Patch 3.1 review on WoWInsider

Alex Ziebart over at WoWInsider has a really great mini-review of patch 3.1 focussing on how disappointing the lack of storytelling is in the patch.

Patch 3.1 has lots of cool content, but it is utterly lifeless. In my opinion, Blizzard has set the bar for the story progressing within the game itself so high starting with patch 2.4 and through Wrath of the Lich King's initial release that they can't really afford to slip back into the days where the world was utterly stagnant. 

I'm not too much of a lore nerd, but I do regret the absence of any story or connection to what's happening inside Ulduar. The geometry is so beautiful and I know there's some back story to it that I should be interested in, but it's very poorly explained. I didn't even realize we weren't actually killing Hodir until we beat him, for instance.

My other complaint with 3.1 is it added nothing new that was fun to do other than Ulduar itself. The Argent Tournament is a fiasco, in my opinion. (Dear Blizzard: stop doing vehicles. Thanks.) The fishing dailies are dull. I don't know much about PvP but it seems the arena game is still pretty unbalanced. Battlegrounds are still boring, and Wintergrasp is unplayable.

Fortunately Ulduar is very good, and that's enough to keep me occupied for a couple of months at least.

Comments

[Pathis]

I could not agree more. Though Ulduar is clearly the shining star of the patch, it seems as though all of the creativity was put into the mechanics of the encounters rather than the narrative purpose behind it all.

I am also curious how many failed attempts at vehicles we will have to endure before all is said and done.

[Zet]

I actually disagree on the vehicles. I have found them to be a welcome change in the game. Interestingly, I was not expecting to like them.

[darksend]

Every vehicle needs the ability to strafe. Sorry don't care how unrealistic it is but the lack of fluid movement in tank type vehicles drives me insane.

[Dorgol]

I know this is a week late, but not knowing the story behind Ulduar is just... odd.

Just opening the Son's of Hodir reputation tells the story of 3/4 of the Keepers of Ulduar (Thorim, Hodir, and Mimiron are all mentioned / discussed). Freya also makes an appearance in Sholazar Basin.

The "bonus" bosses are just that - bonuses. No more explanation is required (just like we didn't need a real background story on the 3 drakes in BWL :)).

And of course beyond that we have Yogg-Saron... and he was mentioned by a number of NPCs throughout the early Northrend. Basically anywhere you say "faceless ones" or other such "insanity" mobs, there were hits about the Old God behind it all.

So while I can understand some of the complaints (lost of people don't like vehicles, PvP is still screwy) I can't quite agree with that aspect. :)

[Raj]

I agree with you that Patch 3.1 has lots of cool content, but it is utterly lifeless.

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Raj
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wow gold--wow gold