The combat system – Action against leisurely
One needs to say little about the combat system of both games. WoW relies on an old but proven system where abilities always hit the targeted enemy. This works seamlessly and is fun – mainly due to the numerous abilities and different play styles of all classes.
But: Anyone who has played WildStar and immersed themselves in the combat system will find everything else much less exciting. The celebrated telegraph system requires constant attention, as just one or two hits from enemies can – at least in higher levels – mean the death of your character.
Especially innovative ideas like the negative character states clearly speak in favor of WildStar: If you are “blinded,” you can hardly see anything on your screen; if you are “confused,” your key bindings are different. Once you have embraced the action-packed combat system of WildStar, conventional battles in other MMOs will seem incredibly dull – here WildStar definitely has the edge.
Scope
In terms of scope, the comparison flips to the other extreme: Few games can come close to World of Warcraft. No wonder, as the MMO has had over 10 years to mature and has been expanded through 5 massive expansions. Even though much of the content may not be relevant for many players, it is still available. Especially achievement hunters, pet collectors, or fans of rare equipment can roam in the endless dungeons and vast zones. Newcomers entering WoW will find themselves lost from time to time, as the world has become gigantic and filled with fascinating stories, though the quality differences between the outdated “Burning Crusade” and the current “Warlords of Draenor” become evident.
WildStar is significantly smaller in scope but offers consistently high quality throughout the game world. Although the individual areas are larger than those of the competition, the total area is considerably smaller, which is reflected in the number of dungeons and PvP battlegrounds.
Player versus Player
My statements about PvP should be taken with caution, as I have no expert knowledge in this area for either WildStar or World of Warcraft – so view this from a “casual” perspective.
While WildStar’s PvP plays significantly faster, it is often also less clear. Clearly, if you want to dodge out of enemy telegraphs, you can’t stay still for long. Although the balance has improved significantly since the game’s launch, being taken out by stalkers in 3 seconds is still not fun.
In contrast, WoW’s PvP plays more statically, and in some cases, it’s not even about beating other players. The Alterac Valley has long since devolved from the “greatest battleground of all time” to a dull “everyone rushes past each other to the enemy boss.” Nevertheless, the skirmishes feel fair and balanced. Premade groups naturally dominate in both games, overrunning any random group – but that is also somewhat their purpose.
Unfortunately, WildStar currently has only 3 real battlegrounds (excluding arenas), while World of Warcraft is better equipped with 11 battlegrounds – however, boredom does not arise in either game.
Dungeons & Raids
In the area of raids and dungeons, World of Warcraft clearly emerges as the shining winner. The raids are praised by hardcore guilds as the most challenging in the MMO landscape. At the same time, lower difficulty levels مثل the infamous LFR (also known as the “idiot lottery”) offer all players at least a glimpse into the instances – “elitist” is not what the content is in its simplest form. Even if for some players this precisely reduces motivation: Why should one defeat a boss on hard if they have already been downed on easy?
WildStar, on the other hand, is not quite as broad in this category; however, the content is also not designed for all players. While there is a content finder, it takes some time to gather the necessary gear to even venture into the instances. Nonetheless, the dungeons, adventures, and expeditions are entertaining and often convey more story and narrative than comparable content from the competition.
Customization – Housing against… nothing
Customization has become an important point in today’s gaming world – and here, World of Warcraft has a lot of catching up to do. The character models offer little variety, and the options for clothing and weapon choices are very limited. Although equipment can now be transmogrified (changing its appearance), this has become the minimum standard in many games.
No, WildStar excels in customization. Characters have many sliders and options, armor can not only be freely chosen from all available models but can also be dyed at will. However, all of this pales in comparison to the housing options in WildStar. These are – and I lean far out here – endless. Every player gets their own plot of land (which they can share with others if they choose) and can decorate it completely freely. More than 2000 different objects are available for selection, which can be combined, customized, and placed as desired. If there is one area in which WildStar remains unsurpassed, it is housing. Everyone – not just WoW – could learn a lot from this.
Read on the last page about the various business models, long-term motivation, the community, and the conclusion…
