by Blizzard

Member Reviews: Review This Game Yourself!

Pros
•  great graphics
•  easy to get started
•  well done auction system
•  tons of quests
•  offers nice depth
•  very minimal grinding
•  constant conflict between the Horde and the Alliance
•  duels are fun

Cons
•  not the best community
•  has had server problems due to the popularity of the game
•  can reach the higher levels too easily

The Bottom Line - Simply the best MMORPG yet!

Link: Official Site

Review

When the mighty EverQuest first entered the MMORPG industry, there was a need for a better MMORPG than Ultima Online due to that industry pioneer's  simple graphics and overly complex game play. EverQuest quickly captured the top spot in MMORPGs with better graphics and addictive game play. The game was so addictive for some players that it was nicknamed EverCrack. EverQuest saw several challengers to its throne like Dark Age of Camelot, Asheron's Call by then Microsoft, and Anarchy Online but the mighty EQ stayed on top (not including Lineage in Korea). However, where EverQuest did fail was with mainstream audiences. The game was primarily suited for hardcore gamers who would spend huge chunks of time playing. The casual gamer did not get too far in EverQuest. 

After years of being on top of the industry in terms of popularity but not necessarily the best MMORPG, EverQuest has finally met its match in the form of World Of Warcraft. World of Warcraft takes the EverQuest-style MMORPG to a new level with simple yet deep game play. Leveling in WoW is easier than most MMORPGs and you are even given experience bonuses for a taking a break from the game. There was a void for a mainstream MMORPG until WoW came along. City of Heroes came the closest but the super hero MMORPG is so simple that it currently lacks depth. 

On the other hand, World of Warcraft's depth comes from crafting, trading, and character building. Believe it or not, but crafting is actually fun in WoW. Besides being simple and easy to learn, crafting enables you to outfit your characters with the latest equipment, potions, and enchantments while being a great money maker as well. You can either sell your goods to the NPCs in every town and city or you can try to get a really huge profit by putting up your goods in an Auction House (AH). The Auction Houses are where the bulk of player-to-player transactions happen and these bastions of trading serve many purposes such as allowing you to choose from a wide selection of the latest weapons and armor, helping you find an item to complete a quest, and providing a place to find raw materials for your crafting skills quickly. With trading and crafting being so user friendly, you have an added incentive to constantly level your character since you are able to make and buy more at higher levels. 

Speaking of leveling, don't expect a huge grind like most other MMORPGs because the game is very fast paced. What you can expect though is a plethora of quests as you progress through the game. These constant quests allow you to get beyond the old kill-monster-to-get-experience grind. However, you can bypass the quests altogether and just go after different monsters if that is your cup of tea. Even then, you will get a waiting experience boost (dependant on how long you stay away from the character) every time you log off for a few hours and then log back on. This allows you to constantly progress in the game while being less dependant on all-nighters and addictive binges. Oh yes, the game is still plenty addictive but you do not need to spend every waking moment in the game in order to get at or near the level cap of 60.  

In fact, leveling quickly is actually one of the biggest complaints about World of Warcraft. Most hardcore MMORPGers think the game is too easy because they can reach 60 in a matter of weeks instead of months. Instead of trying to add to the grind and hurt the more casual gamers, Blizzard is looking to satisfy the hardcore gamers with more high level content (items and dungeons) and the evolving PvP system. The main PVP right now is Horde and Alliance players attacking each other's towns. Players within the Horde or the Alliance can also duel each other. The skirmishes and duels are both fun but thankfully PvP will be further bolstered by the PvP Honor System (you receive a special rank and items for honorable kills) and PvP Battlegrounds where multiple high level players from the Alliance and the Horde openly wage war.

PvP Battlegrounds may be the most important long term element of the game for retaining the high level players, but World of Warcraft is already the best MMORPG yet. No other massive online game has combined ease of use and depth in such a beautiful package. Simply put, no other MMORPG does so many things as well as World of Warcraft. You can try to find a better MMORPG, but it just has not been made yet. 

Game Ogre's Rating (out of 10): 

9.75

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