World of Warcraft: The War Within is enjoying mostly positive feedback from players, continuing an era of fun and engaging content following Dragonflight, the previous expansion, and a well-regarded one at that. However, Shadowlands, which came just before Dragonflight, is remembered as perhaps the lowest point in the game’s recent history. Players were outraged by both Blizzard’s state as a company and WoW’s scarce, unappealing content. Perhaps the worst of these in-game mistakes was Torghast, Tower of the Damned.
Lore-wise, Torghast is indeed supposed to be a hellscape of unending torture, where poor souls are condemned to suffer for eternity. What World of Warcraft never intended, however, was for Torghast to have the same effect on players. While the concept had tremendous potential, the execution turned what could have been an exciting challenge into a grueling chore that players could not avoid.
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Shadowland’s Torghast Was A Huge Mistake
The newest expansion, The War Within, has released soloable end-game content as well, but this time, no such disdain from the player base is found. Much like Torghast, Delves are instances of progression-based PvE content where players test their skills and earn impactful and cosmetic rewards. There are key differences, however, between these two activities, the most critical of which is player choice.
Delves Are Not Necessary For Endgame Progression
Crucially, Delves are entirely optional. Completing them at least once for questlines is encouraged, but isn’t tied to any zone campaigns. Competitive gear, achievements, and cosmetics are available from completing Delves, and it can even replace raiding and Mythic+ dungeons for those who dislike relying on other players. Each of these 13 Delves is unique, featuring distinct enemies, aesthetics, and encounters.
Torghast, while also encouraging solo play, was not optional. The resources awarded at the end of these gauntlets, Soul Cinders, Soul Ash, and Cosmic Flux, were needed to craft and upgrade legendary gear, and for all classes, having this gear was a requirement for raiding and Mythic+ progress. Players were essentially forced to farm Torghast every week to stay on top, a grim repeat of a previous failed game feature, Battle for Azeroth’s Island Expeditions.
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WoW’s Tower of the Damned Lived Up to Its Name
Having to dive into Torghast every week might not have been so agonizing if these instances were kept short and varied. A single tower level had up to a dozen floors, each choked to the brim with difficult encounters. Despite players being able to beef themselves up with Anima Cells, the repetitive sameness of the zone designs and enemies took its toll. Added to this, players faced the real danger of losing all their progress through the Tower, fearing a loss of internet connection as much as the dreaded Terragrue that chased them down.
The War Within’s Delves are short, simple, and incredibly varied. They provide challenging affixes at higher levels, but do not overstay their welcome. Even if a player wants to explore every inch, a Delve will only take around 10-15 minutes. Compare this with Torghast, which could take well over an hour of real-time, and it becomes clear which feature wins out.
What WoW Developers Have Learned Since
Torghast tried to embody its lore by punishing players, but in doing so stripped all the fun from playing the game. Players were already worn out from farming dismally scarce Anima every week, and adding more and more required resources was a major reason Shadowlands completely missed the mark. Player burnout was all too common, and many decided to drop WoW in search of more appealing MMOs.
Luckily, since Shadowlands, World of Warcraft has taken these lessons to heart. While Dragonflight didn’t have any such soloable features, The War Within has brought them back with delightful flair. Players are satisfied with the sheer amount of agency they are offered, allowing them to tailor their gaming experience to their desires. Shadowlands may have left players with a sour taste in their mouths, but The War Within has finally replaced it with sweet satisfaction.
