World of Warcraft: Cataclysm Collector's Edition reviews

i Have 2 gripes with this u have to pay so u can play it and at 40 odd dollars for 2 months just dont seem right since this game has been going since 2006.
The other gripe is i had to download over 12 gig just to get this game to work as i did not have the other orginal game and the other expansions and then pay for them as well.
If you buy the first part of this game which is the battlechest dont bother buying wrath of the lich king as it wont install due to it being an earlier version than the battlechest as i found out hence the 12 gig + download.
besides all that i do think it is a great game and very adictive as most people will tell u.Just be prepaired to spend some dollars to get up and running with this game.

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”

So you think your done and finished with wow then bam out comes another expansion and blizzard pull you right back in. Its Friggin amazing, leveling to 1–60 has been redone, its now much more streamline, the quests make much more sense now you also meet quite a bit of the lore related characters. Some instances have been redone, which now give you another shock to you in Deadmines or ShadowFang Keep.

80– 85 is shockingly brilliant with its cinematics and underwater zones or its movie ripoffs “cough” Harrison Jones"cough" but overall its a great experience. I'm glad I've got this addiction because its just so damn amazing.

Over time Blizzard are getting better and better at the WoW expansions and it really shows.
Each of the new zones has its own story to tell, and the it has been implimented is very impressive, With the new phasing you feel more and more a part of the story rather than just an extra who happenes to be there.
As you advance through the zones leveling up defeating mini bosses and making new friends with new factions the zones change, the monsters you fight change.
This expansion the difficulty has been somewhat increased, now all players must know how to play their class, and are actively being trained by dungeons/heroic dungeons to be fully skilled raiders in the near future.
To summarise I was planning on trying out cataclysm and maybe quitting if it wasnt earth shatteringly (pun intended) good, I will continue to play into the future of this expansion.

The summary says it all :D
<3 IT

This expansion pack is far better then “WOTLK” and an equal par with Burning Crusade.

the value for money on this collectors pack is great, for what you get in the pack you pay for very little of it it seems. the game itself is another solid expansion for world of warcraft, adding a new race for each faction and 5 more levels means theres is plenty more to do for seasoned players. also the new zones and instances will keep vetereans occupied.

A long awaited expansion pack that has delighted gamers everywhere!
Cataclysm has taken WoW to the next level making it that much more fun for everyone!
The bonus stuff in this collectors edition made my day! A new mouse pad to play WoW on and an art book that you can enjoy day after day!
Blizzard has yet again given us WoW players more fun and entertainment in our awesome world!
A++

In Cataclysm, Blizzard have gone back to the times when crowd control, awareness and skill were necessary to advance. Revamped areas, exciting new ones (Uldum is fantastic) and fun quests make this a must-have for any WOW fan (and new devotees). As addictive as ever. Well done.

Summary says it all!

If you've never played before blizzard makes the learning curve smooth and fun. If you are returning after a break from WoW then you'll be stunned visually and most importantly by how much more fun the game is now. If, like me, you're continuing the addiction the expansion is everything promised.

At twice the price of the standard box or digital download … Is it worth it …
Soundtrack … So so
Behind the scenes … Watched it once
Art book … Flipped it a couple of times
Mousepad … Like the goblin one better than Deathwing …
TCG … Meh
Digital pet … Have I found it with the 80+ others?

YES …

Would I buy the next CE …

YES

Awesome expansion Bliz.

I have been playing world of warcraft since 2006 Classic and TBC were the best years of WoW.
Shortly after the release of WOTLK I stopd playing didn't know if I would ever go back to playing.
Recieved an email inviting me to play the “Cataclysm” beta and figured i'd try it out.
Cataclysm has new engines for water effects, new mounts and level cap.
Cataclysm beta has shown me that Blizzard have out some effort back into wow with much deeper story line sand little touch ups on graphics.
I plan on buying the " Collectors edition " of Cataclysm mainly for the Sound track, Book of Concept art, and the Ingame pet.. Duuh!
I highly recommend this for all players of WoW even the ones who have stopd playing, getting back into it with Cataclysm should restore WoW back to its former glory.

With World of Warcraft's latest expansion Cataclysm, Blizzard have taken everything that made the game great from the previous two expansions and combined them with the epic first game to create a completely new experience. Old zones that we've known and loved changed forever to make things more interesting, as well as amazing new zones with new creatures, quests, dungeons and graphical updates to keep you entertained for years to come.

Having purchased the Wrath of the Lich King Collector's E­dition, I can definitely say that this version is far superior to the standard, with not only having the extremely rare in-game pet, but things like the art book and soundtrack to complement your gaming experience.

All-in-all, the game is changing for the better, and it's an experience not to be missed!