World of Warcraft: Battle of Azeroth is the seventh expansion of the MMO. For years, players have started each expansion under the shout "For the Horde!" or “for the Alliance!”. The Battle for Azeroth seeks to harness this passion by pitting the two factions against each other more than ever. But instead of honestly choosing a side, the best way to play Battle for Azeroth is to have a character both with the Horde and with the Alliance.
Normally, both factions would level in the same areas, ignoring each other on a PvE server and beating each other on a PvP server. In Battle of Azeroth, however, the factions level up on completely separate continents. While Horde and Alliance players will finally have access to all dungeons, each experience is different depending on the faction starting from the dialogues to the characters that can be encountered.
While players will eventually leave their faction continent to fight through enemy territory, they will never be able to experience the true storylines or quests of the area. The stories of the Zandalari trolls and the humans of Kul Tiran are locked behind the factions that will eventually enlist them on their side.
This new system is one of the strengths of Battle for Azeroth and does a great job of connecting players with their faction, making them feel uncomfortable on the other continent. The only shame is that both continents have fabulous zones and stories, some of which will never have been seen by half the player base. Normally, this would be a problem, but Battle for Azeroth seems to encourage players to play on both sides.
There's more than enough content per faction to keep players busy, but there's essentially a whole other campaign on the other side. Having a character for each faction isn't just a weird way to play with the on both sides, it's a way to milk the expansion to the max.
After playing both sides of the beta, it's hard to pick which one is best. They both have great moments of character, fun missions, wonderful areas. Playing only on one side - even if you are an Allied player or a diehard Horde - means not enjoying a great experience to the full.
The beauty of this new development is that both sides are equally interesting for the first time. Whichever faction is chosen, Blizzard is doing a great job.
For the Alliance player, maybe we want to be on Saurfang's or Sylvanas's side when the volcano erupts. For the Alliance, perhaps we want stable and powerful leadership that brings in new allies and friends. Both of these missions are interesting in their own way, and each one is worth playing. We can play with the Alliance, but we want to see what the Horde is doing from their point of view - even if our main characters should hate them.
Alliance or Horde, Horde or Alliance, it makes no difference. Battle for Azeroth aims to sensationalize the two factions by making it clear that war is the only option. It seems clear that Blizzard's intention is to show players how foolish their fights are. Greater threats are coming and we are too busy fighting to see it.
Even after the Horde and Alliance have moved away from trying to kill each other, we can assume that the factions will still have their parts to play in the upcoming war against the void, a unique way to see the world of Warcraft. Each side, each legion of heroes, matters in a different way. Battle for Azeroth is the first expansion to embrace this idea. Give the Horde or Alliance a chance, even if you have always had red or blue blood in your heart.
