Looking for Games IV

World of Warcraft is a game I have already played for years and could confidently talk and write, in great length and detail, about, in many aspects. It's social aspects, game design and designer philosophy, content such as player vs environment, or player vs player, Questing, leveling, exploring, achievements, lore, each of these words carries associations to the game which have been established since I began in 2006.

As such I feel it would be an appropriate game to talk about. It is not inclusive of many mature themes, but by intent, to expand the age of gamers and the range of audience that can play it, but also because of the very nature of the story and game design. Warcraft was never a gritty, dark and gruesome world, and whilst there are a fair many examples of historic occasions in the game's story which would suggest so, Warcraft's universe is ultimately a mix of things.

There are frequent pop culture references, a mix of light and dark humour in quests and story all over the world. We play adventurers of one of two factions, the Horde or Alliance - each side painting the other as the enemy. Both sides could arguably be protagonist and antagonist and there is sufficient lore to give testimony to this, as each side has reason to hate the other. But the player has a choice, mostly by their own - not brought about by the game, to act out what they make. Some often see past the prejudices of the Horde and Alliance whilst others are very proud of their own faction and maintain a hatred of the other.

The point being, Warcraft does not use many mature themes where other games might. There is plenty enough about the game to be suggestive but the graphical nature of the game is cartoonish and stylized enough to separate it from reality.

Warcraft's success is in it's social community and huge online presence. Friendships are forged, perhaps even enemies are made. Warcraft has mature themes but uses them sparingly, as flavour for the story, rather than as the bulk of it. It does not detract from the sense of adventure. Despite the blood of war and violence of combat, presence of alcohol and drink, there are still some off-limit things for example.

The presence of drugs or narcotics and their abuse is a theme that if present in Warcraft would bump the game's rating up to a 15. Furthermore there is a rumour that one in-game zone was blocked off to players because it was ominous enough to do the same, and raise the game's rating from a 12+ to a 15+.

I would use World of Warcraft as a comparison device if anything, as I don't consider it as a game with mature themes - or at least a game with extensive use of them. But they are present and I do think it is a good example of a game which uses the themes it can wisely.