A Veteran of the Wrathgate

Well I have been playing Wrath of the Lich King for a couple of weeks now and have enjoyed it all. Blizzard really did a good job on this one. There are a lot of new types of quests and some very interesting storyline, but most of all, you feel like you are right in the middle of the action - fighting on the frontline for your faction - a real hero for your side, not just another dork killing 8 of this animal or kill those guys until you collect 10 red hats.

The deathknight beginning quest chain is worth the price of admission and should not be missed, even if you don't think you will play the toon later. The quests are fun and original, and make use of phasing. This allows you to have a real impact on the world around you. As you progress through a quest chain and - for example - help to conquer the village, then you will see the village in flames, and it will be desolate the next time you pass thru it - instead of back to normal like you have never been there.

As much fun as the deathnight quests are, for my money, one of the most entertaining and rewarding gameplay experiences I have ever had is easily the Dragonblight quest chain. Dragonblight is on the south side of Northrend in the center, and is the zone a player would naturally progress to after finishing either Borean Tundra or Howling Fjords. There are the standard faction strongholds, but the centerpiece is the Wyrmrest Temple, kind of a dragon U.N. building. All of the dragons have shrines in the zone, and they come together in an uneasy alliance against the aggression of the Azure Dragonflight who are bent on destroying all who use magic.

The quest chain is very long, and involves interaction with most all of the different dragons in the zone, including a really fun quest where you get to command a dragon in battle against the Azure Dragonflight and fight from his back. It's pretty awesome to participate, but just as incredible to watch from the ground as dead dragons rain from the sky.

If you follow this chain to its end, it climaxes in a confrontation with Arthas the Lich King at the Wrathgate - a Gates of Mordor - type affair at the north end of Dragonblight. The cutscene is epic and Blizzard-worthy (a company famous for its cutscenes) I won't give away the plot details, but it is a great scene, and can be re-visited by talking to the right NPC in game.

The events of the Wrathgate episode are followed by a visit to a locked-down, martial law-imposed Orgrimmar where you meet with Thrall, the Orc battlechief and leader of the Horde and witness a confrontation with Jaina Proudmoor, a hero of the Alliance. You then accompany Thrall to the Undercity where your hero gets to fight alongside him and Lady Sylvanas Windrunner to reconquer the Undercity in an epic battle from the front gates all the way to the Royal Quarter. It is truly an incredible experience, and makes you feel like you truly are a Champion of the Horde

I can't give you an Alliance perspective but the Horde experience was excellent and it makes me want to level up an Alliance toon to see the same events from the other side.

Your character not only gets to be on the frontlines for momentous and epic events, but the player is put right in the middle of a lot of key WoW lore and storyline, and is quite a bit more satisfying than just grinding on murlocs. If you are sitting on the fence and cannot decide whether or not to come back, I give Wrath of the Lich King a hearty thumbs up - it is the best work Blizzard has done to date.

Currently Listening to:

The Newsboys - Take Me to Your Leader
The Tossers - Long Dim Road

Last Movie Seen

Hancock