The Dragonflight first impressions are in, and the results are…pretty great, actually.
WoW Wednesday: A Summary of Dragonflight First Impressions
Written by Ollie Bradley at 11/30/2022, 05:09 AM
Well here we are. Everybody is wings-deep in Dragonflight, and it's pretty fair to say that it has taken off in every sense of the word. The Dragonflight first impressions are in, and let's just say it's nice to see everybody having a grand old time in what some are describing as a 'homecoming'.
It's been a while since WoW players have not been at the center of a cataclysmic event. And Dragonflight, with its nostalgic focus on lower narrative stakes, has become an oasis of good old-fashioned exploration and adventure, with even first-tier bosses winning players over more than the Jailer ever could.
Polygon goes so far as to call it "cozy", referencing how compared to the furor of Shadowlands, this expansion feels like a spot of welcome respite. "For the first time in a while we aren't the chosen ones or the champions, we're just adventures exploring a new land. And it feels so nice." Says one popular post on the r/wow subreddit.
An interview with NME saw Dragonflight's lead narrative designer, Steve Danuser, verify that this was always the plan, with Dragonflight intending to evoke a similar feel to Mists of Pandaria - one of the most beloved WoW expansions to date.
A large part of the good vibes are thanks to the new dragon riding system, something which has landed exceptionally well with fans. And something that marries the beautiful, unobstructed open world particularly well.
Of course, it's not all sunshine and daisies. There are those that find the expansion's new class/race combo, the Dracthyr Evoker, somewhat uninspiring. And the entirely expected teething problems on launch saw many failing to experience the hype first hand for a while as Blizzard attempted to rectify server issues. Meanwhile, bugs have already begun to crawl out of the woodwork - with some being more amusing than others.
The technical issues didn't stop one Korean player from hitting the level 70 cap in just a few hours, however. Adelio took advantage of a lucky break, managing to get in after just seven minutes of waiting, and proceeding to go full-pelt at the Dragonflight quests.
But all-in-all, the Dragonflight first impressions are looking positive. Sure, there's every opportunity for the expansion's narrative to u-turn into something even more apocalyptic than Shadowlands (a theory that probably has merit). But in the meantime, the WoW community is mostly united in taking in the sights and sounds of the Dragon Isles atop their mighty dragons.