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My honest review of World of Warcraft.
sayuri2006
Member Posts: 161
Hello Everyone,
After spending some time looking over the WOW forums, I'd like to share my honest opinions about this game. I feel I can do so, since I have not played any other MMORPGs, and I don't carry any biases towards any other game. Everyone wants different things, just I've realised that there are better MMORPGs out there; WOW just doesn't do it for me anymore.
On one note, it is a great game, especially in the beginning. With fairly seamless gameplay and smooth graphics, one can quickly get into the game without worrying about a huge introduction or storyline. The starting areas for players is good, enabling quick questing and a chance to meet other new people to party with. It's not too tough at the beginning so progress is relatively straightforward. There are both the pve and pvp elements, so choose which one you would like to be on and start questing. However, if you're on a pvp server, expect alot of dieing, alot of it not really called for. Alot of the game is about getting to level 60 (max level atm) and getting better and better items along the way. Some can be found by yourself, the better items from instances that require a party of 5, at least. You can have fun along the way killing other players (pvp servers), showing off your cool gear and meeting new people/partying with friends. When you get to 60, some people say the game starts at 60. I have mixed feelings about this. Sure, you can go to more instances and get better gear, go to true battlegrounds, do professions to get richer in gold and generally help out your guild members.
Sadly, though, there are also the elements of the game that has taken it's toll on my overall decision about the game. Can these things be fixed/or will be, I leave that upto you to answer. As you may know, there is the ongoing problem with the server populations, in other words there are too many people on the same server. The problem is that once you get into the game is it fine (mostly) but getting on can be the big problem. Not may of us, I would assume have the luxury of choosing the time when we ARE free to jump online, so there's a que and often I just can't be bothered to wait there. Another person mentioned the Gryphon Riders. These are flying mounts that takes a player to a destination that they chose, but you have to sit there and wait while is flies there. The first few times can be graphically appealing, but why everytime? Why can't there be an automatic route? No-one wants to sit there seeing the same mountain tops and valleys over and over again. This leads to boredom. Talking about boredom, another factor is the questing system.
You'll quickly realise when you reach level 10 or so that most quests are the same. You go to some place in that area, kill a certain number of monsters then you do this again and again. So many of the quests are the same in the one area that one just quickly looks on the internet for the co-ordinates of the monsters you need to kill, simply because the quest itself is not involving. I don't know what it exactly is but involving is the best word I can come up with. Most of the questing is NOT involving enough; I simply would just try to do the quests as fast as I could so I could level up faster. If there was unique storyline or a place to go to, then maybe. There are some quests that get you to travel, the problem is that walking takes so long and you have to sit once again while the gryphon rider takes you somewhere. There is so much time wastage. From walking to somewhere (until you reach level 40 and get a mount) to trying to get onto a server, and spending ALOT of time farming materials for professions that you need. Alot of the materials are very hard to come by and often requires alot of travelling time.
Most of the best items in the game require huge game time to find a group to go to an instance with, unless you are in a good guild (I was in a good one) or fight in battlegrounds. Unfortunately, Blizzard has set up high end instances/raids on only certain days, so planning is required and often parties just can't be formed. Lastly, the community, for the most part, is actually pretty immature. I was lucky to get into a guild with mature players, we got alot done and were generous helping out other members. But, I don't know why so many of the players on my realms (I was on 3 realms, so I'm not just speaking about one) were/are uptight about everything. No-one seems to relax and enjoy the game; they just sit there, generally calling people vulgar things, making stupid remarks on the trade and general channels and basically putting down people.
Overall, WOW is an appealing game but has me put off now for various reasons. The time wastage and community is my biggest worry about the future of the game, not to mention that everything becomes monotonous and the same after a while. My recommendation is to give it a shot, find some good people and a good guild. Unfortunately, even the people I used to know have moved on. Most for the same reasons, they simply found a better game. I will not mention that game as I am reviewing this game on it's own merits alone. WOW has competition out there, and it's edge on being one of the earliest MMORPGs out there is quickly being overrun by the fact that there ARE better games out there. Thanks, everyone 
Comments
I mostly agree with you here. Understandably, Blizzard had to do something about overloaded servers, but I'm not sure if queues and transfers are the best solutions. Luckily, the most I've ever had to wait was 10 minutes.
This is common to most mmos; there is a travel time factor. Having played other games, I've never really had any issues with travel in WoW. If I can't reasonable get to where I'm going in a few minutes, then I'll do a quick search for a mage and ask him/her to open a portal for me.
I'll disagree with you here. I thought Blizzard did an outstanding job of writing the quest lines. Even many of WoW's detractors will state that the best aspect of the game is playing levels 1 - 59.
No offense, but I don't think mmos is the genre for you. I can't think of an mmo that would be different in this respect. (ie. don't play Eve, you may go all emo on us)
You're basically correct in your first statement here. I'm hoping that Blizzard does find a creative alternative to 40, or even 20 man, raid groups. Not that I don't enjoy them myself, but I don't want to see every major release push out content in this form.
Having said that, I do think most players forget that the high end instances can be played over a week. I'm aware of a few guilds that do this simply because they don't have the time for 4 or 5 hour instance runs.
I'm not sure what you mean by Blizzard scheduling instances on certain days.
You did the right thing about joining a guild. Every mmo is going to have it share of smacktards running about; I usually just ignore them or make fun of said person when I have the time.
I wouldn't make a blanket statement about no one relaxing and enjoying the game. Imo, I'd say just the opposite. I'm in a guild with more then 200 members and all take a light-hearted approach to the game (we even sponsor naked instance runs).
I hope you enjoy other mmos out there. Some suggestions include: EQ2, DAoC, and SWG (if you're into Sci-Fi)
I hope you enjoy
Ico
Oh, cruel fate, to be thusly boned. Ask not for whom the bone bones. It bones for thee.