of the year

    PC :bow :bow :bow

  • Gl3n #37 3 years ago

    I have to agree that the review was perhaps a bit gushy. I'm sure it's a great play for the wow-addict. But this does seem a bit disjointed with the more balanced appraisals read elsewhere.

  • RedSparrows #38 3 years ago

    If you're moaning about the end levels not being accessible, it's because Blizz want their 11 million players (probably all 70 at the time of release, or there abouts) to buy the game. That alone = kerching. The hype can then pull in anyone else.

    Honestly, levelling 1-70 is probably not as much fun atm as 70-80, but the WoW world is still glorious. I explored it for the achievement (well, the few patches I had missed), it's fantastic still. Especially given that levelling sub 70 has been substantially 'buffed' in speed.
    Edited by 1 at 17/11/08 @ 11:29

  • login_name #39 3 years ago

    Although the review is basically a love letter from an obsessed fanboy, WotLK is still a great addition to WoW. I've never really enjoyed WoW, it just happens to be the best option when my wife and I want to play an mmo together, but I'm really enjoying Wrath so far.

    Outland sucked, it was dull and for all the so called variety most of the quests were too long and boring. The "world" felt so fake, more like a Disneyland tour than a fantasy world trek. It had its moments, flying being the main one, but overall I didn't like playing through it. Northrend, however, is actually enjoyable. I don't know why but it just is, even with broken/bugged quests, long waiting times and arrogant kill/pick up stealers. It feels more adventurous, the world more believable. Quests aren't quite as long or dull (yet) and there is a much needed variety. You also feel a little more involved in the story with the Lich King himself popping up during some quests.

    As for Death Knights, well, I did say I hated playing through Outland...not anymore. The novelty of this class is keeping us entertained, for now. So much so we're finding it hard to choose between new content and death grip :)

  • absolutezero #40 3 years ago

    I vant you to keel 6 Snow Moose.

  • anomagnus #41 3 years ago

    i have to say, i bought this on a whim, even though i play WAR.

    My first impression is, that WAR will remain my primary.

    But god damn, WOTLK is magnificent. Every single aspect of this game has stunned me so far. The lands are stunning beautiful, though my problems remain with the main toons. A few more polygons wouldn't go wrong...

    The music will blow you away

    Its a great ride, and far, far better than TBC.

    But i know WoW, and i know this ride will end.

    But still, god damn, this shits all over TBC.

  • Smugglarn #42 3 years ago

    Increased draw distance for all parts of wow or just the new stuff?

    The water still looks like shit (ie something akin to quake2)?
    Edited by 1 at 17/11/08 @ 11:42

  • #43 3 years ago

    I have this upstairs and can i be bothered to play it?

    No sir.

  • Toby #44 3 years ago

    "The ability to start a Death Knight at level 55 on any server, as long as you have a character of that level or above"

    To clarify, you actually need the level 55 character to be on the same server as you wish to create the DK. I know because I had to pay £15 to transfer one over (make sure to get yourself something nice with that, Blizzard).

  • jamespo #45 3 years ago

    Boring compared to left 4 dead

  • Gaol #46 3 years ago

    Have to agree with the review, WoW is now tweaked to perfection. The new continent, and the amount of content, is mind boggling. I've played for hours on my Lock and not even hit 71. If you approach it as a 'grind' expect to be irked at the length of time it'll take to Ding. For those of us who are just along for the ride it's outstanding value.

    I levelled through the Deathknight starting area and it was terrific fun; I really liked the addition of cut scenes within the world at large and it's well worth playing as a prequel to the main event. In fact, the 4-5 hours I spent on the Death Knight content was almost worth the £20 cost alone.

    If I try really hard to find a criticism, then I'd say the musical score isn't up to the standard of Outland; not that it's bad in any way; just not quite as memorable. More than made up for by the small graphical improvements.

  • Vistrix #47 3 years ago

    Can someone just confirm this...

    There is absolutely nothing new for people under level 30? This expansion is pointless for anyone lower than 30?

  • Henrik_se #48 3 years ago

    Sorry, all the wow fanboys are busy playing the game, so all you wow haters won't get any response to your trolling until a few weeks from now. I hope you can wait, we just got to see the next zone... ooohh.. shiny!

  • Gaol #49 3 years ago

    Yes Vistrix, the new additions that would apply at lower levels (graphical upgrades, inscription etc.) are free to all users. No point buying till you are 55 at the least for Deathknight, or closer to 70 otherwise.

  • Henrik_se #50 3 years ago

    @Vistrix: There's nothing new for people under level 70. The new zones are meant for players of lvl 70 to lvl 80, although you can probably start at lvl 68.

    That said, they've made it easier and faster to level up to 70 since they want people to get to the new content as fast as possible, but you're still looking at maybe 100 hours of gameplay before you get there, especially if you're new to the entire game. There's guides and help and whatnot that speeds it up a bit though.

  • the_mtfr #51 3 years ago

    Review borked at page 2: "It's a unusual to find [...]".

  • MaxiSleep #52 3 years ago

    Play death knight before they are hit with the nerf bat!

    5 Deathknights through Ramparts is a real blast. Screw healing/tanking lets just kill everything.

    And a heavily Death Knight populated area is a true lolathon. Mobs flying through the air as they are dragged to their doom. Ghouls leaping at the mobs. Classic.

  • dryden555 #53 3 years ago

    if you dont like MMORPG's because 1. the servers are filled with foul-mouthed 12 years olds (joining a clan doest solve that problem no matter what anyone says) and 2. endless waiting for your team members to come back from AFK, then this add-on wont change your mind about MMORPGs. Just sayin this 10 score is not relevant to every gamer.

  • Apologie #54 3 years ago

    these review have been writtten by a fan of the game, that is not imparcial to what he believes to be the holy grail of video games... Eurogamer, please, choose better your reviewers ocncerning the game they are about to evaluate... this shit have fanboy written all over it.

  • swede #55 3 years ago

    No score in ANY review is relavent to all gamers... that's the point. If you dont like football, would you buy a football game even if it scored 10/10. No.

    I have played a lot of MMOs and in my experience, childish behaviour and bad language is not really all that common.

    Team members being AFK, well, that can be a problem, but you have to give as well as take and realise that everyone (supposedly) has an external life outside the game, and may have to leave unexpectedly for a few minute from time to time.

    Any review score should be taken and related to other games in it's particular genre. ie. You cannot compare a WoW 10/10 review with a Halo 3 10/10 review.

    Apologie: Is that irony or are you being serious?
    Edited by 1 at 17/11/08 @ 13:23

  • Henrik_se #56 3 years ago

    @Apologie, you're just pissed because WoW doesn't exist for PS3, or whatever console you were the idiot fanboy of. :-)

  • butler` #57 3 years ago

    If you stopped playing WoW because of TBC's dodgey Outland and miss vanilla WoW's Azeorth - now's the time to jump back in. It's games like this that make me just snigger to myself when I think about 'console wars', and the uninitiated goons that surround them.

    Good review, bar a few inaccuracies.

  • otto #58 3 years ago

    Anyone thinking about starting or restarting in WoW, there's a dedicated forum Lich King thread here.

  • otto #59 3 years ago

    Oh and yes, Northrend is simply sublime after Outland. Gorgeous doesn't come close. So nice to be back questing in a zone which feels faintly reminiscent of the real world, that was always the biggest draw of WoW for me. Also, baby mammoths ftw.

  • swede #60 3 years ago

    Like the screenshot Otto, is that your char?

    Also, Apologie: Please stop trolling every thread that isnt WAR related. It is tedious.

  • Prox #61 3 years ago

    Is there anything which makes the early levels more interesting or fresh?
    I played the game a bunch in the first year, taking both Horde and Alliance chars to around level 40, doing every starting class to around 20. I'd really like to know of that early stuff has changed significantly.

    (ps. including Burning Crusade as well not just this expansion)
    Edited by 1 at 17/11/08 @ 14:05

  • swede #62 3 years ago

    I suppose you could play as one of the BC races for a new starting experience.

    I personally didn't really like either of the new races or their starting zones, but that's just personal preference.

    I always loved the Durotar starting zone, and Orcs of course.

  • butler` #63 3 years ago

    The key thing is, Prox, that the leveling has been made much quicker. Rewards and drops in blue instances have been made better. Each class has been refined.... The list goes on.

  • ChrisTop #64 3 years ago

    Based on the Review, it should take an 11.

  • Omroth #65 3 years ago

    I'd like to second the brilliant "10 - lol" comment. I know that games scoring is silly anyway, but honestly, a ten has to mean something and I think a generally good rule of thumb is that a relrelease or an add on pack can basically not get a 10.

    I have to be honest... I think you guys are idiots for handing out so many tens. Just really stupid. The reviews are well written as always but this is not the way to get respect around the web. "Oh that's just Eurogamer - they give everything ten".

    Of course, I think the 10 point scale is complete horsesh*t anyway. Either use the full-fat 100 scale which actually offers some nuance to a rating, or go with the much more understandable out-of-5-star scale which would solve all these problems. There's a reason films go for the star scale.

    0* - comically bad
    1* - boringly bad
    2* - pretty badly executed but you may find an hours enjoyment if you like the genre or you're drunk.
    3* - blah. We all know what 3* is.
    4* - You're likely to get your money's worth
    5* - a great experience
    Edited by 1 at 17/11/08 @ 15:08

  • bigbadbeasty #66 3 years ago

    Some interesting comments about scoring Omroth. It is funny how people understand 3 stars as average, yet never consider 5/10 as average. I mean in most cases anything sub 6/10 equals shit.

    Anyway, I am trying not to be tempted back to WoW. I know it will be the same item based grind-fest, but some how I just want to find out.

  • Drogul #67 3 years ago

    Omroth +1.
    A 10 means perfect, there is no perfect game. Anyway this is great news for wow players, but not for me, just aint got the time.

  • iokthemonkey #68 3 years ago

    I can't comment on the quality of Lich King, but that was a horrible review. Sorry Oli but listing superlative after superlative - no matter how good the game is - just comes off as some kind of schoolgirl crush or something...!

  • otto #69 3 years ago

    @ swede, yes that's my wee ginger dwarven huntress with the fake Scottish accent, Krankie, bless her. \o/

    moar mammoths

  • Apologie #70 3 years ago

    swede

    what??? you also think that this EXPANSION is one of the best things that ever happened in videogame history, and the that the 10/10 score is more then justifiable??? please, the review is idiotic to say the least, as someone said early, its well written by a fanboy who cant be imparcial... ffsake men, you call this journalism??? these is one of the reasons why i dont consider gaming press professional... 10/10 scores dont mean shit anymore, they even give them to expansions, yes, expansions, nothing more, its the same game.
    Edited by 3 at 17/11/08 @ 16:12

  • Byzanite #71 3 years ago

    lol 10, thats funny.

  • swede #72 3 years ago

    I refuse to comment on whether this expansion is worth 10/10. I havent played it enough to fairly rate it.

    All I will say is that IN MY OPINION, it has certainly has improved vastly since it's release. Is still great fun to play even starting again from a lvl 1 character. My preferred server is always full of mostly helpful players.

    I am no fanboy, I tend to be a casual player, I have a LOTRO sub as well, and almost spend as much time with that also (fantastic) game. I also have a WAR account. My experience of WAR has been mixed to be honest. Firstly I was really disappointed by the wait times for the battefield instances. Waiting one and half hours for an instance is not good. Conversely and somewhat ironically, the open areas (especially public quests) now seem to be pretty much deserted. I cannot remember the last time I managed to finish a PQ, because there simply isn't the required numbers of people around to play them. Hopefully they will address these problems soon, because I still think the core of a great game is in there, and my first 2 weeks with the game were very enjoyable.

    And to answer that question... yes I think that WoW (and it's expansions) are "one of the best things that have ever happened in video game history". Simply put, WAR and LOTRO would either not exist at all (most likely), or they would be a pale reflection of the games that they currently are.
    Edited by 1 at 17/11/08 @ 17:26

  • butler` #73 3 years ago

    Ye it was fanboyish and a bit adjective heavy...

    But at the people whining about all the 10s, have you not noticed that there has been a load of high quality games out lately? Hence all the 10s...

    Drogul

    Omroth +1.
    A 10 means perfect, there is no perfect game. Anyway this is great news for wow players, but not for me, just aint got the time.

    No, it really doesn't. More tards please.

  • swede #74 3 years ago

    Thankyou butler for hitting the nail on the head...

    To say a game that scores 10 has to be perfect is mad. How can you define anything so subjective as a game (which is essentially a work of art) as perfect?

    10/10 simply means that the game is exceptionally good in it's genre...

  • rogueJT #75 3 years ago


    So have I got this right:
    If I have a character @ level 55(say, a Mage) or above I can create a Death Knight and still keep the old character (the Mage).

    Thanks.

  • Faldrath #76 3 years ago

    @rogueJT: Yes, you create an entirely new character, you don't replace your old one. That means you also need a different name, of course.

  • Azazel #77 3 years ago

    People still can't wrap their heads around the score of 10/10...

    There's a link to the scoring policy right beside it.

  • Apologie #78 3 years ago

    swede

    ". Waiting one and half hours for an instance is not good. Conversely and somewhat ironically, the open areas (especially public quests) now seem to be pretty much deserted."

    depends on the server m8, WAR is a new MMO, not every Server is full of players, i can guarantee to you that in both my servers, whenever i choose a queue, i access one almost instantly... and i do PQ's all the time with my guild and random players.
    you really need to try the game again, but do yourself a favor1st and choose at least a medium populated server.

  • Trane #79 3 years ago

    Oh christ, I just decided I'm never going to play WAR.

    There is an infitesimal chance I may stumble upon Apologie, and my life would end.

  • Cider86 #80 3 years ago

    Did anyone else find this review annoying? I mean I'm sure its a good expansion and all but seriously the reviewer was cumming all over the place...

  • Kanjin #81 3 years ago

    Wow, so that's what 'wax lyrical' means! : D

    Sounds good though... am sorely tempted to pick up WoW properly.

  • Orange #82 3 years ago

    Oli Welsh should be running a WoW fansite not an mmo channel. Astonishing lack of objectivity and balance.

  • Feanor #83 3 years ago

    That's the impression I got, yeah. But I'm not a WoW player so I don't know - maybe Lich King really is that good.

  • James-Caldari #84 3 years ago

    Wow (pardon the pun), but what a load of tosh most of you are spouting. Could you lot be any more up yourselves? So the reviewer enjoyed the game immensely and didn't hide the fact behind some cynical games journo attitude. I found the review quite refreshing.

    Get. over. yourselves.

  • Drogul #85 3 years ago

    In fact I think that Eurogamer has been giving away a lot of tens, lately. Im not talking about which titles, thats the reviewer opinion and I respect that. Maybe I'm just too demanding, but currently when I read a 10 here, for me its a 9 or even a 9,5 but clearly not a 10/10.

  • Katsumoto #86 3 years ago

    Reviewer likes game, writes positively about it, must be shit reviewer. YES.

  • AOFanboi #87 3 years ago

    If you skip on WotLK (and playing a DK including the initial storyline is so fricking cool you will be missing out), the new 3.x patch makes enough changes that you should check back in "vanilla" WoW as well - e.g. the reworked classes, the inscription crafting, the "enchantment battery" scrolls which makes it easier to be an enchanter etc.

  • Saxo #88 3 years ago

    Bah bought it and while i do have a 70 shaman, i still feel that the Death Knight is much more fun to play. So i have the whole of outland in front of me, before i will get to this content.

  • dryden555 #89 3 years ago

    Its just that the reviewer is a uber-rabid fan of the game, which makes this a dubious review from the POV of anyone reading it who isnt also a rabid fan.

  • PedroTheLion #90 3 years ago

    This read like a love poem.

    I feel exactly the same, the game already was fantastic and this expansion somehow manages to improve upon it.

    Bravo Blizzard, bravo!

  • mr_boogedy #91 3 years ago

    I resisted the urge to play wow previously, though it feels like it's getting harder...
    A friend showed me her collectors edition wotlk and offered me one of the passes.
    I declined, knowing that I'd feel the need to continue playing it: The subscription cost is prohibitive.

    Or am I the only one who thinks that? Seriously, how much money do you really need to run servers...

    You hear me Blizzard? You're not at market saturation yet! Bastards...

  • Decap #92 3 years ago

    Meh.. Im a big fan of wow but this just screams fanboyism rather than a "fair" review. Like its the allmighty-god of games and everything related to it is super-awesome. Id rather read three 1page reviews from three different players rather than one long "review" from a huge fan.

    But yes its is good no doubt about it.

  • Saint_of_Killers #93 3 years ago

    Stupid ****ing GPU / lack of money to buy new PC.

    I won't get to play this for a loooong time.

    /weep

  • Saint_of_Killers #94 3 years ago

    Vistrix: Can someone just confirm this...

    There is absolutely nothing new for people under level 30? This expansion is pointless for anyone lower than 30?

    There may be new stuff for lower level players to do, but, if you wanna see Northrend, then you have to be level 70.

  • curtlikesmeat #95 3 years ago

    Had a chance to play it now and (so far) not really seeing anything 10 worthy - don't get me wrong it's very enjoyable for me as a WoW fan but the first quest in Northrend for me was collect 10 pieces of meat to feed a dog....

    Also, my computer is three years old (old but not ancient) and it shat itself when it got to Howling Fjord. Draw distance had to be put right down, I wonder what people playing on really old comps are doing. On the plus side the idea of a hero class starting at 55 is awesome as is the Death Knight starting area so far.

    In my book though, original WoW is 10/10. I need more time with this but so far nothing revolutionary.
    Edited by 1 at 18/11/08 @ 08:27

  • Saint_of_Killers #96 3 years ago

    curtlikesmeat: On the plus side the idea of a hero class starting at 55 is awesome as is the Death Knight starting area so far.

    DK starting zone is amazing, really glad I got to experience it in the beta. Just a shame it doesn't last that long.

  • curtlikesmeat #97 3 years ago

    Yeah - the phasing technology is nice and you start off feeling very powerful. I'd have been skeptical about allowing players to start at 55 but it works great. You're far enough behind that it doesn't feel like cheating, but near enough to max level that it feels like it wouldn't be a chore to get there.

  • actionfitz #98 3 years ago

    "Northrend swaps madness for lyricism, spectacle for heart-wrenching, melancholy beauty."

    wholeheartedly agree here.
    first thing i did was get my rogue past 71.
    Then I decided to take a break and try out a deathknight...
    2 days, maybe 8 hours total sleep and a few quick meals of questionable nutritional value later...
    my Deathknight hit 70.
    What should have been an exercise in masochism (powering through TBC content solo :/ ) merely feels like when you put in a hard day at work and then get home for some R & R. My rogue explored Howling Fjord before I parked him in an inn for a few days. My deathknight is clearing up Borean Tundra.
    It really is pure mmo gaming joy to run riot around these areas exploring and marvelling at the artistry.
    As a 3D artist by trade myself I cant help but stare in wonder at the the execution of the environment art in Wotlk.
    pure /win :)

    --

    on a foot note.
    those with high end systems might appreciate trying out a macro I found that Forces wows graphical settings past the default high settings - only to be use if you think you rig really can handle it. Its stunning, almost like playing new game, even old areas like Elwynn forest look top notch now.

    /console farclip 777
    /console horizonfarclip 6226
    /console groundeffectdensity 256
    /console groundeffectdist 140
    /console smallcull 0
    /console skycloudlod 3
    /console characterambient

    just copy and paste that into a macro in game.
    your draw distance will be massive, the ground clutter/vegetation will be very dense and lush... its gorgeous.

    if you use it and find it makes your rig cry then feel free to lower some settings or as a last resort here's another macro that will reset everything back to low settings:

    /console groundEffectDensity 16
    /console groundEffectDist 1
    /console horizonfarclip 1305
    /console farclip 177
    /console characterAmbient 1
    /console smallcull 1
    /console skycloudlod 1
    /console detailDoodadAlpha 1

    hope someone finds it useful

  • dingo75 #99 3 years ago

    Had a chance to play it now and (so far) not really seeing anything 10 worthy - don't get me wrong it's very enjoyable for me as a WoW fan but the first quest in Northrend for me was collect 10 pieces of meat to feed a dog....

    Yes but you have an animation seeing your char throwing the meat at the dog which catches it with its mouth...
    Subtle things like that rock.
    Also being able to locate flying mobs based on the their shadows on the ground (crows) is awesome.
    Only started yesterday night and I'm 25% to 71 but I'm already in love with it.
    The Nordic setting fits so much better into WoW than the "Starcraft" setting in BC (Netherstorm lol)!
    Looking forward to some hell of a ride!

  • Chimpy #100 3 years ago

    It's a tricky one. Apart from a few bugged quests it can't be faulted.

    There's a definite improvement to graphical quality in environment and character models, and the music is very good.

    Quests are varied and some really novel ones.

    I think it is 10/10 but as someone said, it's an expansion not a full game so I'm not the sure the 10/10 carries as much weight.

  • curtlikesmeat #101 3 years ago

    "Yes but you have an animation seeing your char throwing the meat at the dog which catches it with its mouth..."

    No offense mate but I can see a few of the non-mmo fans round here having a good old chuckle at that one ;)
    Edited by 1 at 18/11/08 @ 11:06

  • Faldrath #102 3 years ago

    People saying that it is not a very good expansion, or that it doesn't deserve a high rating probably haven't done the Wrathgate questline yet. I won't spoil anything, but it completely changes how storytelling happens in WoW, and it is probably one of the greatest narrative achievements in gaming - and I do not say something like that lightly (this coming from someone who worships story-heavy games like Planescape: Torment).

    If in 2007 Portal was hailed as a breakthrough in storytelling for FPS's, this year the Wrathgate event does this for MMORPGs. Things won't be the same after it.

    And, in the end, this is the greatest difference in Lich King compared to BC and vanilla WoW: in LK, even though most quests still conform to the "go to X, kill Y and/or collect Z" model, there is clearly a much greater effort to make those quests meaningful. Pretty much everything you do in Lich King adds to the feeling that you have a purpose, and that you're fighting for something that matters for your character and the world s/he is in. The Wrathgate is just the crowning moment of it all.

    Of course, if storytelling is not your thing, then yes, LK is pretty much just a prettier and more refined WoW.
    Edited by 1 at 18/11/08 @ 12:00

  • IronCladChicken #103 3 years ago

    @curtlikesmeat
    It's more than Fable2 could handle :p

    @curtlikesmeat
    Personally, I didnt find anything 10 worthy about Halo3 (or a lot of the 10/10 games from this year) - But I understand that other people do rerally enjoy the title, it's all subjective at the end of the day.
    Edited by 1 at 18/11/08 @ 12:42

  • hula hoops #104 3 years ago

    I played the expansion and am loving it to bits.

    I have 2 high level chars with a rogue as the main. Before the expansion, I wouldn't think of parking her in the inn for a long period of time. But since I tried DK, I love the narrative in the first quest chains and continue on to Outland.

    Northrend is beautiful and quite different with vanilla WoW and TBC which is what I expected from a full-blown expansion. I can see clearly some new technologies being implemented there.

    I sadly don't have much time to play because of RL commitments but when I do, I enjoy it so much. It certainly worth the £25 I paid and it is certainly more worthy that £35 that I paid for WAR and AoC.

    Kudos to Blizzard for delivering another good expansion.

  • graham738 #105 3 years ago

    Beautifully worded, and i agree with everything you said.

    I really love gaming. I've always gamed with different platforms, different genres and always looking for something new to nitpick at.

    But Wrath is honestly a masterpiece. Hats off to everyone who helped create such a richly filled and beautifully designed expansion. The music, the lore behind the quests, the phasing, the controlling of various vehicles, the instances, the graphic upgrade, the armour design, this list can go forever. truly great.

    10/10 from me too! :)

  • crestedzulu #106 3 years ago

    Ive been an avid gamer for just over 30 years,and a WoW gamer since the launch,and Blizzard deserve all the praise heaped upon them in this review.

    Every now and again,if were lucky,a title comes along which raises the bar,and this is one such title.

    Remember when you first played such titles as Mario 64,Halo,Gran Tourismo,or any of the Half Life games,and that incredible sense of wonder and enjoyment you got from playing,when you knew that you were playing something that will go down in gaming history?Well,now you can add Lich King into that very same bracket.

    It truly is a remarkable example of gaming in the year 2008,and a perfect reminder to any gamer of just why they fell in love with this past-time in the first place.

    As always the very mention of the word WoW brings out the forum poison pens,well all i can say to you is if you dont like the game,thats fine,go away and play something else.

    Stop bashing a game which brings happiness to many millions of people around the world,and go make yourself happy playing what you do like instead :)


    Edited by 1 at 18/11/08 @ 16:34

  • rudedudejude #107 3 years ago

    "Yes but you have an animation seeing your char throwing the meat at the dog which catches it with its mouth... "

    fkking groundbreaking stuff I must say...

  • Kermode #108 3 years ago

    Hey geek reviewer, you are NOT supposed to split up "war" and "craft" it is one word "warcraft" meaning a measurement of how good you are at conducting a war - and that doesn't mean you have to hit someone over the head behind each tree.

  • Kermode #109 3 years ago

    Also I wish people here would shut the hell up about the graphics. Listen kids, it is designed to look the way it does - it will remain looking that way for the next 10 years - and its GREAT - I hate all the crappy pseudo attempts at "realism" in other newer and crappier games. I don't want to see "realistic" blood gore, slime, rotting corpses etc- in wow they look kinda cute, and that's the whole point.