Out of general curiosity; I decided to download PWI. I had to wait about two hours for it to download. and then waited for it to install and such. (the latter didn't take long) Upon it completion I waited for it to update the patches and such, and then logged in.

I will say that I can appreciate the character renderings (though I really don't give a shit how realistic/shiny character models are) and how varied you can make their faces and hair, and the like. It's a bit different than WoW in that aspect, let me tell you.

But where WoW "lacks" in unlimited character customization, it makes up for in game play. PWI's gameplay isn't smooth at all; jerky and odd at best. And I find it irritating that the character will actually run up to get close enough to attack something; instead of requiring the player to get close enough to send out the bolt of magic or wail on the enemy with melee attacks. I miss my character yelling at me because I'm not close enough to attack the enemy. XD

I do appreciate that there is a quest tracker automatically built in; though it doesn't tell you where it is like QuestHelper does for WoW. (I know QH is an addon. But seriously) it just gives the general area. No icons or anything to point you in the right direction. (Then again quest helper puts little icons on the map, but it usually just means the creatures are in that general area; not just around the icon.)

If the jerkiness of the game play wasn't irritating enough for me; then the total rendering certainly adds to it. While I find it pretty; I also find it a bit much with how EVERYTHING glows. It's like wearing rose tinted glasses. XD Everything is perfect. I can imagine that I would get eye fatigue after just a few hours on the game; where as the use of color combination and such in WoW are nice; toned down, and never lead to me needing to take a break from the screen.

Character interaction is better in PWI, though. People can actually pick you up, carry you around; probably actually hug and kiss you too. Where as in WoW, there's a general set of actions and voice emotes. Some actions are only text in the chat box; which makes it more like roleplaying than actual interaction.

WoW, in my honest opinion is easier to get a feel for. There's something intimidating and awkward about the layout of quests; trying to find your questgiver afterward, and even doing the quests themselves. I'm torn between calling the game boringly easy and frustratingly hard. I also fail to love how one moves around the map. I'm used to using either my mouse (both the right and left mouse button at the same time to run) or the arrow keys. As far as I know, there is a click to move option on WoW; but I have never used it. In PWI that is all there is, other than the WASD keys; neither of which I am comfortable with using.

I could get into city layouts; lack of monster threat even if they are a level or two above you, lack of LORE, lack of race choices, etc... But I don't really feel like it.

So... All things given. I'm sticking to WoW. I'll fool around with PWI some; if only to have fun with friends who outright hate or cannot afford WoW. Things are pretty; extra character customization is wicked; however I think I will stick with my Blood Elves, Night Elves, and Trolls.


And that's my two cents.

P.S. 8U I'm getting this: [link] for both my myself as well as my mother. >D I'm so excited. I also go this the other day: [link] at Border's. Christ, I'm becoming a fiend for WoW lore and Art.