World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade Preview

And there's tonnes of other new stuff you'll quickly notice too, from the very small UI changes (the map icon is now on the mini-map, and there is a new 'Looking for Group' system that can be accessed where it used to be), to massive changes to talents, spells, professions and raiding. In fact, it's impossible to provide a comprehensive round up of all the new content you can expect to find in TBC, and in any case the details have been picked apart in forums all over the web. This preview is about giving you a flavour of what it's like to run around in Outland, backstabbing clothies and owning Fel Orcs.
And expect the beta to be an evolving beast - reshaping and moulding itself until Blizzard are happy and the expansion is ready for retail early next year.

I've not even touched on flying mounts, available from level 70, which allow you to reach previously inaccessible areas in Outland. Nor have I talked about other high-level dungeons, which some of the beta players who have grinded their way to the high 60s have begun to explore.

The Caverns of Time, which has just opened on the beta for level 67 upwards and allows players to go back in time and experience battles made famous in previous Warcraft games, is one. Just thinking about the boss encounters and high level loot that's hidden within the new dungeons is enough to make most experienced WoW players spontaneously fit with excitement.

And then there's the tier four armour, which Blizzard has confirmed will allow players of the same class to specialise in styles. If you're a warrior for example, you'll be able to pick the tanking plate or the dps plate. There's even a video floating around the internet of the tier four armour sets - although the person who posted it has had his account disabled for the effort!

... playing The Burning Crusade with friends will be like how it was playing the game when it first came out, back in February 2005...

So back to that original moral conundrum - it seems like such a long time ago now. Is the Burning Crusade really worth getting excited about? Is it worth the money to upgrade, when you'll still be able to play without it? The truth is, Blizzard could have farted onto a DVD and their legions of fans would happily lick it clean. The seven million WoW fans out there are already hooked on the visceral pleasure of getting together with mates on an evening and kicking the living bejesus out of some giant demonic dragon. TBC doesn't look like it will change any of that - in fact, if it achieves anything, it appears designed to coerce players who might have got tired of the endless 40-man raiding and quit into making a welcome return home.

The new raid dungeons have been set a 25 man limit, although the existing ones won't change at all. Rest assured, if you don't upgrade WoW with TBC, you'll be considered a second class citizen in the virtual world of Azeroth. For those high level players who do, playing TBC with friends will be like how it was playing the game when it first came out, back in February 2005 - small groups, levelling, the thrill of discovering new areas, defeating savage bosses and, most importantly of all, having a wicked laugh with your mates.

There are a few bugged quests, items missing graphics, unopened dungeons and unfinished areas in the beta. From the looks of things, Blizzard still has plenty of developing to be getting on with before TBC is complete.

The latest delay, to early 2007, is indication that the developer is not feeling any pressure to rush the expansion out, which can only be good for fans itching to log-on. Those Blizzard lot are a talented bunch, no doubt working day and night to fix everything beta players have flagged up so far.

Forget moral conundrums. For the seven million WoW players around the world, TBC is all they can think about - when the boss is moaning because a report is late, when the tutor is complaining because you've missed another class, when the boyfriend or girlfriend is nagging for some attention - it's always there, at the back of your mind, jostling for attention with reality for pride of place in your life.

And once you install the beast, see the green hue of a different login screen, hear the heroic epicness of different music, your hair will stand on end, beads of sweat will meander their way down your furrowed brow and your heart will start pumping blood a little faster around your sweating body. All this for a change of scenery. But wow, what a change of scenery.

Check back soon for part two of our in-depth Burning Crusade preview where we'll pick apart the new races, starting areas and low level content.