World of Warcraft: Cataclysm Preview

Yet another hands on preview of World of Warcraft: Cataclysm has reached the web, and this time it’s a two-pager courtesy of the editors at Bit-tech.

The Worgen’s “humans overrun and infected by monsters” plot is excellent and plays out differently than you might first imagine. The Dickensian-style zone sees well-to-do chaps with top hats, monocles and a penchant for fisticuffs in a bit of a pickle as they are assaulted by Archmage Arugal’s cruel pets – the Worgen. It’s not long before your human character is bitten, infected and screwed over, ultimately sprouting a fluffy tail long, pointy ears and quite a lot of fur. There’s no doubt that the Worgen are among the coolest looking Alliance characters in the game, and the way they scurry and skulk around is pitch-perfect for those of you that don’t fear lycanthrope.

The polar opposite of the Worgen are the Horde-siding Goblins of The Lost Isles. Anyone that plays WoW knows these little green spuds as the comedic NPCs with a knack for making things explode, but now you get to be one — and it’s a hell of a lot of fun. Personal preference is always a big factor in choosing which character to play, but having played both a Worgen and a Goblin through to the end of their respective starting zones, it’s the Goblin that wins out in terms of humor, style and sheer inventiveness. Seriously though, both of the new races’ fledgling hours easily trounce anything seen in the game before.