World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor Reviews
-
Category: News ArchiveHits: 3152
Blizzard Entertainment's latest expansion pack for World of Warcraft not only injected a healthy dose of subscribers into the long-running fantasy MMORPG, but it's also garnered a number of favorable reviews around the web.
Polygon gives it a 9.5/10:
I was surprised by that renewed sense of interest in and devotion to World of Warcraft. After my own lukewarm reactions to the last couple of expansions, I didn't really expect to get pulled in again. But here I am, logging in every night to run dungeons and finish leftover quests, to grab a couple more achievements or work on raiding plans with my guild. Even as I write this, I'm fighting the urge to play. Warlords of Draenor isn't just the best Warcraft expansion in years; it's a return to form as the best MMO in the industry.
IGN gives it a 9.0/10:
Warlords of Draenor demonstrates that World of Warcraft remains perched on top of the MMO heap for a reason. An emphasis on fun pervades every detail of the experience, whether it's in the prevalent rare enemies dotting the countryside, the chance of upgradable loot, or bonus areas that encourage exploration. It somewhat dangerously overemphasizes single-player gameplay with its admittedly entertaining garrisons, but it does much to counter this tendency with design decisions that encourage socialization in the outside world. It's a triumph that Blizzard should rightfully be proud of, and it hints that the team still possesses enough talent to extend WoW's lifetime beyond a decade.
GamesRadar gives it a 4.5/5:
As a whole, though, this is WoW's strongest expansion in years. Coming back to WoW after a stint with WildStar, I was afraid that Blizzard's undying MMO would feel antiquated. But playing it again, it's clear why WoW is still number one: it's the best at what it does, refining itself and adding polish over and over again until old flaws feel like ancient history. Warlords of Draenor will remind you why WoW is on top, even if the Garrison system doesn't do much to change the core experience. And for many players, simply getting back in touch with that nostalgic sense of MMO enjoyment will be enough.
PC Gamer gives it a 90/100:
Warlords of Draenor is of course not a finished thing so much as the start of up to two years worth of story and content the next chapter in World of Warcraft's story. If you play already, you've bought it already. You have no choice. It's hardly a hardship though, when it's not simply more World of Warcraft, but a genuinely surprising re-energising bolt. If Pandaria felt a bit like Blizzard flapping around after such a good run, this feels like there actually could be another ten good years in the old girl. There's no ignoring that it's a game from 2004 and its mechanics increasingly creak compared to more modern MMOs, but still Warlords of Draenor manages to give us a journey that feels fresher and more exciting than even their best bits glued together. A triumphant return to form for both Blizzard, and its world.
Den of Geek! gives it a 4/5:
Aside from the launch issues and a few minor quips, World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor is an extremely solid expansion one of WoW's best in my opinion. I'd rank it somewhere between The Burning Crusade and Wrath of the Lich King, pushing somewhat ahead of WotLK and significantly ahead of both Cataclysm and Mists of Pandaria, but just below TBC. As a veteran WoW player, it brings back a lot of great WoW feels. And that, frankly, is pretty damn impressive in a 10-year old game.
And Softpedia gives it a 9/10:
However, if you're prepared to embrace the direction the game is moving into, and you are still able to enjoy the core mechanics, the brilliant PvP design and the glorious feeling at the end of a successful raid, without going on and on about how you tanked Illidan on your Warlock and how rap ruined kids these days (which it did, incidentally), then you're guaranteed to have a blast.
