There's this wonderful scene in the film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory where Gene Wilder's character introduces his prize winning guests to his edible "park" so to speak, and as they take in the sheer beauty of the scene, chocolate waterfall included, their eyes carry a true sense of amazement. And it's at that point when we all realize not only what's about to happen, but also that the improbable is a reality where anything's possible.

The same holds true for Blizzard's World of Warcraft, the wildly popular and six million strong MMO that shows no signs of slowing down. It's just a marvelous game that invokes the same emotions that Wonka's guests must have been experiencing. There's just so much to see and do, but where does one sane person start, especially now that the first expansion, The Burning Crusade is going to be released this July? The simple answer is, "from the beginning", but as you'll see in this report, The Burning Crusade is only going to add to what's already one of the best fantasy worlds ever created, which will most likely lead to even more sleepless nights.

Before I even discuss all of the new features, it's important to note why this expansion is being called The Burning Crusade. It's actually the name of The Burning Legion's mission, as the official site puts it, "to destroy all life on Azeroth." Their exploits have been chronicled in Warcraft III as well as War of the Ancients books, but this time, you can actually battle against the Legion on what are being described by Blizzard as "otherworldly battlefields" by entering the Dark Portal, where the new continent of Outland and all of its dangers await you.

When it comes to Warcraft, there are many types of players, the most extreme being the ones who've eaten everything that Blizzard's thrown their way and desire new treats, and the ones who are just stepping foot into Azeroth for the first time, but regardless of which group you fall into, The Burning Crusade will suit your tastes, and not just because it adds more ground to cover. There are also new dungeons in Azeroth as well as the ability to reach level 70, which should be an attractive prospect for level 60 players looking to go on an even bigger ego trip. But there are also hundreds of new items to collect, new monsters to slaughter, plenty of new quests to embark upon, "epic world bosses", and the new profession of Jewelcrafting.

In addition to all of that stuff, there's also two brand new playable races, one of which is the Blood Elves (Blizzard hasn't revealed the other). The Blood Elves are mysterious creatures that have what appears to be an unhealthy thirst to practice magic, even if it means dipping into demonic practices. Their adoption of these evil teachings resulted in them being banned from the Alliance, thus, they've turned to the Horde for guidance and help reaching Outland, where their messiah and last of the royal bloodline, Kael'thas Sunstrider awaits their arrival. They're also out to kill any demons that destroyed Quel'Thalas, which is where they used to live and a place that you'll have the opportunity to explore.

Achieving level 70 will definitely take some time and there are benefits to being so powerful that go beyond simple bragging. The Burning Crusade contains new dungeons, one of them being the tower of Karazhan, a place that sits within Deadwind Pass. The power sorcerer Medivh (this info is available in greater depth at the game's official website)
used to reside there, and during his time he managed to conjure unspeakable horrors that he kept in check, but after his murder these creatures were cut loose and now roam the tower, patiently awaiting fresh meat. With that being said, you'll need to be level 70 in order to make it out alive, and even then, you probably won't be able to complete the entire quest on your own. So there's definitely good reason to continuously level up, as you'll be able to claim Karazhan's treasures and of course, brag to everyone else.

It's also going to be cool exploring Outland, which was once called Draenor, the orcs' former homeland. Blizzard has only revealed concept art, but it paints a beautiful picture of a land in disarray, a barren place that should not be able to support life unless it's the most foul and disgusting creatures in existence.

Just like World of Warcraft, The Burning Crusade is phenomenal looking. Karazhan, for instance, is marked by towering bookcases filled with spell books, chandeliers, and giant glass windows, and the area surrounding is dark and barren, the type of place that you should never explore by yourself. I'm also fond of the Blood Elves' starting point, which is a land that appears to be in a perpetual state of autumn, though it's entirely possible that the seasons will change.

World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade looks fantastic and we'll have a detailed report during this year's E3. But if you're looking for more information, please visit the Official Burning Crusade Website