I’m gonna say it; I think Shadowlands has started out really well

[Jessicka]

I think this is the first expansion I’ve not felt rushed, not felt a need to put a ton of extra hours or late nights into and not felt I was going to fall behind if I didn’t.

And yet, I get home from work and I want to log in. I’ve levelled my Warlock and Mage, I feel like I’m going somewhere with both, I’m enjoying the story and the world, and the gameplay actually feels good. Progress feels decently placed, and I don’t feel too tied to systems I’d hated in previous expansions like the mobile game aspect, so while I don’t like them they don’t feel so overbearing.

It’s good. So there. How about that, a positive post from me. I wasn’t sure at first but week one has me convinced.

[LordVargK]

I share your opinion! Kinda sad the covenant story is so gated though, but overall I have a very good feeling about SL.

[Poppincaps]

Definitely enjoying it more than I expected. I was seriously considering not playing since I got a PS5 and tons of other games to play. That being said I do feel the story felt rushed. Most of the dungeons I have no idea why we're going in there. That's been the case for some of the dungeons in the past, but those dungeons didn't really have big lore implications like De Other Side or Sanguine Halls. But yeah Blizzard seems to have changed their philosophy so that the require bits of content are minimal and there is a ton of optional stuff to partake in. Which I am really happy about.

[Jessicka]

I share your opinion! Kinda sad the covenant story is so gated though, but overall I have a very good feeling about SL.

I actually like the gating on progress, that’s what let’s me feel I can put the game down, if I want to, but also means I’m not burned out and feel like I want to go do those other things I’d have left until pre-patch lulls if I ever got around to them at all before the end expansion.

[Kokolums]

If you check the Diablo 3 forums, there are a tiny handful of posts per month, few play the game, but those that do will defend it as an incredible game and will call anyone who criticizes it as a troll. So, this really means nothing.

The standard for good would be something like WoD launch, where a TON of players came back and the playerbase quite obviously exploded. And even then, they quickly shed all of those players and more because endgame sucked.

[Tesshin83]

Seems good so far. I doubt it will achieve the high standards of BfA, but I will keep an open mind. Enjoying it so far but still have to dabble in Bfa content from time to time.

[keldarepewpew]

If you check the Diablo 3 forums, there are a tiny handful of posts per month, few play the game, but those that do will defend it as an incredible game and will call anyone who criticizes it as a troll. So, this really means nothing.

The standard for good would be something like WoD launch, where a TON of players came back and the playerbase quite obviously exploded. And even then, they quickly shed all of those players and more because endgame sucked.

Some people just want to make the world burn. If people are enjoying the game you have to find some contrived argument as to why they might be wrong. Surely you have better things to do.

[Kyux]

Agreed OP. It's really fun. I like how little time you can spend in the Maaw. You really have to think about what you want to achieve and go for it. Also, Torghast is loads of fun. And my Ardenweald buddies are glorious.

[LordVargK]

I actually like the gating on progress, that’s what let’s me feel I can put the game down, if I want to, but also means I’m not burned out and feel like I want to go do those other things I’d have left until pre-patch lulls if I ever got around to them at all before the end expansion.

In general the gating is fine. Gating player power is especially fine. But I don't like story being that gated. You get to experience multiple interesting stories while doing the campaign and questions are raised like "does Uther know he is working for the bad guys?". You get a glimpse of the problems of each zone, join a covenant and you are ready to learn more about them, but no, have to wait till next week! But I'll wait. As long as there's decent story progress each week (NOT BfA-prepatch or war campaign style) I'm happy.

[Pakheth]

I think so too. It seems quote polished and I enjoy a lot of the new systems and how they expanded on how a lot of stuff like rares and chests work. It's really fun to be out in the world and exploring since you can find new stuff all the time and players are willing to help each other out again. Unlike BfA where I reached max level and felt like there was nothing new to do SL seems to have more than enough for me to do in nice bite size portions.
I also love the new more subdued music, which harkens back to classic wow music, and not to forget the beautiful art.
Launch was also smooth as butter and the small issues I have had so far has been few and far between.

Shadowlands gets a thumb up from me!

[Gref]

all good except torgast. that place sucks before getting that speed buff or without speed buff at all. Walk walk walk walk.
and all that steam, fog, mist is killing my old gtx960.

[Aristai1723]

Having a blast so far. Two things I dislike are the maw excluding Torghast and the endgame dungeons backstory hidden in the covenant campaigns.

[Kuntantee]

Revendreth is one of the best, if not the best, zone to date. The quest line is OK however the details are incredible. The zone is extremely immersive. It has been so long since I wanted to quest in WoW. Visuals and the design is top-notch as always. Revendreth alone saves 9.0.x. for me. Verticality is a gift for my DH, especially when it comes to world PvP. So far, I only have one major complaint; locking skills with covenants. I am barred from using three-fourths of skills that are designed for DH because I picked Venthyr. Incredibly dumb but we have to live with it...

[Nyel]

It's far more enjoyable than BfA, but the endgame is sparse and not really exciting. When you're not really into spamming dungeons, the gating for the Covenant campaign is really bad. And Torghast isn't that fun either (and don't start with the horrible World Quests and The Maw).

The journey to 60 is more fun than being max level (at the moment).

[oldgeezer]

Well, I just hit 60, and the world quests are long and hateful. So there's that. No more flying out to Drustvar to kill a boss in 10 seconds.

[Drench]

Odd this is my least favorite xpac ever start ever. Only to be rivaled by cata.

[Claymore]

I honestly have mixed feelings. I'm loving the expansion so far, but once I hit 60, it kind of feels like there isn't anything to do. Or at least, nothing that's rewarding.

All of the Dungeon loot is low ilvl, and seems to use the exact same graphics as the questing loot, the Covenant stuff feels like it's dried up extremely quickly, the grind for anima is already feeling a bit tiresome, and I honestly just don't really like being funneled to areas to do world quests.

That's not to say any of that stuff is BAD. And honestly, I've had a blast running Torghast, at least the little bit of it I've experienced so far. I really hope Blizzard continues to refine that, because I genuinely think that could wind up being my favorite content in the entire game. Maybe a little more diversity in powers (as both Frost and Blood DK, they feel a bit lackluster), and I'd like to see COOL random things to come across, like perhaps you can acquire cool Cosmetic stuff, or a random chance to run into an NPC that gives you actual gear, I dunno, something.

[Eurhetemec]

Well, I just hit 60, and the world quests are long and hateful. So there's that. No more flying out to Drustvar to kill a boss in 10 seconds.

Seriously? This is like your big complaint - "The beginning of this expansion doesn't have the same level of ultra-convenience and one-shotting boss monsters that I had at the very end of the last expansion!".

If that's the biggest problem you have with it, then I think that supports this thread pretty well. You'll probably have similar convenience by some way between 9.1 and 9.2 if things are to be believed.

Personally, it seems ridiculously better designed, with better art, more balanced and engaging second-to-second gameplay, and pretty much better everything except maybe some of the dungeons are a bit too unfriendly for less-skilled players, esp. those who don't deal well with mechanics that require actual knowledge of how they work.

I'll be waiting to see how the catch-up mechanics and so on work, and if they work well, then this may be the best-designed expansion period. Which is kind of hilarious given all the "Old Blizzard is dead!" naysaying that went around when various people left. Seems like that might have been a good thing.

- - - Updated - - -

And honestly, I've had a blast running Torghast, at least the little bit of it I've experienced so far. I really hope Blizzard continues to refine that, because I genuinely think that could wind up being my favorite content in the entire game. Maybe a little more diversity in powers (as both Frost and Blood DK, they feel a bit lackluster), and I'd like to see COOL random things to come across, like perhaps you can acquire cool Cosmetic stuff, or a random chance to run into an NPC that gives you actual gear, I dunno, something.

I definitely hope they keep building on Torghast - they did pretty strongly imply that they would.

[oplawlz]

Other than the Maw it's been pretty awesome so far. The complaints I have are all really minor and the moment to moment gameplay is still fun enough to keep me having a good time.

[oldgeezer]

Seriously? This is like your big complaint - "The beginning of this expansion doesn't have the same level of ultra-convenience and one-shotting boss monsters that I had at the very end of the last expansion!".

Well, I did three crappy WQ in Bastion that took 40 minutes, and got a random bunch of vendor trash as reward. I liked the fact that I could target individual quests for gear in BFA, but that seems not to be the case here. Unless I'm mistaken, of course. And I've no fucking clue what's going on with Covenant stuff, other than it's a mess of borrowed power mashups, but I'll get around to it eventually I suppose.

With that, I rate the level 60 experience at 4/10 so far, and if you disagree with me you're wrong. BFA was better. Chapeau!