by D A Lavizzo

Created on: January 30, 2007   Last Updated: April 12, 2007

World of Warcraft is one of those rare occasions when a simple concept, brilliantly executed, takes on such magnitude that it literally affects the entire world. World of Warcraft has - single handedly, I should mention - opened new job markets, created capitalistic ventures where none were before, and changed the landscape of the gaming world in a dramatic, definable way. These days, there is WOW in one corner, and there's the rest of the gaming world in the other.

If World of Warcraft smashed expectations, it's latest expansion The Burning Crusade completely obliterated them. Despite (or perhaps because of) delay after delay, World of Warcraft players lined up for blocks outside of local retailers for the midnight release of the Burning Crusade to be one of the lucky first few able to reach level 70 or start a Blood Elf or Draenai.

Hitting a first day record of 2.4 million copies sold on day one, the Burning Crusade is a hot news item. But how is the actual gameplay? Thankfully, Blizzard have offered up another in their long line of well-designed and thought-out games. The Burning Crusade pulls players even deeper into the semi-ongoing story of Azeroth. Moments after stepping through the Dark Portal, players are immersed into the ongoing war between the races of Azeroth and the might of the Burning Legion, a race of demons bent on destroying everything in their path.

The action gets more intense from there. Offering players a wealth of content, the Burning Crusade is definately worth the 39.99 entry fee, and a near 15 dollar a month charge. Ponying up fifteen a month for most other games seems almost criminal, but somehow with World of Warcraft, you feel as though you're getting you're money's worth. Flying mounts alone are some of the coolest rewards in the game, offering players on PVP servers the perk of performing highly satisfying bombing runs on unsuspecting flagged players on the ground far below.

Some of the new zones are just drop dead gorgeous, as well. Blizzard's legendary attention to detail shines here as in no other game - with near unlimited resources, Blizzard have completely outdone any previous effort. Every quest feels like it's driving you towards the ultimate goal - stop Illidan, the former Night Elf turned half-demon, from invading Azeroth.

The list of new content goes on and on - from the Eye of the Storm PVP Battleground to the new Caverns of Time instances - but the only real way to experience the game is to play it for yourself. A highly recommended buy for anyone who plays the original World of Warcraft. NOTE: The Burning Crusade is an expansion, so you must have the original World of Warcraft to play.

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