World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King

 PC
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1545 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,127 out of 1545
  2. Mixed: 188 out of 1545
  3. Negative: 230 out of 1545
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  1. Kirase
    Jan 1, 2012
    7
    There were some very enjoyable raid encounters in this addon but overal it was far too easy and honestly wow started to get dumbed down and get boring with this addon. Took only a few days to reach max level. While leveling up the "normal" difficulties of instances already felt like pure waste of time and the "heroic" versions were very easy to finish first time playing them soon becomingThere were some very enjoyable raid encounters in this addon but overal it was far too easy and honestly wow started to get dumbed down and get boring with this addon. Took only a few days to reach max level. While leveling up the "normal" difficulties of instances already felt like pure waste of time and the "heroic" versions were very easy to finish first time playing them soon becoming absolutely obsolete. Gold had no value anymore. Any player not beeing fully equipped with epic items after like one week at max level got called noob. The complete gameplay changed to repeating boring quests in boring instances on daily base to collect for pointless item updates. Well and once you were half finished collecting your items blizzard just released a new content patch with new items, nerfed old icontent and made all your past "efforts" regarding items and achievements wortless.… Expand
  2. Expospeed
    Sep 28, 2012
    0
    WoW was a fantastic game in the past. It was filled with adventure, discovery, and most importantly, teamwork. However, the game has been going downhill recently with the release of the new expansion, the Mists of Pandaria. It has become too simplistic, and plays like a console game. There is no sense of accomplishment and adventure anymore. Clearly, Blizzard is now targeting a differentWoW was a fantastic game in the past. It was filled with adventure, discovery, and most importantly, teamwork. However, the game has been going downhill recently with the release of the new expansion, the Mists of Pandaria. It has become too simplistic, and plays like a console game. There is no sense of accomplishment and adventure anymore. Clearly, Blizzard is now targeting a different demographic - the game is now for kids. If you enjoy paying a monthly fee AND playing with (other) children, this game might be for you.… Expand
  3. curzon_dax
    Dec 4, 2020
    7
    While TBC almost fixed the mess of "unplayability" of classes in combat that was Vanilla: WotLK perfected the main subsystems of the game. While Ulduar and other content were the best or almost the best ever the expansion did have weakness (for example the extreme ugliness of the TotC raid). Most people will tell you this is a 10/10 but don't take them seriously since that comes mainlyWhile TBC almost fixed the mess of "unplayability" of classes in combat that was Vanilla: WotLK perfected the main subsystems of the game. While Ulduar and other content were the best or almost the best ever the expansion did have weakness (for example the extreme ugliness of the TotC raid). Most people will tell you this is a 10/10 but don't take them seriously since that comes mainly from memories from people that were small children back then.… Expand
  4. sikfuk
    Apr 8, 2017
    0
    i feel like WOTLK started the death of warcraft, primarily by destroying it's balance, which got even worse by adding a hero class, crappy new zones, and for the most part awful dungeons. people started moving to private servers to enjoy the content that was actually good, and the more balanced PvP of burning crusade. every expansion has made the game worse. im not excited about the newi feel like WOTLK started the death of warcraft, primarily by destroying it's balance, which got even worse by adding a hero class, crappy new zones, and for the most part awful dungeons. people started moving to private servers to enjoy the content that was actually good, and the more balanced PvP of burning crusade. every expansion has made the game worse. im not excited about the new level cap or the new grinding. there have to be better ways to add content to a game.… Expand
  5. Axilley
    Jul 22, 2021
    9
    very good very good very good very good very good very good very good very good very good very good very good very good very good very good very good very good very good very good very good very good very good very good very good very good very good very good very good very good very good very good
  6. WCM320
    Feb 6, 2021
    9
    Really the last Amazing expansion they did.
    And it really shows that this was when they ran out of original content from the Strat games.
  7. Thwompthing
    Aug 17, 2019
    10
    Here's a much deserved 10 for the greatest expansion in all of MMO RPG gaming. Vanilla through Wrath was so mesmerizing and addicting. The lore, music, gameplay, cutscenes......everything was on point. Can't believe how many haters there are on here that give the game a 0 because they can't stand MMO RPG's....what a joke. World of Warcraft is the greatest and most popular MMO RPG ofHere's a much deserved 10 for the greatest expansion in all of MMO RPG gaming. Vanilla through Wrath was so mesmerizing and addicting. The lore, music, gameplay, cutscenes......everything was on point. Can't believe how many haters there are on here that give the game a 0 because they can't stand MMO RPG's....what a joke. World of Warcraft is the greatest and most popular MMO RPG of all time for a reason!

    I have never seen so many idiots in my life on Metacritic for giving it 0's. This expansion was the greatest of all time in recorded history. This is why Metacritic is a problem; pure idiots.    … Expand
  8. shenkenhigh
    Aug 27, 2022
    10
    10/10 I started playing in BC, but i was only 12 years old back then, so WotlK gave me the first raiding experience. Awesome quests, lore, locations, Incredible raids especialy Ulduar and ICC. Btw i got the 2010 achiev for clearing it, i hella did it, and only 1.60% of all guilds at that moment were capable of doing so. Outstanding job Blizzard!
  9. EevieRoseAmalee
    Jul 12, 2019
    3
    Was a highly overated expac for it's time. Burning Crusade was much better in my opinion.
  10. Aethelwulf
    Feb 23, 2020
    9
    This Expansion was overall fantastic. Metacritic should ban all reviews from people coming here in 2019 or 2020 to give WotLK bad reviews only because they dislike Battle for Azeroth. Really, any review past 2010 should be removed.
  11. vantrk
    Mar 5, 2022
    0
    спасибо blizzzard 8 лет игры и пошел я нахер, #games out of politics
  12. SeyeerGame
    Jan 7, 2021
    10
    в ЦЛК 10 об нид 2 танка, 2 хила, дд/рдд от 5.2к фаст снос, знание тактик.

    In Icecrown Citadel Need 2 tank, 2 heals, dd/rdd from 5.2k fast push, knowledge of tactics
  13. Zhek87
    Mar 5, 2022
    0
    Невозможно оплатить подписку в России, гг Близзард
  14. yon19794
    Dec 7, 2021
    7
    The one expansion where most, not all, of us agree that it was good, it had a theme, lore, story, BALANCED PVP (it is the ONLY expansion that has that).
  15. Vikzll
    Mar 11, 2022
    9
    Probably the most iconic WoW expansion. The most 'honed' version of the 'classic era' WoW and also the peak of whole World of Warcraft universe, finishing the story of Arthas Menethil, the once idealistic young paladin and a prince of Lordaeron... now a Lich King.

    Review (in pros/cons format): Pros: + visually satisfying zones in the new continent of Northrend + leveling/quest    Probably the most iconic WoW expansion. The most 'honed' version of the 'classic era' WoW and also the peak of whole World of Warcraft universe, finishing the story of Arthas Menethil, the once idealistic young paladin and a prince of Lordaeron... now a Lich King.

    Review (in pros/cons format):

    Pros:
    + visually satisfying zones in the new continent of Northrend
    + leveling/quest experience (including keeping the old feel of leveling in vanilla zones)
    + the option of 2 starting zones in Northrend (Borean Tundra or Howling Fjord)
    + relatively balanced PvP class design: every class and lot of specs were viable (after DKs were nerfed a bit)
    + relatively balanced PvE class design: every class was viable and felt unique (every class could add some unique useful buffs/spells to the raid)
    + One of the most iconic raids of the game happened to be in this expansion: Ulduar and ICC
    + every patch was a build up and preparation to attack the Icecrown Citadel and face the final villain: Arthas... the Lich King himself.
    + Wintergrasp: massive 120v120 open world battleground where you fight over the control of the Vault of Archavon: raid in which the boss can drop current PvE/PvP tier items..
    + very alt friendly expansion (thanks to emblem system too)
    + talent system which gave a player an option to tune the class to their playstyle and made possible to create some fun specs
    + glyphs and inscription profession
    + some zones were changing depending on your quest progress (for example: Shadow's Vault quest line)

    Neutral points:
    ⚫ Dungeon finder: While it enabled you to do dungeons you normally wouldn't do (mainly in vanilla + tbc), it also made you to interact less with other players

    Cons:
    - Patch 3.0:
    >overpowered Death Knight class (mainly in PvP)
    >lack of challenging raid content (Naxxramas, EoE were too easy)

    - later patches:
    >Trial of the Crusade (mainly normal difficulty) raid was easier than its previous tier (Ulduar) and made Ulduar irrelevant as ToC had same or better loot quality (such a shame, one of the best raids in history of WoW)
    >lack of challenging heroic dungeons (only Halls of Reflections was quite challenging when not over geared)
    >content drought in 3.3 patch: 6 months of ICC, then release of a small raid in 3.3.5: Ruby of Sanctum and then another 6 months until new expansion    … Expand
  16. Gazownik
    Jun 8, 2022
    10
    Best WOW expansion of all time.
    Mainly because the story was around my fav character Arthas Menethil - since WC3.
  17. Skonika
    Sep 3, 2022
    10
    This game has changed my life it's a masterpiece in 2008 and now it's a source of nostalgia and fun i can't describe it thank blizzard for making this game World of Warcraft and shame that it made the other expansions "some of them" look bad and make the community vanish little by little i hope this game keeps on going so my children play it ... and now i m playing the pre-patch and can'tThis game has changed my life it's a masterpiece in 2008 and now it's a source of nostalgia and fun i can't describe it thank blizzard for making this game World of Warcraft and shame that it made the other expansions "some of them" look bad and make the community vanish little by little i hope this game keeps on going so my children play it ... and now i m playing the pre-patch and can't wait for the release… Expand
  18. AnonymousMC
    Nov 21, 2008
    7
    its basically more of the same if thats all you wanted then it meets all your expectations however if wow is getting a little stle or you were hoping to seee somthing new and exciting then am afraid this aint it i feel that blizzard could have done more the landscapes have been recycled from previuos ideas and that everything feels kinda samey the dungeons as well suffer from that beenits basically more of the same if thats all you wanted then it meets all your expectations however if wow is getting a little stle or you were hoping to seee somthing new and exciting then am afraid this aint it i feel that blizzard could have done more the landscapes have been recycled from previuos ideas and that everything feels kinda samey the dungeons as well suffer from that been here before feelin dont get me wrong it looks pretty and the music is suberb but ground breakign it aint to be honest it all feel kinda lazy.… Expand
  19. AndrewB.
    Nov 6, 2008
    9
    This is A Decient game At The looks so far alot effort and determination have made this epic game a reality, New level and game type on the otherhand have givin first time gamers a week to reach the highest level to play along with the lich king, Well dont Blizz
  20. JoeTheUnemployed
    Nov 13, 2008
    9
    7.5 for 39 votes on Day 1? Sorry Metacritic, but it's time to close the User portion of the game rating. Obviously, there's abuse of the system here, when a game that is a must buy for millions worldwide is not properly reflected. User scores have no accountability, have not established credibility, and can easily be manipulated through anonymous voting. Time to get rid of this 7.5 for 39 votes on Day 1? Sorry Metacritic, but it's time to close the User portion of the game rating. Obviously, there's abuse of the system here, when a game that is a must buy for millions worldwide is not properly reflected. User scores have no accountability, have not established credibility, and can easily be manipulated through anonymous voting. Time to get rid of this system for something that will hold users responsible for their opinion.… Expand
  21. AlasdairCannon
    Nov 17, 2008
    9
    World of Warcraft Wrath of the Lich King is great. Not only do the visuals look beautiful, Blizzard have outdone themselves, and improved almost every gameplay aspect. I'm giving this a well deserved 9/10.
  22. KentL.
    Nov 18, 2008
    7
    Outstanding expansion! I fully agree with all of the reviews on all but one point, a point severe enough to drop the rating considerably. It seems that WoW has become a victim of it's own success and now resorts to using queue's to put paying customers in line to play the game. I've seen people over 1k in que with wait times nearing an hour. I've got time to write this Outstanding expansion! I fully agree with all of the reviews on all but one point, a point severe enough to drop the rating considerably. It seems that WoW has become a victim of it's own success and now resorts to using queue's to put paying customers in line to play the game. I've seen people over 1k in que with wait times nearing an hour. I've got time to write this review because I'm in one for 45 minutes. By my calculations, with nearly 12 million users, assuming 11 million actually pay (aren't free users), at let's say an average of $10 per month (to make the math easy), Blizzard is raking in $1.3 Billion per year. Doesn't seem like a no brainer that they could spend a few thousand of that on a few more servers that can handle the capacity? Sorry Blizz...you lose some points when you force people to be unable to play. Sure, you offer free server transfers but what good would that do when the heart of your game is social networking? We can't socially network with people on different servers and unless 100% of our friends and people we've met over time move with us, causing over population on that server, we still have the same issue. Great expansion, mediocre capacity planning.… Expand
  23. JonB.
    Nov 24, 2008
    9
    Dear John D, It may be interesting for you to hear that over 50% of players that left WoW to play WAR have returned for WotLK. It should also be mentioned that the retail game is a very different experience from the beta, because the retail game is a finished product, whereas the beta is meant for testing, balancing and bug removal. Also, gear replacing is not as rampant in the early Dear John D, It may be interesting for you to hear that over 50% of players that left WoW to play WAR have returned for WotLK. It should also be mentioned that the retail game is a very different experience from the beta, because the retail game is a finished product, whereas the beta is meant for testing, balancing and bug removal. Also, gear replacing is not as rampant in the early levels in WotLK compared to TBC. In closing, perhaps playing the finished product, in conjunction with keeping an open mind and not being a fanboy of a WoW competitor will help you craft a more sensible, reasonable and overall credible review.… Expand
  24. MikeA
    Nov 24, 2008
    9
    If you don't like WoW, don't buy this game. If you already enjoy WoW, there is a lot that's good about this expansion. New vehicle based missions can be really fun. New Wintergrasp battleground is a lot of fun. Characters keep getting stronger, which is always fun I think lol. The game really does look a lot better than it used to if you turn your graphics to highest. They If you don't like WoW, don't buy this game. If you already enjoy WoW, there is a lot that's good about this expansion. New vehicle based missions can be really fun. New Wintergrasp battleground is a lot of fun. Characters keep getting stronger, which is always fun I think lol. The game really does look a lot better than it used to if you turn your graphics to highest. They did a good job on the shadows and the zones have great architecture. You don't replace your epics as fast as some people would have you believe. I'm nearing level 75 and haven't replaced nearly half of my gear. There's a lot of content that's going to be released in the upcoming patches to meet the needs of die hard gamers. Oh yeah, read the quests!… Expand
  25. JamesH.
    Nov 25, 2008
    9
    Queues? What queues? I'm on a fairly low population server, and haven't been queued once. You do know that Blizzard offers free character transfers for people on high pop servers, yes? Bottom line, Lich King is more WoW. The graphics have been improved a bit and the new quests are more fun and inventive than anything that's come before, but it's still the same game. If Queues? What queues? I'm on a fairly low population server, and haven't been queued once. You do know that Blizzard offers free character transfers for people on high pop servers, yes? Bottom line, Lich King is more WoW. The graphics have been improved a bit and the new quests are more fun and inventive than anything that's come before, but it's still the same game. If you like WoW, you'll love this expansion. If you're a WoW hater, there's nothing here to change your opinion.… Expand
  26. ScottC
    Nov 30, 2008
    7
    I like the expansion but I will have to agree with some people, while its no where near a 0 or a 3, its the same old stuff, and Blizzard just doesnt seem to really keep areas that transcend to other areas, like you wouldnt find a desert or a wasteland right next o a forrest, you would hit scrubland between. yet cold and warm are right next to each other a few stories above or below. The I like the expansion but I will have to agree with some people, while its no where near a 0 or a 3, its the same old stuff, and Blizzard just doesnt seem to really keep areas that transcend to other areas, like you wouldnt find a desert or a wasteland right next o a forrest, you would hit scrubland between. yet cold and warm are right next to each other a few stories above or below. The first few dungeons were worse than TBC, while they look sweet, they are boring runs. the vehicle combat seems out of place in a fantasy realm, thats were the warhammer theme did it better, at least it was gnome powered or some animal. yes I know that dorfs had tanks and stuff but they werent being used and you didnt see them in use. its a fun expansion but its no 10.… Expand
  27. AnonymousMC
    Nov 23, 2008
    7
    Just more of the same great stuff. WoW is a great game...no question... but they refuse to fix the same problems they've always had. PvP is unbalanced and gear dependent. A few bad (ie. immature) players tend to ruin the game for others, and with the recent expansion (and tech problems) the in-game GMs are about 6 hours away. Why bother reporting players, bots or other cheaters?Just more of the same great stuff. WoW is a great game...no question... but they refuse to fix the same problems they've always had. PvP is unbalanced and gear dependent. A few bad (ie. immature) players tend to ruin the game for others, and with the recent expansion (and tech problems) the in-game GMs are about 6 hours away. Why bother reporting players, bots or other cheaters? Nothing is ever done about it.… Expand
  28. Leonleon
    Nov 24, 2008
    9
    Great expansion to a great game. Still improving gameplay mechanics and story. Music keeps up with previous good work, making you dive in Northrend like a real epic story. Didn't vote 10 cause there's no perfect game. It can still be improved.
  29. Alladaskill17
    Nov 21, 2010
    7
    Compared to my experience pre Wrath of the Lich King, less fun. With that said, having played since release it was a great deal of fun, though all content as far as raids go felt "nerfed" especially in early tiers - while they were 'current content'. The player vs. player aspects of the game are quite fun as always. This expansion also introduced the achievement system (implemented preCompared to my experience pre Wrath of the Lich King, less fun. With that said, having played since release it was a great deal of fun, though all content as far as raids go felt "nerfed" especially in early tiers - while they were 'current content'. The player vs. player aspects of the game are quite fun as always. This expansion also introduced the achievement system (implemented pre wrath release). Overall decent, but it is no Burning Crusade as far as 'epic feel' and difficulty.… Expand
  30. Itsapaul
    Dec 26, 2010
    7
    Its nice that random heroics, heroic difficulty for raids, and some effort to balance classes so that you can pick and choose between different ones for the same buffs came along, but this was the casual expansion. All the bad players that got 12/12 because there wasn't much to worry about are now wiping on trash that you have to cc because they don't know any better. Need to spam >1Its nice that random heroics, heroic difficulty for raids, and some effort to balance classes so that you can pick and choose between different ones for the same buffs came along, but this was the casual expansion. All the bad players that got 12/12 because there wasn't much to worry about are now wiping on trash that you have to cc because they don't know any better. Need to spam >1 heal spell? Too difficult. Need to get used to a priority system for dps in heroics? Too difficult. Thanks to this, Blizzard will have to nerf everything hard they come out with for a long time since you just can't take anyone outside of a good guild.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Best PC Game of 2008
15
#15 Most Discussed PC Game of 2008
30
#30 Most Shared PC Game of 2008

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
91

Universal acclaim - based on 47 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 47 out of 47
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 47
  3. Negative: 0 out of 47
  1. Gameplayer
    95
    It’s brilliant, inspired and will easily secure their supremacy as the leader in the MMOPRG market.
    Read full review
  2. Yahoo!
    90
    Seeing the innumerable changes and tune-ups to the game engine and the rules, you get the sense that World of Warcraft is a finely-tuned machine that its makers just can't stop tinkering with in an obsessive effort to keep it fresh, relevant, and above all, fun. For now, mission accomplished.
    Read full review
  3. Eurogamer
    100
    Wrath of the Lich King takes the best-of-breed MMO and improves everything about it. It's a work of supreme confidence and quality that is twice as fun and ten times as beautiful as classic WOW, not to mention anything else in the genre. But above all else - in the breathtaking sweep of Northrend, in the assured, epic storytelling, in the constellation of brilliant quests - it is a grand adventure. Perhaps the grandest adventure in all gaming.
    Read full review
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