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Over the past several days previews of Blizzard Entertainment's first expansion for World of Warcraft have continued to trickle in. This time PC Gameworld, Actiontrip, and Computer And Videogames have all put forth their own spin on the new expansion.

From PC Gameworld:

If there have been some questions raised about the expansion, it mainly concerns the addition of Blood Elves. These Elves have been added to the side of the Horde, as opposed to the usual Alliance, and their presence means that the Horde will finally have some ‘pretty’ villains (usually they are ugly). This could either be viewed as a mistake or as a bold attempt to give the game some complexity. It depends on how tolerant you are to change, really - it is possible that mixing things up could produce some nice results.

The Warcraft lore naturally plays a crucial part in this game, but what's even more interesting are the many gameplay changes that Blizzard plans to introduce. One of the most interesting aspects, and one which sort of fuses gameplay innovation with the lore of the past Warcraft games, is the introduction of a new dungeon which will finally unlock the Caverns of Time in Tanaris.
Once the Caverns have been unlocked, players will be able to travel back through time, into the age before or during the Third War, and witness some of the most memorable scenes from Warcraft III as they unfold. The infamous unofficial battlegrounds at Tarren Mill and Southshore will be cast into an entirely different light, before the Horde ravaged the once tranquil town of Tarren Mill. You'll even witness scenes like the mayors of Tarren Mill and Southshore meeting up and exchanging friendly words and promises of loyalty. This particular quest line will reach its climax with the discovery of a high-level raid where you rescue Thrall himself from the internment camp in Durnholde Keep. Awesome stuff if you are a long-time Warcraft fan.
Furthermore, you will be able to travel back to Black Morass and actually witness Medivh opening the Portal, though you will be powerless to stop the chain of events that unfolds next.

There is life beyond the world as you know it. I know because I've just been there. But right now I'm sitting in an office in Irvine, California, and sitting opposite me is Blizzard's creative director Chris Metzen, the man whose mind provides the motivation every time an orc raises an axe in anger. Every major nugget of Warcraft lore has passed through his hands - Frozen Thrones, Dark Portals, you name it. He's the man who gives meaning to your daily grind. He's also a full-on rock star: wide grin, muscular build, dazzling necklace, chunky rings and Bono sunglasses. He's the closest man to Henry Rollins the games industry has. And I'm here to hear him talk Orc.

"There's this guy called Sargaris. He's a fallen titan and an extremely ill-tempered dude," begins Metzen as he cricks his neck. "Over the ages, he's gathered an army of demons that he calls the Burning Legion and he's set out to eradicate all life within the universe. As the Legion pass through the cosmos, they burn every world they encounter. They show up, destroy all sentient races, consume all magic, refuel and move on. Sargaris is pretty dedicated to wiping out all life and just becoming the ultimate god."

PC Gameworld: WoW Preview

Actiontrip: WoW Preview

CVG: WoW Preview

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