Since the Free2Play transition of WildStar, the call for a comparison of the two games has grown louder. Like every other game before it, WildStar must measure itself against the unassailable genre leader World of Warcraft. For this reason (and because a certain boss is forcing me), we take a comparative look at both games and search for the biggest strengths as well as the most significant weaknesses of these two MMORPG representatives. Round one for WildStar vs. WoW
The start – too easy and too bumpy?
When starting both games, noticeable differences immediately appear: Aside from the naming, the first levels in World of Warcraft can be played solely with the mouse. The tutorials are functional and brief, the first quests barely deserve their name, as rarely more than one ability is needed to send enemies to their graves – not to mention that you typically only have 1-2 abilities. The game world is colorful, relevant quest-givers stand out clearly from the rest of the world and clearly direct: “Follow this path, and you’ll progress further.”
With WildStar, it’s different. Although arrows can indicate the direction of a quest, the overall design is not very beginner-friendly. Too much information in a short time confuses more than helps, quest-givers hardly stand out from the mass of NPCs, and the sheer number of menus and submenus will leave even some veterans sweating. No, the start is definitely smoother in World of Warcraft than in WildStar.
Presentation of the game world
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In presenting the game world, both games balance out but shine particularly in different areas. World of Warcraft can score with its extensive lore that has matured over 20 years and – despite some fanatical critics – is largely coherent and logical. All this background knowledge oozes from every corner of Azeroth. Some cutscenes in the newer areas have film quality. This creates a dense atmosphere with continuously progressing story, which, due to its scope alone, offers little competition. On the flip side, WoW suffers from a lack of secrets – rarely is anything in the world really hidden or not obvious, leading to players with a penchant for exploration possibly feeling quickly bored.
The lore is fresh and exciting in WildStar – unfortunately not optimally presented.
In WildStar, it’s quite the opposite. The lore is fresh, sometimes lively to absurd, but is hardly noticed by many players. While there are countless codex entries, hardly any player reads them. The short quests in SMS form also do not invite players to study the world, making it hard to connect with Nexus unless one actively seeks it out. However, the world itself shines with many secrets: Countless jumping puzzles are hidden in the expansive areas, many challenges are only found by actively searching, and humorous secrets with interesting puzzles can be stumbled upon at every corner.
Read more on the next page about the combat systems, scope, PvP, and customization…
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