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- Publisher: NCSOFT
- Release Date: Aug 28, 2012
User Score
Generally favorable reviews- based on 2620 Ratings
User score distribution:
Positive: 2,046 out of 2620
Mixed: 170 out of 2620
Negative: 404 out of 2620
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Aug 28, 2012If you like themepark based MMOs, there really is no better game out right now than GW2. The level of detail and polish just in the NPC chatter alone really helps shape the lore and world. Combat is extremely fluid with weapon swapping, dodging and combo fields this game is one of the more visceral MMOs out there. If you like to explore, this is the game for you, if you like to only Raid, you may find it lacking.… Expand
Aug 28, 2012Game is amazing. Sad to see people giving it negative reviews due to bugs and errors in a pre launch head start that can easily be fixed by a simple patch....
Aug 28, 2012The game has stepped one hundred feet in the right direction for the genre and this is something that the genre has been awaiting for a long time.
The inclusion of actual, dynamic dodging and attacking. The combo system that allows you to combo with your friends... its all amazing.
People who are claiming no end game need to realize that this is and always has been a pvp driven universe. The fact that you can jump in at max level and pvp with your friends is amazing as is the WvW system where you fight other servers.
The combo system and dynamic ability to switch weapon sets during combat, along with the co-op style combo system makes PVP VERY skill based, rather than other MMO's face-smash style of fighting.
If you are a fan of PVP, get the game. NOW.
The story still has flare and is fun to go through when learning how to play your class and the mechanics of the game.… Expand
Aug 28, 2012I gave this game a ten because I feel that it was money well spent. 60 dollars for the cleanest RPG experience in an MMO. If you hate the Xobx live kids, or the trash talking low lives from various MOBA, FPS, and other competitive MMO, you know that GW2 staff is ready to squash these babies.
The company has character and integrity. They believes strongly in their product and policies and has thus far stuck to their message. There's communication between Arena net's staff and the GW2 community, and the communications have been civil and constructive.… Expand
Aug 28, 2012This has to be the most fun I have had since my first experience with WOW when that was released. Maybe because just about every game that followed WOW for the last decade have basically duplicated those elements with minor variations. GW2 just feels fresh. I don't feel as if I've played this game before. There really are some idiotic comments in these threads, especially about Graphics. Most of the first impressions from professional outlets state that the graphics are superb. For me, the awe I had in Divinity Reach and some of these Vistas was above what I was expecting. Also, the game has soul. It feels MUCH more alive then other games such as SWTOR, AION, Rift, etc. The NPCs seem to be doing more and the world in general just feels as if it has a lot going on. Also, the sound effects of the environment are well above average. The only negative I had was some lag with World versus World and Im not a fan of the Overflow system when grouping with friends, but I realize this is launch and these things will be ironed out. Anyone who thinks that there won't be issues at the release of an MMO are smokin something or this is there first MMO.… Expand
Aug 28, 2012Is this game a 10 right now? No. Does it have the potential to be a 10 once all the bugs are worked out and a few needed features are added. Yes? Do any other MMOs have the potential to be 10s. In my opinion, no. Not after GW2. All other MMOs are built on antiquated systems that can no longer rate 10 in my book. At one point I would have rated WOW a 10, but there is no way I could anymore.
So why I am rating it 10? Because, as I said before, it can be a 10. I am willing to give them three months. If after three months it is not a 10, I will revise my review. Also, I feel compelled to combat the unnecessary 0's. Seriously, why zero? It is not that bad, not even close. This game should be a 10 right now, but ArenaNet dropped the ball by not having a open beta. They absolutely should have had two week open beta and then announced a release date.
The only reason I am willing to be lenient is because WOW and others were given time to correct their problems. WOW's release was a atrocious, but people gave it time to work itself out. Why can't we give this game a little bit of time to get things right? The standard MMO's are held to these days is absurd, and makes it insanely difficult for any company to compete with Blizzard. Now Blizzard with their 5000+ employees can put out an unfinished game and set sales records. ArenaNet with their 300+ employees should be given some time to iron things out.… Expand
Aug 28, 2012I've played MMORPGs since their earliest days with MUDs, Everquest etc. and seen the evolution of the genre, and also it's stagnation for the past decade.
Guild Wars 2 hearkens back to the true potential of MMOGs to be *fun games* taken massively multiplayer. While most MMORPGs of the past decade have seen fit to lazily copy off of the major contenders of the genre, ArenaNet had the courage and foresight to do something radically different.
The game boasts extremely fun combat (unlike most MMOs), a dynamic, living world to adventure in, and some of the most competitive PvP gameplay ever to come to the MMO space.
Guild Wars 2 isn't just a good MMO, and it's actually held back by the baggage that genre carries. Instead, it plays as a *great* RPG first and foremost, and just happens to be a great MMO as a bonus.… Expand
Aug 28, 2012I haven't gamed much over the past decade, so I'm not "tired" of WoW-type style games like others might be. I started playing SWTOR earlier this year, and fell in love with much of it.. but with so many people checking out GW2 (and also a lot of questions about TOR's future), I decided to try it as well. But... it's just not working for me. I don't understand those who insist GW2's graphics are superior to TOR. I heartily disagree. Looking at the animations of my toon, looking at how he + other players appear.. to my eyes, it's just decades apart.. with what I see in GW2, it's literally something I might have seen 10+ years ago. The scenary on GW2 is certainly well done if you go for that artistic style, but not good enough that I really care about "vistas".
I'm also just not that impressed with the gameplay. Someone compared to the SW:TOR style of combat to "playing a piano" (in a dismissive/critical sense). Well, I actually liked that... a lot. I have 2 quick bars = 24 keys I use in literally every single warzone on TOR. I'm constantly watching CDs + my opponents cast bar, working with LOS, and rotating through actions as appropriate. In contrast, I think the 5 + a few buttons in GW2 makes combat extremely boring. I auto-attack, occasionally evade, and hit whatever is off CD. I really found it extremely boring to play, and quit after about an hour. (Maybe console players used to smashing 1-2 keys will find it just fine?)
I love GW2's WvWvW layout though. If there was a way to combine that with the SW:TOR's combat interface, I would be in heaven.… Expand
Aug 28, 2012I've been around gaming for a long time. And this is the game I have always been waiting for (well at least a 1st step) a living breathing world for me to explore and interact with.
Aug 28, 2012This game is very well put together for an MMO. The class and skill section is very different based off your standard MMO. That makes it fun in my opinion, the ability to switch out certain skills outside of your core skills is awesome. Whereas in GW1, you had to run back into town to change any skill at all. The graphics are really well done for a MMO, and people who complain that the graphics are just being too picky. Yes they may not be the BEST GRAPHICS EVER, but they should remember that if a MMO were to put out graphics like a standard RPG or action game, think how much processing power that would be to render that many characters at that magnitude. Anyways, I love the game and recommend picking it up. It will have a few glitches but nothing thats massively damning to the game. Remember people, it JUST came out, its bound to have a few glitches. (remember diablo 3 or even GW1 when it came out or World of Warcraft wasnt perfect either at launch)… Expand
Aug 28, 2012After years of MMOs failing to capture the same magic I felt playing WoW, there's finally a game to tear me away from Blizzard's cash cow once and for all. Not everyone will agree and some of the reviews here on both sides are pretty silly, but this game is absolutely amazing. It's not perfect, but it streamlines MMO gameplay to be less weighty and inconsistent for veterans and more accessible for casual gamers, while still maintaining challenging combat and touting a three server duel (WvW) that is really a blast to play. I never expected much from this game since I didn't like Guild Wars much, but ANet has crafted something very solid; not above average but excellent. Hopefully other companies will take note and put the same love and respect for their gamers into their products in the future and not simply try to mimic the champion, hoping to luck out. The B2P system with its unobtrusive cash shop really impressed me too, you don't need to pay money to stay competitive, but the store offers neat cosmetic items and other goodies and the money helps fund future expansions. If there's anything I didn't enjoy, it's the portal system between zones, leading to a less "full world" feel, but only in the rare times you even hit those barriers. The zones themselves are enormous with plenty to do, and due to the level scaling system, you never have to worry about keeping up with your friends in order to play with them. Simply put, this is the best MMO experience I've had since The Burning Crusade.… Expand
Sep 4, 2012This game is by far the one of the most boring MMO's I have ever played. It is a over-hyped game with loads of people riding the bandwagon claiming it is awesome and cool with an ingenious quest system and dynamic off the **** events. Some will even say that the next big MMO's to come out will take pointers from GW2.
Let me just say I hope not, 'cus I have never been more disappointed and bored playing an MMO. I liked SWTOR, TSW, TERA much more than this drivel. The combat is boring and repetitive, you have an extremely limited number of skills that you can have active. It is said that they designed the combat to be more action-oriented and more skill-oriented. Well that is nonsense. There is nothing that is more skill-oriented about gw2's combat and it doesn't really feel action-oriented (I can recommend TERA for action oriented/skill combat tho'). It falls flat along with it's questing which boasts itself on a boring story quest set in an uninteresting world with lore you don't give a halflings hat about, and with a multitude of sidequests (Heart icon-shaped NPCs that will appear on your map) that are triggered by being near the NPC's, then you will have multiple objectives in the area close to the NPC, which are all, "click some stuff on the ground and such" or "kill some mobs". It is not very exciting. Yes you don't have to click the NPC to get the quest, yes you don't have to use your brain to go somewhere and do something for him. No no. You just trigger the quest by being in his general area and then you click things on the ground and kill mobs to complete the quest. Yay.. fun? no. No not really.
Questing for kids with no attention span sry. Surely a step back in making questing engaging and exciting, instead it is just a nonsense uninteresting grind.
I have said enough about this game. I bought it thinking it would be good, everyone seems excited about it and praising it. All the articles I read pre release was positive and happy about the game.
Mega Huge Disappointment. Everyone are mass delusional thinking this is the best thing since sliced bread. *facepalm*… Expand
Aug 28, 2012This game is without a doubt the best MMORPG to date if it comes to leveling. Guild Wars 2 definitely raised the bar on this point with their excellent dynamic events and presenting 'quests' in a way that doesn't make it feel tedious. The graphics are great, the character customization is superb and the atmosphere is also phenomenal. It did basically everything right that SW:TOR did wrong. However, for the lack of a PVE end-game (yes I know its a PVP based game but still) and the technical difficulties it experienced at launch I have to subtract 2 points. Therefor in my opinion GW2 is a solid 8 which is great for a new game in a market saturated with garbage.… Expand
Aug 28, 2012I've looked through many of the negative reviews for this game, and every single one is making assumptions about the game which simply aren't true. I'm tired of seeing people who played the game for an hour complain about features of the game that they have not fully experienced, or don't understand yet. For example, one person complains that you can't play together because of overflow servers, when you can easily just right click on a party member and 'Join In' on their overflow server. Not to mention overflow servers will become less necessary as the playerbase expands across the world. Right now everyone is in the 1-30 levels so yeah, there's overflow servers. But there's also no queues to get in and play.
Some others complained about the skill system. Saying it is too limited. GW2 uses a weapon skill system that gives you five skills based on your weapon(s) and complains that this makes it 'generic.' I don't know how anyone can say that every class having many different sets of skills available to them is somehow more limited than every class having exactly the same cookie cutter skills. An elementalist specced around dagger+focus is extremely different from an elementalist specced around the staff. A warrior specced around sword+shield is completely different from a warrior specced around the rifle. This system creates classes within classes. It isn't limiting at all.
Speaking of skills, another person complained that you only get a handful of skills compared to other MMOs. This isn't true. Weapon swapping is an important part of gameplay. During combat most classes can swap between two sets of weapons, giving them ten weapon skills plus their healing/utility skills. The fewest number of skills a class can have available at a time is 16. In the case of elementalists, they can swap attunements between four elements giving them 20 weapon skills plus their 5 healing/utility skills. 25 total. The engineer gets kits that replace their weapon skills with special engineer-only skills, and they can carry three of these kits at a time, and each utility skill gives them a special ability that they can use at any time, regardless of whether the kit is active or not. This comes out to 5 weapon skills, 15 kit skills, 2 healing abilities, and 2 elite abilities. For a total of 24.
There is plenty of variety, IMO more than other MMOs by a longshot. Not to mention that while other MMOs have very samey abilities, virtually every ability in GW2 is interesting, unique, and beautiful to watch. Characters will leap at foes and dance around them evading blows. But a lot of this is unlocked over time as you play the game.
Others complain about the questing system. This is a game about exploration where you can travel where you want and do what you want, and have that progress be meaningful and develop your character. You can get through the entire game without doing a single 'kill ten rats' quest if you wish. Or without doing a single 'collect ten flowers' quest. The free-roaming nature of the questing system obviously throws some people off, but I for one would never go back. And for those who enjoy more linear quests, the personal stories provide beautifully scripted quests where you have to make choices about things that directly impact your character's life.
Events are somewhat generic in the early starting areas of the game, but they quickly evolve into deeply satisfying contested areas where forts change hands and entire areas once friendly are overrun with enemies. I've stood on the walls of a fortress in the Shiverpeaks and rained fire on invading enemies, only to be pushed out of the fortress. And after rallying together with other players, we stormed the fortress and took it back from the invaders. No this was not PvP, this was Players versus Events. Until you've experienced chained events with world-changing results, you haven't experienced Events.
I've played in all the beta weekends and in the headstart. It might just be the best game I have ever played, and I never thought I'd say that about an MMO. Everything is polished to a perfect shine. Its gameplay, unlike every other MMO I have played, would not lose its appeal even in a single player setting. This is truly a revolutionary game in the MMO genre, and it makes sense that some people aren't going to get it right away. But that just means that you might want to think twice before taking the advice of someone who played the game for an hour and thinks he's seen enough to rate it.… Expand
Aug 28, 2012So many things to find, so many hidden areas, treasures that exist in incredibly out of the way places just for fun. My expectations were high going into this, they were exceeded.
Aug 28, 2012Its not the revolution of the gender, but an evolution. Subscriptions on MMORPGS are dead, and only buying the box (or a digital copy) you can play this tripleA MMORPG without worrying about wasting your money every moment you are not playing it.
The story is great, sPvP combat is balanced and fun, the dynamic its a great upgrade to the typical "quest system" There is no reason to not pick up GW2 if you like MMORPGS, even if you dont like MMORPGS you should give it a shot, i heard ANET had refund money to people that didnt like the game after buying it.
This is just my personal opinion, i think this is the best MMORPG for me, and it have all i were looking for in a game.… Expand
Aug 28, 2012Better than TOR, The Secret World, and TERA, all things considered.
I've been purchasing every major MMO release this year and have left extremely disappointed each time. I would log in, see "kill X and Y", do the standard number mashing combat that you find in every MMO, and end up unsubscribing. I did try to give these games my all and see if I could break past the tedium, but I could not.
People in these reviews are complaining about broken quests and server overflows. Guys, it's launch day. The game literally JUST CAME OUT and it's easily the most anticipated MMO since TOR, so can you maybe just give it a second and roll with the punches? It gets better, I promise.
As far as questing goes, you are technically presented with the standard "kill X of these" quests, but packaged in such a way that if you don't want to do them, you can just bugger off and it'll disappear from your objectives list. Furthermore, the quests are shared across all players engaged in that particular activity, so you don't have to play alone.
Grouping is also much better than in previous MMOs. Literally anyone standing next to me during a dynamic event is part of my "group" without any invitations or awkward conversation. All XP gets shared and loot is reserved for each character. Truly a step in the right direction.
Speaking of XP, doing ANYTHING in Guild Wars 2 is likely to reward you with experience points. Chop down a tree to gather crafting materials? Revive a fallen ally or player? discover a new location? Yup, they all give significant experience points. So do crafting, exploration, dynamic events, and more. What's that? Reviving a fallen player? yes! Guild Wars 2 goes beyond the standard ideas of playing together that MMOs have so tactfully forced down our throats. For the first time, I'm inclined and REWARDED for helping other players back on their feet after they get their butts handed to them, and other players return the favor when I'm downed too!
Bringing me to another mechanic. When you die in the field, unless you get severely roflstomped, you "fight for your life". Throw things and bandage yourself while you're on the ground, and you even have a chance to bring yourself back to life.
There are so many other mechanics that I could rattle off, but the ones I mentioned are the main draws for myself.
basically, if you think you're burned out on MMOs, get GW2. It's not a re-invention of the genre, but rather an evolution.… Expand
Aug 28, 2012just couldnt give this game a 9. my situation is...i have no reason to play other games. i dropped DoTA2, BF3, and many others cold turkey. i play GW2 as a pvper. the well-rounded pve experience is just a bonus to me. ANet is one hell of a company.
Aug 28, 2012Guild Wars 2 is the best MMORPG that I've played in a loooooong time and it definitely raises the bar for future MMORPGs. Awesome game? Check. Buy once? Check. No subscription? Check. Haters gon' hate? Check. After playing GW2 - I don't see myself playing any other MMORPG for a long, loooooong time. This doesn't mean GW2 doesn't have its flaws - but NOTHING comes close to the awesomeness of this game. Once ArenaNet starts releasing expansion packs to introduce more content, this game will be the new king of MMORPGs if it isn't already.… Expand
Aug 28, 2012Great evolution of the Guild Wars story line. Quite enjoy the free-roaming sandbox nature of the game play. Minor 'fresh out of the box' bugs, but if the history of the Arenanet team is anything to go by, they'll be fixed up quickly.
Aug 28, 2012This is an absolutely superb game. Finally, I have a game to replace WoW. The quality of this subscription-free game shows up how laughable the subscription model is.
Aug 28, 201214 year MMO vet here. GW2 is the best MMO since WoW, maybe in forever. Massive, immersive world, tons of fun content and fun over all game play. Definitely one of the largest, most beautiful MMO worlds since Vanilla WoW, with plenty of redundancy to further increase re-playability. Combat is fun and dynamic. Professions are well designed and offer a lot of variety. Everyone has a self heal, no dedicated healers in this game. The game has a lot of innovative features that not only work well on their own, but the entire game comes together to produce something much greater than the sum of all it's parts.
Between beta events and the three day head start, I've already logged 200 hours of game play. The fun and sense of discovery has never waned and I look forward to playing this game for the long haul!
Too many MMOs in recent years have failed to offer much beyond a month of play for many players. It's great to see a new MMO that has the content, world and game play to support a long term commitment from the players. Guild Wars 2 sets a new bar for MMO design that will be very difficult to match or exceed in the next few years. Unless there is some game in development somewhere that can outdo what GW2 has done, this is going to be THE game for many MMO players for the next year, or even a few years, depending on how well Arenanet are able to build upon the game via future expansion.
A final note, there is no subscription fee, which is amazing, since the game offers more than any game since WoW launched as far as world size, content, features, etc... You aren't getting a discount experience due to the lack of subscription fee. If you do like the game and keep playing, you might want to consider making use of the Gem Store, as a way to support the game and it's further development financially. Nothing in the store is pay to Win or even provides an unfair advantage, but there are things like character slots, expanded vault space, etc... that will be useful to almost everyone. Dropping $10 on gems every once in a while, in lieu of a subscription fee, will provide some nice account upgrades or even some fluff cosmetic items, while ensuring the future successful expansion of the game moving forward. To sum up, the game is massive, fun, immersive, with a huge world space, tons of content, breadth of features and depth of game play pretty much unparalleled by other current games in the MMORPG genre. If you are an MMO fan, you can't go wrong for $60. For many, this is a game that will provide hundreds or even thousands of hours of game play. There is no better entertainment value for your dollar!… Expand
Jan 31, 2013Absoluty,insanely bad, boring, repetitive, pointless game. Glad I could sell my account to another poor soul. Bleh. Arenanet is a horrible company and the whole game concept is full of fail. The cutscenes are as ugly and boring as the game.
Aug 28, 2012I'm not one to review many games, but I felt this was worth sharing. This game is too addicting, visually very pleasing, and alluring. Guild Wars 2 = Wife Aggro
Aug 28, 2012Guild Wars 2 is the next stage in MMO evolution -- bigger than the jump from EverQuest to World of Warcraft.
Some points to consider:
- Free to Play + Cash Store means spend money on what you want, when you want, if you want. Not pay to win.
- Personal stories based on your decisions when making your character and branches during the story quest itself mean every character you make has slightly different lore progression.
- No more immersion crushing yellow punctuation hovering over people's heads. (yes!)
- Everyone gets EXP for hitting your mob. It encourages interactivity.
- Everyone can resurrect everyone else. Down? Anyone can come by and help you up.
- Every class can heal and fight ranged. Brilliant -- no more "tanks" healers" and "DPS" Every profession (class) is a bit of everything, but in its own particular way.
- EXP for crafting. Tons of it. Pacifist? You can level to 80 by crafting -- no joke.
- Dye your armor whenever you want. Collect from the hundreds of possible dye colors and create a unique look.
There's plenty more -- read the official sight -- but, to sum up, if you're like I was, playing every AAA MMO title released hoping for the next big thing and continually being disappointed, you'll breathe a sigh of relief that, finally, a post-WoW MMO lived up to its pre-release hype.… Expand
Aug 28, 2012I have to the say, this is the best MMO I have played in years. Most new MMOs that came out are WOW clones (or same style) and nothing new. This one has all the best features of the best mmos out there, dynamic quests -> Rift.
Only thing that is lacking is the dungeons. They are too hard to do without the standard TANK/HEALER/DMG. Needs a better dungeon strategy.
Aug 29, 2012The character model is too 2d sprite-like and does not have a feeling of solidness. The graphic engine of DAOC which released so many years ago feel more right than this game. Otherwise I would give it a higher score.
Aug 28, 2012How can this game get anything less than a 10, £40 for a game ill be playing for years, NO MONTHLY FEES, of course there are bugs, rating the game 0 because the trading post doesn't work is stupid, bugs will get fixed, updates expanding the world for free, Rewarded for working together, exploring, nothing feels like a choir, just fun. Highly Recommended!
Aug 28, 2012This game is really amazing. It's the first MMORPG that's lived up to it's hype in every conceivable way. It shakes things up in ways no other game has dared to in years. And all because World of Warcraft set the standard in 2004. But it grew too large and became a cancer on the MMO genre. No one dared deviate from the formula established by WoW but ultimately this just lead to numerous half-baked clones. Guild Wars 2 is different. It changes things, but it changes the right things. This game IS the WoW-killer. Everyone is afraid to believe in the old legend, but it's true. This is the game we've all been waiting for. This is the great savior of MMORPGs that has finally come to cast down the great beast, World of Warcraft. All hail!… Expand
Sep 29, 2012One of the best games out there. It's clear as day that the large majority of these "negative reviews" are coming from people who have not even played the game and are either just trolling to be miserable trolls or are mad because their game might be failing in some way (SWTOR, Kung Fu Panda)
Aug 28, 2012Amazing game, definitely the best MMO to come out in a long time. No subscription fees, an amazing level of quality in every profession and every zone, graphics second to none and the game REWARDS YOU FOR ACTUALLY DOING ALL THE CONTENT. It scales down your level so you can play with friends who are lower than you without destroying everything in one shot, and the individual story makes you feel like you're a part of the world, not just another killing machine. If you're new or old to the genre, now is the time to pick up this game. :)… Expand
Aug 28, 2012Great game. Awesome combat mechanics, graphics, sounds, animations, etc. Currently missing the trading post and with some minor bugs; haven't found any game breaking bugs
Aug 28, 2012This game makes me feel like the biggest completionist. As a long-time MMO fan who never could get into WoW, I have been hinging my hopes on GW2 to deliver a solid, genuinely fun experience. It does all this and more. Suddenly gameplay doesn't feel like a grind and I focus less on what my level is and more on exploration, discovery, and just enjoying the gorgeous variety of the world. The great thing is that this game is perfectly suited for all kinds of players - those who just want to experience the story, those who are interested solely in PvP, crafters, achievement-hunters, explorers. The game is massive, yet nothing feels like it was stretched too thin. The long wait for Guild Wars 2 was more than worth it for me.… Expand
Aug 28, 2012The absolute stunning beauty in this game is alone worth a score of 10. As a friend of mine said "I've never walked around in a game for hours just looking at things, I didn't even care where I was going or why." There is so much depth to the art it's truly amazing.
Aug 28, 2012This game is everything I thought it would be. It has no subscription which is just outright amazing for the quality of the game! OBVIOUSLY all the people rating this game with a 0 are just butthurt WoW fanboys, who are crying because another MMO actually has a chance of taking away WoW's community. Seriously grow up guys we can just smell your pathetic bias. Guild Wars 2 has amazing graphics, looks better than most current single player games! The graphics are just unheard of for an MMO (once again, a subscription-less MMO) I think the people rating it down for graphics are either extremely uneducated or have really bad computers and cannot run the graphics to begin with. NEVER listen to a review that gives a 0, as obviously they have a grudge or agenda to try and soil the name of a game, don't feed the haters! Anyway back to Guild Wars 2, the scale of the maps is HUGE everything feels so immersive and realistic. The zones are beautiful, the citys look exactly like their concept art! The music is amazing! (done by the same guy that did the music for Oblivion and Skyrim) The personal story modes for your character are great and easy to get into, they also change A LOT to the decisions you make. The PVP is excellent, very smooth and entertaining. WvWvW is the best siege simulator I have ever seen in a game, and will provide many, many hours of entertainment. The servers are VERY stable, their overflow zone system is incredibly smart! Crafting is well done, and bag space management is revolutionary! This game is 100% worth the $60 AU (which is all you will ever have to pay!) Thank you for this amazing game Arena net. I am an ex 5 year World of Warcraft player, and Guild Wars 2 is a massive leap in the right direction! I am not usually one to give a 10 in a review but this game has 100% earned it! R.I.P World of Warcraft! Guild Wars 2 is officially the new King of MMOs!… Expand
Aug 28, 2012This game marks a return to the roots of the MMO genre. The adventure is squarely in the players hands, and if the player can't adapt they will see stale game play much like World of Warcraft. Only when the player begins to explore the world and pay attention to the quirky behavior of the world's NPCs will it become clear that this is something both old and new. The controls feel awkward in some ways, because of the way the camera moves, however once the player becomes adjusted to dodging everything begins to come together. It almost feels laggy until you begin to use skills and dodging to evade instead of quickly strafing to the opposite direction. If you are looking to get back to the time when players weren't guided along the rails like mindless cattle, Tyria is the world for you. Guild Wars 2 is your game to play.… Expand
Aug 28, 2012The is game is the revolution. Ive been waiting for 5 years for this game and exceeded all of my expectations and then some! It just raised the bar for not just for mmo standards but on how to make a game in general.
Aug 28, 2012So people are going to complain about certain things broke? Fine, but when you're dealing with 400k CONCURRENT users online, unforeseen issues will occur. For what it's worth, it is THE smoothest launch of ANY game. Yes, even Warcraft. They have delivered on numerous occasions, spilled their souls into the story, content, and technical systems. It's not about pressing "1" multiple times: it's about knowing when to use your abilities at the proper times. There is something that has been missing to MMO's: fun. This game delivers that on so many levels WITHOUT Skinner box feelies through the levels. This allows the person playing to feel fulfilled even to the end of their PVE route of levels, without the taste of ash. Those who base their judgments or parallel this game with others: you just can't. You can't say that every fantasy setting is the same as the next. You want to parallel it with a game then do it with Warhammer--the game it was set out to be for in the first place. Guild Wars 2 has no hype train: it's the people playing the game telling others it's time to try something unique and higher quality. As for graphics, if you don't apply some kind of spectrum of quality for people, you limit the amount of people to play the game. Sure, it doesn't have SUPER QUAD GRAPHICS OF NEXT GENNING but there is a masterwork level of art direction with ALL of their choices in that regard.
If you are looking to sink your teeth in with tons of story, get this. If you are looking for hardcore PvP--siege or battlegrounds-esque fighting--get this. There will always be the naysayer, but everyone will ALWAYS have their preferences either way.… Expand
Aug 29, 2012Best MMO-RPG in many years. Beautiful graphics, fun and great game play. PVE is excellent but what takes this game on another level is best PVP ever. And world vs world vs world is even better.
Aug 28, 2012This game is just too AWESOME! No problems with the game has had any impact on me 'cause the PVE and WvW has been designed in a great way. THANK YOU ARENANET for this great game, one of the absolute best I've ever played!
Aug 29, 2012There is simply no way this game could receive anything less than a 5 in a legit manner. It pains me to say this but obstruction of user score by another company appears to be what is happening here. On reddit there is several documented instances of user reviews here giving a 0 but giving Diablo 3 a 10.
http://www.metacritic.com/user/RasputinMD And here are some for The Secret World
This obvious trolling is the only thing keeping the user score out of the 9 range.
But no matter, onto the reason why it deserves a high score:
-The promotion of exploration and multiple routes of solid leveling paths is excellent in relation to the rest of the mmo market. Vistas and waypoint/poi discovering provide solid complimentary experience while levelling up and in some cases keep you up to date with your zone. I've actually played for hours without bothering about what l am, which leads into point two.
-Scaling down in lower level zones keeps you on your feet and stops the standard steamroll of lower level zones. Even if you are a high level player you will have to pay attention when seeking completion of lower level zones that aren't yours. Being able to assist friends that are just starting without ruining their fun is also a solid gameplay choice.
-The combat itself is rock solid and feels responsive, with the ability to dodge and roll away bringing unique gameplay choices to what would otherwise be standard mmo combat. There is some complaint about underwater combat but its such a minor issue that it doesn't deserve to overshadow anything else.
-World vs World is very fun and highly rewarding. The thrill of large scale combat is there for those who wish to enjoy it. PVP itself hasn't been an area I've spent much time in outside of a few hours in WvW but what I have done has been rich and exciting. There is nothing like storming through a gate of an opposing realms keep and slaughtering the players inside. -Questing has been ingeniously dressed up to get away from the old yellow exclamation point style. Multiple ways to complete the same quest give options for players to perform actions the way they want, not by a rigidly defined set of requirements. -I've found myself with plenty of things to do despite several large parts of the game not being touched yet. Auction house playing is something I usually spend hours with but they haven't even enabled that and I'm still enjoying myself greatly. Once the launch issues are resolved the game can move forward to address its list of minor issues. The overall feel while playing this game can't be matched except by the wonder that I got out of play the first iteration of world of warcraft back shortly after its launch. That kind excitement hasn't been felt by me for a long time and its refreshing. I've played SWTOR and RIFT but neither have approached the level of enjoyment I am getting right now. Give this game a try, because there is something for everybody. You won't be punished for doing what you love to do. You will be rewarded for all of your exploits, all the way down to making your first crafting items.… Expand
Aug 29, 2012Great game. The graphics are in fact wonderful if they aren't your computer is to blame not the game. It's a good plot and although it doesn't feel like the old guild wars I am enjoying it all the same. It's not a pay2win. You can get exp boosts with them but there isn't an exchange for gold using gems! You would have to trade it to another player for gold. It has a good plot and a better combat system than the old guild wars. Although the customization for skills isn't the same it's still there the focus has been shifted from what you play with such as builds anyone can use to how you play.… Expand
Aug 29, 2012Simply an amazing game. I've played many of the major MMOs (EQ, WoW, GW1, Tera, +many more), and this game (thus far) contains more depth and breath taking artwork than the rest combined. While more work needs to be done, this is the most complete MMO at launch I've ever played. It takes all the lessons that have been learned from other MMOs and solves them in a great way. From Dynamic quests to the crafting system, this game makes me feel like its my first MMO all over again. The combat system is simple yet full of depth and the talent/skill system allows for more personalization than you first realize. Just exploring the world and doing whatever you want always has rewards ready for you. From xp, to armor, to power ups - the game makes you want to continue playing at every turn. The personal story is very well done - though I have to admit the Asura and Sylvari (for me) have been strikingly great. It makes it very rare that any two people will choose the same choices and the dye system/personal character customization makes sure that no two characters look exactly the same. I highly recommend this game to anyone starting in the MMO genre or anyone that knows MMOs and wants to feel renewed. The game will only get better as Anet solves the small problems that any game with this hype/size will suffer.… Expand
Aug 29, 2012"Guild Wars 2 is fun" is an extreme understatement. There is always something to do, something to see, something to discover. Moving away from linear, grindy gameplay found in some MMORPG's, ArenaNet moves away from the pack and immerses us in a world that is truly amazing and begs to be explored. sPvP is excellent, the maps are great, and class balance is definitely there. No one class has the edge over another, and each class has many ways they can be played. You know what else is amazing? No subscription fee. You pay $60 and get your hands on a milestone of the MMORPG's. For all you MMORPG lurkers out there looking for a gamechanger, this one is sure to deliver.… Expand
Aug 29, 2012This game is one of the best mmo's I've played. Smoothest release compared to any other and the gameplay is just fun. Most MMO's require a holy trinity(tanks, healers, dps) but not this game. It's been erased and for the better. Now there's never a reason to sit around waiting for a group. The scenery is breath taking. Community in this game is amazing and everyone is friendly. Crafting and farming is very easy. Minimal bugs get worked out quickly. The only cost for Guilds Wars 2 is $60.00 with no reoccuring monthly charges and it's a steal. There is no pay to win in this game, which makes everything balanced. There honestly isn't any better way to make a mmo. GW2 is a great mmo and is not going away anytime soon!… Expand
Aug 29, 2012For what the game is worth I can say it is far better than most of the MMO's released on market. I played it days before it was even launched and I have encountered absolutely no bugs with any function except for the trade market, which I honestly could care less about. Seriously, if you feel in any way let down by this game then you are just being a brat. I love the atmosphere of this game, it truly breathes with the help of dynamic events making you feel actually involved in the new lands you discover. The fact that the game gives you an incentive to explore and reach unexplored points for XP is a fantastic feature. It gives you reason to reach the corners of the world and not just grind monsters. Enjoy it for what it's worth, nobody's asking you to pay 10-15 bucks a month for this polished and well thought game.… Expand
Aug 29, 2012This game is really good. Just saying that is an understatement. If your board with World of Warcraft, tired of the same old same old, buy this. Honestly, they should have a monthly fee cause the way this plays and how good it is really expands what FREE MMORPGs can do.
Everything, everything is just that amazing. Read other reviews for specifics. I can't even wrap my mind around it!
Aug 29, 2012You know it's funny. Between 2005 and 2012 the reviews haven't changed much. I still remember these tears: - waaaaa, GW1 is just instanced so it's no MMORPG! - waaaaa, i can't use all my skills at the same time, so it's **** - waaaaa, you can't jump or swim, so banal! Doesn't change the fact that I have logged several thousand hours into GW1 (the only other game I have that many hours is Starcraft) and had one of the best internet-times of my life with my Guild. Rock on, A.Net!… Expand
Aug 29, 2012This has been a great game so far and I predict hours of fun from it to come. It's a nice change from the blandness of other MMO's like WoW and the recent flop of ToR. No subscription fee is of course, always a bonus.
Recommended to my friends? Yes!
Aug 29, 2012Love the game. Best of all, no monthly fee. We'll see how things are 6 months from now content-wise. One small downside is the way you pick servers and how all your toons are solely on that server.
Aug 29, 2012This game is AWESOME. The best MMOPRG since WoW The Burning Crusade. One of the most beautiful game EVER. Don't trust the haters that give a negative scores. Haters gonna hate. Buy this game. Play this game. Love this game.
Aug 29, 2012So much content and so much to look at, the combat is fun and fluid, there are a few minor bugs atm but they will be ironed out.
Overall it's money well spent and there is plenty more I haven't seen
Aug 29, 2012If you're truly not a friend of mmo's this game is for you. The reason? It's the only game i played yet wich deserves the title "massive" multiplayer online - rpg. No matter what people will play actually together instead of worrying to steal eachothers xp or loot. While it's not the revolution everybody was hyping for, it definately makes things better in many ways. Also, without a monthly subscription fee you're not forced to play as much as possible for not loosing gametime. Perfect for a casual player like me. Only downside for many mmo players is probably the lack of classic questing and the so called endgame for the timegobbling hunt for being the most op geared player on the whole server (and in pvp). Only gear you can archive later on are pure cosmetic.… Expand
Aug 29, 2012I've been playing MMORPGs since the days of Asheron's Call. Rarely now do I find a new title as engaging as Guild Wars 2. Everywhere I go in the game I stumble into fun, the hours roll by and never do I feel like I am grinding. The dynamic events have been a joy and the combat refreshing. The trinity is gone and I could not be happier. On top of all of that no subscription fee. My one and only complaint at this time is WVW drags down the FPS a bit, but never to unplayable levels. If you like MMOs, buy this game...… Expand
Aug 29, 2012I've been playing this since the early days of beta, and I'm happy to have played the Head Start for the last few days. There have been a few launch issues (downed trading post, unevenly matched WvW, etc.), but I'm not going to factor any of those minor quibbles into my review since they are easily fixed.
As an grown-up gamer with a 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM job and a wife, it's been harder and harder to justify and maintain my love of MMOs. I cancelled my World of Warcraft account in 2010 because I didn't have time (and quite frankly got bored of the constant raiding, grinding, repeating process). Since then I've tried Rift, Tera, Lord of the Rings Online, D&D Online, and numerous other MMOs, hoping to recapture the magic I had lost with WoW, and hoping they had systems to cater to the less-than-consistent player that I am. Unfortunately, none offered what I wanted.
Then along comes Guild Wars 2. Not only does the gameplay lend well to jumping in for an hour at a time (dynamic events, quests, etc.), but the game also provides good incentive to explore and enjoy the world (Vistas, POIs, etc.). Not feeling like grinding out a level? That's fine; try and see all the locations on the map. You get achievements, EXP, and items for exploring 100%. I've seen some reviews that indicate that the actual combat is "nothing revolutionary", but I'm not sure if they actually PLAYED the game or just wanted to complain. The dodge mechanic (which WORKS, contrary to several reviews on here) is an integral part of the experience. As an Engineer I use is constantly to avoid damage and gain distance between enemies and myself. It's not on the level of TERA in terms of active combat, but it's still a leap ahead.
The hotbar (a staple of most MMOs) is still present and changes skills depending on the weapon you're using. For an engineer I have different abilities for pistols (dual and single wielding with shield), rifles, and any kits I might be using (flamethrower, tool kit, etc.). It's an amazing breath of fresh air to have your skills be determined by whatever weapon you're holding in your hand. That said, there are only 5 major skills (beyond utility, healing, etc.) for each weapon. You'll learn those skills VERY well over the course of 80 levels, which might irk some people.
My only minor complaint with the game (and why I gave it a 9) is that while they minimized the grinding within the game, it's still present. It's a different form, but still there. In order to keep up with the zones and story quests I needed to do all the dynamic events I possibly could, explore 100% of the map, craft, and clear every "heart" (essentially quest hubs) for all the zones I've been through so far. Some may dismiss that as "part of MMOs", but does it need to be? There have been numerous forums conversations (even with the developers) to address this, and I appreciate their willingness to accept positive criticism to make the game better.
All-in-all, I look forward to playing it for years to come. It's a solid buy for anyone who wants something new in their MMOs.… Expand
Aug 29, 2012Very unoriginal game, it steals a lot from Warhammer Online. Dynamic Events are no better than regular quests not to mention a lot of events never fail because events are way too easy. The overflow servers were a horrible idea. They prevent players from actually playing together. There is no room for error in Guild Wars 2. The game was made so players can succeed with ease. GW2 is only the flavor of the month. As soon as people reach max level there isn't much replayability left because dynamic events are boring, easy and too repetitive.… Expand
Aug 29, 2012Guild Wars 2 gives you an amazing fantasy world to explore. Many times have i been on a mission only to get sidetracked by something at the horizon, a group of players running past me clearly onto something interesting, NPC:s chatter hinting at hidden stuff and last but not least hidden jumping puzzles with even more hidden content!
Do Not Play This Game As Other MMO:s!
Dont just do the Renown hearts and think that thats it, explore, think outside the box and you will be rewarded with hundreds of hours of pure joy.
The engine isnt the best out there but thanks to the fantastic artists at A-net the game looks astonishing with a new sight around every corner.
At the moment of writing this theres some problem with the Party and Trading features but thats minor issues that will be sorted quickly im sure.
This is a Must Buy!… Expand
Aug 29, 2012Epic game, character conversation that I would normally pass by, living world, amazing art, combat system, using your brain, discovery, mechanic, sound, challenge, puzzles, community, magnificent launch, personal story, different starting zones for all races, choices, questing, exploring, crafting, free to play with no pay to win items from cashshop, endless endgame-game in lower zones downgrade you to appropriate level so there is ALWAYS a challenge, AMAZING, guild management, guild upgrading, PvP, world PvP.
Now, if you have WoW Syndrome, you will be in trouble, because this game force you to use your brain.… Expand
Aug 29, 2012Best MMO out there for old hardcore MMO veterans that have families. Doesn't matter if you have all the time in the world or only a few hours a day, Guild Wars 2 is the most enjoyable MMO out there. The PvP is visceral and skill-based, and most of all extremely engaging.
Aug 29, 2012Guild Wars 2 is a rich game with a fun environment that feels alive. The questing is fun and you are rewarded for exploration. The combat is very smooth and intuitive, the skill dodge element is a nice touch. The world is huge, the art style and graphics are pretty. Overall I have enjoyed my time in GW2 thus far and would recommend it to any who is a fan of the MMO genre.
Aug 29, 2012Well, the game itself has more hype than I've seen out of any MMORPG, which is saying something, but its a good game. Will I be playing it months from now? probably not. Is it worth the price of admission? yes. A couple issues I have with the game, its pretty simplified, which is a good and bad thing. The login issues are a HUGE problem. I can't verify my email and my home PC can't login to GW2 at all. These are all initial problems with any MMO, but the login issues can be pretty severe. I figure it might be as late as next week before this gets worked out (Error 42, firewall issue. Even though my PC is a DMZ, UAC off, Run as Admin, with no firewalls.) Funny enough my work pc logins in just fine LOL. Other than the above issues, GW2 seems to have taken the best of all MMOs, and I really like how they have redone the typical quest leveling. No more Quest hubs with ! above peoples heads, its still kinda there, but is dressed up and forces you to engage in the quest story and only do 1 at a time. Don't expect the hype you are seeing from the reviews, but expect a good MMO, with some growing pains. If MMOs aren't your thing, stay away from this game, but if you are a WoW player looking for something different, go buy it NOW! Me, I'm an old school EQ player that will probably play it for a couple months as a casual. Now if your from ArenaNet reading this review, fix your LOGIN Issues!… Expand
Aug 29, 2012They really hit the mark with this one. From the masterpiece artwork, to the intense pvp. The world versus world battles are of epic scale. Just strolling through the world Immerses you in so many ways. Plus to top it off, no subs. Things will never be the same in mmos.
Aug 31, 2012Amusing to see that all the 0 and 1 reviews are hit and runs from guys who gave Secret World 10s. Regardless GW2 is fun, challenging, and has no sub fee. It is incredibly detailed with a huge variety of things to do at any given time, and has a shocking depth to it's combat and PvP. There are a couple launch bugs that exclude me from giving it a 10, but since I've already thrown 60hrs into the game and only paid $60, I'd say I've gotten my moneys worth. ADDENUM: So one thing I've noticed in the last few days are all the scrubs quitting. Its working people! All the bads are leaving because the game is too hard for them. What a wonderful community this game is breeding.… Expand
Aug 29, 2012This game is fantastic. I created an account on here just to write this review because ArenaNet deserves all the praise they get. I thought I would never play an MMO as I always liked FPS and every time I tried to get into them I always felt like it was grinding and boring and that really had little appeal. Every time I play this game there is an event going on in every part of the map. The amount of focus the creators put on players helping out other players makes this game something truly special. You want to help a downed friend, not just because of the XP but because you've been there too and you know once you get that player up you can kill more together. The worlds are amazingly beautiful works of art as well. My first few days I just spent exploring because the thought put into designing the maps is just astounding. This game is hands down the best $60 I've ever spent. If you're a FPS only kind of guy and never thought you could play an MMO I highly recommend giving this one a try, you'll be glad you did. I sure am.… Expand
Aug 29, 2012I followed the development of this game for years.
I played all betas and I can say that the game delivers what it promises.
Some problems occurred at launch, worse than in betas, but this is normal in any launch of a massive online game. Even with these problems the servers are full and yet I had no trouble logging in, the game has no queue, when an area is full you is sent to overflow server to play the game while waiting for a vacancy on the real server, all what you do in the overflow is kept on your character, that's wonderful! The dynamic event system is also wonderful but not when you have over 100 people on it, when people spread the maps we can see how the events are fun with a reasonable amount of people, and how the events change the world! Many people make the events and leave the place without waiting a few minutes to see the change happening! The world seems Alive! NPCs have their tasks, they do not stand around waiting for the player, they do things without players!
ArenaNet made no changes to spoil the game. If someone bought the game thinking that something is wrong then it should not have bought! They will not make drastic changes in their combat, PVP and quest systems to please the haters, just some tweaks that all MMOs have.
The game delivers what it promises, then people should read up on the features before buying.
One thing that you will only find with it on hands is that it is fun, but you need to learn how to play, do not play it thinking you know everything because you're a veteran of other MMOs… Expand
Aug 29, 2012Overwhelming! I've already logged over ten hours and feel like I've just scratched the surface. Gorgeous artwork - I feel like I'm actually playing a cut-scene. Character creation on all five species is amazing. And unlike the first Guild Wars, the writing here is really clever. Take time to stop and talk to the NPC's. Especially the Asura, who are downright hilarious. Even if you don't do any missions, just loiter and eavesdrop. Soak up the local color, and THEN go off questing.… Expand
Aug 29, 2012Finally a game where the focus is in the adventure itself, not in the item level of the gear you wear!
Guild Wars 2 gives the players a beautiful, lovingly crafted world to be explored. The graphics are gorgeous and the game's unique art style is brought to life in amazing detail. The combat is fluid and skill based and in SPvP you'll win because you're a better player than the other, not because your gear has more stats in it. The world is vast and there is always something to do, actually the best way to level is to just wander around and explore the world as you gain experience from gathering, events, crafting and finding locations.
Of course every game has its flaws as no game is perfect, but for me the recipe of Guild Wars 2 is spot on. The combat is challenging but still very enjoyable once you get the hang of it, you'll need to think of it more akin to Dark Souls instead of typical MMOs, you can't just stand there and take those hits after the first zone. Dynamic Events are basically randomly occurring chain quests that have different branches on success and failure, but they've been so well made that it's hard to complain. Jumping Puzzles may be insanely hard for some (I love them though), but they're completely optional, you're not forced to do them if you don't want to. Actually the great thing about this game is that almost everything is optional, you can do what you enjoy instead of being forced to do something else. You like PvP? You'll have lvl 80 character and equal gear with everyone else from lvl 1. Enjoy WvW? You can level there, everything you need from experience to gear can be gained in the eternal battlegrounds. You happen to be a pacifist? Crafting, gathering and exploration both give loads of experience.
tl;dr: Guild Wars 2 is a beautiful game which has something for everyone, it may not re-invent the whole MMO-genre completely but it does everything so perfectly that it's hard to not enjoy it. Of course some may dislike certain aspects of the game but for me this is the game I've been waiting for years, the game of adventure and...fun! When my biggest personal complaints about the game are the lack of first person camera and the difficulty of choosing the profession to play as they're all equally fantastic, you know I'm forced to give it a 10.… Expand
Aug 29, 2012Nice graphics and immersive world, very detailed and made with love. Beautiful main cities. Interesting combat mechanics, with different skills for different weapons additional to traits and other skills. Meaningful crafting with discovery of new reciepes and xp gain. Travel instantly from anywhere to designated teleporters. Funny events and quests. WvW is very funny and gives bonuses to the whole server. Game runs smooth. Only downside yet, trading post still isn't working and they have sometimes connectivity issues.… Expand
Aug 29, 2012A lot of effort went into every detail. You can tell this game was made with love and patience. The art is outstanding, the gameplay hard and innovative, and there is so much to do. As a completionist i cant leave an area without checking it all and its so worth it. Even the crafting is fun.
Aug 29, 2012I do not know who the hell says that this game has bad graphics. Environments are beautifully crafted and checking vistas was my top priority when I started playing. Characters are detailed and very well animated. Special effects are good too, maybe little bit too flashy to my taste but still very playable. The events are fun as well, even when ANet in some of them is just trying to wrap fetching x number of this or killing y number of that in a prettier package. I am not sure about the dungeons, did not get that far yet, but friends say that they are challenging. I did not encounter any major bugs, the only thing that pisses me off sometimes are the overflow servers. Each time you use a waypoint you go to an overflow server and wait your turn. Finding your friends is a pain too because of that. I would rather have a regular queue and wait 30 minutes to get to the map, but when I am there, I am there until I log out. No stability issues or anything like that for me. Overall very solid launch and a major contender to WoW… Expand
Aug 29, 2012Before I start, I never review on Metacritic. I registered just to post this and, as an amateur game reviewer who takes this sort of thing very seriously, I'm not just blindly gushing in fanboy fashion. This game is just plain awesome.
As a veteran of WoW (since 2005), Rift, TOR, and others... I can say that this is a fantastic MMORPG that really reinvents how we progress. EVERYTHING counts as character progression in this game, it's really amazing. You literally do almost anything to gain experience, which allows you to personalize the game to match your play style. ArenaNet made exploring more fun than in any MMO I have played since vanilla WoW in 2005. After playing so many MMOs, the feeling of exploration and wonder wears off and many of the games feel so similar and everything becomes routine... but that is NOT the case here. Exploring has become really interesting and exciting again. There's just so much to do in every zone that it blows my mind. You'll constantly be saying "what's over here/is there anything going on over there?" as you play. It's just so well done. Kudos to ArenaNet. I was tired out from playing MMOs. The same ol' structure that EQ and WoW popularized was getting boring. GW2 shakes things up enough to make even me, someone who was burned out entirely of MMOs, become a fierce addict. This game lives up to the hype that beta players spoke of. I'm hearing no negative comments (that are legit and not juvenile) from players of this game and everyone ingame is having a blast. I'm calling it now, this will be the new king of MMOs. With a free to play business model (after initial purchase of the game) wrapping around such extremely high quality MMO, you'd be crazy not to at least try GW2. This game blows every other MMO out of the water. The hype was real. This is the future of MMOs.… Expand
Aug 30, 2012It's rare to have my expectations for a game met. While the launch hasn't been without it's problems, this is the best game I have played in the last decade. I love doing everything in it so far. Played all 3 beta weekends and bought the collector's edition. It's refreshing to have a gaming company that's willing to put user experience before profits. A company of gamers for gamers :D
Sep 12, 2012Hands down the greatest game I've ever played, and I have close to a thousand titles under my belt. Not sure why, but the critic score is lower than I expected...
Oct 31, 2012I've been playing since release and everything I have to say about this game is good - I recommend it to my friends and get lost and immersed in Tyria for hours at a time. In GW2 you are dropped into the world without much of a hint as to what you are supposed to be doing. That's because the point in the game is just to go explore and have fun. There is a massive and immersive world out there to enjoy and it's all breathtakingly beautiful. There are points of interest to visit, which when explored can often lead to secret jumping puzzles or hidden chests. There are breathtaking vistas to view and skill challenges to earn. All of these things can be challenging and puzzling at times. Levelling and gearing in this game almost seems secondary and you'll barely notice your levels flying up. There are two PvP modes, WvW and structured PvP (5v5 - 8v8 games). Both are very different things and I have found a lot of enjoyment in both. I recommend giving GW2 a chance because you just might LOVE it.… Expand
Aug 29, 2012THIS GAME IS THE NEXT STEP IN THE MMO GENRE, being a experience MMO player and played wow for more than 5 years with other mmos in between, I can tell this is the only game that can provide the same amount of fun I had as the first mmo ever played. The world is alive, you'll never get bored and there's always something to do!
Aug 29, 2012In a genre dominated by World of Warcraft and other similar games Guild Wars 2 is refreshingly different. It ditches static tank and heal group gameplay for action based gameplay. No subscription fee means the game does not have to introduce tedious but psychologically addictive gameplay to keep its player base. Instead I'm playing simply because it's engaging and above all embodies what a game should be and what the rest of the MMO genre is lacking: FUN!… Expand
Aug 29, 2012I don't understand the nitpicking from the reviews previously posted. This game is phenomenal. First off: this game looks amazing. Not amazing because it looks incredibly realistic, but because of the art style that the developers chose to pursue. I'm not entirely sure what some of these other authors were looking for in terms of graphics but quite honestly, either they're playing a different game or are playing on a very outdated rig. From distance, structures and landscapes look like concept art. The idea is amazing. When's the last time you played an MMO with the graphics of Crysis? I'm not trying to say that Guild Wars 2 is a leader in the category, but it certainly does NOT fall short.
As far as connectivity issues goes, I played all throughout the three day head start on a mediocre internet connection and had very few problems. Even such, this was the smoothest launch that I've been apart of (Cataclysm, Diablo 3, Tera, Rift). Giving this game a 1 rating because the pre-launch head start was a little rocky? That's a bit critical. You're not even paying a monthly fee to play the game and you're still complaining. I absolutely hate the idea of rating a game based off of other reviews, but unfortunately I feel the need to counter out the unneeded negative reviews given by authors who obviously have other problems with the game. I would otherwise give the game a 9.… Expand
Aug 29, 2012Guild Wars 2 is the next stage in MMO evolution -- bigger than the jump from EverQuest to World of Warcraft. Some points to consider: - Free to Play + Cash Store means spend money on what you want, when you want, if you want. Not pay to win. - Personal stories based on your decisions when making your character and branches during the story quest itself mean every character you make has slightly different lore progression. - No more immersion crushing yellow punctuation hovering over people's heads. (yes!) - Everyone gets EXP for hitting your mob. It encourages interactivity. - Everyone can resurrect everyone else. Down? Anyone can come by and help you up. - Every class can heal and fight ranged. Brilliant -- no more "tanks" healers" and "DPS" Every profession (class) is a bit of everything, but in its own particular way. - EXP for crafting. Tons of it. Pacifist? You can level to 80 by crafting -- no joke. - Dye your armor whenever you want. Collect from the hundreds of possible dye colors and create a unique look. There's plenty more -- read the official sight -- but, to sum up, if you're like I was, playing every AAA MMO title released hoping for the next big thing and continually being disappointed, you'll breathe a sigh of relief that, finally, a post-WoW MMO lived up to its pre-release hype.… Expand
Aug 29, 2012I am scoring GW2 a 10 despite the minor issues with the trading post and forums being down because it is simply an amazing game. It is visually stunning and just plain fun to play. And, I have not even tried the PvP aspect which I am looking forward to experiencing. GW2 literally has me at PvE. But, the biggest factor for me is the design. The elimination of the trinity, the fact that it is B2P, the focus on skill over gear, the questing system, dynamic events, accessibility due to way points and the beautiful art direction make GW2 a game that I want to support as well play. I hope that other developers take a good look at GW2. I genuinely believe that this is the direction that MMOs should take going forward.… Expand
Aug 29, 2012This is the best mmo ive ever played, nothing can beat the awesomeness level of guild wars 2. If you're not playing this game you are missing on your mmo life. Anyway, buy it now and i need to go back to guild wars 2 because im wasting my in game time.
Aug 29, 2012- No subscription fee -
- An ever changing PvE world -True action combat - Your level scale to zone - No more tank-healer-dps role system
- No more grinding to level before I can start PvP - Skill based pvp where no more grinding for PvP gears so I can steam roll others or others can steam roll me because they have higher PvP rank and playing longer than me (sPvP)
- Huge PvPvE world with myriad of different objectives (W v W v W)
- Huge PvE maps and a lot of zones to explore
What else can you asked? This game worth every penny of your dollar spent to purchase the box.… Expand
Aug 30, 2012DE's arently really innovative. They are basically the exact same questing system as any other MMO except ANET does a decent job of hiding it. Instead of having to accept quests you just do them. It's streamlined but still incredibly repetitive. You either kill things, collect things, or protect things. Sometimes raising the heart bar requires you to just click on an object and that's it. Which feels kind of lazy. "Light this torch." (Click) Done. It's not all that fun after awhile and it's not very interesting except when you have some sort of story line tied into it that affects the environment. And that's another problem I have.
I wouldn't have a problem with the repetitiveness of the game if the whole "Persistent" world thing were more persistent to begin with. I wanted to affect the world and feel like I'm doing things important. But most of the time I revive or free a prisoner just to have them end up in a freaking cell after 30 minutes. What the heck is up with that? Repel the damn wave just to have them come back an hour later? I felt like a hero when I revived the dead quaggan in the water but felt like a chump when I realized they just die again. I know ANET resets these things so that everybody could participate but they shouldn't have made it seem like things would persist for a long time when it really doesn't. One of the biggest reasons why I play video games is for the cinematic story experience. Games like Mass Effect 2 and Metal Gear Solid 4 are the types of cinematic quality I… Expand
Aug 30, 2012Crafting still useless like another games, does not really help progression, Dynamic Event's rewards are much better than crafting stuffs. Sidekick feature is not enough, only base lvl is reduced to be matched with area level, but equipments and skills are not, still a 30 lvl character would one hit kill lvl 5 monsters. It would be better if equipments and skills are matched too, as the result that would be lot of things to do because low lvl events would not be fun with overpower/lvl character. Events are good (marked with hearth icons on the map), it actually same with quest in another games, but most of them could be completed without talking to npc first. Dynamic events are great, but most of them are too difficult to be completed with public people, it need a deeper organization to finish the dynamic event successfully. Personal story is good, but nothing special. sPVP like other games. WvW is great, but the matchmaking is still bad, a server could own two servers with more than double scores. Combat is good with little actions, but still click to attack view mostly. I have not tried dungeons, but as I see on serveral videos and heard from friends same as another games dungeons (WOW, Rift, etc.).… Expand
Aug 30, 2012Great game. Some launch issues, but a better launch than many other recent games. If you want to rush through the level treadmill and do large-scale end-game raiding, this isn't your game. If you're about the journey, you'll like this game.
Aug 30, 2012I'll admit, at first I was skeptical about Guild Wars 2. My overall impression of the gameplay and information collected by internet sources made me think this game had a lot of promise. Problem is, I felt that way about a lot of MMO's that also emanated "Promise". Turns out this is actually quite a fantastic game. Not to mention F2P? I mean come on. The concern people express in their negative views is quite minimal. Okay, lets get this straight, this isn't going to be some ground breaking "New Age" of MMO where everyone is going to go ape sh*t over it. If you've never played an MMO you might not like it...on the other hand you might fall in love with it. Its a quality game, combats fun, visuals are good, voice acting is okay, but most of all the community is awesome! 9/10. Finally an MMO WORTH my time.… Expand
Aug 30, 2012The game is good bang for your buck, especially if you don't want to pay over and over again for content that will probably become routine if you crack out on it. No monthly fee is a strong point. Some people will say Diablo 3 is good for that reason, but I never got a chance to connect to the servers before I got my money back. Also, you don't have to worry about your account being banned if someone hacks it, because it's your fault if you get hacked in the world of Blizzard. As far as the game goes, it's familiar MMO in interface and typical fantasy themes, but some unique twists keep it interesting. I never found myself bored or wishing I didn't have to cross the map, because no matter where you are, there are usually world events happening nearby. These are missions or objectives that vary in size and difficulty, and anyone can participate. You don't have to worry about competing for kills or drops, though, as you get your own loot. Most of the time, other people's contribution counts towards yours. Kinda neat, making the community and players friends instead of foes, more often than not. Yes, someone can still draw adds to your fight and get you killed. You'll never stop stupid people or jerks from being on the internet. Blizzard and their junkie whore fan base is proof of this. A lot of concessions were made for the player. You can send mail from anywhere in the world, and download crafting resources to your bank from any where in the world, meaning you can loot an insane amount before you'll need to sell stuff or visit your stash. This game was working 3 days before launch, and has been working very consistently since official launch. No need to defend that.… Expand
Aug 31, 2012GW2 is an excellent mix of some of the best features of many predecessor MMOs, combined with a frenetic combat style that is more about using the right ability at the right time than watching your cooldowns. It's hard to describe the experience of playing this game, except to say that once you start, you're so pulled along by the temptations of one more dynamic event popping up, or one more vista to try to find, or one more skill challenge nearby, that you find yourself not noticing that you've levelled, or what time it is. It's the first mmo I've played that has been so perfectly, intuitively designed in such a way to encourage and reward cooperation - no stealing each other's loot or nodes, no being on different stages of quests; if you're in the area you're assisting other people in what they're doing by default, and you even get XP for rezzing downed players.
The game has some technical flaws right now, with outages of the auction house and mail system, and some issues with getting together on the same shard as your groupmates - but these are visibly clearing up as the launch frenzy goes on. I can't honestly base my review on these temporary factors. The only real criticisms I can make is that sometimes, tuning can seem off - the scaling of some dynamic events, in particular, can go from too easy to rediculous hard, and some areas of the world have respawn rates that are so rediculous you can find yourself backing up into monsters you just looted.
All in all? Buy. The game world is lusciously detailed, the sound is lovely, and the cash shop contains little more than fluff. I can see so many of the interface and user-experience features that GW2 comes with becoming absolute must-have standards for future releases.… Expand
Aug 30, 2012Guild Wars 2 is utterly fantastic. I'm not even going to begin to compare it to other MMO's because this game is in a league of its own. Apart from the hiccups that every huge MMO gets during launch, Guild Wars 2 has drawn me straight into its amazing story based PVE experience, exciting PVP (wvw) experience plus its enthralling and beautiful world. I get all this without having to worry about money coming out of my bank account each month and how much 'value' I'm getting. I can pick this up or leave this down yet I find myself unable to stop playing and I can anticipate based on the history of their expansions that it will have me hooked for a very very long time. Some of the pros I see immediately in terms of gameplay are; The lack of grinding due to interesting and varied approach to experience rewards... yes that right you can travel the whole map and PVP and level up at the same time. When your actually doing the PVE content you can do dynamic events which number in the hundreds across a sprawling beautiful map, they are fun varied and interesting. When you get to the story, its presented in a more personal light, you don't just click on an NPC and click the text off again. You actually see your character in all his/her glory with the gear and your creative input on the screen. Whether you love PVP, PVE, story based content, exploring content or just sheer messing about Guild War 2 has it all at a low cost without the super addicting but highly negative push of a monthly fee. Guild Wars 2 does it all and does it with style, do yourself a favour and take the chance. SB… Expand
Aug 30, 2012Sequel to the first and it keeps the great formula going. No subscription fee, cash shop that allows you to buy boosts for PvE and cosmetic stuff. The shop works in a way that you exchange game currency for store currency thus you can buy everything you'd want by just playing the game, no need for cash (though it is faster to do so ofcourse).
And naturally you could also spend the money you would normally spend on a subscription fee and get some goodies for it instead!
The main gripes I keep hearing about are no endgame PvE. Thus you get bored.
I personally have been max level for some days now and I'm simply enjoying the crafting, getting achievements, PVP'ing and I started another class as an alt.
The PvE is also quite good with the 5 man instances. Exploration mode is fantastic and a good challenge!
Plus with the no subscription fee you can put it aside and resume any time you want.
So far so good!… Expand
Aug 30, 2012I would love to be able to review the game. However I find myself in impossible situation to do it although I pre-purchased it. I was able to play for two days during the Headstart during which I have encountered all possible errors and aberrant behavior. The client kept telling me it can't log-in in my account because of my firewall while my friend's account worked just fine on the same machine. Nothing unexpected till third day when I am informed by the log-in error that my account has been banned. I did not receive any kind of notification from NCSoft/ArenaNet or any other kind of messages but welcoming emails. I filed a support ticket, I got an automated copy-paste of the Support FAQ. I wait three days without knowing what is going on. After that my temporary ban is turned into a permanent ban and it seems GW2 staff does this when it believes an account has been compromised. I update my support ticket, the only reaction is that the log-in screen is now telling me the account is permanently terminated for selling gold and in-game items for real-world money. Apparently I did all that during the ban.
Even during the short game time I had, a poor experience doesn't even begin to cover it. The all so praised dynamic events are nothing more then scripted events that trigger themselves over and over again. You end up performing the same invasion 10 times in a row if you don't like wandering around. There is no world reacting to what you do, quests are as tedious and boring as in other MMOS, they just don't show you the numbers any more: you don't even know when you will be done with killing X number of critters. The combat system is nothing they advertised, it's a combat system very similar to all other MMOs where you need to select a target and perform an ability.
The only good and innovative part, for which I give it a 1, is that groups are not needed to share the progress of a quest or the kill of a mob and all resources and loot is client-side so you don't need to fight with other players for a resource node.
They've spent 5 years working on this game: It's design is 5 years old with a quick patch of recent ideas and the worst customer support and automated hacking detection system yet.… Expand
Aug 30, 2012Deserves a 9.5. Ive played almost every MMO since UO in 97. Each game had its perks: Shadowbane: city building and ruthless pvp Horizons: best player housing ever made (own premade plots of land, not like UO where it was citysprawl) Warcraft: pve gods. look back at 2004 reviews. they made the MMO accessible to 'nongamers'. Just to name a few that left a good impression. For GW2, this game gave everything I was getting bored with in an MMO a new look. Grouping, no more node stealing, COMMUNITY! (server pride), discoveries in crafting, and PVP... crazy pvp goodness.
I cant tell you how great it is to be able to dodge and use position, to fight an elite that will 2 shot you and, with proper skill use and dodging, be able to bring it down. Very satisfying. (I went back to other MMO's after the guildwars2 beta ended so I could kill the MMO itch i had until GW2 was released. It suddenly felt strange to not be able to get out of the way of an incoming attack, couldn't actively block an attack i knew that was on its way to hit me. Basically i wasn't rewarded for being aware of the next move)
And teamwork: everyone can rez (get exp for helping), everyone gets credit for helping bring down a mob, etc. You get rewarded for helping each other. but never forced to.
TLDR: Overall the game feels like the next step in MMO's. I believe future MMOs will continue with dynamic events/questing. combat will be more involved and personal stories will be the norm. Not saying these are revolutionary and all new ideas, but much like warcraft did in 2004, gw2 brings in the best ideas into 1 game and adds to it. 2 thumbs up! see you in game… Expand
Aug 30, 2012soo, for starters i pre-ordered the game waiting to see something awsome...
this is not the case on this game, feels kinda like when i bought Diablo 3. It has the nice name GW2 and really nice artwork and music is stunning, even that´s huge part of the game it cant hide the fact that the gameplay is inferior and feels like im playing free and unfinished MMO. control feels sluggish and akward. another thing i dont like is that if you aggro more than 2 enemies alone you can only run away or fight and hope you survive. im not lying when i say that i feel like scammed when i payed 60bucks from this
its really sad that this gem is covered with turd… Expand
Apr 12, 2013Best MMORPG since WoW and most diverse MMORPG since EVE. Guild Wars 2 has A-LOT of good things going for it. I want to save potential Buyers of this game some time and just give you a summary of the good and bad that it has to offer! SO first, the good: - Best looking virtual world in terms of art and creativity. - Consistently fluid animation on nearly everything that moves. - Excellent musical score.
- Solid amount of options available when creating your character.
- Fast paced, involving combat. Skill based to a degree.
- Fun to play solo.
- Fun and easy to play with a group.
- Great PvE upto 80.
- PvP and WvW are a blast. Easily the best PvP combat and options of any MMO.
- Has a sense of Humor
- No Trinity system to bog things down.
- Every class is unique, self sufficient and fun to play.
- No subscription fee.
- No pay to win
- Much better Community than you will find in WoW, SWTOR and Rift.
The bad:
- Story aspect is not very interesting.
- Voice acting can feel stoic and lame. Too much cheese at times.
- While PvP has plenty to offer as endgame content, PvE has much less in contrast. (Maybe add grindable Gear?)
- Cultural Armors are inconsistent in their looks and appeal.
- Tends to make you ignore important things in life. Like eating.
So there you have my little list of things I like and dislike about Guild Wars 2. If any of the good I mentioned interests you then do yourself a favor and pick up this game! After all, it is only a one time purchase … Expand
Aug 30, 2012Yes, the game has problems on release, which will like most mmos, be fixed in due time. If there was a less flawed release, then the review would me a 10. This game encompasses such fine attention to detail, from the way a character stands on uneven ground whilst fighting, to the branching (and I'm not talking single figures here) story-lines. I will be playing this game for years to come, and it's by far superior to any competitors, subscription based or not.… Expand
Aug 30, 20121..Creating character:
At start you chose your Home -server.
There is a decent amount of options for character customization. You can chose from 5 races and 8 professions. That's all nice but you can create only 5 characters in game (not on server, but in whole game). You can unlock more slots buying it for real money. So you can't even try all professions. 2.PvE
Personal story- you have this personal story which are linear story's in instanced part 's of world. Story is in my opinion generic fantasy and not so good and it's badly voice over-ed and narrated. It can+t go even in same sentence with SWOTOR story's and story quests.
Questing- there is no actual questing but you still go to NPC with black heart mark over head and take quest. Than everybody doing that quest (event) until it's over. There is also those "you entered this area help legion and kill 10 ghosts" quests (but hey game don't have quests!). It's so sad because they said there will never be those "mobs just standing near road and you have to kill 10 or 5 of them" quests but there are. Other event-ing (questing) is basically you have this text what to do and a progress bar. Everybody is killing something or collecting something and when bar is full you get your XP, karma and money based on your contribution. Nice idea. You also have this big event's who are basically escort this guy, than kill those, than fight boss or defend/attack outpost. Problem is when there is not enough players events are smaller, often not doable or even frustrating. The same is for those heart/quests where you see like 50 enemies spawning and just standing or fighting. If you don't engage them you don't care what is happening. They just keep standing still or fighting. If you engage you can change that part of world (for example black polluted lake becomes clean blue). But we saw all that in wow. In Litch King you take quest, game fazes, enemies are rushing on the hill, you kill them all and you get new flight point and new base. So it's all old news but now on every step. And that is the main concerns for PvE . When you clean one area it all starts again in other so it's quickly becomes all seen - all boring but with less seans of progression because there is not that i compleated quests feeling. The second concern is that if you only do hearts and some events you can't level fast enough to follow zone difficulty. You need to explore,do story quest and go in pvp or do vistas to keep your level high enough to continue. The final concern for me is that there is no reason to level to level 80 or even do those few dungeons while questing. You got nothing at that level. There are no raids and all equipment have the same stats but just looks different.
What weapon you equip that 5 skills you get. Why is only one unlocked at start and 4 you need to unlock i don't know when unlocking those is 5 minute job. Combat is mouse clicking like in wow but here you can move all the time and you can manually dodge. Rest 5 skills are basically your class buffs, heals, and one epic ability. That and traits are only things you unlock. So sad for RPG.
4. PvP
You have WvWvW which is nice in idea but it's almost unplayable and not so fun, at least for me. You have this ever ongoing 3 server battles on special map(4 big maps). Playing is now really lagy, unplayable when there is like 30 players on same place and half a day i spent destroying doors spamming my ability's. And you have classic PvP in which you can enter from start and play like a level 80 character. That's why i say there is no sens to do PvE leveling because it quickly get boring and it don't have any sense or reward. So this is basically a game for PvP-ers which will enjoy WvWvW and same gear pvp maps all over again... 5. Graphics:
Graphic is a little out of my taste but very pretty on max settings. Problem is that on average PC you will look at very ugly textures and you will have a real hassle with a FPS which gave me a headache. 6. Social
Current problems are -you can't play with your friends. Finding in world your 4 friends in 5 man group is a 30 minute job. You are on same server in same area but who knows in what instance. Constant overflowing and phasing get you lost. Guild's are very buggy and often GM can't see any players. Auction house is down. Adding friends had some issues but now is ok. 7. Conclusion
A nice game especially for PvP players. It's trying to be different and in some way it succeeds. It don't have subscription because it couldn't sustain it, it miss so much (raids, PvE daily's, heroics, mounts, flying...) and imo it don't have really long - life time. It put some nice things from other MMO's and try to sell it for revolutionary. It's not but it's nice done. It's ok game but missing so much to compete with other AAA MMO's and lacks optimization… Expand
Aug 30, 2012I signed up for an account here specifically to review this game. This is the best MMO I
Aug 30, 2012GW2 will win GOTY 2012. Basically aside from the launch issues... when it works it's fun as hell! Very addicting gameplay. Anything you do in the game is interesting and engaging. ANet will constantly be improving the game so it's just going to get better and better! Worth every penny and I am already thinking about what new content and expansions will come out in the future. Goodbye real life. Hello GW2!… Expand
Aug 31, 2012This game is brilliant, ive played most mmo's and the king obviously was wow but its was seriously flawed, the problem with wow was that it was relying on the 'carrot on a string' princible where it teased you with power with each level and better items making it insanely addictive... but for the game and combat itself it wasnt much fun.
GW2 on the other hand does away with these major flaws and makes each level have a very small impact also with gear especially in the case of PVP, making it a much more balanced experience, but i could go on and on and on regarding the improvements made that gives it the 'evolutionary' title, but the HUGE difference is the most important one and a very simple one at that... its actually a huge amount of FUN *gasp* yes the combat and none existence of the 'grind' makes it great fun to play and you find yourself exploring and enjoying the experience as intended, so if u like rpgs or mmos or especially if you haven't.. go get it, you wont be disappointed, and regarding those 0 scores they are obvious trolls as 99% have only given negatives with most only for this amazing game :)… Expand
Aug 31, 2012So, this is my first critic.
GW2 is nice. Not more, not less. I have never seen so many problems at a mmo start. From account security over hackers to guild chat / menu problems. I have never seen such a horrible communication as Arenanet is having it. No patch notes, no forums, only twitter and reddit.
Group play is more like a lottery right now, overflow server system not working as it should. And all you hear is "We are working on it".
Dynamic events aren't as dynamic, as they seem to be. They are more like static-events-that-appear-at-random-times.
XP balancing is not working right now.
All the lore, that can be found in the wiki and the books is not really in the game. Even TOR had better a story. They could have put lore in the vistas, some text with information about the place. Something. But no, there's nothing.
Over all, the game is nice. I play it, I will go on playing, but only because it is F2P. Otherwise, I wouldn't.… Expand
Feb 6, 2013GW2 has made a powerful impact on the MMO scene, confirming years of expectations. Stunning presentation and revolutionary design guarantee a thoroughly enjoyable experience. However, it's not flawless, nor complete. The beautiful vistas, the massive PvP element, the rich leveling experience- those can offer hours of gameplay, but the endgame is desperately seeking for enrichment. [November 2012]
Jan 2, 2013Guild Wars 2 surpasses the original in every aspect, from its massive and atmospheric world to its addictive and engrossing gameplay.
Nov 28, 2012After spending fifty hours with GW2, I have a lot of praise for ArenaNet's work and the way it changes up some of the typical trappings of the MMO. And yet, I find myself thinking less and less about it each day. It's not a declaration against the product, mind you, but simply a fact that this game still is very much an MMO, and your enjoyment will directly relate to how much you enjoy the genre. For many who were hoping for a clean break from MMO design philosophy, Guild Wars 2 will probably come across as a slight disappointment. It pushes the genre slightly forward, however, and could lead to even further development in the future.


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When it comes to music, Jeff Bridges is not some dilettantish actor noodling around with a guitar. Inspired by Bob Dylan and the Beatles, he and a friend would play hootenannys at L.A. clubs like Ledbetter's while still in high school. Years later, while filming the infamous 1980 western Heaven's Ga ... More >>
After more than 70 years, Mike Ratliff prepares to retire from his blood sport
Feral pigs are ugly, destructive and mean. Some people in Texas just love to trap, stab or shoot them. Or put them in rodeos. With dogs.

subset: commoncrawl