World of Warcraft Impressions

Both HomeLan Fed and RPGVault are offering some new impressions of the ongoing World of Warcraft beta. The article at HomeLan Fed provides a bulleted list of the game’s main features, including the following:

Graphically, World of Warcraft looks absolutely incredible. Most MMORPG have to sacrifice looks in comparison to standard PC games, but World of Warcraft is simply one of the best looking RPGs, massively multiplayer or not, we have ever seen. From the detailed character models to the large outdoor areas and above all keeping the slightly cartoony look of the Warcraft RTS games. While there is no shortage of fantasy MMORPGs out there, the graphics and art style are already making the game stand out from the crowd.

And the article at RPGVault discusses the four newly available Horde races:

Creating an Undead character involves selecting among five possible classes – Warrior, Warlock, Mage, Rogue and Priest. Once you’ve achieved the particular gruesome, bony look you want, you arrive in the gameworld within a crypt on the edge of a small community, Tirisfal Glade. One note of interest is that you arrive there via a cutscene. This is the first one I recall seeing, and it would seem to suggest each race will eventually have one. When you climb some stairs and exit the tomb, the look is appropriately dark and moody. As is the case with every other location we’ve seen, Blizzard’s art team has crafted a distinctively stylish environment that clearly demonstrates all polygons are not created equal. Although some elements are blocky, the animations, texture work et al are top-notch, making the overall look highly effective.