After more than a decade of World of Warcraft's existence, Blizzard has been revolving around narrative over the years, even as it continues to polish the MMO formula that the company has helped to sanctify. Mists of Pandaria introduced new races related to the conflict between the Horde and the Alliance, and Warlords of Draenor was basically an alternate story and nostalgia for the roots of real-time strategy. In Legion, Blizzard continues its streak of integrating the best of modern MMO mechanics, but also radically changing the balance of power in its world for the first time since 2010 Cataclysm. It's a risk that has paid off.

In the Legion, Azeroth's greatest existential threat returns for the first time since the Burning Crusade. Thanks to the treacherous orc wizard Gul'dan (who is alive again thanks to the events of Warlords of Draenor), the eponymous demonic Legion was once again unleashed on Azeroth. Even though the Alliance and the Horde join forces at the beginning of the expansion to divert the tide of the invasion, their attempts are thwarted. Your mission is to find the Pillars of Creation - ancient devices created by the Titans who were the predecessors to Azeroth's mortals - that are the only hope of closing the portals to the Tortuous Abyss. If you're unfamiliar with nearly two decades of Warcraft history, it can feel confusing. While purchasing Legion gives players a free character boost to level 100 - the new starting level for the expansion - it's clear that Legion exists for the main WoW player base. So it's good that the Legion's twists and turns will make a difference to those players who have been with the game from its inception. The legion begins with a series of dramatic events, and then there is no doubt about it. The heroes you know from the beginning of WoW aren't safe. The Demonic Corruption of the Legion takes the main heroes of the RTS series and turns them into tragic villains. The flights of dragons - which have been in decline since the Cataclysm - reach the door of death. When conflicts between the Alliance and the Horde reignite, it is for very personal reasons - and for the first time it doesn't seem like a faction has made the inexplicably idiotic decision that would revive their war. By the end of this expansion's core PvE content, you have a first-hand look at the mana addiction that shattered elven society (and brought the Legion to Azeroth in the first place).

It's hard to complain about such a short amount of time when the content that takes you there is some of the best-designed quests in the game world that Blizzard has created to date. The tasks are concentrated and meaningful from the moment you choose the starting zone - the legion consists of four parts. You can hit the new level 110 ceiling after about a week of moderate play, but it's hard to complain about this short amount of time when the content that gets you there is some of the best-designed quests in the world Blizzard has created to date.

Legion also features some of the best non-heroic / non-raid dungeon designs in WoW in years. Although the game does not reach such heights of the genre as Final Fantasy XIV, the first dungeons of this expansion require real coordination and teamwork. The average boss is just a regular "tank 'n' spank", but Legion also offers multiple bosses with more complex movesets to manage. There are also some new types of engagement, such as leading a boss between two different energy beams to counter attacks, or finding runes on the arena floor that heal and energize the character. These dungeons are tied to story development - as well as the best starting gear in the game - and take out less competent players.

Whether it's to stop the corruption of the Emerald Dream in Val'sharah, unite the tauren tribes in Highmountain, or fight the reborn Naga in Azsuna, the new zones are built around simple goals. You rarely have to wonder why you have to kill this or collect that, and the sense of boredom that often comes with designing quests in WoW is thankfully absent. You play a role in shaping not only the fight against the Legion, but also the new communities you explore. WoW has a rich lore that isn't always well (or at all) integrated into direct gameplay, but Legion doesn't have that problem. The new Legion Class Hall system also finds ways to significantly integrate WoW lore into the game. Each class (and subclass) has its own artifact weapon, earned at the start of the expansion that progresses throughout the game. These are not just random weapons that can be obtained from dungeon bosses - chances are that veterans know them from previous Warcraft games. Players may have to return to the Icecrown Citadel to get their class weapons and the Demon Hunters will receive trips to Karazhan and other classic