The Worgen starting experience is closer to what we're used to for a beginner area, but the storyline is more polished, the lore somewhat more interesting, and the jokes your character tells are a lot funnier. Your new Worgen (they're like werewolves) begin level 1 as a human, but the changes won't come as much of a surprise. Added cinematics enhance the storytelling, but you'll have to pay attention.

There's also the opportunity to take advantage of one of the new race/class combinations that weren't available before, including Gnome priests, Tauren paladins, Human hunters, and several more.

It seems that no area in Azeroth has been left untouched. Profound changes were made to Stormwind (the Park has been destroyed, but a new cemetery and northern area were added) and Orgrimmar (you'll find a completely new area called Goblin Slums, and a second bank, auction house, and inn). Azshara and Hillsbrad are low-level Horde encampments now, while the Alliance has taken over half of The Barrens. Stranglethorn Vale was split in two. New roads, islands, walkways, and flight points are everywhere. (And be sure to visit the Brazie Farmstead in Hillsbrad near the Sludgeguard Tower, where successfully completing a minigame of World of Warcraft's version of Plants Versus Zombies earns you a Singing Sunflower companion pet. But it's not easy.)

You'll find completely new starting areas for Goblins (Kezan, an island in the Maelstrom between Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms) and Worgen (Gilneas, on the central western coast of the Eastern Kingdoms), but a game feature called "phasing" (introduced in the Lich King expansion) means that your high-level characters won't be eligible for many of the low-level introductory experiences, which is a shame. Even in newer areas, players of the same level may be in a different phase than others, experiencing different events and seeing the world differently.