World of Warcraft: Forever Cinematic Pays Homage To The Originals

Sitting in the Blizzcon audience and watching the World of Warcraft: Forever cinematic was an S-Tier feel good experience. I hoped for some form of Classic+ and instead Blizzard showed me a whole new yet familiar world of adventure. While I reveled in the visual delights and thrilling score, I noticed scenes that acknowledged the glory of the original cinematics. Here are the ones that stood out to me.

A New Path

The dwarf hunter and his faithful bear in the original World of Warcraft cinematic still gives me a charge. It was the right choice to launch the Forever cinematic with the same pair, confirming the game’s place in the original timeline, but setting these old friends off on a new path.

Here Walks The Forsaken

Whereas the footstep of the original Forsaken warlock desecrated the ground on which he walked, the sandaled footfall in Forever burned with the blessed Light of Consecration. How is this possible?

Wait. He’s A Pally!

In The Burning Crusade cinematic, the draenei appeared from out of shadow, hulking and alien. Clearly this was a new threat, until he revealed himself as a paladin and the new Alliance race.

The Forsaken have always dwelt in darkness, but in Forever, the Light comes to the Horde in a surprising new way as undead paladins join the fray.

Once More Into The Breach

Our intrepid dwarf hunter does not waste a moment in either timeline. Light or no Light, this is Warcraft, and just as before, he takes aim and fires.

The Alliance and Horde conflict is back, Forever.

When Looks Deceived

The Burning Crusade introduced the blood elves to the Horde. The cinematic portrayed a pretty, petite female, hardly one to stand with the imposing races of the Horde. This is until she drained the magical life force from the trusting mana wyrm. It crumbled to dust at her fingertips as she relished the rush of its magic essence.

The skyborne elf of Forever is more gentle with her little visitor. Skyborne players will chose to lend their power to the Alliance or Horde, with two exceptions; shaman are Horde only, and, mage are Alliance only.

Still Feels Good

I do not need a reason to watch the original cinematics. They stand as fantastic works of gaming art. Just like eating potato chips, I could not just watch just these few for the article. I sat back and once more reveled in the glory of nearly all of them (sorry, Shadowlands).

I hope you take a little time out and watch them too, as we countdown to the launch of Forever in just over a month.

We are prepared!