First up: mobs.
This is another aspect of the expansion that I was really impressed with. Blizzard could easily have created all these zones and populated them with creatures that already existed in the game--ogres, murlocs, naga, etc. And while there certainly are some of these familiar mobs, there are also a wide variety of new creatures to fight.
Of the new creatures found in Outland, here are some of my favorites:
Crust Bursters and Spore bats
Fen Striders and Warp Stalkers
All of the mobs really fit well into the zone they're in, and do a good job of creating the atmosphere of the zone. And although certain things like the spore bat seem physically impossible, they're a fun change from what we're used to.
One really enjoyable thing about almost all of the new mobs in Outland, regardless of what they are: the wide variety and creativity in dying animations. Now, this might sound a bit morbid, but it adds a level of depth to the game. While most mobs in the original World of Warcraft would more or less just fall over, the mobs in Outland are more unique in the ways they die. The Fen Strider shown above, for example, sways back and forth, slowly losing his balance. Blood Elf mobs reach toward the sun with their dying breath; mana worms spin around in a flurry, leaving only a glowing ball. All these animations are certainly overdone and unrealistic, but they give some personality to the creatures that inhabit Outland, which, in turn, makes encountering them a new, exciting experience.
Quests
The questing is one aspect of the game that I think Blizzard could have done a little more with. Certain things about the quests in the expansion are very well done. For example, most of the quests designed for solo players are pretty easy to do, making leveling a straightforward process rather than a painful grind. Mixed in with these easier quests are challenging quests for groups; these aren't necessary to complete to level up, but they provide a step up in difficulty for those looking for it.
Another good thing that Blizzard has done in the expansion is make it clearer how many people are needed to complete a quest. Rather than just call a quest "elite", Blizzard now has a suggested number of people needed to successfully complete a quest. This is particularly helpful when it comes to escort quests, which in the original World of Warcraft, were often labeled as solo quests and were unreasonably difficult.
One thing that could have been improved on, however, was the content of the quests. Too many of them simply rely on the tried-and-true "kill this many monsters, collect 10 of their tails" method. I realize that coming up with new, innovative quest content is a challenge, but if WoW hopes to hold the interest of its players and continue to be cutting edge in game design, they need to challenge themselves more in this area.
That's not to say that there weren't a lot of really great, fun quests to do that were based on new and different ideas. Immediately upon coming to Outland, you start a quest chain that leads to you flying on a grif and bombing things. It's a totally easy quest, but SO much fun.
Perhaps my favorite quest line so far is the one that starts with the Damaged Mask drop in Blade's Edge Mountains. After a series of quests, you end up in the area of the zone called "Death's Door," where you used a flare to signal a druid, who then comes and gives you instructions. You collect special ammunition, and then use it to fire enemy cannons against their own structures. For the final quest, you summon druid helpers to defeat the boss of the area. All in all, it was a really innovative quest chain with lots of new and different things to try.
Along those same lines, one thing that Blizzard has done a better job of in The Burning Crusade is connect quests together. I feel like I've noticed more quest chains, rather than just individual "kill 10 wolves" quests. In some cases, these chains even carry over from one zone to the next. For me, this has given the entire expansion a more connected feeling, and I've gotten into the story behind the quests more. And it also has made me feel like what I'm doing is making a difference; people are recognizing my efforts, and giving me more work to do as a result.
Next up....instances.
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