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Strategy Informer has posted a new preview of Blizzard Entertainment's Cataclysm expansion for World of Warcraft. Cataclysm will allow players to adventure as two new playable races, bring their characters to level 85, take on challenging quests and dungeons in all-new zones, and experience dramatic changes to familiar aspects of the game in the wake of a world-shattering disaster.

The worgen quest chains take you away from the Gilneas City and out into the sticks, so to speak, where we also get a glimpse at the arrival of this world shattering Cataclysm. An entire invasion by the Forsaken is thwarted thanks to a massive earthquake that gobbles up the coast and obliterates their naval fleet. It was here an interesting quest popped up that had me rescuing drowning militia from the water. You had to carry NPCs back to the shore and you did so by having them thrown over your shoulder – it’s nice to see Blizzard is really making head way in getting more unique interactions for their quests now. Before you are forced to leave the city you get played a special cut scene which shows you changing into a worgen for the first time, though unfortunately it wasn’t included yet in the beta – but they did write us a note. Suddenly we’re outside in the stocks and given a potion that lets us control our bestial nature. It's here we have a quick chat with major NPCs again.

Eventually the worgen quests lead to a crossing with the druids who show your character how to permanently dominate your new shape shifting predicament and it's how the worgen race comes to be accepted into the Alliance. Eventually things lead back to Gilneas City where Blizzard have cooked up a huge showdown between the Forsaken, their banshee Queen, and the remnants of the Gilneas people. Annoyingly at the time the actual battle event was bugged, like really bugged, and I and plenty of other beta guineas pigs couldn’t move past it at all. It was a painful stop and I was left with little choice but to abandon my worgen mage for the time being and so I decided now would probably be a great window of opportunity to try out the other new kid on the block – Goblin – but that adventure will have to wait until next time.

Strategy Informer: Cataclysm Preview

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World Of Warcraft: Cataclysm (add to watch list)

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