World of Warcraft has delivered a new continent for players to explore in Dragonflight, and compared to the disparate zones of the Shadowlands, the Dragon Isles continue to be one large cohesive whole even in Embers of Neltharion. The next major World of Warcraft patch is releasing in May, and it brings a new zone in Zaralek Cavern that hosts the middle chapter of Dragonflight‘s overarching narrative, this time focusing on the legacy of Deathwing as the Earth-Warder.
Between a curious update on the Forsaken and their internal politics, as well as hints that Dragonflight‘s Evokers are getting a third specialization, Embers of Neltharion sets the stage for more than just the sum of content coming on May 2. Zaralek Cavern features a gear catch-up system not unlike the beloved format seen in Timeless Isle, and the additions to the World of Warcraft trading post in Patch 10.1 can only be described as comprehensible. By all accounts, it seems that Blizzard is determined to avoid releasing another Chains of Domination, as Dragonflight has the potential to be one of the best World of Warcraft expansions if it manages to stick with its current direction.
To that end, Zaralek Cavern is no Korthia. It is a vast new area directly connected to the landmass of the Dragon Isles, meaning that players can fly deep into the underground zone with no loading screen whatsoever. Hearkening back to the original idea of Azjol-Nerub in Wrath of the Lich King, Blizzard finally created the subterranean playground that the developers always dreamed of making. A World of Warcraft player named Ran0702 overlaid the zone’s map across the Dragon Isles, perfectly illustrating just how large Zaralek Cavern is when compared to the rest of Dragonflight.
Judging by the map, World of Warcraft players can expect to explore a zone comparable in size to the Azure Span, as much of its playable area spans directly below Ohn’ahran Plains and extends into the Waking Shores. Curiously, the islets to the west still remain untouched, fueling further rumors that Blizzard is planning to reserve the site for the new World Tree to replace Teldrassil. Though Dragonflight‘s capital of Valdrakken is popular among players, World of Warcraft‘s capital cities arguably deserve a bit of love, and the community believes a new Teldrassil to be the perfect starting point to making them relevant again.
While Embers of Neltharion looks to be a potential slam dunk for Blizzard in continuing to earn back the community’s trust after the failings of Shadowlands and Battle for Azeroth, many players are concerned that the new direction for Mythic Keystone affixes in Dragonflight Season 2 is a step in the wrong direction. With World of Warcraft having an extensive roadmap planned out for 2023, it certainly won’t lack for content, but fans are hoping that Blizzard won’t be too stubborn to course-correct from a bad design decision this time around.
World of Warcraft is available now for PC.
