World of Warcraft: Shadowlands is coming to PC later this year, but we’ve had the privilege of testing the expansion beforehand. We talk about it.
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands will be the eighth expansion for the video game that continues the story of the trilogy started in the Warcraft strategy title. For this occasion Blizzard has not only relied on the usual more and better, but has completely redesigned features such as leveling up or classes in its attempt to reach more audiences, if there is someone left who has not yet you have tried World of Warcraft!
Although this gigantic expansion of content was announced a while ago, in the past BlizzCon 2019 specifically, the American company recently broadcast a video on different streaming platforms where new features for the title were announced, they set a date for the start of the beta of Shadowlands and showed what the physical collector’s edition of Shadowlands will be like.
In addition to being able to dialogue with Patrick Dawson and Ion Hazzikostas, Production Director and Game Director respectively, FreeGameTips was invited to try a private beta of World of Warcraft: Shadowlands that we have given good account to bring you valuable information about it.
Flowing content
What we can tell you right now is that World of Warcraft: Shadowlands has content in abundance, perhaps even too much even if you are a veteran player. That is at least the feeling we have had when we first stepped on Revendreth, one of the most complete locations of this private event to which we have had access. The Nexus of Souls, the Curia, Adventures, the characteristic of Renown, the constant vigilance of the Jailer – final boss of the expansion -, Torghast … all this and much more is what awaits us at the end of the year in Shadowlands, better known in Spanish as the Shadowlands.
But before we dive into high-level content, let’s talk about Exile Boundary, the new starting area for players entering World of Warcraft for the first time. This is a small map – beautiful, by the way – where both the horde and alliance sides must rescue an important character in the plot and, at the same time, prevent an evil dragon from rising from its ashes. What’s interesting about it is how it connects with the following content and the great work it does guiding new players in the World of Warcraft game system. It is a splendid tutorial that teaches such basic terms as engaging in conversation with a player, buying from vendors, using skills, combat tricks, class quests, or learning the riding skill, now available from level 10. Along the way we see Also iconic creatures from WoW’s original starting zones, such as murlocs, harpies, and jabaespines as they teach you how to master features such as group hunting or taking part in a low-level two-person dungeon.
If any player was afraid to go into World of Warcraft because they thought it would be difficult, now there is no excuse. The new starting area is not only fantastic to look at but also accompanies the player during the first ten levels and then releases them into the adventure with the basic knowledge already learned. However, it strikes us as a tad short because this tutorial does not cover the system of professions, talents, flights between locations and other characteristics that are also important to know for new players.
The Novice, after completing the initial story arc, will land in Boralus or Zandalar — depending on the chosen faction — to progress with their character to level 50, that is, forty levels in the Battle for Azeroth expansion. The more experienced will be able to choose the original starting areas and, at level ten, talk to Chromie and decide in which expansion they want to improve their character.
We have walked with a Death Knight, a hero class who has also received a new introduction that leads us directly to the throne of Bolvar Fordragón, the current – or whatever you want to call it – Lich King who replaced Arthas after his fall. There we will talk to him about what happened after his brief fight against Sylvanas and he will tell us that if we want to access the Shadowlands we will have to use his now destroyed helmet of domination in the runes of his fortress. Doing so will take us to The Maw and we will fight side by side with Jaina and Thrall against the terrible souls that await us there.
This time, and although you may already know it, the number of levels has been drastically reduced. From the current maximum level, 120, it has been halved in Shadowlands, 60. And the truth is that it was necessary because the final numbers were already leaving their mother and not only at the character level but also in the statistics, damage of champions or monsters and other features of the game. This unstoppable increase in numbers was attempted to be reduced in Cataclysm but in this fifth expansion after the arrival of Deathwing or the maximum level was reduced or the accounts did not come out. There comes a time in the life of each user in which seeing large numbers no longer impresses as much as in the beginning. In Classic itself you can see how many of us hallucinate because of that critical blow that has fallen from the sky.
In the Shadowlands beta to which we have had access we have also noticed the same; the low numbers in the blows that we carry out add an extra point of tension to the scenario in which we find ourselves. Because yes, in the trial version we have suffered with quite a few enemies; Any mindundi can give you a championship soba in the blink of an eye. Especially in two of the areas we have tried the most, Revendreth, home of the Venthyr and The Maw, with special emphasis on the second as we notice the jailer’s breath at the nape of the neck because he closely watches all the steps we take through their lands, even punishing us if we exceed ourselves by exterminating monsters or performing various actions. And, from what we have seen, in the Maw there is no rest or truce; goodbye inns or resting places, and if the Jailer hunts you, forget about going back to Las Maw until the next day.
This constant tension is coupled with the amount of content unlocked at the start of the beta. As soon as we arrived, the possibility of starting the Curia campaign with Revendreth opened up for us. The missions are varied and tell the story of this region and its inhabitants, so completing the campaign is vital to gain popularity —new, “the new Azerite” as they already call it — and that your new allies gain trust with you. This unlocks unique abilities, pets, various facilities, and even mounts.
On the other hand, we have the adventurer mission plank, a feature that was born in Warlords of Draenor, in our citadel, but here something renewed and with a more strategic component. However we note that it is the same dog with a different collar. As soon as we speak with the supporters of our chosen sanctuary, Revendreth in this case, they will send us to The Maw to collect anima with which to gain popularity or they urge us to use the Nexus of Souls, a feature that gives us the option of strengthening one of the heroes of the region with his own abilities or others that we have at our disposal and that, in doing so, will enhance the abilities of our champion.
If we decide to go into The Maw the pressure will be maximum but it is that, in addition to collecting souls, we receive stigias by killing enemies that we can use later to exchange for interesting objects that will facilitate our visit to this little hell or buy cosmetic objects with this coin. We are talking about the last zone of the expansion, which is considered today as high-level content. And it is not for less, there is another of the great novelties of Shadowlands; Torghast, the Tower of the Damned.
In this impressive endless and ever-changing dungeon – each time we enter it is different – players can enter solo or in groups and the difficulty of it grows with each floor that we ascend. As we advance the enemies are stronger, more varied and with different abilities, each one more powerful. However along the way we have the option to gain improvements and skills that will make climbing the tower a little easier, although they will not make it a walk either. And as an interesting note is the possibility of winning unique items or materials to create our own legendary equipment to our liking, another novelty from Shadowlands.
Finally we had the opportunity to test and complete the dungeon located in Maldraxxus, Teatro del Dolor. This fascinating dungeon full of new mechanics was a tough challenge for all of us because the equipment provided for the test was not the most appropriate and we also did not know how to finish with the five bosses it contains. We did it, of course, and thanks to this we saw how at least two of the five opponents to beat surprise in movements, skills and strategy to follow.
Broadly speaking and to simplify quite a lot – there is a lot to talk about in this expansion – this would be the most interesting thing about World of Warcraft: Shadowlands that we have seen in this already finished press event. During these days, more details have been given that the content patch will receive, such as that we can change sex for free in the hairdresser, that the relics will no longer grant experience, that the possibility of flying in Shadowlands is unlocked by popularity, that the final boss It will be the Jailer himself or there will be no content for the profession of Archeology in this expansion.
More news
Although all this was already known in advance, we want to review a little above what news is to come when the new content reaches the live version. Lowering levels, for example, implies changes in classes. Perhaps the most interesting is that they recover unique class abilities that disappeared in past expansions, such as the Paladin’s auras, the different poisons of the Rogues, some totems of the Shaman class or various curses of the Warlock among others. The level squish also implies changes in the level rise that will now be more enjoyable, faster and not so demanding. In addition all the zones adjust to your current level so it will be possible, for example, to level up in Outland with level 20.
We will not have a new class in Shadowlands nor any more races but there will be a profound change in character customization. It is not something out of the ordinary but between the old and new options, the chances of meeting another character similar to you are reduced to the improbable. Really remarkable the effort that has been made in the human race and the orcs, perhaps under our prism those who come out winning with the new customization options. There are very very cool configurations although in options it still falls short compared to other mmorpgs.
And of lore how it goes? World of Warcraft: Shadowlands collects the token left behind by Battle for Azeroth and launched by Cataclysm. This means that once again the plot of the expansion will be the most important part of this update with very careful scripts as Blizzard has accustomed us. There are many unknowns in the air such as what happens to Sylvanas, whether Elune will matter in history, who the Jailer really is and what plans he has with Windrunner or what role will have ancient heroes and fallen enemies that now swarm through the Shadowlands. The adventure raises many questions that we hope the final version will solve for us but what is clear is that, at first glance, Shadowlands will be a much more sinister expansion compared to what we are used to and perhaps the one with the most fronts open at the moment. .
In order to begin to reveal these doubts we will still have to wait a few months, until the end of the year, although next week the Alpha version of the title will close and the beta will begin where many users can already enjoy it if they have been blessed by Blizzard .
