by Gordon Cameron
1. Let It Snow
World of Warcraft has long been celebrated for its lavish scenery, and Lich King promises to be no exception. Even the zone names - Howling Fjord, Borean Tundra, and Wintergrasp - are evocative enough to set you shivering. Play the game and you'll find yourself in a stark and dazzling landscape of snowy fields, iced-over lakes, and forbidding mountain ranges. But it's not all frosty - wander inland to the Sholazar Basin or Crystalsong Forest and let yourself be dazzled by lush locales populated with dryads, wolverine people, and other fantastical fauna.
2. Life Begins At 80
World of Warcraft boasts a ridiculous amount of content to keep you busy as you approach the maximum level -- thousands of quests, dozens of zones and dungeons, and multiple battlegrounds and arenas for player-vs-player action. But don't think for a second that the game's over once you hit Level 80. Indeed, for many players, that's when the fun really starts. The Lich King endgame promises to be richer and more varied than ever, with numerous ways to acquire wealth and powerful items, and a wealth of advancement tracks to suit different playstyles. Want to suit up with a couple dozen buddies and take part in epic battles against the most powerful creatures? Lich King has you covered. Or maybe you just want to be the best darn fisherman Northrend ever saw? You can do that too.
3. The Return Of The Angry Albino Death Lord
One of the best things the expansion has going for it is a sweeping narrative that picks up on the tragic storyline of Arthas, the fallen Paladin in Warcraft III. If you ever played that classic strategy game, you'll remember Arthas as a cocky young hotshot who sold his soul for vengeance and pretty much turned into the personification of evil. (If you haven't played it, there's still time.) Now, after chilling (literally) in the icy wastes for the last few years, Arthas is back, having merged souls with the titular Lich King. And this time, he's the toughest bad guy in the game. Rumor has it that if you can find a gang of like-minded adventurers, you just might have a chance to take him down.
4. I Have A Rendezvous With A Death Knight
For the first time in four years, a new character class is being added to World of Warcraft - and it's a doozy. The Death Knight, a fallen servant of the Lich King himself, personifies cool in every way: imagine a warrior clad in black plate armor with a massive rune-engraved sword, yanking enemies toward her with a "Death Grip" power that Darth Vader would have envied, and summoning ghouls from the corpses of slain foes to aid her cause. To top it off, Blizzard's given newbie Death Knights a boost - as long as you have a high level character, you can roll a Death Knight starting at level 55, and within a few hours' questing you'll have an epic-speed mount and high-quality magical items. Talk about life in the fast lane.
5. 11 Million Night Elves Can't Be Wrong
It's no secret that with over 11 million subscribers, World of Warcraft is by far the most successful online role-playing game on the planet. But that's more than just a trivia factoid. In massively multiplayer games, the size of the subscriber base actually affects gameplay. WoW's popularity means you'll find yourself in a vibrant game world pulsating with life - whether you yearn for chaotic player-versus-player action, crave the bustle of crowded cities, or just want a well-stocked auction house to help you corner the market on Frostweave cloth. Sometimes, jumping on the bandwagon just makes sense.
Lich King Image Gallery
Posted: 9 Nov 2008
