World of Warcraft: Cataclysm Collector's Edition

I had stopped playing this MMORPG as I grew tired of the same old thing so when I heard of the expansion I was a little sceptical at first not really knowing how they could really make WoW more entertaining.
I then made the mistake of watching the trailer and I was hooked! I was so excited for the expansion to come out, as it looked truly awesome, and I knew that I wanted the Collector's edition.
The DvD is really interesting and the artwork in the book is amazing!! The little in-game companion (the mini Deathwing) never leaves my side in-game, and the soundtrack is GREAT study music.
The card game is a little confusing at first, but if you have a basic knowledge of trading card games (such as Magic the Gathering) it can be picked up relatively easily and is LOADS of fun!!!
The expansion itself is also great opening up a large range of new things to do: new quests and areas to explore, new PVP matches and quests, new dungeons and raids (a big set up in difficulty from older raids) as well as new achievements (still waiting the get burnt to death by Deathwing xD ). Archaeology is also a lot more fun then I thought it would be and there are great things so be discovered with it!
Overall, the Collector's Edition is well worth the money spent!!!

Since the Cataclysm Event in-game, I was content for a while to simply revisit the Classic world and appreciate the redesign that had accompanied its shattering. The zones flow much more seamlessly, and tells a much more powerful story.
As usual with a new WoW expansion though, there are certain additions that can only be accessed by upgrading, even excluding the new zones and boosted level cap, such as the ability to use Flying Mounts in the old world, and the new secondary profession of Archaeology.
These alone are a powerful draw card for the expansion, and go hand-in-hand; as the Archaeological plots move around the continent as you exhaust each one in turn, the ability to hop on your magic carpet (for example) and zoom to the next is an immense time-saver.
The new races are another good reason to upgrade, each with their own brilliantly written and cut-scene intensive story throughout the beginning levels, until you join the normal flow of Azeroth.
Perhaps the greatest reason why you should make the jump from WotLK though is the new zones with their well thought quest chains, presented in a relatively linear fashion within each zone, making sure that it is hard to miss any of the crucial content and lore. Each zone has its own near-unique texture set that brings out the environment in stunning detail - be warned that for best performance you really need to at least double the stated requirements - I recently upgraded my machine and still experience sub-30 FPS in some particularly intense areas; if you want to have the graphics settings at max, you'll probably need an SLI or Crossfire system.
With all of this going for the expansion itself, why go for this CE you may ask- Well it depends on how big a fan you are, really. The included in-game pet is clearly going to be negligible for some but an incentive for others (like myself) and similarly the trading card set is of little relevance to those who are just into the game, and not the offshoots, but a definite bonus for others.
The mouse-pad also might be seen by some as a trifling addition, but personally I replaced my previous aging pad and immediately noticed the difference - it is not just some cheap and flimsy pad with a fancy printed image, thrown in as an almost-afterthought, but a high quality and hard-wearing product that also adds a little extra to the dekstop ambience.
The included hard-cover book of concept artwork is a magnificent addition, really making you think again about the amount of effort that has gone in to the new modelling, and you may find yourself taking a much closer look at the designs as implemented in-game than you otherwise would.
Similarly the DVD packed with interviews gives you a glimpse behind the scenes and lets you appreciate just what a mammoth task putting together a game like this must be.
Finally, the included soundtrack CD gives you the chance to take a bit of the Cataclysm experience out of the game as well - I'd recommend first playing through the game and hearing the score as it appears in each zone, so then upon listening to the CD by itself you can close your eyes and imagine yourself flitting between the Vash'jir reefs on your Seahorse mount, meditating beneath Nordrassil on Mount Hyjal, or surveying the secrets laid bare by the discovery of the deserts of Uldum.
In essence, if you just want to play the game and see and do the new features that are offered, the normal expansion will suffice, and still deliver a sterling experience. But if you want to really feel and become involved in that experience, and be able to appreciate the hard work Blizzard has done in creating the greatest WoW addition yet, the Collector's Edition is the only way to go.

For those who have played before, or not, it doesn't matter. We all know everything has been redone so even the most seasoned veteran can have new adventures. As well as very difficult heroics and dungeons for the raiders there are some very nice pvp additions. The rated battleground system and new arena currency system really make it both easy for the casual player to get gear but also adds a really good competitive edge with things like Premade BG Duels.

(random insert on the fly) - The quests from 80-85 are pretty amazing, nothing like they have done before, they really went all out.

Basically, the good sales of this new expansion are a pretty good reflection of how awesome it is :D

For the long time WoW fan it's worth the price. I'd suggest everyone else go with the cheaper digital download.

The art book is pretty cool, but could have used some developer commentary. No matter - it's still neat to have.

I also enjoyed the music of Cataclysm and have added it to my regular iTunes rotation. The earlier WoW music is in the iTunes store BTW - I still like vanilla WoW's tracks the best.

As for the Cataclysm mousepad... Well, do you know anyone still using a mouse with a ball? I ditched mousepads ten years ago when I got my first optical mouse, but I suppose this is handy for people with glass-topped desks and the like. Still, something more useful would have been a good idea. This isn't 1995.

The trading card game cards included were only fun for the in-game item one of them gave me. Other than that I've no interest. YMMV :-)

Finally the in-game pet is neat to have and a must for any dedicated mini-pet collector, heh.

So all in all a very decent collector's edition, but nothing outstanding. Cheers to Mighty Ape for fast shipping, excellent tracking, and great customer service over the phone (I wanted to combine two orders together).

It's been a long time coming, but has been well worth the wait. The gameplay changes within this new expansion have been extraordinary. With the "Old World" of Azeroth torn asunder, Cataclysym breathes new life into content the WoW hardcore have played a hundred times before; injecting enthusiasm and whimsical nostalgia (in between relentless beatings from new enemies) to even the most jaded of players.

The CE of Cata comes wonderfully boxed with great extras - the concept art book alone is worth the premium price. Although, the soundtrack CD made it to the car on the way home from the office and has remained in the car stereo ever since! (Although I only listen to it when I am alone... :) )

Grab this CE now, while you can. Apart from these things always selling out; if you're a true fan like me, you'll just kick yourself if you don't.

"You have picked up Cata CE! +4 to Awesome"