Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns

 PC
  • Publisher: NCSOFT
  • Release Date: Oct 23, 2015
User Score
7.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 981 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 670 out of 981
  2. Mixed: 72 out of 981
  3. Negative: 239 out of 981
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  1. Thaksin
    Apr 12, 2022
    8
    Great MMO game, one of the best and the place is deserved! The content that is added in the new addition clearly belongs to the hardcore, but nevertheless, did not stop being interesting :)
  2. Raizsthorm
    Mar 17, 2022
    8
    Globally the expansion is fun and brings new stuff such as :
    - The glider is a nice addition and drastically change how you approach certain things even on core maps.
    - The new elite specialization can be a pain to get because some Hero points are hard to solo and it's hard to follow people without the flying mounts but it's worth it and bring a new dimension to your class. - The story    Globally the expansion is fun and brings new stuff such as :
    - The glider is a nice addition and drastically change how you approach certain things even on core maps.
    - The new elite specialization can be a pain to get because some Hero points are hard to solo and it's hard to follow people without the flying mounts but it's worth it and bring a new dimension to your class.
    - The story was more engaging that what I expected even if slow at the beginning.
    - The new maps bring new events that are fun but require a few people to successfully complete them and you can easily get lost in their multi-level floors.

    The only thing I did like is how they handle the mastery system. You arrives in these new maps and see could stuff such a vents that brings you up when gliding, speed boost, jumping pad, but too bad you can use them you need to unlock them by farming experience. Some of these mastery are required for the story. So between this and if you want to get a specific mastery such as the infinite gliding you won't unlock many of these "bonus" by the time you're done with the story.

    However seeing how guild wars 2 works you'll probably be back in these maps either with alt or to get new shiny stuff later on so in the long run it may be better than when you first experience the maps and story.    … Expand
  3. TerterBG
    Mar 14, 2022
    10
    Great soundtrack.
    Awesome maps. Lots of verticality.
    Metas are super cool mega events.
    The mastery system that they've added is a great vertical progression.
    The revenant feels very polished.
    The new elite specializations make you play you character like a brand new class.
    Raids are very hard and I love it!
  4. Torgall
    Dec 12, 2020
    8
    The most complex and often annoying maps in the game. The step up in difficulty is very noticeable. Gliders where nice change, but after POF are mostly obsolete. BEVARE the tiny raports.
  5. kimi1775
    Nov 9, 2020
    9
    ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎
  6. Angenix
    Sep 7, 2020
    10
    Loved map design. Meta events are the best of entire game. Cool elite specs.
  7. FennecFeathers
    Sep 1, 2020
    9
    Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns innovates on everything you might think of when you hear MMORPG. The core game was innovative for the time, but HoT takes it to an entirely new level. Despite a few growing pains in the first month or two of launch regarding balance and community reaction to the time investment in gaining new elite specs (something I never thought was egregious or over theGuild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns innovates on everything you might think of when you hear MMORPG. The core game was innovative for the time, but HoT takes it to an entirely new level. Despite a few growing pains in the first month or two of launch regarding balance and community reaction to the time investment in gaining new elite specs (something I never thought was egregious or over the top anyway) - it adds many new features that enhance your gameplay experience and a unique horizontal progression curve for your character, so you're never in the traditional MMO rat race of constantly power creeping.

    First; the Mastery System. This is the primary feature of the MMO and introduces a form of horizontal progression - focusing less on power creep and more on simply offering a plethora of options to enhance gameplay, which really suits the feel of mastering the Maguuma Jungle. While at the start of the expansion you have to slowly push your way through a threatening and hostile jungle environment, by the end of its story you're already gliding through the air and utilising the tunnels of the new Nuhoch NPCs to cross it in no time with an adeptness that would make anyone feel badass.

    Secondly, Elite Specialisations; These are trainable specialisations for your character class that add a new weapon, a new trait line and a handful of more utility skills. The difference between a core thief and a daredevil in terms of how they feel to play is night and day, and broaden the amount of builds any class could go for. With some very slick new animations and some creative new ideas, the feeling of choosing a new elite spec is almost like changing class entirely but managing to do it without a steep learning curve.

    The Maps in HoT are incredibly detailed and diverse, and extremely vertical - making those masteries a necessity to traverse them safely. A handful of new, huge, cinematic meta events go a long way to making these maps endlessly replayable.

    Raids; A bit of a tough subject for a lot of the more casual players, who may see raids as a gate to some of the best, coolest rewards and some of the most interesting storytelling of the series. The wings added with Heart of thorns are tough as nails and require perfect group communication and synchronisation. Without the power creep of some other MMOs thrown into the mix, they'll never stop being as tough as they are unless you simply learn them inside and out - the way raiding should be!

    Overall, Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns is a fantastic first expansion that had a very smooth launch compared to other MMOs' expansion launches (in EU, where I am situated. I cannot speak for NA). It innovates in new, unseen ways for the MMORPG genre and adds a great deal of content and rewards for everyone - especially the masteries which can be used anywhere in the core game or other expansions, greatly changing the way you see and move around old maps.    … Expand
  8. Chababa
    Jul 1, 2020
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. New environment and well...if my memory serves me right, beloved character(s) die. I still cared for the characters and the story.… Expand
  9. whatever523
    Dec 19, 2016
    8
    + New maps with a fantastic map design and good event chains.
    + Great vertical gameplay with gliders that really adds a lot to the maps.
    + Good sub classes. + The new masteries are good, with a few very bad exceptions. See below. = The story is more grown up, characters act less childish. It starts off good, but the ending is a bit uninspired and boring. It doesn't feel like a story    + New maps with a fantastic map design and good event chains.
    + Great vertical gameplay with gliders that really adds a lot to the maps.
    + Good sub classes.
    + The new masteries are good, with a few very bad exceptions. See below.

    = The story is more grown up, characters act less childish. It starts off good, but the ending is a bit uninspired and boring. It doesn't feel like a story that was crafted from great ideas, but from a writer who gets paid for it. The living world season 3 story seems to get better again so far.

    - Missions and achievements are still bugged a year after release. Companies that don't fix bugs suck.
    - The central Tyria mastery points are a pain in the ass to get. I'm not complaining about the time it takes, but it becomes boring and annoying (jumping puzzles, waiting for WEEKS for monsters to spawn, buying items with gold [how is that a mastery?], farming the same area for days/weeks).
    - Still no guild wars in Guild Wars 2.
    - Too many items in the gem store that should be available through normal gameplay.
    - Gold to gem conversion prices are out of control.
    - Too many trash drops and no good way to deal with them (Bloodstone Dust etc.). After every run you need to destroy all unsellable items manually.    … Expand
  10. Alistairas
    Dec 5, 2016
    10
    Ok so first off for those that enjoy WoW and other grind fests please find another game. For those that enjoy a game where one can mindlessly kill mobs for an hour and feel like they did something you will not enjoy this. GW2 is in my opinion one of the most different mmos I have come across. First off leveling is in no way tedious I have made 6 characters for GW2 and never have I thoughtOk so first off for those that enjoy WoW and other grind fests please find another game. For those that enjoy a game where one can mindlessly kill mobs for an hour and feel like they did something you will not enjoy this. GW2 is in my opinion one of the most different mmos I have come across. First off leveling is in no way tedious I have made 6 characters for GW2 and never have I thought what I was doing could be considered boring. GW2 is a game that in my opinion most anyone should try at the very least just so they can see a different style of mmo, however that being said I am aware that there are those poor souls who will claim the game is bad. I looked through many of the negative comments for both GW2 and HoT I cannot agree with any of them in any way. Every class feels very different once you truly start playing abilities have very different animations and effects. What other games can say that they have a spell-caster who shoots laser beams out of a great-sword. I'll grant it that many of the skills seem "simple" howver that is because GW2 is not a game that wants players to spend hours trying to figure out what each and every skill does, when to chain it to another and why this one iss better than another. GW2 is a game that gives you a small selection of skills and says make your own style sure it will be somewhat similar on paper to another person's but how you play is up to you and HoT is a great example of that I main a daredevil running around dodging like crazy and murdering every enemy i find in 80% dps gear with a bit of extra health because i'm a filthy casual and occasionally sit in an aoe i shouldn't and would rather not die/ So for those that claim you can't live in HoT without being a tank i call BS. You think Open World HoT is dangerous try doing a raid those things are scary. GW2 is not a game that says hey you played for 2 hours today have a cookie, its a game where you say i want 250 elder wood planks for my legendary collection not because i need it but rather because chuka and chumpawaut looks amazing on my character. Being lv 80 in gw2 is nothing impressive. What you do afterwards is what matters whether that means map completing the world and learning every piece of lore or becoming a salty scrub in PvP because people are idiots that don't know how to capture a point or building a great sword that paints the sky and leaves galaxies in your footprints your time is your own the devs don't tell you how to use it and if you find yourself bored with the game thats fine go search for your hidden gem elsewhere GW2 will be here when you realize that there are not all that many games that have a solid world with an interesting story that so often seems to have some random tidbit missing waiting to be discovered and a reliable combat system that keeps you on your toes. Sure you could play WoW or Tera but if your looking for a new game to play try something new don't look for something you already have and aren't satisfied with. I would give this game a 9/10 simply because while i believe it is one of the best games out there when it comes to MMOs I will admit i find myself looking at other games sometimes however i have yet to find another mmo that i have devoted even half as much time to. Also for those who may try to claim this game is p2w I again call BS the closest thing to p2w is pay for convenience. I have some ascended armor on my thief acquired purely through crafting. Was it a pain sure but there was no reason to spend money to buy the gold i needed to craft the armor especially since i have perfectly usable exotic armor that was pathetically easy to get when i first got to lv 80 and while i am trying to get a legendary short-bow its not going to increase my dps or survivabilty one bit. I just want it for the simple fact that it looks awesome. the most expensive items on the trading post are legendary weapons and color dyes if you can somehow find a way to "win" gw2 congrats your a try hard in a game of casuals. The vast majority of people in gw2 are chill and more often than not will help someone because they feel like it and they might get some decent loot from the whole ordeal maybe karma will say they deserve an ascended armor box or a cool skin they hadn't found yet. I think i have rambled enough today and will leave with a simple request. When trying out gw2 forget the customs of other MMOs do things because its fun not because its the fastest way to your goal. The fun is in the shenanigans along the way. Make a Necromancer that looks like a butler or try to make a charr look fashionable be a fire tornado or run round as a rat thing dropping turrets because your character makes interesting remarks. Have fun with the game and ignore the people who can't get past the traditional MMO garbage that we in GW2 have left behind.… Expand
  11. Lluvia4D
    Sep 11, 2016
    10
    welcome to the jungle, guys. My initial impressions with this xpac have been outstanding. I played for practically two days straight, and had a blast the whole time. The maps are amazing, and literally rise above any map made by an mmo to date. I feel as if I am deep in the jungle. The ambience and soundtrack range from mystical hymns to terrifying growls that echo throughout the forest.welcome to the jungle, guys. My initial impressions with this xpac have been outstanding. I played for practically two days straight, and had a blast the whole time. The maps are amazing, and literally rise above any map made by an mmo to date. I feel as if I am deep in the jungle. The ambience and soundtrack range from mystical hymns to terrifying growls that echo throughout the forest. As I gain masteries, I constantly find new places to go.

    On that note, the masteries work very well. I can see how some people want the process to go quicker, but I don't mind it. I don't want to see it all in one day. Right now, the easiest way to level masteries is by completing the meta events in the map. These are really fun and unique, but they require a good amount of people to do them. If your map isn't that populated, its frustrating, but I feel this is a problem Arenanet will fix. Additionally, I know that the meta events are repetitive, and this will turn me off down the line.

    My only other gripe with the xpac is how grindy the process of unlocking your elite specilization is. Simply put, it's too much. Anet has already stated they're looking into the issue, so I'm not too worried about this either.

    The story isn't amazing, but in terms of Guild Wars standards, it is a huge leap forward. There are plot twists, deaths, and dramatic situations, something I haven't seen tried before. This was the first time I looked forward to continuing the story in this game. I got excited during each mission.

    Overall, Heart of Thorns has held its ground. It introduced a whole new way to expand an mmo. The content doesn't seem like it will be abandoned soon, as it is in other games, and the vanilla game still proves to be relevant. They nailed so many things, and got a few things wrong, but it still gets a 9/10 from me. As I have stated, Arenanet has already announced they're looking into changes to the problems I have mentioned, so I'm not worrying too much about those hurting the game's growth. Check it out if you haven't already. Ignore the trolls.    … Expand
  12. crypticturtle
    Mar 8, 2016
    9
    This adds some much needed end-game content to GW2. The new zones and their meta-events are well designed, although traversing is difficult until you get the necessary masteries to use the environment to move around. The new glider is fun to use all around the world, especially at vistas. My only issue is that the new mastery system is very grind-y.
  13. Clopon
    Jan 1, 2016
    10
    Great expansion pack, even better than i expected. New maps are fun, mastery system is interesting and not too much grinding.
    And the raid is great, finally a challenging content for pve.
  14. Watanka
    Dec 31, 2015
    10
    Many good things was added to the game with this expansion (raids, guild halls, personnal quest, elite specs, ...).
    Some other features are still bugged or unbalanced right now, but wait few weeks for fixes and GW2 will more awesome than ever !
  15. Maelzrael
    Dec 4, 2015
    9
    New review update, changing score from 10 to 9, which is still a point higher than I want but I have to offset all the 0 scores somehow..
    So new skills/elite specs are really great, worth the price of the expansion.
    The new maps are really great visually but they lack the casual accessibility and hearts that made the core maps so fun. Basically they are tuned to high, they should scale    New review update, changing score from 10 to 9, which is still a point higher than I want but I have to offset all the 0 scores somehow..
    So new skills/elite specs are really great, worth the price of the expansion.
    The new maps are really great visually but they lack the casual accessibility and hearts that made the core maps so fun. Basically they are tuned to high, they should scale down to just one single player if that is all that is available. They don't. You'll need at the very least one friend to accompany you anywhere you travel in the new maps if you want to survive, more like a full party if you want to do everything. This might be good for an mmorpg but it is bad for a casual player with little time to commit to others in-game.
    Raiding is awesome and I'm so happy they've added it into the game. HOWEVER, they really **** up because the rewards are hardly better than anything else in the world, the bosses do not drop special raid only gear save a few pets and the promise of legendary armor in the years to come. Rewards have always been mediocre in this game but the Raids should drop **** unique and badass armor and weapons right from the first boss. It doesn't have to be statistically better than other gear, but it should look cool and NEW. This is raiding basics 101.. raids should drop the best rewards in pve.. simple.
    Fractals has never been my thing but as someone who is still under level 20 frac difficulty there is nothing new to see in the expansion save a new (awesome) back piece if you grind the **** out of it. Or so I hear.
    Dungeon nerfs was a bad idea. Really stupid to tie collections and gear for raid into old dungeons (monk runes) and then nerf them so most people don't want to do them anymore. Head up ass on that one.
    New Legendary masteries progression didn't really make legendaries all that much easier to get, save the RNG drop requirement.. which you can now craft for roughly the same cost you could buy it for. For a casual player this is hardly an improvement, they still feel impossible to get.
    Guild Halls, this is a big deal here, this was supposed to be an awesome new custom housing for your whole guild.. however the new scribe crafting for items takes a whole guilds effort to create.. it's a little insane. They can do better here.. an individual should be able to create housing items for the whole guild by themselves in my opinion.. I haven't even been able to touch the creative side of this feature because you have to be in a large guild AND high ranked enough that people want YOU to be the builder/decorator. It's a great idea but flawed in execution.
    New WvW maps are so empty, I'm on a t3 server, Crystal Desert, and WvW has been a barren wasteland sing Hot came out. This is unacceptable. Screw server vs server, you guys have to go megaservers and really get this revamp for WvW out soon.. also for the love of god please don't screw this one up with poorly thought out design decisions on good original ideas like we've seen with some of HoT.

    So what do I think they should do to fix this stuff? Well make the new maps scale to less players better for one. Maybe add hearts to new zones when they come out. Raids an meta bosses should be tough, but traveling the new maps should be scaled to match the solo player if needed. Fix dungeon rewards. Add new fractal maps and make the progression and reason for progressing more enticing. Make legendary crafting slightly easier to achieve than buying one outright. We are not chinese people with infinite time to grind out the required stuff. Take a look at the core Gw2 philosophies and clean up your mess here. HoT is great and I love Anet but you guys cannot rest until this game is perfect! That's it for now, will resubmit and adjust as the expansion and living story develope.
    Also STOP ADDING ALL THE COOL NEW **** IN THE GEM STORE.. You guys are **** in this regard, you need to hire double the artists and programmers and have thing switch back an forth.. one new set for the gem store, one new set for normal play/progression.. I have no problem with the gem store but when you launch an expansion with minimal new visual items sets an then release TONS of gem store updates afterwards it really feels like a money grab instead of a thought out badass expansion. Fix this **** please.    … Expand
  16. Chista
    Nov 25, 2015
    9
    The expansion literally brought me back from the de-install. There is a lot of new content that has kept me busy since the expansion launched. There may be fewer maps than i'm used to from different expansions, but each single map is huge, more than making up for it. The maps become easier to traverse as you progress through the new progression system, which for me is a leap up fromThe expansion literally brought me back from the de-install. There is a lot of new content that has kept me busy since the expansion launched. There may be fewer maps than i'm used to from different expansions, but each single map is huge, more than making up for it. The maps become easier to traverse as you progress through the new progression system, which for me is a leap up from simply incrementing LVL_MAX. The story is challenging, sometimes bordering on annoying, but feels hugely rewarding when you manage to complete a part. I'm currently looking forward to raiding, once i finish a healer's set (see below) and working on legendaries. To top it all off, this expansion finally gave me a class I love to play: The revenant.

    Now there are a few issues:
    possibly due to the economy still adjusting, the new profession is unfeasibly expensive. The que times for crafting materials that you first need to get a guild developed enough to even be able to start that que. You cannot level this profession unless you are highly ranked in that guild either. You need access to things stored in the guild, access to the que if you want to be able to even make the items. simply: it's a hot mess.

    Downside for me: I like playing a healer, but the only accepted -not just elitism, i actually accept the reasoning for this- healer set requires recipes that are no longer available, with materials that are so limitedly available that is costs tons of gold to get that set together. Would like to see more healer sets or better accessibility to the materials.

    A minor, tiny, point is that playing as revenant does cause a little bit of a disconnect from your suspension of disbelief: One of the main NPCs also uses the revenant class, and all other characters seem awestruck at this despite you actually using the exact same magic. Can live with it, but still somewhat cringey.

    Of course, we still have the living world to look forward to =)    … Expand
  17. MrKurteous
    Nov 24, 2015
    10
    I've had an absolute blast with this game, the maps are beutiful and filled with captivating and just-enough-challenging events to entertain for hours and hours. The gameplay is absolutely amazing and the progression is incredibly rewarding. The changes to PvP are darn juicy too. That being said, it's not everyone's cup of tea. There is a fair amount of challenge and most of the moreI've had an absolute blast with this game, the maps are beutiful and filled with captivating and just-enough-challenging events to entertain for hours and hours. The gameplay is absolutely amazing and the progression is incredibly rewarding. The changes to PvP are darn juicy too. That being said, it's not everyone's cup of tea. There is a fair amount of challenge and most of the more attractive rewards require a decent amount of work. If you're not too fond of the new gameplay it might feel annoying to get them, but in general both hardcore players and more casuals can have a great time.… Expand
  18. Revenanter
    Nov 23, 2015
    10
    I've bought this game after 3 year, for only 49.90 i got 2 games for the price of one.
    And what a game!
    Never thought it may be so beautifull !!!
    Finally i've found my definite MMO to play for months to go.
    Really happy !
  19. maximay
    Nov 23, 2015
    10
    Really great expansion full of stuff to do.
    Since Wow is dying, and it's dying pretty bad, GW2 is the new king of MMO...these is why so many 0 (zero).
    Please rosik more, can't stop laughing.
  20. nightfyre
    Nov 20, 2015
    9
    Was wanting to try the game again, and glad I did. It's become my time sink. The new areas can be confusing to travel, but you get use to them and have fun figuring out how to get to new areas. They still need to work on some of the 'balancing' but the game is fun. Don't follow the red reviews, they are just mad and are not thinking the whole thing through. Children... sheesh.
  21. HighestHand
    Nov 19, 2015
    10
    Love the new zones, and the quests that bring the community closer to each other.

    You have a day and night cycle and both cycles are extremely fun. You have raids that came out, personally I haven't tried, but I am a big fan of raids and challenging content. My philosophy is to git gud or die trying.
  22. gugliam1
    Nov 19, 2015
    10
    Simpy an awesome addition to an already great mmo !!!

    If you wonder why so many 0 (zero) ,here the answer. : read one of the many reviews from wow fanboys who rosik cause their mmo is dyning while GW2 is rising. diaper Nov 12, 2015 terrible game WoW is so much better. this game has terrible graphics and takes no skill and the community is garbage. nobody even plays it because    Simpy an awesome addition to an already great mmo !!!

    If you wonder why so many 0 (zero) ,here the answer. : read one of the many reviews from wow fanboys who rosik cause their mmo is dyning while GW2 is rising.

    diaper
    Nov 12, 2015

    terrible game WoW is so much better. this game has terrible graphics and takes no skill and the community is garbage. nobody even plays
    it because most people agree that it is terrible. I hate this game soo much!!    … Expand
  23. cioppete
    Nov 18, 2015
    10
    Awesome expansion, for one of the best, if not the best MMO today.
    Great graphics, immersive sound, strong gameplay with a pve quite difficult.
    Sorry Wow, but GW2 is my new home.
  24. Tatsu-Kan
    Nov 17, 2015
    10
    First, I would like to point that, yes, there are bugs, but all of them are going to be fixed.
    This expansion add a new way to explore content. I'm honestly in love with the news maps.
    And the gliding :] My only wish is that one day I can use the glider everywhere. This expansion does not add new levels to the character progression, which is perfect, it does not make our old stuff    First, I would like to point that, yes, there are bugs, but all of them are going to be fixed.
    This expansion add a new way to explore content. I'm honestly in love with the news maps.
    And the gliding :]
    My only wish is that one day I can use the glider everywhere.

    This expansion does not add new levels to the character progression, which is perfect, it does not make our old stuff obsolete. Arenanet found the perfect way, the new progression is based on masteries which is an account wide progression of ALL your characters.
    The first mastery you unlock is the glider, once done, you can use it on all your characters, even if they're not lvl 80. Ok, it does not matter, since the map where you can use the glider are for lvl 80 characters.

    Story : 10/10
    Open World : 10/10
    Music : 20/10 (They are fabulous)
    Fractals Dungeons : 8/10 (Need to be polished and the reward reevaluted)
    Raids : 9/10 (This is the hardest content of the game, added today)
    WvW : 8/10 (The new map is available for everyone, it's _too_ huge & beautiful)

    And the story continue, I'm expecting a pursue of the living story for a third season. I'm really impatient to see what they're planning for us :)    … Expand
  25. Egocentricion
    Nov 15, 2015
    10
    Guild Wars 2 continues to innovate after all these years.
    It is truly the only MMO on the market who actively seeks to please it's playerbase not by spoonfeeding them and hand holding them but with true innovation and challenge.
    Heart of Thorns is the striking proof that an expansion doesn't have to be half assed and dumb down a game.

    I recommend this expansion, it's all worth the money!
  26. jdross00
    Nov 14, 2015
    9
    Changing my initial review due to the addition of the 64bit client.

    Besides a few harsh setbacks at launch, HoT has given us enough new content and changes to make the game feel fresh again. Gliding is more enjoyable than anticipated. The specializations bring a welcome change to the core classes. The story no longer disrupts the immersion of the game with unnecessary 2D dialog. And    Changing my initial review due to the addition of the 64bit client.

    Besides a few harsh setbacks at launch, HoT has given us enough new content and changes to make the game feel fresh again. Gliding is more enjoyable than anticipated. The specializations bring a welcome change to the core classes. The story no longer disrupts the immersion of the game with unnecessary 2D dialog. And the environments continue their artistic flair which is unmatched by any other MMO.    … Expand
  27. TNFox
    Nov 11, 2015
    10
    The greatest tragedy of these 'reviews' is the abuse of the word grind. If you are actually here for information that'll tip you to buy or abstain, go elsewhere. We got subreddits openly admitting in their submissions that they are part of a troll/hate group to affect the result of the metacritic scale just because.

    If you have not played gw2, try it out. It's free. If you're returning    The greatest tragedy of these 'reviews' is the abuse of the word grind. If you are actually here for information that'll tip you to buy or abstain, go elsewhere. We got subreddits openly admitting in their submissions that they are part of a troll/hate group to affect the result of the metacritic scale just because.

    If you have not played gw2, try it out. It's free. If you're returning and wondering if you should invest in the expac, get info from players in the game. Its one of the most helpful and mature communities so ask their experiences and if their values align with yours. Base your decision on who says what, not just what is being said.    … Expand
  28. lostinstereo
    Nov 6, 2015
    10
    I've played Guild Wars 2 since release and the game has never failed to keep me captivated and immersed. The story, the characters, the combat system, the crafting system, everything. HoT only expands on all of these and enhances many of the core games strengths while introducing new systems like the mastery system. Mastery is in my opinion one of the best post level cap progressionI've played Guild Wars 2 since release and the game has never failed to keep me captivated and immersed. The story, the characters, the combat system, the crafting system, everything. HoT only expands on all of these and enhances many of the core games strengths while introducing new systems like the mastery system. Mastery is in my opinion one of the best post level cap progression systems in an MMO to date and it can be expanded indefinitely. The Revenant is an extremely interesting class and as far as balance issues go, it is to be expected but is otherwise minimal compared to other MMO expansion launches. I think GW2 can only go up from here, HoT has captured my heart like Guild Wars Prophecies did in 2005 and GW2 in 2012.… Expand
  29. Ozimandeus
    Nov 6, 2015
    10
    The best MMORPG created, has just got a whole lot bigger and a whole lot better!! The elegant mastery system provides a new outlet for experience in PVE. The introduction of Guild Halls gives a focal point for guilds to work together on. PvP has been overhauled and made into an eSport. WvWvW is still unparalleled in this genre. Very simply put, this is as good as MMORPGs get.
  30. Gothic90
    Nov 4, 2015
    8
    It's a good expansion. The world stays relevant, people who do not buy it can still play (they arguably get a somewhat short end of the stick due to dungeon reward nerf, but definitely not hit as hard as players of many other MMOs, who can only play irrelevant content after an expansion hits). Mastery may be a bit grindy but opens up layer by layer and I kinda like this design. I neverIt's a good expansion. The world stays relevant, people who do not buy it can still play (they arguably get a somewhat short end of the stick due to dungeon reward nerf, but definitely not hit as hard as players of many other MMOs, who can only play irrelevant content after an expansion hits). Mastery may be a bit grindy but opens up layer by layer and I kinda like this design. I never expected much story from MMOs, but HoT's story is not a bad one, certainly much better than Kormir or Trahearne's story.

    Overall, a lot of good content and good designs. It's not perfect but still a good one.

    Still, a bit unhappy that WvW gets a pretty short end of the stick.    … Expand
  31. maiker
    Nov 3, 2015
    10
    I created an account just to give this expansion a score of 10. I'm a staunch supporter of this game and this expansion for a long time, and it's become abundantly clear that this expansion (and the update to the base game that came with it) is well coded, and the developers don't need to fix it. The game is incredibly stable and never crashes often enough to make getting anythingI created an account just to give this expansion a score of 10. I'm a staunch supporter of this game and this expansion for a long time, and it's become abundantly clear that this expansion (and the update to the base game that came with it) is well coded, and the developers don't need to fix it. The game is incredibly stable and never crashes often enough to make getting anything meaningful done impossible. The entire mid-to-end game revolves around competing map-wide events and long instances, both of which you will never lose all progress within when you never crash. This. Game. Will. Not. Never. Crash. It is widespread and is not a hardware issue; I'm running with an i7 4790k, 16GB RAM and GTX 970 SLI. It is a user issue and the user is broken. It's been almost a month now, and progress has been made or hinted towards with this massive game. This game can be played. It deserves a ten.… Expand
  32. please
    Nov 2, 2015
    10
    Finally a good excuse to return. Story started off strong but ended kinda weak but not enough to take away from all the improvements made. Having a blast and have put in around 30+ hours so far,
  33. Gamergonemad2
    Nov 2, 2015
    10
    Exceeded my expectations!! Launch was near perfect and exploring the new content is fun, engaging and a challenge!! I even like the mastery system although at first I did find it all overwhelming. Once I got the hang of it even the verticality is a hoot! Even dying can be fun when your glider ends before you reach land. LOL. I especially like knowing there are places, events etc that IExceeded my expectations!! Launch was near perfect and exploring the new content is fun, engaging and a challenge!! I even like the mastery system although at first I did find it all overwhelming. Once I got the hang of it even the verticality is a hoot! Even dying can be fun when your glider ends before you reach land. LOL. I especially like knowing there are places, events etc that I can return to once I have the specific mastery. .Guess I like knowing there is a future instead of done and forgotten. Looking forward to years of game-play!… Expand
  34. Grathorius
    Nov 2, 2015
    8
    I'd give it an 8.5 if I could

    A lot of things were done right in the expansion. Many systems were overhauled for the better, and the amount of content is great for the price. Yes, servers have had some instabilities lately, but its been smoother than almost every other MMO expansion launch ever. There is a fair amount of "grind" despite being advertised as "Grind-less" and I won't    I'd give it an 8.5 if I could

    A lot of things were done right in the expansion. Many systems were overhauled for the better, and the amount of content is great for the price.

    Yes, servers have had some instabilities lately, but its been smoother than almost every other MMO expansion launch ever.

    There is a fair amount of "grind" despite being advertised as "Grind-less" and I won't sugarcoat it. You will do a lot of things over and over again. What is important is that the combat is fun and engaging, the events are dynamic, and the rewards (although this is debatable) feel enticing.

    If you play 24/7 and min/max the gains, you WILL run out of things to do, but for the average player, things are in a good place.

    Some systems, such as squad UI, Raids, PvP leagues and new legendary weapons are still to come (For Free!) and will only add to what has been a very pleasant expansion    … Expand
  35. Giusyone
    Nov 2, 2015
    10
    No subcripiton fee, great graphic, animation and sound, WvsW, awesome story improved even more in this expansion.. make this game and expansion a real jewe !
  36. gugliam
    Nov 2, 2015
    10
    Anet did it again, wonderfull place to play in a beautifull environment.
    The best mmo get one of the best expansion you may ever desire.
    The revenant is simple a perfect class for who want to play diffferent role.
    Great value for a mmo without a subscription.
  37. 83November
    Nov 2, 2015
    10
    Solid expansion, And still more to come! Shame about the trolls.... If you are new to GW2 HoT is amazing value! Anet is doing a great job of offering content for free and will hopefully balance in the right places. Remember it is still early days, we don't even have raids yet.
  38. maximillian1
    Nov 1, 2015
    10
    A perfect expansion for one of the best mmo atm, if not the best.
    The jungle is full of life and dangers, mastery are long term achievements to complete that help to have always something to do in game.
    Graphics and sound are beautifull and immersive. elite specs are nice addition to help player play in a different role. I would give 9 ,but since most haters, and other mmo players (who    A perfect expansion for one of the best mmo atm, if not the best.
    The jungle is full of life and dangers, mastery are long term achievements to complete that help to have always something to do in game.
    Graphics and sound are beautifull and immersive.
    elite specs are nice addition to help player play in a different role.
    I would give 9 ,but since most haters, and other mmo players (who rosik) gave 0 ...
    I'll give it 10 !    … Expand
  39. Kylonas
    Nov 1, 2015
    10
    New Maps, a lot of new content, gliding, Guild Halls etc. It's huge!
    I finished the story yesterday and now I have still at least 90% new things to explore.
    The Masteries bring in a rewarding and challenging new playstyle.
    And NO it's not grinding when you don't do the same things over an over again. And in HoT you can be in one map for hours not doing one thing twice.
  40. Okasama3
    Nov 1, 2015
    8
    It's a nice touch to the original, they surley refined what did wrong in the past but thgere ar estill some issues, at least ANet looks forward to solving them and with our help this might be yet another MMO of the Year for Guild Wars 2
  41. Neuxe
    Oct 31, 2015
    8
    Heart of Thorns adds a whole lot of new End Game content, a completely new storyline, and a whole lot of more features. The content is mostly recommended for players who already have a max level character, and it can be hard for new players to understand the story, as it is recommended to play the Living World Season 2 first. While the expansion has a lot of great content, there are someHeart of Thorns adds a whole lot of new End Game content, a completely new storyline, and a whole lot of more features. The content is mostly recommended for players who already have a max level character, and it can be hard for new players to understand the story, as it is recommended to play the Living World Season 2 first. While the expansion has a lot of great content, there are some flaws, and the story could have been done better.… Expand
  42. PlasmaPunch
    Oct 31, 2015
    9
    Heart of Thorns is easily one of the best expansions I've played for an MMO, perhaps the best. Even as a pretty tough critic it's hard to find problems in Guild Wars 2's first expansion. The joy of: gliding around, completing fun events, exploring a wonderfully crafted world or being apart of an organized meta event. I've not even experienced all of the content available to me yet, there'sHeart of Thorns is easily one of the best expansions I've played for an MMO, perhaps the best. Even as a pretty tough critic it's hard to find problems in Guild Wars 2's first expansion. The joy of: gliding around, completing fun events, exploring a wonderfully crafted world or being apart of an organized meta event. I've not even experienced all of the content available to me yet, there's simply too much to have experienced it so early after release. I've thoroughly enjoyed the story this time around as well, a lot less poorly crafted dialogue and what felt like generic questing for tidbits of story this time around, instead the story focuses more on exploring the jungle for the first time, looking for your potentially dead friends in the wilderness as the army you built up from the first game slowly catches up behind you. Fractals, a revamped high-level dungeon alternative was also made much better this expansion, for those looking for that experience - it's very difficult, requires some solid play and is overall very fun.

    That said on release this expansion was unstable, the only bad part about the expansion in my opinion. The game is crashing after about 2-3 hours of gameplay, which obviously is a problem when the setup time for a meta event usually crosses over into that time, and you lose all of your progress. I've wasted at least 8-10 hours of gameplay due to this and it's a huge influence on my rating.

    Though the crashing has been frustrating, and it's confirmed to be a widespread problem - I'd still suggest this expansion to anybody who's played the original Guild Wars 2 and enjoyed it, and anyone that's been interested into Guild Wars 2 should try out the F2P and think about buying this later. It's been a mostly great experience so far, and honestly the best MMO experience I've had.    … Expand
  43. jamesday5
    Oct 31, 2015
    10
    My god - this expansion is addictive. It took the innovative vent system (an answer to boring questions) and made it 100x more epic. Crazy events with lots of other people. The music is STUNNING, the visuals and environment design, breathtaking - i'm hooked.
  44. gamer99
    Oct 30, 2015
    10
    This is a really great game for people who want to have fun in mmorpg and an expansion that tries to lvl up the efforts the first game were put in. The Guild halls are great, once again people are logging on and talking in guild chat and donating goods to the guild. The maps are great with fun events such as the funny Lord Faren event. The story is alright, nice twits or one of the racesThis is a really great game for people who want to have fun in mmorpg and an expansion that tries to lvl up the efforts the first game were put in. The Guild halls are great, once again people are logging on and talking in guild chat and donating goods to the guild. The maps are great with fun events such as the funny Lord Faren event. The story is alright, nice twits or one of the races and the hero challenges are well challenging which themselves fell like a mini game that sucks you in for hours.… Expand
  45. badtzor
    Oct 30, 2015
    10
    ArenaNet's expansion to Guild Wars 2 is amazing! They've listened to the community and gave us what we had asked for. Progress in the expansion is smooth, you're not actually making your character "stronger" but making them more capable. The masteries are account wide so you only need to invest time into them once. Almost one week into the expansion and I haven't even completed the firstArenaNet's expansion to Guild Wars 2 is amazing! They've listened to the community and gave us what we had asked for. Progress in the expansion is smooth, you're not actually making your character "stronger" but making them more capable. The masteries are account wide so you only need to invest time into them once. Almost one week into the expansion and I haven't even completed the first zone yet! I've invested $50 into the original Guild Wars 2 and got over 8000+ hours of gameplay. What a deal!

    The expansion is worth well the cost of about $60. I wouldn't pay over $150 for it though, even if it did mean getting a lot of hours out of the game.    … Expand
  46. mathisveryfun
    Oct 30, 2015
    10
    This is an amazing expansion. I feel like a new player all over again with the excitement and confusion. The people crying now just wanted to unlock everything the instant the expansion went live.
  47. kkay
    Oct 30, 2015
    9
    Guys. I want to reply to everyone saying that the content of Heart of Stone is a grindfest: Its not. Its just not for people wanting to reach everything in 2 hours. ( Blinkin to the WoW ). Well. Im off to playing some more. Team up, learn the jungle, stop crying, the plot is great, the exp curve is great, and the necessity of teaming up with others is straight up lovable. :)
  48. jaymayxd
    Oct 30, 2015
    8
    Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns is by far an improvement on the "end game" of the original release. Focusing solely on the post-80 experience a lot of the systems added cater for those looking to further progress their characters (and accounts). The game also offers those alt-aholics a new class to play with, adding a 3rd heavy armour profession to the game and completing the round up of 9Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns is by far an improvement on the "end game" of the original release. Focusing solely on the post-80 experience a lot of the systems added cater for those looking to further progress their characters (and accounts). The game also offers those alt-aholics a new class to play with, adding a 3rd heavy armour profession to the game and completing the round up of 9 professions.

    The game is great and the systems add that deeper level of progressions. There are even a lot of quality of life improvements for those veteren players, and those just coming into the game will find a more streamlined version of GW2.

    Masteries are great, they offer goal for post level 80 and meaningful upgrades that allow you to traverse the jungle better, harvest new materials and glide. Although there is some element of a vertical clime in the experience required to level each mastery as well as additional points, the upgrades do feeling meaningful (most of them anyway.) Gliding in the game is smooth and fun. You will find it hard to go back to the core game world and not jump to your death, assuming your glider is going to save you.

    The new elite specializations for all of the professions have sparked a lot of debate. Some people love the new skills and weapons their professions have acquired. However, there are those that are a little disappointed, but hey, you really can't please everyone. ANet have done a great job in making each elite feel somewhat different from the base capabilities of a profession and have reinvigorated some of the more underused professions.

    The game, however, is not without fault. The four maps added are vast and multi-level and full of dynamic events. Having said that, finding some of these dynamic events can be a little difficult just coming into the maps. There is little explanation or guidance and the in game world map does little to fully explain what level the events are taking place on or the routes to get to the events. T

    The story of Heart of Thorns is the most well told story GW2 has so far offered its player base. But, very short. Only prolonged by the need for certain mastery levels of the jungle. Having said that, ArenaNet should be providing the players with the free living world stories.

    Overall, a great first expansion for an already great game. Now, for the dust to settle and the updates to roll in.    … Expand
  49. daman558
    Oct 30, 2015
    10
    Arena net's first crack at an expansion for gw2 is well worth the time. Let's make this short and sweet. If you enjoyed gw2 then this automatically for you. I've read most of these negative reviews and though there are a couple valid points, most of them are drivel. They are expecting gw2 hot to deliver in areas that are impractical. Repetitive content and grinding is apart of every mmo.Arena net's first crack at an expansion for gw2 is well worth the time. Let's make this short and sweet. If you enjoyed gw2 then this automatically for you. I've read most of these negative reviews and though there are a couple valid points, most of them are drivel. They are expecting gw2 hot to deliver in areas that are impractical. Repetitive content and grinding is apart of every mmo. The new mastery system works as an account wide horizontal leveling system quite well. The new story is definitely the best yet ( coming from someone who avoided most story missions up til this point for various reasons, but has been following along intently with the new missions). Changes to guilds, new maps and meta events are on point and then some. My only two gripes are A) the expansion took so long to come out B) Professions as of now seem a bit broken to straight up lopsided in spvp, which will be fixed in the upcoming balance releases i'm sure. Other than that, you can expect a bigger and badder gw2 in pretty much every way. We still have yet to experience raiding, but ive heard good things and also that they announced they will be adding 2 more raids in the near future. This will be raiding gw2 style however, not some pre-conceived way that some other mmo's do it. All in all, though I don't think its a "perfect game" or earth shattering even, i'm giving this review a 10 to balance out the stale and biased reviews of people giving 0-2 for no reason.… Expand
  50. PeskyJNixon
    Oct 29, 2015
    10
    Something uniquely wonderful happened when my favorite game released an expansion: I wasn't disappointed. I wasn't let down. There has been no invalidation of all of the equipment and items I have spent the past three years acquiring; instead I was just plain given a great new addition to the environment I have loved playing in and a couple of horizontal progression systems that allow meSomething uniquely wonderful happened when my favorite game released an expansion: I wasn't disappointed. I wasn't let down. There has been no invalidation of all of the equipment and items I have spent the past three years acquiring; instead I was just plain given a great new addition to the environment I have loved playing in and a couple of horizontal progression systems that allow me to set long term goals for the next couple years.

    GW2 Heart of Thorns opens a significant amount of new content - from a base mechanics level they have opened a new engaging profession called the Revenant that relies on legendary characters from Guild Wars past to provide core mechanics to your character - this makes the profession remarkably versatile: supporting your group of glass cannon compatriots? Channel the spirit of the pacifist centaur and notable father of the game's most unique class - the plant humanoid Sylvari. Are you all about spreading disease and dissent wherever you go? Call the spirit of a demonic gorilla and watch your enemies shrivel and die. With six different heroic options each with their own set of corresponding skills this profession is wonderfully unique but unlike new professions often added in other MMO's - not overcharged. And if that’s not your thing there are eight new specializations for all the existing professions out there.

    Horizontal Progression means everything you've earned prior to this game is still as useful as it was before. Sure if the only equipment that you chose to use was heavy damage without anything else you may end up running into a problem as some of the new enemies only take damage from conditions, but you can hack away at everything just like you used to do. The introduction of a mastery system means new experiences through unlocking skills that help you traverse the new world using gliders trampoline mushrooms and air gusts.

    This is a delivery for old fans of the game and an opportunity for new people to discover a game that still looks fresher than anything else in the MMO market today.

    NOTE: I’ve found that many disgruntled folks have decided to downvote this game based on not being given all of the new mechanics right out of the gate to such a degree that Arena.Net actually simplified the unlock process. I’m kind of shocked at the level of childishness but I guess perhaps these will be the same people that downvote the game afterwards because there’s nothing else to do. I suggest you ignore them and just enjoy the remarkable game that’s in front of you.    … Expand
  51. Huddi
    Oct 29, 2015
    9
    Story: 10/10 - Great story that beats the one of the core game by far, especially in cutscenes.

    Open World: 10/10 - Beautiful and layered maps, including PvE, WvW and sPvP. New Profession Abilities: 9/10 - Main issue here is balancing, especially for Revenant (op to make people like). Accessibility: 9/10 - This score was reevaluated after ArenaNet listened to the voice of the    Story: 10/10 - Great story that beats the one of the core game by far, especially in cutscenes.

    Open World: 10/10 - Beautiful and layered maps, including PvE, WvW and sPvP.

    New Profession Abilities: 9/10 - Main issue here is balancing, especially for Revenant (op to make people like).

    Accessibility: 9/10 - This score was reevaluated after ArenaNet listened to the voice of the community, including my own one. Thank you. (Before the adaptations, it would have taken ages to unlock new specs for all professions)

    Repeatability of Content: 9/10 - This score was reevaluated. While I previously felt forced to repeat content, after ArenaNet's decision to make the story more accessible, it feels more like a free choice. I am strongly in favor of the changes.

    Server and bug management: 9/10 - There have been close to no downtimes. There were some bugs, but this is to be expected. One point was deducted for bugs in instances of the main story line, which led me to spend quite some hours achieving absolutely nothing.

    > My current evaluation: 9.3/10

    > All in all, this has been a great experience so far. The launch was very smooth from a technical perspective. In terms of philosophy, the expectations of the community and of the developers were not aligned. ArenaNet decided to listen to the feedback of the playerbase, for which I am very thankful. Whether you are a fan of large-scale or small-scale PvP, organized group content in PvE or simply a farmer or explorer - Heart of Thorns provides it.

    > Still to determine: New skins, raids, cash shop.    … Expand
  52. Syco_
    Oct 28, 2015
    9
    This has been one the smoothest expansion launches in history. Apart from a minute few bugs with story and map completion it has been flawless. A major point of contest on the official forums and reddit was how much grind the expansion bring into the game, To these people please remember everything we were saying before the launch "Please give me more to do" well we finally have somethingThis has been one the smoothest expansion launches in history. Apart from a minute few bugs with story and map completion it has been flawless. A major point of contest on the official forums and reddit was how much grind the expansion bring into the game, To these people please remember everything we were saying before the launch "Please give me more to do" well we finally have something meaningful to put our time towards through Masteries and Elite Specializations. The story was amazing, The maps are vast and gorgeous, The music and sound design takes my breath away. In whole this is a beautiful expansion and I am looking forward to the next one.… Expand
  53. someidiot
    Oct 28, 2015
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is a great expansion for many reasons. I will only touch on one of them here as that alone can fill the minimum of 150 characters.

    Great developers:

    Anet has proved to me, over the last three years, that they are the best at making an enjoyable MMO. Their pricing strategy and the way they seek funds is great in the sense that people like me, who just want to play a game, gets to do just that without the fear of an axe above our heads in the name "monthly subscription"

    Anet has also proved that they listen. and they listen well. No the half assed listening you get from other developers, nor the generic responses from nexon. They put great effort into listening. And this is clearly reflected in both in and outside the game.

    Look at the current expansion and you will see it.

    Many fans complained that the difficulty scale was too high, Anet conceded and lowered the scale. This i agree, it made it manageable for many of us.

    But yet more people complained. And once again Anet provides, by making it even easier. Much to my bewilderment. (SERIOUSLY YOU CAN ALWAYS COME BACK WHEN YOU GET BETTER)

    *ahem* but yes, a great developer.

    I am taking one point away, cause seriously speaking you guys aint perfect and neither am i so who the hell am i to say you get a 10?

    But other then that. go anet go.    … Expand
  54. imjax
    Oct 28, 2015
    8
    HoT is a really great expansion. The story is much more engaging and interesting than the vanilla personal story and so far am enjoying it a lot. A lot of the events and meta events on the new maps are unique and bring in some interesting new mechanics to game. The maps are beautiful and i am always finding new secrets to explore. The gliding and new action camera are also really fun.HoT is a really great expansion. The story is much more engaging and interesting than the vanilla personal story and so far am enjoying it a lot. A lot of the events and meta events on the new maps are unique and bring in some interesting new mechanics to game. The maps are beautiful and i am always finding new secrets to explore. The gliding and new action camera are also really fun.
    Unfortunately there was a lot of QQ in the community on release since people were complaining that they could not unlock everything on day one, which is ridiculous. A lot of the 1 and 0 star reviews are a result of a forum post brigading everyone to write negative reviews to get the devs to respond. This was a real low point for the usually great community. Sadly the devs have actually reduced the amount of hero points needed and have nerfed some of the hero point challenges to make them easier. I am hoping that the devs do not continue to nerf the content due to the vocal minority as i have enjoyed having to form small groups to clear content as it is an mmorpg after all.    … Expand
  55. nilak
    Oct 28, 2015
    10
    Game has expanded in a way that feels like an extra 30 levels on top of original content without having to grind through new gear. New maps are absolutely amazing and complex and the specialisations add variety to each class perfectly. Absolutely loving new PVP and excited to get back into raids after trying in the beta events. New Guild system and masteries are incredible. especially theGame has expanded in a way that feels like an extra 30 levels on top of original content without having to grind through new gear. New maps are absolutely amazing and complex and the specialisations add variety to each class perfectly. Absolutely loving new PVP and excited to get back into raids after trying in the beta events. New Guild system and masteries are incredible. especially the new legendary crafting system!… Expand
  56. grasping_edge
    Oct 28, 2015
    10
    This was exactly what Guild Wars 2 needed! Great expansion and well worth the money.

    -Elite specs add a whole new dynamic to each class -story missions are great and a huge improvement from the personal story -content in the new zones is DIFFICULT and requires some coordinations -new maps are the new best maps in the game, full of fine detail and quality craftsmanship -revenant    This was exactly what Guild Wars 2 needed! Great expansion and well worth the money.

    -Elite specs add a whole new dynamic to each class
    -story missions are great and a huge improvement from the personal story
    -content in the new zones is DIFFICULT and requires some coordinations
    -new maps are the new best maps in the game, full of fine detail and quality craftsmanship
    -revenant profession feels like it fills in the gap of what was missing with preexisting classes, lots of fun
    -New Stronghold game type is EXTREMELY addicting
    -end game progression through masteries and elite specs, lots of fun to work on and earn
    - much, much more    … Expand
  57. Pangolins
    Oct 28, 2015
    9
    After the fix to Elite specialization gaining, the grind is essentially eliminated, it doesn't take ages to get the new trait lines, the maps are beautiful, the classes are great fun in PVP, and the story mode is intriguing, for someone who doesn't do much PVE I am impressed with the story and how massive the maps are.
  58. peppercosmo
    Oct 28, 2015
    10
    People who complains are so lazy about the grind fest. I unlocked mine on the first day, it is not hard. If you are new yes it is hard but those who played the game for a while nope it is not.

    ARE you kidding me? Most games when expansion comes they make you grind. WOW you mean you have to work to get the points? It is called ELITE specialization for a reason. YOU HAVE TO WORK. The game    People who complains are so lazy about the grind fest. I unlocked mine on the first day, it is not hard. If you are new yes it is hard but those who played the game for a while nope it is not.

    ARE you kidding me? Most games when expansion comes they make you grind. WOW you mean you have to work to get the points? It is called ELITE specialization for a reason. YOU HAVE TO WORK. The game is amazing, I didn't even have time to post review until now. Most people in game loves it and didn't have time to post reviews or didn't bother. Until someone posted that HOT expansion is rated very low by people who are too busy posting reviews instead of playing games. Then people who actually played and tried out all the content started reviewing. The people who didn't want to work goes on to every site and complains about the grind. For years they complain there are no grind now that there are, oh i have to work. How horrible. There are so much to do not just bunch of living stories. They are trying to improve the ways we can play this game.    … Expand
  59. Shadeofdoom
    Oct 28, 2015
    9
    Alright, READ THIS before scrolling further. There are a few reasons why HoT deserves a 8.5+, but also a few reasons as to why a 10 shouldn't be given. To start off, lets say this; Heart of Thorns is gorgeous from all perspectives. The storyline is rich with action and intensity, the maps are delightfully created as to give the user a taste of the maze-like complexity of a 3-tiered jungle,Alright, READ THIS before scrolling further. There are a few reasons why HoT deserves a 8.5+, but also a few reasons as to why a 10 shouldn't be given. To start off, lets say this; Heart of Thorns is gorgeous from all perspectives. The storyline is rich with action and intensity, the maps are delightfully created as to give the user a taste of the maze-like complexity of a 3-tiered jungle, and the mobs bring on a whole new challenge, causing you to have to use the full set of your abilities and knowledge of the game to defeat them.

    Where does it go wrong? Gates.
    If we look at the original Guild Wars 2 content, from level 1, you could enter a level 80 zone if you so wished (and if you could make it without dying). In this, both map exploration and your personal story is gated by the mastery system. Without researching new gliding techniques, or how to bounce on a mushroom, you literally cannot advance, and since each of these gates are hundreds of thousands of XP that can only be attained in the jungle, it adds up very quickly.

    Why does map exploration matter? Because the only way to 'finalize' the trait you have been training with XP is with mastery points, and if you cannot reach these mastery points then... you're stuck! Its a vicious cycle that you cannot surmount unless you spend a lot of time gliding around for points that you can actually reach (or the help of a guide through reddit, youtube, etc).

    That being said, what is being added to the game is so extensive it could probably sell as its own "guild wars 3". Raids, Adventures, new world bosses, new content in general such as the jungle maps, the mushrooms, the itzel, mordrem creatures, a new personal story, stronghold, guild halls, guild wars, new legendary weapons and armor, and new WvW borderlands maps that are now part of the permanent rotation (for both players who did and did not buy the expansion, might I add).

    Since the pros so heavily outweigh the cons, Heart of Thorns as it currently stands (10/28/15) deserves a rating above 8.5, and should the gating be reduced, even higher.    … Expand
  60. Knoxty
    Oct 28, 2015
    10
    Anet has truly outdone themselves, I am extremely content to see where all my money is going to. Excellent story, great content, smooth launch. Can't wait what to see in the future.
  61. Elfhorys
    Oct 28, 2015
    10
    Excellent expansion, one of my favorite expansion for an MMO since a while. Great maps, new gameplay and gears, and this story ... my my !

    Don't look at thos who downvote, they rage because they don't have all in a silver plate.
  62. Lozzypops
    Oct 28, 2015
    10
    A beautifully-crafted expansion to a beautifully-crafted game. The story tugs at your heartstrings, and the characters involved show that ArenaNet can write a variety of rapidly changing, yet very human personalities. The new areas themselves are absolutely beautiful, filled to the brim with infuriatingly tough enemies that you can't swing a charr without hitting. The lack of a raisedA beautifully-crafted expansion to a beautifully-crafted game. The story tugs at your heartstrings, and the characters involved show that ArenaNet can write a variety of rapidly changing, yet very human personalities. The new areas themselves are absolutely beautiful, filled to the brim with infuriatingly tough enemies that you can't swing a charr without hitting. The lack of a raised level-cap was, surprisingly, another brilliant move, as new content and old content mesh perfectly together.… Expand
  63. Apolyon
    Oct 28, 2015
    10
    Totally blown away. Not only has this been the smoothest go-live I've seen, but the amount and quality of content in the expansion is brutal.

    Comparing this to the base game, one of the key things you will see is that the new areas don't have renown hearts, instead they have outpost which trigger some pretty awesome dynamic events. These events can even branch in different stories and    Totally blown away. Not only has this been the smoothest go-live I've seen, but the amount and quality of content in the expansion is brutal.

    Comparing this to the base game, one of the key things you will see is that the new areas don't have renown hearts, instead they have outpost which trigger some pretty awesome dynamic events. These events can even branch in different stories and they tell you specific stories of some of the survivors (not going to do any spoilers here). Just stop for a second, and stand there listening to the NPC's.

    The main story, which I have not finished yet, is really intense. Way better than what we had so far. I don't want to spoil this either, so I'll simply say that what I've seen so far is on par with some single player rpg's.

    Content wise, there are "only" 4 new areas, but they are huge, not only horizontally but also vertically, you really have to experience it to feel the size of the jungle. It also has a metric ton of events, collections, achievements, adventures (a type of repeatable activities with world rankings in the type of GW1 challenges), the new specializations, masteries, pre-cursor scavenger hunts, new legendaries (not only weapons, but also backpacks and armor), a new wvw map.

    And the best of all... there is still more to come, namely the so awaited Raids, pvp leagues, and the new living world seasons.

    I may update this review later, since I haven't stopped in World vs World or pvp yet    … Expand
  64. Sabbatum
    Oct 28, 2015
    10
    Finally ArenaNet has found the true essence of progressing and challenging content.

    I feel so sorry about the people that is whining because of the total length expansion gave to game (which is a very very long path to be done) and for personal and selfless purposes gave the game rates like "0/10". This expansions adds to the game a more variety to features to enjoy and a lot of real    Finally ArenaNet has found the true essence of progressing and challenging content.

    I feel so sorry about the people that is whining because of the total length expansion gave to game (which is a very very long path to be done) and for personal and selfless purposes gave the game rates like "0/10". This expansions adds to the game a more variety to features to enjoy and a lot of real challenging content to make you feel you are somewhere between GW and Dark/Demon Souls, where death is just your mentor.

    On the other side, I feel happy that ANet is listening to the community feedback and patching the game as community feedback flows over the web, but i just expect they stop the nerfing the challenges and don't ruin the great work they did with this expansion that is a whole new game to explore (i play this game since core pre-launch) and this just because children that don't know they real meaning of PLAY a GAME and just think like "GIMME WHAT I WANT NOW, ASAP".

    My 10 is for the overall of this expansion which had a completely smooth launch and all the time surprises me with something i can enjoy in a long term of fun.

    Thanks ArenaNet, keep up with your great work.    … Expand
  65. JeRune
    Oct 28, 2015
    10
    Great expansion, smooth launch, quick iterations on consumer feedback. Very nicely done by ArenaNet; completely changes the game from what it was. Story is great, masteries are great, specializations are wonderful and there's a lot of content.
  66. Yahseenme
    Oct 28, 2015
    10
    Brought me back to playing the VERY enjoyable PVE experience after years of playing exclusively PVP. Elite specs are the bees knees and the difficulty I felt was better before the October 27 patch, but still amazing nonetheless. Nothing I would change about this expansion, it was executed flawlessly.
  67. sylint19
    Oct 28, 2015
    9
    This expansion is exceptional. It offers a wide range of content that'll keep me engaged for months, maybe even years, to come. While upon release, there were some issues with some of the game's features, the developers have been all ears, working to make the expansion more enjoyable for its players. Certain aspects were moderately grind-intensive, but have been reduced since launch due toThis expansion is exceptional. It offers a wide range of content that'll keep me engaged for months, maybe even years, to come. While upon release, there were some issues with some of the game's features, the developers have been all ears, working to make the expansion more enjoyable for its players. Certain aspects were moderately grind-intensive, but have been reduced since launch due to player feedback. Arenanet has done an exceptional job tweaking the base game, as well as this expansion.… Expand
  68. munki314
    Oct 28, 2015
    8
    Upon the announcement of HoT, I must admit I was skeptical based on the price. I wasn't sure what the $50 was paying for and Anet tends to trickle their information. Being a fan of the game and a consistent player, I paid very close attention to the reveals and, for the first time, pre-purchased a game. This was just before the second beta weekend event. I was extremely impressed by theUpon the announcement of HoT, I must admit I was skeptical based on the price. I wasn't sure what the $50 was paying for and Anet tends to trickle their information. Being a fan of the game and a consistent player, I paid very close attention to the reveals and, for the first time, pre-purchased a game. This was just before the second beta weekend event. I was extremely impressed by the classes, the parts of the map we were able to play, and the difficulty of the new AI. Release only solidified my opinion. The launch was ridiculously smooth. The maps are deep, intense, and gorgeous. Gliding is fantastic. The progression systems provide a real feeling of success. The fights are intense and I have found myself cheering aloud upon successful completion. Heart of Thorns has delivered basically everything Anet promoted. There are some bugs and some issues with the mega-server, which leave some maps shards too dead to successfully complete meta-events, and that is why I have given an eight and not a nine. Barring that issue (which is being addressed), this game is utterly amazing and worth every cent. Anet also, just yesterday, implemented new iterations and lowered the Hero Point requirement for Elite Specializations in response to player feedback just 5 Days after release. Anet listens to their customers and they response, which makes me an utterly devoted customer. And now, back to the jungle.… Expand
  69. Paulaberry
    Oct 28, 2015
    8
    Heart of Thorns had a very smooth launch, which is remarkable for an MMO. I experienced minor lag for about 30 minutes after launch, and then no problems whatsoever. The new maps are amazing, guild halls are FANTASTIC (and bring group-utility to the game that will greatly affect people who like guild-based MMOing) and the new profession mechanics are very fun to play with.

    This    Heart of Thorns had a very smooth launch, which is remarkable for an MMO. I experienced minor lag for about 30 minutes after launch, and then no problems whatsoever. The new maps are amazing, guild halls are FANTASTIC (and bring group-utility to the game that will greatly affect people who like guild-based MMOing) and the new profession mechanics are very fun to play with.

    This expansion adds some useful general features to the entire game. The excellent new action camera change has done a lot to make combat feel faster and more immersive. I would highly recommend it! There are so many little features that have been added that I really can’t list them here, but let me just say a huge thank you for the achievement hints. People who play will know what I mean. It’s awesome.

    I haven’t had time to check out PvP yet. There are new maps but I don’t know anything about them. What I do know is that if you like PvE and you’re level 80 and wondering what to do with yourself, Heart of Thorns answers that question in a meaningful way.

    Heart of Thorns introduces a much-needed progression system to Guild Wars 2. The fact that Arenanet chose to take on the challenge of working on an alternative progression system not based on the tried and tested method of raising level cap, is commendable. The new systems are looking to introduce region-based progression that will not invalidate all previous content, achievements and gear. Now, this was a risky and ambitious move and their new systems aren’t perfect. They need tuning and polishing. The developers have already heard the initial complaints from players and made several adjustments (only 5 days in). I am positive that they will continue to improve the system until it is fluent and works to its fullest.

    Some complaints I have is that I don’t feel the fractal system is rewarding enough, and that there have been issues with the megaserver. Arenanet has confirmed that the megaserver’s been unnecessarily putting players in empty instances, which is a major problem due to the importance of group-play in the meta-events on the Heart of Thorns maps. I also believe that events in Maguuma should award more experience points upon completion. There have been bugs, but I haven’t encountered many. I have also heard from a few players who have been experiencing crashes. This is the exception though and I myself haven’t had a single crash since launch. These issues don’t worry me because I’m confident that the above problems will be addressed to the best of the developers’ abilities. In the meantime, members of the community are doing their best to provide useful feedback that helps the developers to see which areas they need to focus on.

    Heart of Thorns is important because it lays the foundation for future content, and that foundation is looking pretty solid. Guild Wars 2’s potential has now been massively increased and I can’t wait to see where it all goes. Meanwhile I have more than enough new content between bouncing and gliding along the new maps discovering everything, adventures, and earning new skills to last me for quite a while. I give Heart of Thorns a solid 8/10 for execution. If the problems are fixed and the systems are tweaked, I’d even call it a 9. But not quite yet! ;)    … Expand
  70. Zephyria
    Oct 28, 2015
    10
    Beautiful art, meaty expansion that can't be sped through. Vertical maps are very reminiscent of Zelda, meaning that they open up and become easier to traverse as you gain new skillsets. This has been frustrating for some unfamiliar with that playstyle, but if you're expecting to revisit the map for better explorability, it cuts out that frustration. These areas are ENORMOUS, andBeautiful art, meaty expansion that can't be sped through. Vertical maps are very reminiscent of Zelda, meaning that they open up and become easier to traverse as you gain new skillsets. This has been frustrating for some unfamiliar with that playstyle, but if you're expecting to revisit the map for better explorability, it cuts out that frustration. These areas are ENORMOUS, and make you feel quite small in the game, which is a wonderful thing...the landscape is a part of the challenge, in a good way.… Expand
  71. dhakor
    Oct 28, 2015
    8
    Awesome expansion, but for WvW gamers it's a pity not have the option to glide in the competitive maps T.T

    The amount of materials needed to upgrade a guild or level a character with the new specialitzations will paralize some time the competitive world, because a lot of us has a job and not so much time to farm or lvl up.
  72. BeardRex
    Oct 28, 2015
    9
    Probably THE smoothest launch of an online game I've ever played. Heart of Thorns is the culmination of all the experiments with content Arenanet has been doing over the last 3 years.

    The world events are the most engaging yet. And the story is wonderful. The level design, which focuses on vertical and exploration makes every zone 3 times as big as it looks on the map. The mastery    Probably THE smoothest launch of an online game I've ever played. Heart of Thorns is the culmination of all the experiments with content Arenanet has been doing over the last 3 years.

    The world events are the most engaging yet. And the story is wonderful.

    The level design, which focuses on vertical and exploration makes every zone 3 times as big as it looks on the map.

    The mastery system accomplishes its task very well. As you venture through the jungle you really feel like you're mastering it. Traversing it becomes easier and easier as you learn the secrets of the jungle.

    There's a real sense of progression in Heart of Thorns that I haven't felt since launch.    … Expand
  73. Lkvtnl
    Oct 28, 2015
    9
    I have been playing on and off since release, rest assured Arena Net cares about us. They fixed the things people complained about and it just goes to show that t hey do in fact care.
  74. Kalameloth
    Oct 28, 2015
    10
    An Xpac with no grinding but only new content, a meta-event system per map like in silverwaste, andDELTAPLANE !
    A good story with good charactère, Arena make what they are good for, make an mmorpg that is not like every one else, and the new TERA-like combat system is pretty good.
    Love it.
  75. humor4fun
    Oct 28, 2015
    8
    HoT is expansive. lots to do, lots to learn, lots to grind, lots to collect. and its all rated at level 85-90 from what I’ve judged. I found the Elementalist Elite spec is pretty amazing. I can spread might and auras around in seconds and nuke for 15-20k dmg while spec’d for Divinity (all stats) gear, which is absurd. Even that isn’t enough to easily take down some mobs though. That’s whyHoT is expansive. lots to do, lots to learn, lots to grind, lots to collect. and its all rated at level 85-90 from what I’ve judged. I found the Elementalist Elite spec is pretty amazing. I can spread might and auras around in seconds and nuke for 15-20k dmg while spec’d for Divinity (all stats) gear, which is absurd. Even that isn’t enough to easily take down some mobs though. That’s why I’d estimate most content at 85-90 in HoT, even though the max is still 80. The extra weapon that Eles got (warhorn) is super lame in terms of skills, but the shouts are fantastic to play with: Lets me switch-hit my staff build between quick/slow cast skills.

    The game has been plagued with a slightly larger than expected amount of game breaking (event blocks, client crashes, npc bugs) bugs but Anet has been hard at work around the clock to fix these as quickly as they can. Initially, Elite Specs cost 400 points which essentially meant that unless your character had stockpiled hundreds of skill points years ago before they were removed, you would need to complete most if not all of the HoT content in order to utilize the full Elite Specialization. This seemed outrageous to me, but didn't stop me from working on it. I was happy to see the cost reduced to 265 points.

    I think that releasing the Mad King events (Halloween) at the same time as the WvW and HoT content was a completely terrible decision. I would have separated them because the WvW changes BEG for gliders to be used, but they are not enabled, so essentially the WvW community has just been disrupted by all this new PvE content to play in HoT. Meanwhile the HoT content is disrupted by the Halloween content which is limited time only stuff. You should have done WvW for 1-2 weeks, then drop Halloween, then at least a week later drop the HoT content. No I didn't forget the PvP Stronghold update, but that seems tightly coupled with HoT so I am bunching those together. I don't think PvP draws people out of Halloween, WvW and PvE content.

    The HoT story is intriguing and presents an epic journey through an incredibly dangerous jungle. Gliding is fantastic and the Mastery system is.... immense. I love the idea of needing to "train" a passive skill track. That said, I'm not convinced there is enough HoT content to make it not feel like a grind to unlock the Mastery skills. I've found myself staying in a single map for hours on end repeating the same sets of events over and over to grind for XP to build my Mastery track simply so that I can progress my story to unlock the next mission (some of which require tier 1 mastery skills from multiple tracks, which equates to millions of XP.) The T1 mastery skills cost roughly 500-600kXP which would have meant 2-3 levels (in the previous 80+ terminology).

    The scenery in the jungle is incredible, Anet did a fantastic job with the art. Also, the Guild Hall claiming mission (my guild, Attuned[att], did the Precipice one). The map is huge and required a ton of coordination. Lots of fun there. I'm looking forward to getting in deeper with my guild and playing the new maps.

    The mindset of map-meta events works quite well, though map activity coordination has not proven to be workable really. I'm sure that will come with time.    … Expand
  76. Secr3tt
    Oct 28, 2015
    10
    This is how you do a EXP, don't make you feel that you need to grind for new gear or level, just have fun with the game, and the EXP didn't had any issue on release. 10 out of 10
  77. Jarvice
    Oct 28, 2015
    10
    Simple review: It's almost like they doubled the original content of the game. If you like Gw2 you'll love HoT!

    Why? Because they added exactly what Gw2 needed, new maps, abilities and a totally new class to play! The new content is also very challenging which encourages players to play together (you can do it alone if you're skilled enough!). The new story they added is also a lot of    Simple review: It's almost like they doubled the original content of the game. If you like Gw2 you'll love HoT!

    Why? Because they added exactly what Gw2 needed, new maps, abilities and a totally new class to play! The new content is also very challenging which encourages players to play together (you can do it alone if you're skilled enough!). The new story they added is also a lot of fun to play. It takes you on a journey through the amazing maps and you get to battle awesome bosses!

    The only negative part is that there are some bugs (which is expected of course). But Anet is working hard and they are rolling out patches to fix as much as they can. I expect most of the bugs fixed in a couple weeks.

    Anet did a great job and this is a well deserved 10.    … Expand
  78. Mank
    Oct 28, 2015
    9
    Stable servers, no game breaking bugs but a few client crashes for me. Maps are fantastic, beautiful, chock full of content with lot's of variety and things to do. Mastery system really changes how you play, gliding is very fun, and there's a couple of little things gated behind masteries that give a good sense of progression when you come back to them. Solid experience overall.
  79. ballywaug
    Oct 28, 2015
    9
    Excellent and very challenging new content. Beautiful environments and the new revenant class is extremely fun to play. The expansion has really re-ignited my interest after a long break from the game.
  80. Vatras
    Oct 28, 2015
    9
    HoT is one of the best things that happened to GW2. ArenaNet added so much new content to the game most people don't even know what to begin with.
    ANet added masteries to the game, which contrary to what all those casuals say, are easy to unlock. You will get all of the masteries you need to progress your story just through playing the game normally. If you want to do the entirety of your    HoT is one of the best things that happened to GW2. ArenaNet added so much new content to the game most people don't even know what to begin with.
    ANet added masteries to the game, which contrary to what all those casuals say, are easy to unlock. You will get all of the masteries you need to progress your story just through playing the game normally. If you want to do the entirety of your story instantly you will have to grind apporximatly 2 hours though, which in all honesty, is nothing compared to other MMOs.

    With the most recent patch ANet also reduced the amount of Hero Points needed to unlock your elite specialisation (a new traitline that unlock various new features for your class when selected). The current amount is 250 hero points, if you did world completion you'll already have 200 of those meaning you'll only have to do 5 of the 40 hero challenges in the new maps which takes about 20 minutes.

    Sadly the game does crash quite frequently due to a currently unfixed memory leak in the new maps. Until that issue is fixed only 9/10.    … Expand
  81. djbrooker99
    Oct 28, 2015
    8
    This game is truly innovative in the worlds of MMOs. New mechanics interesting bosses and TONS of new stuff to explore along with a moving story make this well worth the buy.
  82. turin
    Oct 28, 2015
    9
    People seem to keep confusing grind with time consuming. A grind is boring not because it takes time but because its repetitive.

    Heart of Thrones is not repetitive. It just time consuming and is challenging. Half of the progression is account wide thus you only have to do it once and its unlocked for all characters. This is the opposite of grinding. This is horizontal progression. Many    People seem to keep confusing grind with time consuming. A grind is boring not because it takes time but because its repetitive.

    Heart of Thrones is not repetitive. It just time consuming and is challenging. Half of the progression is account wide thus you only have to do it once and its unlocked for all characters. This is the opposite of grinding. This is horizontal progression. Many seem to have the mentality that because they paid for the expansion They also must have everything unlocked immediately. No guys you are actually supposed to play the game. That is the point in the first place.

    Other than that the maps, the story and event are brilliant. The only valid concern is the WvW part. The progression there does seem a bit slower than it should.

    EDIT even though the review stands Anet just nerfed a good deal of content. For me this is very disappointing and feels that the expansion loses a lot if its challenge and metroidvania feeling. Thus I have to lower my score to 7. Its still a great expansion and if you did not care about the challenge you will like it a lot. For me the enthusiasm plummeted but i an the minority it seems.    … Expand
  83. Wensy
    Oct 28, 2015
    10
    Best & smoothest release of ex. pack I have ever experienced.
    Beautiful maps and music.
    Maps mechanisms are more interesting and fun than in older maps.
    So many nice details to find every day.
  84. shirogatsu
    Oct 28, 2015
    10
    I've found this expansion is very fun to play. It literally just a child of Spyro The Dragon & Castlevania: Symphony of the Night that decide to become a MMORPG when grow up.

    Add to this combo beautiful level design: you don't traverse linearly on flat maps, you basically start your journey by running around in jungle, then you could fly to new heights or crawl through tunnels to the    I've found this expansion is very fun to play. It literally just a child of Spyro The Dragon & Castlevania: Symphony of the Night that decide to become a MMORPG when grow up.

    Add to this combo beautiful level design: you don't traverse linearly on flat maps, you basically start your journey by running around in jungle, then you could fly to new heights or crawl through tunnels to the deepest caverns of the jungle. And even this movement has sort of progression, because with improving your flying techniques you're able to ride the energy waves and different updrafts that may help stay afloat or fight several bosses(Yay for bombing dragons from the sky!)

    Music and ambient sound is just extraordinary - give some feels of Final Fantasy, if you ask me.

    As for "the controversy" - I tried to stay away from reddit and web due to spoilers and was surprised when I finally opened it - I just never hit any of this mentioned problems, probably because I love exploration and I just got enough experience for my masteries from events during my average gameplay sessions. As for elite specialization - yeah, high amount of hero points actually stopped me from using it right away because low level of elite spec basically makes you weaker than 3 full core specializations and there is no excuse to running bad unfinished builds during endgame content. I'm glad it lowered now so you can get full elite after a couple of hours in the jungle.

    After first iteration of balancing pass I've no complaints and can fully enjoy the content which is top quality so 10/10 from me.    … Expand
  85. Ludus90
    Oct 28, 2015
    10
    With HoT Guild wars 2 became, without any doubts, the best MMORPG I ever played. I'd need to write a book to describe and review all the things Arena Net did perfectly with this expansion.
  86. Poisty
    Oct 28, 2015
    8
    Honestly the best expansion of a mmo I've experienced. I personally love it, but I do enjoy base gw2 so take that into consideration. It was also a really smooth launch, and pretty much all the bugs that did exist (and there were a few quite annoying ones for some people) have now been dealt to (which has been pretty damn fast).

    Good story updates, good content and general updates for    Honestly the best expansion of a mmo I've experienced. I personally love it, but I do enjoy base gw2 so take that into consideration. It was also a really smooth launch, and pretty much all the bugs that did exist (and there were a few quite annoying ones for some people) have now been dealt to (which has been pretty damn fast).

    Good story updates, good content and general updates for both pve in general, pvp and wvw, new specializations for each existing class and a new class. New content is satisfyingly more difficult, and raids are on there way very soon (we had a taste in the beta's).

    Basically if you enjoyed GW2 (you can try it for free now if you haven't) and can afford to spend a little money (non subscription - just a upfront cost) its totally worth it. If you hate mmo's, or GW2 I wouldn't recommend it though.

    Don't see a reason not to get it if you are already enjoying GW2 and the asking price isn't outside of your budget.

    PS the so called grindy unlocks people have been complaining about have also been reduced in a way that you could barely justify calling them grindy now.    … Expand
  87. snokey
    Oct 28, 2015
    10
    This expansion blew my mind! It is gorgeous! Maps are so beautiful and very fun to traverse, especially when you learn gliding, mushroom jumping etc I haven't had that much fun to just explore in ages :) Story is amazing and absolutely shocking, filled with fun challenges. I love the new difficulty of mobs, while they don't have huge amount of HP, they do hit hard! and new mechanics isThis expansion blew my mind! It is gorgeous! Maps are so beautiful and very fun to traverse, especially when you learn gliding, mushroom jumping etc I haven't had that much fun to just explore in ages :) Story is amazing and absolutely shocking, filled with fun challenges. I love the new difficulty of mobs, while they don't have huge amount of HP, they do hit hard! and new mechanics is very nice! Camera action mode proved to be th one thing i wished they added from the start, can't play without it!

    New specializations are so much fun as well, great animations, great feel to them. Some people expected to get them straight at the start, but it is unreasonable to expect to unlock elite spec on day one, however that was still possible for some vets. If you just play the game, then unlocking masteries and getting Hero Points comes naturally without feeling any repetition as there are a lot of different ways to get those.    … Expand
  88. waffleninja
    Oct 28, 2015
    10
    Beautiful new content all around. Lots to do right off the bat and plenty to look forward to. I highly recommend this to anybody wishing for a genuine challenge in the traditional MMO genre.
  89. KyrgyzManas
    Oct 28, 2015
    10
    I was already playing GW2 (the base game) for quite some time. The biggest gripe I had with it was the difficulty level. Most content was too easy, although the game was really, really good in all other ways. But Heart of Thorn set the bar really high (didn't expect too much). But man...that jungle is immense! It's so dense and atmospheric, I can't believe it. The difficulty of gettingI was already playing GW2 (the base game) for quite some time. The biggest gripe I had with it was the difficulty level. Most content was too easy, although the game was really, really good in all other ways. But Heart of Thorn set the bar really high (didn't expect too much). But man...that jungle is immense! It's so dense and atmospheric, I can't believe it. The difficulty of getting around is partly nuts (rolling raptors *gaze*). But honestly, the greatest addition to the addon was gliding. I didn't know how much I love it until I had it - hoooooly **** is this awesome exploring those multi- layered maps by gliding! So much looking forward to the Raid :D… Expand
  90. WMustafa
    Oct 28, 2015
    9
    As someone who isn't a 'fan-boy', this is really quite good. Don't get me wrong: there are issues with this expansion, such as level gating. But ANet has been swift to fix this.

    I was initially confused about the pricing. It still is a little high (£35! I bought the base game for £40!) but I've spent about 15 hours on the first map, with only 55% completion. There is plenty of content,    As someone who isn't a 'fan-boy', this is really quite good. Don't get me wrong: there are issues with this expansion, such as level gating. But ANet has been swift to fix this.

    I was initially confused about the pricing. It still is a little high (£35! I bought the base game for £40!) but I've spent about 15 hours on the first map, with only 55% completion. There is plenty of content, and some room for re-playability.

    The content itself is rather vivid. The maps focus on vertical progression, which makes for an interesting change from typical maps. There is a limited glider system that helps you travel across the jungle. There are also now 'raids' and harder world events. This is a good change from the base game, which has comparatively uninteresting events. Put simply, you cannot just use a glass-cannon build in the jungle; the jungle will kill you and you'll have to find a way back, somehow. (There are less waypoints, too: the moral of the story is 'don't get yourself killed'.)

    As to why I've rated it a 9: originally, I was anticipating to drop a 6 or 7. But ANet's feedback towards the live game has actually been stellar, with loads of swift changes to make the game play less infuriating. The content is beautiful (both playing it and seeing it), and it truly echoes the whole 'open world' statement original reviews of Guild Wars 2 were raving about. The 'gating' is now moderate, and it doesn't really impede my game-play.

    Overall, I really am satisfied with my purchase - I hope that will allay some of your concerns.    … Expand
  91. Sk1ppeR
    Oct 28, 2015
    10
    Arena Net are stemming professionalism with this expansion and personally I think they just gave an example to the whole industry. In times when every MMO launch, expansion or not, is faced with mile long queues, lags, crashes and disconnects, Arena Net had one of the smoothest launches in gaming history with basically zero downtime. As for the expansion itself, it iterates over everythingArena Net are stemming professionalism with this expansion and personally I think they just gave an example to the whole industry. In times when every MMO launch, expansion or not, is faced with mile long queues, lags, crashes and disconnects, Arena Net had one of the smoothest launches in gaming history with basically zero downtime. As for the expansion itself, it iterates over everything the community has been asking for in the past 3 years. Meaningful progression, new content, new specializations which bring much needed new skills. action camera, guild halls, hard content (the jungle is pretty vile place to be alone at, especially at night *pun intended*) raids and that's just on the PvE side. On the pvp front we got new pvp leagues and a new World vs World borderline map. And seriously, that's not all. There's tons more content, nooks and crannies about this expansion. The expansion is extremely polished. I already have majority of mastery points and have completed the story, nothing appeared to be broken. A lot of hard work went into this expansion, it's not just dust in the face. It's not cash grab. It is by all means an expansion to the game. In conclusion, I'm a person who values their, sadly limited, free time. But I do not regret spending every free second of it in the Heart of Thorns expansion. And in the this is what matters to most people. It's fun, it's relaxing and there's always something to do. Arena Net deserves a massive tap on the back for this expansion.… Expand
  92. lecramstar
    Oct 28, 2015
    10
    Guild Wars 2 Heart of Thorns features:
    - An awesome new profession which feels like a throwback to Guild Wars 1 - The Revenant
    - 4 Huge explorable maps
    - Unique mastering which gives the player solid endgame content
    - Guild Halls
    - And much more

    Must buy if you like the base game.
  93. thatfool
    Oct 28, 2015
    9
    Very solid expansion with new mechanics, a new profession, and new horizontal progression on level 80. I'd give it more points but some of the bugs are downright embarrassing, if not particularly problematic, and show a serious lack of QA (e.g. the new profession not showing up as an option on the trading post... not an actual problem, but one of many examples that show their QA doesn'tVery solid expansion with new mechanics, a new profession, and new horizontal progression on level 80. I'd give it more points but some of the bugs are downright embarrassing, if not particularly problematic, and show a serious lack of QA (e.g. the new profession not showing up as an option on the trading post... not an actual problem, but one of many examples that show their QA doesn't involve actually playing the game like a normal player).… Expand
  94. DaHunt
    Oct 28, 2015
    10
    An amazing expansion that adds a ton of features even for free to play players. There are not enough hours in a day to do everything I want to do, and I see myself playing this for months as the repeatable content is so rich and rewarding. Definitely delivers its money's worth even compared to games of old.
  95. TheBlankBadge
    Oct 27, 2015
    8
    + Very smooth launch technically. No seriously it's been impressive.
    + Elite Specializations generally add a LOT of fresh playstyles to old classes
    + Revenant is awesome new class, which is quite impressive + The new zones and story are greatly improved from the base game, and the base game wasn't that bad. + The Masteries system is largely a success, adding lots of utility to    + Very smooth launch technically. No seriously it's been impressive.
    + Elite Specializations generally add a LOT of fresh playstyles to old classes
    + Revenant is awesome new class, which is quite impressive
    + The new zones and story are greatly improved from the base game, and the base game wasn't that bad.
    + The Masteries system is largely a success, adding lots of utility to exploring vanilla zones at max level and giving the new zones a welcome "Metroidvania" feel.
    + The revamps to the Guild system are excellent
    + Many minor UI and general game improvements
    + The new content encourages group play
    + Guild Halls rock

    * Stronghold is very "meh." Not bad, not great.
    * Scribe is very "meh" as a crafting discipline, but might not be to you.
    * The new WvW maps seem barren so far.

    - Elites can take a fair amount of time to unlock. Not a horrible amount of time, but a fair amount of time.
    - Unlocking Masteries can be a bit too much of a grind.
    - Encouraging group content is great, but not all groups are equal.
    - The new zones can take a heavy toll on your CPU/GPU. I have a solid mid-range i5 and an R9390 and parts of the new zone drop to 15 fps, with middling settings.
    - Still no build lockers. They really really REALLY should implement those.

    -----------------------

    Overall I'm very pleased with this expansion and with moderate play (1-4 hours a day) feel I've gotten both a lot of value and still have a lot of value to still receive. If you're into f2p GW2 enough to have leveled more than 1 character to 80 and still want more to chew on, the expansion is definitely for you.

    ---------------------------------------------------

    People who want to jump in with both feet without trying GW2 f2p should really try f2p first-- GW2 is great but it's a distinct flavor that doesn't appeal to everyone. HoT is definitely for players who already took a big hunk out of the base game and are looking for more.    … Expand
  96. SwiftZero
    Oct 27, 2015
    8
    The expansion adds a deceptively large amount of content to the game. I've heard many people refer to the content as a grind, but the most accurate description I've seen is that it brings the spirit of Metroidvania to the MMO. Having to move on from the first zone before you can fully complete it might be disheartening to some, but the game has much to offer in each of the subsequentThe expansion adds a deceptively large amount of content to the game. I've heard many people refer to the content as a grind, but the most accurate description I've seen is that it brings the spirit of Metroidvania to the MMO. Having to move on from the first zone before you can fully complete it might be disheartening to some, but the game has much to offer in each of the subsequent zones. As you explore those you will earn plenty of experience to rank up the required Mastery lines to then return and conquer the earlier challenges.

    The developers did a wonderful job on the creation of this expansion. It was worth every penny. I am thoroughly enjoying the scale and variety of the new maps. The new gliding mechanics and mastery system make traversing the waypoint-sparse zones much more fun and encourage you to find new routes of travel.

    The audio and story are simply splendid. I could probably spend hours just gliding around the maps admiring the view and the new tunes.

    All that said, it was not a perfect launch. Some issues with bugs hindered the progress of the player story or game mechanics, and some even had ripples into old content. Most notably was a mishap with the megaserver system that caused many maps to have a sparse amount of players in them over the launch weekend. Responses from the developers have been positive and it is clear they are monitoring the playerbase for feedback.

    That said, I have been playing MMO games for many years and have never seen the launch of an expansion go this smoothly from a technical standpoint. Arenanet truly does a wonderful job of hosting an MMO that has virtually zero downtime and even introduces patches and hotfixes in a very unobtrusive way.

    The expansion might not be for some people, but as a 3-year veteran of Guild Wars 2, I am thoroughly enjoying the time spent in the game. I look forward to exploring the nooks and crannies in all of the new content.    … Expand
  97. Drakortha
    Oct 27, 2015
    9
    I pre-purchased heart of thorns some months ago and I've been having a great time in the Maguuma jungle. it's tough, engaging, but most of all, it feels like my character is progressing past the level 80 point and more. I still need to run through more story missions and explore more than the 2 maps I have so far, but so far the experience has been nothing short of spectacular. Thank youI pre-purchased heart of thorns some months ago and I've been having a great time in the Maguuma jungle. it's tough, engaging, but most of all, it feels like my character is progressing past the level 80 point and more. I still need to run through more story missions and explore more than the 2 maps I have so far, but so far the experience has been nothing short of spectacular. Thank you for the experience!… Expand
  98. chaninxain
    Oct 27, 2015
    10
    I feel Anet has to write a guide on how to launch expansions. No downtime, bug fixes are a daily basis, lots of content.

    - The story has received a major improvement from Living Story 1.
    - Challenging content
    - Lots and lots to do
  99. bob_dobalina
    Oct 27, 2015
    10
    A really excellent expansion. I've only got through the first zone after 3 days so far and I'm rather happy how the game and new systems have played out. That and because of the new collections, the entire world is now relevant as far as GW2's unique (for a MMO) horizontal progression. 10/10
  100. season2003
    Oct 27, 2015
    8
    Great job on reviewing the Hero Points and the story gating. 250 points and level 1 mastery is much much much better than the crap you bring to us at the very beginning. Now I can set back and enjoy my elite spec while going through the new content. Cheers
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Awards & Rankings

51
#51 Best PC Game of 2015
10
#10 Most Discussed PC Game of 2015
15
#15 Most Shared PC Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 22
  3. Negative: 0 out of 22
  1. CD-Action
    Jan 12, 2016
    85
    Heart of Thorns is so good I forgot the flaws that made me lose interest in the original game after my initial delight with it. [13/2015, p.64]
  2. Games Master UK
    Jan 3, 2016
    85
    Not the biggest expansion, but it enhances the best parts of an already magnificent MMO. [Christmas 2015, p.75]
  3. Edge Magazine
    Jan 3, 2016
    80
    In spite of the odd stumble, it's a wonderful journey. [Jan 2016, p.120]
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