The zones of WoW: Legion are packed with content – but does the game lose something in the process?
If you take a closer look at the zones of World of Warcraft: Legion, you’ll find a theme park MMO in its purest form. Every location is filled with quests, treasure chests, and rare enemies. Whether it’s Val’sharah, Suramar, or Stormheim – adventures, challenges, and always rewards await everywhere.
But that’s exactly what bothers some fans. Not everyone wants action and excitement around every corner; some want to lose themselves in a zone. A zone should feel like a real environment, not like a carnival where something is always happening.
They miss simply “disappearing” in a zone – anyone who has stood in the desolate surroundings of the Dragonblight (without a flying mount!) surely knows what the players are talking about. There were places where “nothing important” happened, which gave them such a beautiful atmosphere. But exactly those vast zones have become a rarity.
Jade Forest and Shadowmoon Valley were atmospheric zones
The Jade Forest from Mists of Pandaria is cited as a particularly positive example. The many small villages of the Pandaren and the numerous “beautiful locations” that didn’t even have quests leading to them remain a fond memory for many players. It felt like you were actually traveling through a beautiful forest and not in a forced-designed quest zone.
Also in Warlords of Draenor, there was another example. The Shadowmoon Valley (Alliance) was a wonderful landscape in which you could get lost. The small buildings of the Draenei with the numerous NPCs, who had different dialogues and followed a routine – that was beautiful.
Cortyn says: While I find all the areas of Legion beautiful and cohesive and certainly refer to them as some of the “most beautiful areas so far” in terms of sheer graphical splendor, I miss something.
When I think back to Shadowmoon Valley from WoD, I sometimes ran through the countryside for minutes, just taking in the surroundings, feeling like I was just a small part in a big world. Yes, I miss vast zones, with a bit more tranquility – maybe the next addon will help with that.
What do you think of the zones throughout the expansion? Should they be more like in Legion, where everything is a bit “tighter,” with a chest or a hidden mob waiting around every corner? Or do you wish for expansive zones that feel a bit more “realistic,” but don’t always offer a real reward? Let us know in the comments!
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