World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade Preview

Hellfire Peninsular is reminiscent of the Blasted Lands. It has that same post-apocalyptic feel - all charred soil and defeatist music. There's a tonne of red - mostly in the form of the ground beneath your feet, but also from the intermittent sprouting columns of fire. You can see what Blizzard had in mind while shopping in Ikea for furniture - this really is a world shattered by colossal magical energies.

Confused? Don't be. WoW's new continent has a simple back story. Outland used to be Draenor, the idyllic home world of the Orcs. A while back the Alliance invaded through the Dark Portal and found Ner'zhul, a nut-job of an orc, trying to get the Horde to new worlds through magical gateways. The Alliance weren't too happy about this, as you'd imagine, and started some trouble. In desperation, Ner'zhul opened the gateways. Unfortunately, instead of providing a nice and easy escape route, he blew Draenor up.

Hence the "shattered realm of Outland" get-up. Despite the Mad Max feel, it soon feels like home, and you wonder how you managed without it. With WoW not being too graphics heavy, most PC owners will be able to pump the settings up to the max, and thus be able to enjoy the scenery in all its glory. It feels a bit like how you'd imagine being on the moon, in that it's like running around a huge red rock floating in space. There's no sky as such, no clouds, or any obvious atmosphere. You can see straight into the star-studded universe - replete with huge planets and sweeping rock clusters - a veritable cacophony of colours. No I haven't just ninjad the Dictionary of a Thousand Adjectives, it really is gorgeous in a 'just shut up and stare' sort of way.

But, playing on a PvP server, you can't spend too much time doing that. In fact, I've always thought mothers and teachers would make the best WoW players, on account of them having eyes in the back of their heads. If it's not some undead rogue waiting to backstab you into oblivion, it's another invincible blonde paladin. But hey-ho, this is war after all, and there's plenty of it in TBC.

... brings back fond memories of ganking in Stranglethorn Vale all those months ago.

So far Hellfire Peninsular has proved to be a blood bath. It's not particularly big, and everyone is there (as you'd expect, it's the new area). Horde and Alliance alike are, as we speak, grinding their way through mobs and quests that require the destruction of Deranged Helboars and Stonescythe Ambushers to name but a few, all for that beautiful ding which accompanies a level up. It's an experience most level 60 players won't have enjoyed (or endured, depending on your point of view) for quite some time, and so brings back fond memories of ganking in Stranglethorn Vale all those months ago.

There are also three PvP towers that can be captured on an ongoing basis, ensuring mass constant carnage. There's also a huge level 70 elite mechanical Fel Reaver that somehow manages to creep up on you on a disturbingly regular basis. The first time you see it, keep close enough to hear the cool robot sound it makes, so booming it shakes the screen.

If the beta is any indication of how things will be once TBC is released, then it's going to be as much of a headache as it is an adrenaline rush. There are only so many mobs to go round, and the re-spawn rate, while good, isn't going to accommodate 5000 players all waiting to batter the crap out of a single demonic Fel Orc. In fact, there have been some players who have predicted server crashes. While I suspect Blizzard will have thought of this, I can see their point.

HP also contains the first new dungeon TBC has to offer for high level players. It's called Hellfire Citadel (HC), and, according to the game's lore, is a "nearly impenetrable bastion that served as the Horde's base of operations throughout the First and Second Wars. For years this gargantuan fortress was thought to be abandoned... Until recently." Dun dun duuuuuun!

That's not important of course. What all you high level raiders want to know is: where's the boss and what does he drop? There are three five-man party dungeons in HC. The first one you'll try is Hellfire Ramparts, full of 60-62 Fel-Orcs. At level 60 you can easily do The Blood Furnaces if you're fairly well equipped, even though it's slightly harder. The Shattered Halls is full of level 70-72 mobs, so don't even breathe on the place until you hit the level cap. Then there's the hardest encounter HP has to offer: Magtheridon's Lair, a Onyxia's Lair style dungeon for 25 level 70 players. Expect the uberest of uber loot from the brutal pit lord.