REVIEW: WORLD OF WARCRAFT Is Officially Back With Its LEGION Expansion!

First and formost after plahing World of Warcraft Legion for the past week, all I have to say is WoW! Not only do I think that Blizzard knocked it out of the park, but it is also begging those who left the game to come back. This is the most fun I've had since the Burning Crusade! There is so much flowing through my mind I don't know where to start. 

 

Pre-Launch: 

Before the actual game launched, Blizzard allowed players to get their hands on the Demon Hunter about a week or so before launch. Blizzard did a wonderful job bridging The Burning Crusade to all the other story lines they had going on. I also (after much grinding) got my professions maxed out in preparation for the Legions return. The developers also had events where the Legion invaded and hoards of players flocked to fight them. This part reminded me so much of the "old days" where big demons attacked main cities. This was an okay lead up to the game, but the game itself is so much better. 

Launch:

Here is where the game gets really fun. The nostalgia of The Burning Crusade flowed through my veins, but also gave me the new experience I haven't received since Wrath of the Lich King. For starters you get to pick the zone that you want to start in and every zone after that scales with your level. No more out growing a zone while you are still finishing the story in that zone! Blizzard did an excellent job at the various story lines in each zone with cut scenes that drive you deeper and deeper in to the story. The return of the Legion means heavy losses and the deaths of important characters. Who they are I won't say.

The balance of the game itself is really great too. Yes, you still have to quest grind, but you can take breaks both in Dalaran and in the class hall doing other things. The quest grind is lightened by the rich story line that leaves you wanting more. This is seriously the first time I've paid attention to the story since BC. The class hall is lite version of the garrison. You can accumulate 5 followers and send them out on missions. Some of the missions accomplish quests that open more options for the class hall. You can also train troops to fight alongside the followers you send out there. 

The one thing that has bothered me tremendously and it may just be me. . . is that my Demon Hunter gets stuck EVERYWHERE! That is probably just me however. 

The Demon Hunter: The Demon Hunter is soo much fun! Pressing buttons and watching your character fly around the screen murdering everything in its path has never been so epic! I didn't know how they would incorporate Illidan Stormrage's illidari into the alliance and horde, but they did an amazing job at that. The best part is you get two amazing atifact warglaives to slice and dice your enemies. 

Artifacts: This is where many gamers have mixed reactions and I myself am a little meh when it comes to it. Yes, you get awesome looking artifact weapons, but everyone has the same one as you do. Each class gets a specific artifact weapon that levels with you. As you level you unlock stats in the talent tree using power you gather for it. The more you level the more customization you get for it, but it still falls a little short of being completely different from others. It is noteworthy that though I'm still not sold on the artifacts they don't detract at all from the game. I'll take any weapon into the game to battle the Legion. 

Dungeons: The dungeons are finally semi-difficult again. In past expansions, you blow right through dungeons like nobodies business. Blizzard has changed it up again with some new enemy powers that shake things up. Yes, there still are people who fly through them, but if you don't have a good group you may be in trouble. The dungeons are fun because the storyline in each zone ends with you having to go inside a dungeon. Everything is so well tied together in the game. 

Raids and Mythic dungeons aren't available yet, but there is plenty going on in game that is worth while. The world quests are a newer version of daily quests that unlock after you've spent some time roaming through the broken isles. No longer are gamers stuck in the "end game zone" repeating the same crap over and over. They'll get to roam throughout the entire broken isles to discover its deepest and darkest secrets. 

Overall:

This is the most fun I've had in a long time in World of Warcraft. I've meandered through Cataclysm, Mists of Suckfest and Warlords of Draenor searching for what I had in The Burning Crusade, but I didn't find it. I finally have it the in Legion. Hopefully the best is yet to come and I'm eagerly waiting for what Blizzard does next.