World of Warcraft: Forever is a time vampire. Since its release last Wednesday, I have spent 78 hours in Azeroth. Some of that I was AFK, sure. But for many of those hours, I was lost, happily, in the rolling hills and vast planes of Blizzard’s MMO – now enhanced, beautified, and given a new social energy that makes the old feel wonderfully new.
The original World of Warcraft is so beloved, so influential, that I wasn’t convinced Forever could build upon it without cheapening the overall experience; without creating glaring clashes between its new additions and legacy elements that, in some instances, are now over two decades old. And while there’s still plenty I haven’t seen after 78 hours and 35 levels, I can speak to one truth: WoW Forever is stunning work.
Perhaps it’s best to start with WoW: Forever’s most obvious changes: its new lighting and weather effects. People love to speak about getting lost in MMOs, being consumed by their digital worlds, but as much as I’ve enjoyed World of Warcraft in the past, its ageing graphics tech never managed to ensnare me that way. Forever’s new visual elements, though, have gone a long way toward pulling me in.
As I look out to sea, waves roll across the ocean. Inland, water flows fast along the rivers of Stranglethorn Vale. These are largely cosmetic additions, sure, but they make Azeroth feel so much more real. Dun Morogh’s snowstorms – likely the first exposure many players will have to Forever’s new weather effects – transform a peaceful, picturesque landscape into something hostile at a moment’s notice. It’s the same for Tanris; its vast desert now blighted with sandstorms that bring raging life to an otherwise fairly barren zone.
World of Warcraft; Forever’s enhancements go beyond visual, of course. Before launch, Blizzard described Forever as an opportunity to address imbalances, and to show a bit of love to underserved playstyles and classes. That’s why I decided I’d play as a druid and work toward creating a balance caster: a ranged DPS druid far slower to level than a feral one, and far less useful as a magic DPS compared to a mage. In other words, an unoptimal choice for the truly silly.
I actually levelled a balance druid to max in Classic World of Warcraft some years back and it was an arduous process. In Forever, though, adjustments made to the spells and talents have made it much less frustrating so far. You do more damage, for starters, and alterations to the talent tree and unlockable skills mean you don’t run into the sort of mana problems that crippled balance druids previously. From what I’ve seen, all the ugly duckling class specialisations – like Retribution Paladins and Enhancement Shamans – have received similar changes.
My interest had been similarly piqued before launch by the talk of WoW: Forever’s new dungeons. I still need more time to understand how these additions affect the wider leveling process, but already I can see they’ve been crafted with care, fitting nicely in the gaps between the original dungeons on a progression level.
Hall of Thanes is a Ragefire Chasm equivalent for Alliance players, serving as a solid introduction to dungeons for newcomers before they head off to The Deadmines and beyond. Here, you delve into the bowels of Ironforge, navigating tombs and tunnels in search of treasure and tackling foes beneath the seat of dwarvish power. It’s simple and clean like all early game Classic dungeons are, made with such faithfulness to the original vision that I could be convinced it was always present.
It’s also a lovely narrative introduction to one of the world’s many antagonists, the Dark Iron Dwarves. In the original World of Warcraft, players would first encounter them across a scattering of quests before being thrust towards Blackrock Mountain. Now, though, they show up early and immediately plant intrigue. What’s the deal with these drilling machines? What about the fire elementals they’re with?
Forever’s new dungeons also introduce some well-crafted quests. Anyone who’s played Classic WoW can recount the frustration of dungeons that, thanks to some awkward design, often require two separate completions to finish off. Blackfathom Deeps is a prime example; there are never enough twilight pendants to go around, forcing players to go back in for a second run if they want to tick it off. As such, many, myself included, don’t bother. World of Warcraft: Forever, though – with some exceptions – appears to favour a one-and-done approach to dungeons. In the new Excavation Site: Wetlands, for instance, there are just enough raptors hidden in tall grass for everyone to complete their hides in one go. A little thing, but meaningful.
But beyond all this, perhaps the most wonderful thing about World of Warcraft: Forever is how full it feels. It’s lively, bustling with action and excitement. Some of this is just that new MMO energy, but Blizzard’s new mega server approach, which vastly increases the number of players you’ll see doing quests compared to a regular server, is undoubtedly a significant factor too.
Every major city is packed with people having their own adventure, each quest zone is littered with heroes doing their bit to save the world. And this opens the door to social interactions, the beating heart of any MMO. The sight of dozens of players jumping off a zeppelin or flooding onto an elevator in unison is a joy, and grouping with strangers for an escort quest or an elite quest is a curative for digital hermits.
At one point, I find myself drawn into a conversation with a mage during a quest for troll ears. The mobs were hotly contested, and Horde players were quick to snatch tags. The few minutes I spent there, talking about what’s going on and how we’re finding the game were lovely, and World of Warcraft: Forever’s set-up encourages so much more of this kind of thing.
So, while I probably have plenty more sleepless nights left to go before I max out my druid, World of Warcraft: Forever has made a strong early impression. It’s taken the original game and expanded on it in genuinely meaningful ways, leaving the things that worked untouched while enriching the elements needed some love. It’s a wonderful point to jump into the game if you’re a new player, then, and a refreshed classic full of twists for the returning veteran. Whatever the coming months and years may bring, this opening week has been magical.