World of Warcraft Catalysm

Posted on Dec 12, 2010 under PC | No Comment

The Good:

New zones with satisfying stories and varied quests are the best to date
Fun and very different starter zones for new races
Guild leveling and rewards systems are great additions
Level and gear restrictions introduced for battlegrounds and dungeons respectively
Masterful use of phasing technology makes your actions feel impactful.

The Bad:

New archaeology profession isn’t fun
Not enough zones to level a second character without repeating lots of content.

Until recently it might have been considered hyperbole to say that World of Warcraft bears little resemblance to the game that it launched as six years ago. But now, following the recent releases of both a major free update and the eagerly anticipated Cataclysm expansion, there’s no denying that the fantasy world of Azeroth has changed forever. Entire regions have been brilliantly redesigned following the dragon Deathwing’s destructive flyover, and you don’t need Cataclysm or even either of the earlier expansions to enjoy exploring them (though you do need Cataclysm to fly around them). Read the rest of this entry »

Starcraft II Wings of Liberty

Posted on Sep 06, 2010 under PC | No Comment

The Good:

Campaign offers a lot of variety
Awesome cinematics and great voice acting get you involved in the story
Element of choice gives campaign lots of replay value
Excellent online play featuring three disparate but balanced factions
Challenges and practice league ease neophytes into competitive play.

The Bad:

Some Battlenet inconveniences
Only one campaign.

Some sequels radically reinvent what has come before; others simply buff up a formula that already soars. To suggest that Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty does only the latter and not the former would be to sell short the fresh ideas and exciting gameplay that makes this superb real-time strategy sequel so enjoyable. Read the rest of this entry »