Review: World of Warcraft (WoW)

Played on: PC

World of Warcraft is an online game where players create characters. These characters can be different species and the player can choose to play for one of two main groups, The Horde or The Alliance. Players complete tasks and quests to gain levels and skills. Each expansion to the game has added more to the story line with the latest expansion adding the pursuit of the Lich King.

Visuals:

The game is graphically very well done. It looks like a video game, but generally plays smoothly. Some of the scenery can be quite beautiful. Due to the way the game is set up, players often have to do much of the same task, or use the same skill many times in order to gain levels and progress to the next part of the game. For some players this "grinding" can be a very positive characteristic of the game as it is a great way to waste a few hours, however, it can be excruciating to watch.

Audio:

There isn't much to the game as far as soundtrack. There are sound effects that are associated with many parts of the game, but they are not necessary for the success of the player. The game can easily be played on mute.

Involvement:

There is no opportunity for involvement from a girlfriend who does not wish to play the game. The game's chat features can be a way to communicate with friends, but this will be done mostly by the player. Some girlfriends do play World of Warcraft on their own so that they may play a character with their boy, but I would not suggest WoW for a non-gamer, or even a very casual gamer.

Overall:

There is a reason the term "WoW Widow" exists. WoW is not a good game for girlfriend watching and players tend to play for hours on end. I might find some enjoyment in watching it for a few minutes, but it quickly becomes boring. If WoW is to be played in the presence of the girlfriend, mute your computer and let her choose a movie to watch as you try to reach level 70. If your girlfriend is into games, and not just casually, you might be able to convince her to start playing, but don't push it. For most girlfriends, I would recommend leaving the WoW playing for when she goes with her friends.