Common Sense Media Review
By Marc Saltzman
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Enjoyable expansion adds more depth and violence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
World of Warcraft: The War Within
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's It About?
It's time to return to Azeroth. WORLD OF WARCRAFT: THE WAR WITHIN is the 10th expansion of the popular online role-playing game World of Warcraft. In this new adventure, players return to Azeroth and explore the underground world of Khaz Algar, which has four unique and dangerous zones: the Isle of Dorn, Hallowfall, the Ringing Deeps, and Azj-Kahet. The story follows your character as you investigate the dark plans of Xal'atath, an evil elf, and try to stop the forces threatening peace in Azeroth. Players team up online to complete quests, fight enemies, collect loot, and improve their skills. In this expansion, the level cap is raised to 80, and new features like "Dynamic Flying" and "Delves," which are shorter missions that can be played solo or with others, are introduced. This is the first of three chapters in the new Worldsoul Saga, available for both PC and Mac.
Is It Any Good?
It's important to keep in mind that World of Warcraft: The War Within isn't a standalone game—you'll need the original World of Warcraft and a Battle.net subscription to play. For longtime WoW players, this 10th expansion introduces a brand-new area, a higher level cap, and fresh story layers. The addition of Delves is perfect for when you don't have hours to play. Despite some technical bugs, The War Within is a solid addition to the World of Warcraft series.
After some stunning cinematics to set the stage, you'll start in your familiar home base and descend into Azeroth's underground world, moving through the scenic Ringing Deeps, Hallowfall, Isle of Dorn, and Azj-Kahet. The game shifts focus from helping others to centering on your character's journey through the main campaign and side quests. The War Within offers Delves for quick gameplay and bigger challenges that require teaming up with others. As you progress, you'll level up, master new abilities, gather loot, and immerse yourself in the game's rich atmosphere. While there are some repetitive elements and glitches, these should be polished over time. Fans will enjoy The War Within, especially knowing it's part of a new three-part story arc.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how the violence in World of Warcraft is different from real-life violence. How can seeing violence in a game affect how we think about it in real life? Here are some tips on how to talk about violence in video games.
The game shows characters drinking alcohol and using suggestive language. How do you think this affects the game? What could be the risks of showing these behaviors in a game? How does the way you act in the game differ from the way you would act or the choices you would make in real life? Why are these different, or why not?
When you play World of Warcraft, you might be chatting and playing with friends or other players online. How can you stay safe while talking to others? What can you do to be kind and thoughtful in the game?
Game Details
- Platforms : Windows , Mac
- Pricing structure : Paid ($64.99 for basic edition; requires World of Warcraft main game.)
- Available online? : Available online
- Publisher : Blizzard Entertainment
- Release date : August 23, 2024
- Genre : Massively Multiplayer Online Game (MMOG)
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures , Animals ( Bugs , Wild Animals )
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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