To preface, these are my experiences and opinions. I do not wish to insult or disagree with anyone, just adding a review.
That said… This is the only expansion that I have a serious dislike for. I started playing around the end of BC/early Wrath. I’ve enjoyed every expansion since I started playing, I just do not find Shadowlands interesting, fun, or compelling in any way. I still enjoy the game, but find myself doing nothing in Shadowlands zones (still enjoy doing older content).
I base this on the following (you are free to disagree, but let’s try to keep it civil-I hold no bad feelings or angst towards those who are enjoying Shadowlands, so please don’t denigrate my opinion with snarky comments). I’m trying to give an objective review of my experience as a long time WOW player with the hopes that the developers will listen (I’m an optimist).
-Levelling-Not a bad experience, but also not great. It just didn’t have the same feel that levelling up characters has had in the past. I can’t identify exactly why it isn’t fun, perhaps because the quests were unimaginative and repetitive, even doing different zones.
World Quests in Shadowlands-There is, and to some degree, always a repetition to WQ’s. I still enjoy doing them in previous expansions. However, in this expansion I do not find them fun or rewarding. Possibly because of the new system for upgrades and the lack of variety.
Torgast-This quickly became a no for me. I find it to be the most unrewarding grind I have experienced in the game. I find it dull, repetitive, and probably the least favorite thing I’ve experienced in the game (and I’m someone who enjoyed doing island expeditions and the mage tower). It’s (again, just my opinion), the worst feature ever introduced into WOW.
The Maw-Walk five feet, get attacked by endless add’s. All stick, no carrot. I chose not to go there after giving it a good try. Unrewarding, and just no enjoyment for me. The random, from no where, attacks by the jailer-Why?
Zones
Bastion-Nice looking zone, not too hard to get around. Aesthetically pleasing and kind of fun to just explore, do some farming, ect. I like going there, pretty well laid out.
Revendreth-I’m ok with it being “edgy”, but the “you can’t get there from here” feel of it makes me avoid it. To me (again, just my opinion and I’m an older player). It’s like going to “Hot Topic” at the local mall. It gives me the “I’m edgy and cool because I wear a black tee shirt from an 80’s kind of feel”. Nightmare navigation, ugly/dark design, with no reason.
Maldraxxus-Another ugly zone with terrible routes for navigation. Ugly, dark, unimaginative. Feels very just thrown together at the last minute. Kind of another “Hot Topic” zone. I feel like I should fire up the black light and put on a “Slipknot” tee shirt.
To be fair, I do still enjoy the game. I just find myself only playing old content, as I find it far more enjoyable than the current expansion.
I find that it’s not just me. I have several real life friends that I used to run around with, just having fun, running dungeons, ect. Of the 179 members of the guild that my main character is in, there are currently 3 online (including me). Unfortunately, that’s been the trend. It’s not a content drought, it’s a lack of interest in logging on by many because they just aren’t enjoying this expansion.
I’ll again ask that the forum trolls (sadly, that’s all that seems to be left here), refrain from snarky comments. These are just my thoughts on the current state of the game and I have tried to be objective without being insulting.