October 7, 2009 - World of Warcraft: Cataclysm is the third expansion pack for the series. The developers are promising so many new features that it seems more like a stand-alone game than an expansion. Expect the unexpected, and lots of it.

Deathwing lies in wait. This fearsome dragon is preparing to do battle once again with the enchanted kingdom of Azeroth, where he caused major damage before his ultimate defeat. But the beast will never be satiated until the entire world is reduced to a molten mass. This time the destruction will be truly earth-shattering. All classes, races, factions, and heroes must take action. This could be the war to end all wars.

There are so many new elements to the World of Warcraft series through the Cataclysm expansion pack that's it difficult to pick the best one. All of them are important, but to what extent is solely dependent on your personal preference. One of the more impressive revelations is the new maps. Not only will new areas open up to explore in places such as Uldum and Deepholm, but familiar places such as Kalimdor and Eastern Kingdoms will display extensive damage waged by past battles, making some areas unrecognizable. Even if you don't get this expansion pack you won't be able to visit these places as they once were. They have been changed forever. But with the expansion pack you will get plenty of new content, new maps, new races, new skills, and a new cap level, just to name a few.

Archeology is the new secondary skill. While exploring the ruins of old battlegrounds and ancient settlements, you'll discover various artifacts and use your new skills to harness their powers. Archeology will also play a significant role in the new "path" system, a system where you acquire points for completing specific objectives and side quests. These points can be assigned to various talents, a number of which will be new to certain classes. The developers have also simplified the points and stats system, making it more accessible to newbies and veterans alike. Some of the more confusing stats such as defense and armor penetration will be replaced by more clearly defined categories. Mastery is one of the new stats, offering unique powers and abilities to characters based on their existing talents. Some of these abilities aren't necessarily physical, as some talents will allow you to receive special combo points during battles.

You will now get to play as the Worgen and the Goblins; two new playable races. The Worgen are allied with the Alliance and the Goblins with the Horde. New physics and graphics have been developed for the underwater world of Vashj'ir. Other new features include a new level cap of 85, with loads of new content for players at the maximum level as well as for players in the 80 to 85 level. New race and class combinations will let you assimilate new hybrids. You will now be able to fly your mounts in Kalimdor and the Easter Kingdom, as long as you have the necessary stats. In addition, there will be eight new, five-player dungeons in both the regular and Heroic mode with new raid dungeons that can accommodate 10 to 25 players. That's a lot of new content. The developers appear to be taking the concept of the expansion pack to a new level.

The developers really want to drive home the point of an apocalyptic catastrophe, one that has drastically changed this world. But this isn't a wasteland. It's filled with new and exciting areas to explore, places that existed for eons, and ones that continue to thrive. Even on the original worlds of Outland and Northrend, you will find new monsters, treasures, towns, characters, hope, and despair. You'll discover the secrets of the Worgen, a destructive, beastly race, as you probe the mysteries of the Greymane Wall. The history of the Goblins will also be forthcoming as they become more prominent in the game after being shaken from their seclusion after the catastrophe. Virtually all of the races will have access to new classes. Examples of some of the class combo hybrids you can create include gnome priest, troll druid, dwarf mage, tauren paladin, and blood elf warrior.

New maps for players over level 80 include: Uldum, a city-sized knowledge base; Deepholm, an underground labyrinth of twisting tunnels and caverns, and Twilight Highlands, guarded by the foreboding Hammer clan. New battlegrounds are also being developed for PvP matches, including Battle for Gilneas City and Tol Barad Island, similar in concept to the Wintergrasp zone. Some battlegrounds and arenas will be rated so that players can stay within their comfort zone or take on more of a challenge, resulting in more experience points for successful bouts.

World of Warcraft is going to reach far into the next millennium, and possibly beyond, as long as expansion packs such as Cataclysm live up to their reputation.

By Cole Smith
CCC Senior Writer