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There have been few games, let alone series to have the impact of Warcraft. With solid gameplay backed by a sense of humour that was at the time fairly unique, it brought the Real Time genre bang up to date. Two sequels later, an expansion set or three and status as justified classics, Blizzard have turned their attention to the bigger picture, building upon what they have created both for the games and for the Role-Playing game world to fashion the next step for gamers. The World of Warcraft Online RPG.
Set in the aftermath of the third game, where the remnants of the Burning Legion are still lurking about and the Lich King's undead army slinks through the shadows the Lands of Azeroth have called upon the few brave souls, adventurers who are out to make fame and fortune theirs to help turn the tide of internal lawlessness back and make the world once more a pleasant land - or subjugated to their will.
There are eight races to choose from, including the hulking Trolls and the über-cute Gnomes, faithfully rendered into the third dimension, whilst looking as they did in the series. There is a also a myriad selection of classes to pick, all are familiar from the Warcraft titles, with some such as the Paladin and Shaman available to the Alliance and Hoard respectively and there is no problem with mixing and matching those two factions within a server. There are buckets of paths to wend your way down, no two fighters, mages or priests need be the same, the talents system that clicks into play a few levels in takes care of that as does the freedom to be whatever you want to do. Miner, enchanter, herbalist, blacksmith and a bundle of other paths that scream mix and match, all useful to someone.
For a beta version, yes beta, things have been polished until they gleam, details abound, some subtle, some not so. The world is alive (or unalive depending on whether you starts as a member of the Forsaken undead or not), there are animals, beasts and various other things to distract you. It is vibrant where needed and desolate when not. Everything has been thought through, it shows and it looks to be improving every time. Graphics are vivid, yet appropriate, they add to things and make you wonder just how they did this or that. The most impressive is the introduction for each character you create and slip into the world, done real-time as far as can be determined, staggering to look at and one of the best features of the game by far. Sounds are recreated and enhanced - some of the in-jokes are worth looking for, go find a peasant and listen to the dialogue they have between themselves and some NPC's. Music is another area that scores points, atmospheric and haunting at times, perfect for the mood but not intrusive. One last area is the emotes, a nifty set of motions and acts that can be performed, including dancing, kissing and cheering.
Death too is not as in other games, you are treated to being in the spirit world, a ghost awaiting either the help of a spirit healer (another Blizzard in reference if you look carefully) or go find your grave and become reincorporated, often you do not have to actually be at the grave, close by will do - after all what killed you once may like a second cherry.
WoW is wonderful, despite not being finished as yet, and if the final game is anything like this code - it will be something very special. Expect more over time as it inches towards release, now sit back and view the screenshots below.
Chris Snook
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