The WoW starts now

I got so excited leading up to the impending launch of World of Warcraft. Adam had been telling me about everything you could do in the game, and how we'd play online with Nick and Nick and Sam and people. So I downloaded the beta, and I hated it. There was nothing to indicate what to do next, the combat was uninvolving and the price (£9 per month) was far too high - so I gave up after the 2 week-trial.

For those of you who don't know, World of Warcraft is the most successful massively-multiplayer online game (MMOG) ever. Something about its familiar, Tolkien-esque setting and accessible nature has convinced over 6 million people around the world to explore the land of Azeroth - battling monsters, crafting armour and, crucially, interacting with other players from around the world. It's this social aspect that makes the game so appealling, since tasks can be carried out in groups of players, all aiding each other.

So the other day, the Times came with another free trial of the game. Why not give it another go, I thought? After all, 6 million players can't be wrong. For some, levelling up their virtual orc is more important than their children.

And though I'm not quite as addicted to the game, I get it this time. No objective? Sure there is! There's plenty to do, it's just not spoon-fed. The combat is still slow and tedious, but I can chat with nearby players while I watch my dwarf hack away at enemies. As for the price, my younger brother has also got into the game - being a fan of several other MMOGs, his newfound love of WoW comes as no surprise - and hopefully we'll be able to split the cost of an account between us.

Anyways, this entry's gone on for far too long. I'm off to hunt some wild boar near Kharanos.