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. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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 !
  5. 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
  6. Levira
    Oct 27, 2015
    10
    Need some time to get into, but the jungle is a simply awesome place to discover and where to play, full of life and tons of dangers.
    Sometimes i forget i'm in GW2 and looks like a Tomb Rider place.
    Maxed Graphic and sound are very well made , use Sweetfx to improve even more. I really don't know how is possible to give 0/10 to this game. Maybe they're others mmo fanboy who rosik...    Need some time to get into, but the jungle is a simply awesome place to discover and where to play, full of life and tons of dangers.
    Sometimes i forget i'm in GW2 and looks like a Tomb Rider place.
    Maxed Graphic and sound are very well made , use Sweetfx to improve even more.
    I really don't know how is possible to give 0/10 to this game.
    Maybe they're others mmo fanboy who rosik... but it's not a GW2 fault if your MMOs are dying.    … Expand
  7. rinealdo
    Oct 27, 2015
    10
    Forget all about GW2 core game, this jungle is hard to master, ma very very beautifull place to level.
    This is not the classic (crap wow) expansion where you cap all in 1 day, you'll need to play and to play right to unlock all the elite spec.
    This is what most of the player base wanted: a game where you need to use your brain and smart tactics to fight the enemy. This is war, this is    Forget all about GW2 core game, this jungle is hard to master, ma very very beautifull place to level.
    This is not the classic (crap wow) expansion where you cap all in 1 day, you'll need to play and to play right to unlock all the elite spec.
    This is what most of the player base wanted: a game where you need to use your brain and smart tactics to fight the enemy.
    This is war, this is Heart of Thorns !    … Expand
  8. Korruna
    Oct 27, 2015
    10
    I have had a lot of fun with Heart of Thorns. Most players complaining simply don't understand that ArenaNet is trying to simulate the feeling of progression that is in many other MMOs, but they are delivered through vertical progression. (Leveling up) Since the level cap is not being raids, they are using a two-fold horizontal approach:

    Masteries provide the feeling of progressing    I have had a lot of fun with Heart of Thorns. Most players complaining simply don't understand that ArenaNet is trying to simulate the feeling of progression that is in many other MMOs, but they are delivered through vertical progression. (Leveling up) Since the level cap is not being raids, they are using a two-fold horizontal approach:

    Masteries provide the feeling of progressing through zones without the need to make enemies level up. Instead, you traverse terrain more efficiently or gain access to new areas. You can't just rush to the final zone because traversing it would be a nightmare without the unlocking things like Gliding.

    Elite Specializations give the feeling of unlocking new power, just like how leveling up in other MMOs will grant new skills. Players who are complaining about these systems simply don't understand what they were trying to accomplish, and I like the groundwork that's been laid out. Where were all these riots when players logged on a level 1 Mage in World of Warcraft and did not instantly have access to all 30 of their abilities they would have at maximum level?

    It's not perfect, but it's a great addition to Guild Wars 2.    … Expand
  9. morroIan
    Oct 27, 2015
    4
    Grindy content designed to hide the fact that here is not enough content in the expansion to justify the high price tag (equal highest for any mmo expansion). The story is good, the map looks fantastic but is painful to get around and as I said the mechanics of the content are grindy to stretch out the time. The elite specs are also quite cool on the whole but are bug ridden, the expensionGrindy content designed to hide the fact that here is not enough content in the expansion to justify the high price tag (equal highest for any mmo expansion). The story is good, the map looks fantastic but is painful to get around and as I said the mechanics of the content are grindy to stretch out the time. The elite specs are also quite cool on the whole but are bug ridden, the expension was released far too early in this regard.… Expand
  10. tormentor19191
    Oct 26, 2015
    8
    Story 10/10 Amazing - Specially the final boss fight. Little buggy now but if those are fixed , amazing fight
    open world 9/10 - Challenging mobs, amazing beautiful map design , feels like a maze sometimes
    Content 9/10 - Amazing meta events - challenging and fun
    Elite spec - 7/10 Requires a lot of work to unlock the complete elite spec but the specs itself are amazing.
  11. 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.
  12. 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.
  13. 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.
  14. 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
  15. chalks
    Oct 26, 2015
    10
    Really loving the story and the new maps are fantastic, guild halls are a really cool concept and the masteries system actually offers some useful skills which kinda surprised me.

    My biggest problem with the game was the mastery gating in the personal story, but Anet recently announced that they're removing this so you can complete the story with only a very basic set of mastery skills    Really loving the story and the new maps are fantastic, guild halls are a really cool concept and the masteries system actually offers some useful skills which kinda surprised me.

    My biggest problem with the game was the mastery gating in the personal story, but Anet recently announced that they're removing this so you can complete the story with only a very basic set of mastery skills so that settles it for me, it's a really great game.

    I'd recommend this to anyone who's enjoyed the original game and wants some more, or anyone who's looking for a fun MMO that they can dip in and out of without feeling they're being left behind. Really good fun.    … Expand
  16. Xzean
    Oct 26, 2015
    10
    Simply masterful. Every aspect of the game improved while keeping the importance of the rest of their content. Each class made to feel fresh and new with specializations, making them hard to get to feel like a true reward.
  17. Rocinantus
    Oct 26, 2015
    10
    Many of these reviews completely astound me by saying things like how there's "no content" or that ArenaNet advertised falsely. ArenaNet was very transparent about what would be released with their expansion, and there's plenty of content to consider this a large expansion. I think what most of these reviews are complaining about is the time investment required to get to the new eliteMany of these reviews completely astound me by saying things like how there's "no content" or that ArenaNet advertised falsely. ArenaNet was very transparent about what would be released with their expansion, and there's plenty of content to consider this a large expansion. I think what most of these reviews are complaining about is the time investment required to get to the new elite specializations. This is confusing to me, because when playing an MMO I think it's understood that there will be a time investment.

    The new areas are massive (once you unlock enough masteries) and the content is challenging but not too much so. I sunk many hours into it over the weekend and I'm very pleased with it.    … Expand
  18. Rits
    Oct 26, 2015
    9
    Story: 10/10 (This is what should have been in the core game! A reason to love characters and a can't wait to do the next chapter feeling)

    Music: 10/10 (Absolutely Phenomenal!) Environment: 10/10 (Soo much to explore, the maps are super non linear and just when you think you explored it all, you find a hidden mastery point to acquire) Replay: 10/10 (Mastery Points are account    Story: 10/10 (This is what should have been in the core game! A reason to love characters and a can't wait to do the next chapter feeling)

    Music: 10/10 (Absolutely Phenomenal!)

    Environment: 10/10 (Soo much to explore, the maps are super non linear and just when you think you explored it all, you find a hidden mastery point to acquire)

    Replay: 10/10 (Mastery Points are account bound but hero challenges that you need for Elite Spec are not, each hero challenge is unique in strategy that it does not feel boring like world completion in core)

    Other Content: 9/10 (Fractals mob rewards being removed and moved into RNG boxes which you have to pay for leaves a bad taste in my mouth...due to this, I'm avoiding them in the hopes that they will be tweaked. Raids not being ready even though they are listed as a reason to buy the expansion too leaves a bad taste. HOWEVER, there is PLENTY to do that it does not bother me as much as it did initially, there still is the fact its there and happened though.)

    To the players: You don't hop into a game expecting a max level off the bat, why should we expect the same for an ELITE spec. It should show that you took the time and challenge to get that spec completed. The name is ELITE for a reason.

    These aren’t just new builds to try out. They are completely different play styles added onto your class…practically a new class! There are new icons to represent this for Pete’s sake!
    I think if people would slow down and think about it this way they would realize how much it makes sense that you shouldn’t expect instant gratification for something coming out of an expansion designed purely for lvl 80s. It is going to be challenging and it is going to require time.

    TY Anet for giving me something to do other than logging on, doing my dailies and dungeon run or two with my guildies then signing off. This brought back tons of goals and challenges for me to aim for and it brought back a huge social experience for me and many of my guildies! The fact that a lot of the maps are aimed for group experiences has been enjoyable. Its so fun to see/meet others that are willing to lend a helping hand.    … Expand
  19. 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!
  20. Vayne127
    Oct 27, 2015
    9
    As an avid Guild Wars 2 player, I had mixed feelings about the direction they company was taking HoT. Mostly I was concerned about the grind factor and the difficulty of the new zone. I started playing as a skeptic, but HoT has won me over.

    The zone design is brilliant, the zones are beautiful and I finally feel like I have to fight my way through a war zone. I haven't felt like that    As an avid Guild Wars 2 player, I had mixed feelings about the direction they company was taking HoT. Mostly I was concerned about the grind factor and the difficulty of the new zone. I started playing as a skeptic, but HoT has won me over.

    The zone design is brilliant, the zones are beautiful and I finally feel like I have to fight my way through a war zone. I haven't felt like that since they nerfed Orr, another end game zone.

    Admittedly there are plenty of things to work (grind for), but I'm having so much fun just playing I don't really notice it. I love the dynamic event chains at different outposts. I love the story. And I love the idea that if I'm not paying attention, I'm likely going to end up dead.

    And I really love the gliding. This is very very well done. I'm having a blast. The only real downside I can see to the expansion is it's not very large...but what it misses on in size it makes up for in detail and quality. Well worth the price.    … Expand
  21. wowrox
    Oct 28, 2015
    0
    This is an example of an expansion done wrong. A business model that is displeasing to the customers and provides the players with the type of content that we want. It would have been nice if it included build templates but they said that will come soon.
  22. anext
    Oct 27, 2015
    6
    Some beautifully, lovingly crafted maps - but gated by 'future fun' progression. In order to create a sense of character progression, ANet has decided to coin a different type of leveling in the form of mastery. This may make you feel you're working towards something, at the cost of the resulting grind. Make no mistake, in order to gain full access to your elite specialization (on mostSome beautifully, lovingly crafted maps - but gated by 'future fun' progression. In order to create a sense of character progression, ANet has decided to coin a different type of leveling in the form of mastery. This may make you feel you're working towards something, at the cost of the resulting grind. Make no mistake, in order to gain full access to your elite specialization (on most characters without 100% world completion) you will have to grind, whether it be PvE mastery lines or WvW ranks. As a community built around casual friendly design, this has resulted in appropriate out-roar. The introduction of this progression, and a 'soft trinity' have made for a somewhat confusing experience when compared to the initial design decisions of vanilla GW2. Events are poorly balanced, as are certain hero challenges, resulting in a distinct feeling of artificial difficulty (many mobs will instantly kill you).Exploration is a blast (if you're into that) and gliding adds a new dimension to traversing the jungle. Do you want more of the same? You'll probably dig this expansion. Were you hoping for something new and refreshing? You're likely to feel conflicted.… Expand
  23. 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,
  24. 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
  25. 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
  26. Arean
    Oct 27, 2015
    9
    Heart of Thornes falls just short of a perfect expansion and launch. There actually only three things that bothered people, and those three combined probably account for 80% of the negative reviews that the expansion received so far. And there are also three things that players really love about the expansion. Both aspects are strongly linked actually.

    1) The expansion brings elite    Heart of Thornes falls just short of a perfect expansion and launch. There actually only three things that bothered people, and those three combined probably account for 80% of the negative reviews that the expansion received so far. And there are also three things that players really love about the expansion. Both aspects are strongly linked actually.

    1) The expansion brings elite specialization. Instead of a new gear tier or level cap, Arenanet provided us with horizontal progression. The elite specialization doesn't make use stronger, it gives more options. A new weapon you can use, new skills, new traits. The design philosophy was that this had to be unlocked/earned by playing through the expansion map. Meaning that players only got their full elite specialization after they had played trough most parts of the expansion maps. However, a lot of players wanted to play through the expansion with a new build. This will be changed so player can access the elite specialization a lot sooner. The technical detail is that the number of hero points required to unlock the elite specialization is going to be reduced from 400 to 250.

    2) The expansion maps are vastly different then most game maps. There are at least three different layers. Just like in a real jungle, you have the ground, the undergrowth and the canopy. So getting around on the maps is a lot harder at first. This is until you unlock masteries. These account bound extra 'skills' allow you for example to use a glider, jump on certain mushrooms, take short cut tunnels. When the expansion launched a lot of people didn't understand that you only need the early masteries to get around quickly in the maps. Those early masteriesare actually easy to unlock.

    3) Bugs. There was a bug that spread out the player base over to many instances of the megaserver. This resulted in a lot of half (or worse) empty maps, who then couldn't do the meta events. This is getting addressed today, with the same build as the changes to the elite specialization. There were also several progress blocking bugs in the personal story missions. Most are already addressed.

    And there are also three things that players really like in the game:

    1) The story is amazing. Both the stories being told on the maps through the events, and the personal story are the best the game has ever had. There's comedy and tragedy, decisions to be made, and even slight variations between certain races. At one point you have to make a choice on how to compose your party for the end fight. Like what you see in Mass Effect and Dragon Age. It was the hardest decision for me in any game, ever. This expansion actually feels like 1/3 of Dragon Age Inquisition.

    2) The mobs and the combat is very good. A lot of new mobs came with the new maps and they each have distinct mechanics that you have to adapt your tactics to. AFk attacking, just pressing one skill, ignoring mobs, that isn't possible hear. A lot of players asked for a higher difficulty, and Arenanet delivered. And it's not difficulty trough stats on the mobs but through mechanics. This again overwhelmed a lot of players at launch date who then cut down the content before actually learning it.

    3) The maps. As overpowering they are when you first try to move through them, they are awesome once you get used to them. As I said before, you need masteries to get around. And the more you have, the easier the maps become to transverse. The players also had to get used to the fact that the entire maps change a lot. There's a day and night cycle and both have several stages . The events and objectives change according to the stage the map is in. And this is off course also influence by on what level of the map you are playing. If you count everything together the new maps have three times the amount of content then the older maps, in what's now called 'Core Tyria'.

    Conclusion: a lot of players were really negative in the first two to three days because they didn't expect the how the expansion would challenge them. From the legitimate criticism of the expansion, most things have already been addressed. So the expansion deserves a 9, it really does.    … Expand
  27. 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 !
  28. 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
  29. TerminalMontage
    Oct 27, 2015
    9
    The expansion improves upon everything that was already great in this action packed, fast paced MMO. Gliding, pretty environments, engaging content, I'm having such a blast.
  30. Cildar
    Oct 27, 2015
    10
    Perhaps the most enjoyable MMO expansion I've played and well worth the price. There is a large amount of new content as well as many great game improvements.
  31. Theron13
    Oct 26, 2015
    10
    I am really surprised to see all this complain about grind. There is a lot of factually incorrect or misinterpreted information floating around.

    First, you do not need 400 challenges to get 400 hero points. They have increased the number of point granted by each challenge 10 folds in the expansion so you only need 40 challenges in worst case scenario. Veteran player will need only 19    I am really surprised to see all this complain about grind. There is a lot of factually incorrect or misinterpreted information floating around.

    First, you do not need 400 challenges to get 400 hero points. They have increased the number of point granted by each challenge 10 folds in the expansion so you only need 40 challenges in worst case scenario. Veteran player will need only 19 challenges to max out everything.

    Second, Hero Challenges by design cannot be grinded as you have to do a unique one. Hero challenges involve either pressing 'F', killing a mod, or doing an event chain.

    Third, most veteran player that are creating a new character are using account bound rewards to instantly get a level 80 character and get all skills for the base class. For most veteran player 5 minutes after character creation they will have a level 80 character with all base skills maxed out.

    Finally only a few hero points are locked behind high level masteries, for example, in first 2 zones there are 22 hero points from which only 2 require high level masteries.

    You can argue that Hero points are too challenging, but I don;t get the argument that they are too grindy.    … Expand
  32. awesomebydlo
    Oct 28, 2015
    0
    Grind Wars 2's mastery system and hero points are impossible to solo. Ascended gear is necessary for raids and Arenanet has made it a larger grind. The elite specializations are lackluster and the developers did not pay attention to community response during the betas. On the day of release, the game was horribly broken and it was practically impossible to continue the game's story becauseGrind Wars 2's mastery system and hero points are impossible to solo. Ascended gear is necessary for raids and Arenanet has made it a larger grind. The elite specializations are lackluster and the developers did not pay attention to community response during the betas. On the day of release, the game was horribly broken and it was practically impossible to continue the game's story because of broken NPCs and this was not fixed until a week after. The developers have also gutted core-professions such as Thief's Acrobatic line and require you to pay $50 to buy the expansion to have what they took back. The story is shorter than the Personal Story. There are only 4 maps in this expansion. It's honestly not worth the price tag.… Expand
  33. Kalevala
    Oct 27, 2015
    9
    Open World: 12/10(Yes, 12) - The new maps are absolutly awesome. I could be hours doing photos of the environment.

    Dynamic events: 9/10 - The dinamic events are so cool. There are a lot of fun histories on these maps and I love the new metaevents(specially Tarir defense :3). Masteries: 9/10 - I love how they were designed. I love to glide and move by the jungle with all the    Open World: 12/10(Yes, 12) - The new maps are absolutly awesome. I could be hours doing photos of the environment.

    Dynamic events: 9/10 - The dinamic events are so cool. There are a lot of fun histories on these maps and I love the new metaevents(specially Tarir defense :3).

    Masteries: 9/10 - I love how they were designed. I love to glide and move by the jungle with all the posibilities that they grant me.

    Personal History: 7/10 - I love how it is exposed to me and the history itself, but I hate to grind my marteries to continue in some parts of it.

    Elite specializations: 9/10 - I only can talk about the reaper because is my main and the only I tried for now, but I LOVE IT    … Expand
  34. 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
  35. 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.
  36. Nebular
    Oct 27, 2015
    10
    The user score is NOT ACCURATE. People who were disappointed about having to actually play the game to unlock things bombed metacritic with 0/10 reviews. ArenaNet has since made it easier to unlock things and most people have not changed their reviews anyway. The expansion definitely deserves more than a 0/10, no matter what your issues are with it.

    This expansion might have had the    The user score is NOT ACCURATE. People who were disappointed about having to actually play the game to unlock things bombed metacritic with 0/10 reviews. ArenaNet has since made it easier to unlock things and most people have not changed their reviews anyway. The expansion definitely deserves more than a 0/10, no matter what your issues are with it.

    This expansion might have had the smoothest release in MMO history. Within hours everyone was able to log in and play. I have not heard of any game breaking bugs. ArenaNet has been very quick with bug fixes and other improvements based on player feedback. Despite many people complaining, the majority of players who are actually taking the time to give it a chance are having tons of fun with it.    … Expand
  37. Sabawoyomu
    Oct 27, 2015
    10
    Straight up the best online-based game I've ever played. The personal story was straight AWSOME. The maps are so fun to just run around in, the events are long and interesting, the designs for armors and weapons are as usual top notch.
  38. 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
  39. 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
  40. 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.
  41. 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
  42. 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
  43. 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
  44. mega_karaoke
    Dec 9, 2015
    7
    Heart of Thorns represents a worthy effort by ArenaNet, but ultimately the content available within the first couple months of launch feels shallow.

    Great: the first raid, Spirit Vale. The music. The art, especially Auric Basin. The new class, Revenant (once you fully unlock its elite specialization, Herald). Gliding! Good: guild halls are incredible if incredibly overpriced. The    Heart of Thorns represents a worthy effort by ArenaNet, but ultimately the content available within the first couple months of launch feels shallow.

    Great: the first raid, Spirit Vale. The music. The art, especially Auric Basin. The new class, Revenant (once you fully unlock its elite specialization, Herald). Gliding!

    Good: guild halls are incredible if incredibly overpriced. The Mastery system is a good idea though it needs more impactful unlocks, especially later in the system. Elite Specializations are mostly upgrades to the class.

    Bad: by "disincentivizing" dungeons, instanced content feels lacking, especially rewards. WvW players are mostly avoiding the new borderlands map. PvP balance issues and matchmaking still poor. Many rewards are locked behind Mastery system gates. The new maps are all on strict timers, often requiring an hour or more of time investment to receive rewards. The last act of the Story felt horribly rushed with an incredibly unsatisfying ending.

    Overall: if you intend to keep playing Guild Wars 2, you should absolutely buy Heart of Thorns. For players who have never tried the game, start with the free-to-play version and, if you still like it a couple hundred hours in, feel safe buying the game.    … Expand
  45. 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
  46. Savoy2012
    Oct 27, 2015
    10
    The open world events are great and highly replayable. Elite specialzations are fun and add more build variety to the game. Zones are beautiful and intricate. I have so much to do that I havnt even gone into my favorite game mode WvW yet. This game was money well spent
  47. 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.
  48. 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
  49. 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.
  50. 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
  51. 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
  52. 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.
  53. 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
  54. 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.
  55. 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.
  56. 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.
  57. 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
  58. 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
  59. wowroxursox
    Oct 28, 2015
    0
    Expansion without any meat on the bones. Gating measly content behind grindy masteries. Expansion without any meat on the bones. Gating measly content behind grindy masteries.
  60. ohsnapitskelz
    Oct 27, 2015
    9
    GW2: Heart of Thorns is everything an expansion should be. It builds on the formula of the original game and shows just how much ArenaNet have developed their design formula since the base game's launch.

    The new mastery and elite specialization systems add so much horizontal progression to the game without removing too much from the base game itself. Instead, these systems let you    GW2: Heart of Thorns is everything an expansion should be. It builds on the formula of the original game and shows just how much ArenaNet have developed their design formula since the base game's launch.

    The new mastery and elite specialization systems add so much horizontal progression to the game without removing too much from the base game itself. Instead, these systems let you continue to power up your characters with new abilities like gliding and jungle languages that let you trade with merchants from the new maps. Alongside these features, the elite specializations allow players to transform their classes into completely different versions of the vanilla ones, and introduces countless new mechanics to the game.

    But, ArenaNet doesn't stop there! There are plenty of new maps to explore, including one for the new PvP game mode Stronghold, one for World vs. World, and two for the new guild hall feature introduced with the expansion. The PvE content itself takes place over four beautifully crafted maps that expand vertically from the roots below the ground to the tips of the trees to create a play area much larger than any maps seen in the base game.

    Amazingly, nearly nothing went wrong with this launch. It's common to see games having server issues and countless bugs at launch, but Heart of Thorns seemed to avoid this entirely. What bugs there were rarely (if ever) hindered progress, and were typically patched within 24 hours of being reported.

    On top of all of that, the quality of the expansion is mind blowing. The wonderful voice acting and new version of pre-rendered cutscenes used for the story instances makes for an incredibly immersive experience, and the beautiful music only adds to that. The environments and textures themselves are truly works of art, bringing the simultaneously beautiful and brutal Maguuma Jungle to life.

    A few of the systems required a bit of polish after launch, but they were addressed within days of the launch. Some systems are getting a small re-balance to account for player feedback, while a few small bugs are being patched out.

    All in all, Heart of Thorns has proven to be an incredible expansion. No expansion comes without a few flaws, but don't let those distract you from the amazing experience that the game provides. Plus, ArenaNet has proven they will do anything to improve the experience due to player feedback.

    I can't wait to see what the Living Story system and the launch of raids brings in the next month!!    … Expand
  61. Guyius
    Oct 27, 2015
    10
    Amazing story, amazing world and amazing mechanics.

    ArenaNet's Heart of Thorns expansion provides endless hours of enjoyment with four new massive layered maps each with their own mechanics and multiple meta events. They have gone on to create the greatest story arch of their franchise rivalling SWTOR and Final Fantasy blowing their previous Personal Story and Living World content    Amazing story, amazing world and amazing mechanics.

    ArenaNet's Heart of Thorns expansion provides endless hours of enjoyment with four new massive layered maps each with their own mechanics and multiple meta events.

    They have gone on to create the greatest story arch of their franchise rivalling SWTOR and Final Fantasy blowing their previous Personal Story and Living World content out the water.

    They've added new maps and mechanics to WvW changing the whole experience, better rewarding defending.

    Overall an amazing experience and I can't wait for the next one.    … Expand
  62. My_accountatwor
    Oct 27, 2015
    9
    (Shamelessly copying user Huddi's format)

    Story: 9/10 - The story and instanced events follow in the steps of Living Story Season 2. Plot-wise, the introduction of new lore is excellent, and the progression of the story from the teaser we were left with from the end of season 2 paces quite well. Those that enjoyed the Living Story will enjoy this as well. Expect some nice tie ins with    (Shamelessly copying user Huddi's format)

    Story: 9/10 - The story and instanced events follow in the steps of Living Story Season 2. Plot-wise, the introduction of new lore is excellent, and the progression of the story from the teaser we were left with from the end of season 2 paces quite well. Those that enjoyed the Living Story will enjoy this as well. Expect some nice tie ins with the original story, too. The story is gated by the occasional mastery requirement (one such requirement has been removed as of a few days ago). Personally, I'd like to see more depth to the lore, and would have enjoyed more story (current one had 16 chapters).

    Open World: 9/10 - The jungle is filled with depth, and there is a lot to do within the new zones. The mobs and events are a leg up in difficulty, which should get rid of a the old mentality that mobs are worth ignoring and running past. Skill is put to the test, and many old habits may not cut it (time to really appreciate that dodge skill.). Fortunately, with the exception of changing your stats, your gear should work just fine, as no new level cap means your current gear remains relevant. Lots of replay ability, and the challenging group events that mirror the Triple Wurm and Tequatl battles are to be expected in these new maps. The "grind" is alive and well, as mastery requirements are set for story, and portions of new maps are not accessible until certain masteries are made. HOWEVER, many people seem to have forgotten the nature of MMOs; but true to GW2's nature, grinding for these requirements contains benefits for other portions of the game (loot, achievements), so as to not be a chore. Mix this with the difficulty and options, the idea of this becomes far less tedious.

    sPvP: ??/10 - Limited exposure so far. Seems like there's a lot of excitement about the specializations. Currently chaos in the learning curve of builds and how to adjust to them that I expect to tapper off in a month, once the hyped new PvP season rolls in. Stronghold is a lovely change of pace from Conquest mode, but I'm disappointed that we're limited to a single map at the moment. Nothing seems too out of wack, but can't offer a number for this from my limited play times.

    WvW: ??/10 - Similar to sPvP, can't offer much introspection here. New desert borderland maps should add fresh air using EoTM (The free for fall WvW map that does not count in server scoring) mechanics, and rotating maps in the future should keeps things fresh.

    Bugs, Game Stability: 10/10 - What are server maintenance days, anyway? Some bugs do exist, but work-arounds make them trivial, assuming they aren't patched out on a daily basis.

    Other: 9/10 - New guild functionalities and revamps to old processes vastly improve the experience of being in a guild. A lot is being offered to work toward. Quality of life changes are prevalent, but many more could be added. Fractals, now being the designated go to for instanced content, has been improved to support long term replay ability. Raids are to be expected in the coming weeks. Precursor crafting for legendary gear ought to be a sigh of relief for those purple color font item seekers.

    Overall: 9/10 - Come for the new challenges, enjoy the new story, explore and get lost, or get to fighting others with new specializations, there's a little something for everyone. Note: The jungle is not for the feint of heart, so be wary.    … Expand
  63. Dahkeus
    Oct 27, 2015
    10
    Ok, so you'll see the word "grind" tossed around by a lot of negative reviewers, but the only reason you see that is because players want all the shiny new stuff at once without any wait. You don't need to do anything repetitively to unlock the new stuff, but it will take some time. Take a step back from looking at the stuff not available at the start and you'll find that there's a tonOk, so you'll see the word "grind" tossed around by a lot of negative reviewers, but the only reason you see that is because players want all the shiny new stuff at once without any wait. You don't need to do anything repetitively to unlock the new stuff, but it will take some time. Take a step back from looking at the stuff not available at the start and you'll find that there's a ton to do, which requires no unlocking. The new zones are diverse and have great events, the new PvP map is great and tends to lead to a lot of close, epic outcomes, and the polish of content overall is well above most MMOs.… Expand
  64. 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
  65. Heteroscedastic
    Oct 27, 2015
    10
    Story: 10/10: Amazing improvement compared to the original games story. A much more focussed and impactful narrative assisted my improved storytelling tools.

    Open world 10/10: Four complex maps with varied layered content catering for multiple player types. Plus new metroidvania style movement/ exploration abilities! I'm yet to try out WvW and SPvP since the expansion launched so    Story: 10/10: Amazing improvement compared to the original games story. A much more focussed and impactful narrative assisted my improved storytelling tools.

    Open world 10/10: Four complex maps with varied layered content catering for multiple player types. Plus new metroidvania style movement/ exploration abilities!

    I'm yet to try out WvW and SPvP since the expansion launched so may update my review once I get round to those!

    Features: 10/10 Great new social/ customisation features in the form of Guild Halls. Really interesting horizontal progression systems in the form of masteries and elite specialisations.

    Raids are yet to be released so hold on to your cash if you are only interested in those!

    Many of the negative reviews here are part of an organised campaign by players who wanted a change to the games progression system. Personally I had no issues with this system. In any case Anet have now responded to these criticisms, hopefully some of these users will reconsider their opinion of the game.    … Expand
  66. 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.
  67. 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
  68. 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
  69. 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.
  70. 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. :)
  71. 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
  72. 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
  73. 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
  74. 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
  75. 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
  76. WallOfTextPlz
    Nov 18, 2015
    7
    Pros: Guild Wars 2 before the expansion was a shadow of their former self.

    Cons: Anet tried to please everyone. They made HoT grindy. WoW players would love that. They added trinity to raids. Now where is your target market?
  77. 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.
  78. 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.
  79. 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 !
  80. 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
  81. 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
  82. ShinGlacier
    Dec 1, 2017
    0
    The game has a lot of potential, but ANet doesn't care about the players, they are more interested in their money instead.

    The game evolved since launch, that's true, but at quite a slow pace. The expansion stories were a lot shorter than the main one and a lot more convoluted. The new classes that were added with the expansions are a bit of a fresh air, but ANet doesn't know how    The game has a lot of potential, but ANet doesn't care about the players, they are more interested in their money instead.

    The game evolved since launch, that's true, but at quite a slow pace.

    The expansion stories were a lot shorter than the main one and a lot more convoluted.

    The new classes that were added with the expansions are a bit of a fresh air, but ANet doesn't know how to make them fit in the different aspects of the game (PVP, PVE, Raids).

    Spellbreaker from the last expansion doens't have a place in Raids, as an example. Scourge was so nerfed that it lost it's place in any raid for more than 3 months.

    ANet doesn't seem to test what they do and then it takes 2+ months for them to fix it.

    Classes are absurdly unbalanced in PVP, you can take an overpowered one and simply cheese you way to the top tiers.

    End game content (I include making new Legendary items, high level Fractals and Raid Wings in this category) are slow, very slow to come out. We had to wait 6 months for a new raid wing (had 4 before that), and ONE YEAR for 01 new fractal level. That is RIDICULOUS.
    The new legendary items are lackluster. As an example the new rifle and shield are simply garbage when compared to the previous ones. The medium legendary armor look absurdly crap, when compared with it's heavy and light counterparts.

    Now they decided and go heavy with the lootbox system. It was ALREADY present in the game, with Black Lion Chests, but now they decided to introduce Random Mounts for a price. When they are not random, which are 2 atm, they are extremely overpriced.

    Oh, and I forgot to mention that they slyly changed most of their servers to Amazon ones, giving most of their player base worse pings, while a minority ended up getting better pings, and they don't even acknowledge that.

    So yeah, that's it I guess. A game with potential, but huddled together with a greedy, lazy management.    … Expand
  83. Tenarus
    Apr 22, 2021
    2
    The phrase "never play on patch.-day" never fitted any game better then guild wars 2. Well and from patch-day I went to patch-week to patch-month, because not only are patches released incredibly buggy - they stay bugged for SEVERAL months if not years.
    Overall the storytelling is ok-ish. I've seen better, I've seen worse.
    The quality of the patches got worse and worse with every    The phrase "never play on patch.-day" never fitted any game better then guild wars 2. Well and from patch-day I went to patch-week to patch-month, because not only are patches released incredibly buggy - they stay bugged for SEVERAL months if not years.
    Overall the storytelling is ok-ish. I've seen better, I've seen worse.
    The quality of the patches got worse and worse with every release. The content feels like the same thing over and over again. Most things you do ingame are not rewarding at all. For players that spend a longer time ingame there is simply not enough to do. What do I mean by that? Let me tell you what my playtime looks like: Mondays I jump in the game, just to do the weekly raid reclears in like 2 hours (raids, that have been in the game for years. The release of the last raidwing is more than a year ago...) Some evenings I do a quick fractal run which cant keep my group entertained for more than 30 minutes. Farming at this point is pointless - you cant progress gear and I dont want to build duplicate legendaries. But Arenanet stated - against what players want - that there will be no more dungeons and as far as I know no more raids. Content draught which gets me to stop playing.

    And lastly the cashshop: What started off as some nice cosmetic rewards got a dump of putting new stuff in every other week just to earn more and more money. This isnt bad in itself, but selling CHAIRS? The shop got quite ridicculous...

    TL;DR So all in all: A game that started off good a while ago, but cant deliver any content that keeps you playing. To top all of this off the content that is currently in the game is severely bugged. Content in the game keeps you doing stuff for max ~4h/week if you clear all of it.    … Expand
  84. TIZ
    May 30, 2018
    7
    HoT at release was an infuriating and agonizing experience. It takes some getting use to as it is very different from the base game, which I had gotten use to by the time the expansion came out. Once HoT came out I wasn't a big fan of the new maps (even if they did look amazing and much prettier than the base game). I struggled, like many veteran and new players to really get stuck intoHoT at release was an infuriating and agonizing experience. It takes some getting use to as it is very different from the base game, which I had gotten use to by the time the expansion came out. Once HoT came out I wasn't a big fan of the new maps (even if they did look amazing and much prettier than the base game). I struggled, like many veteran and new players to really get stuck into HoT content. Eventually I managed to 'learn' to like it and even love it. My god I loved gliding!!!
    It is important to note that I only started loving it after I had almost all the masteries unlocked for HoT. I'm not sure this is what the devs wanted when they made HoT...
    I would rate this expansion a 7/10. If I had to be biased I would give it an 8/10 but I'm trying to be realistic.    … Expand
  85. alceste007
    Jul 30, 2017
    3
    I used to love GW2 until HoT came out. The maps are horrible for casual players. The maps feel like they were designed for players in ascended / legendary gear. Bottle necks that artificially restrict movement through the maps based on mastery while giving daily objectives that you cannot even reach out. For casual players I just recommend moving to different game.
  86. LiveSpartan235
    Oct 21, 2020
    7
    Nice expansion pack after some updates and the devs committing to finding it footing
  87. bthomas
    Oct 8, 2017
    6
    The only significantly positive change brought by HoT is the specialization system for each class, which can make your playstyle vary drastically.

    The masteries systems are good on principle, but tying them to what I believe to be an exaggerated amount of experience can lead to a frustratingly tiresome grind-fest. Although the meta event chains can be entertaining, maps like Tangled    The only significantly positive change brought by HoT is the specialization system for each class, which can make your playstyle vary drastically.

    The masteries systems are good on principle, but tying them to what I believe to be an exaggerated amount of experience can lead to a frustratingly tiresome grind-fest.

    Although the meta event chains can be entertaining, maps like Tangled Depths are a a plain nightmare to navigate. Get in and get out.    … Expand
  88. Blanel
    Aug 11, 2017
    7
    A Meh expansion to a solid game.

    The new zones are very big and artistically beautiful. The story is good, not great, but good. The new monsters and challenges you face will actually put up a fight sometimes, but at other times its the same old steam roll. Gliding is pretty cool.

    If you like Guild Wars 2 (which is Free to Play, so just check it out), you might want to buy this expansion.
  89. TicTacTaco
    Sep 24, 2017
    7
    When I first heard that Heart of Thorns would only have four maps, I was pretty skeptical of how much content there would be. Having played a good amount of each map, I can honestly say that there's a ton to do. These maps are huge, beautiful, and probably the most fun to travel in the entire game. People will say that you need to grin to unlock certain things, but this is simply notWhen I first heard that Heart of Thorns would only have four maps, I was pretty skeptical of how much content there would be. Having played a good amount of each map, I can honestly say that there's a ton to do. These maps are huge, beautiful, and probably the most fun to travel in the entire game. People will say that you need to grin to unlock certain things, but this is simply not accurate. Sure, you CAN grind the same events over and over, but that's on you. There's so much to do that you really only have yourself to blame if you're just sticking to on area.

    I will say, I can understand people's frustration with not being able to play their Elite Specialization for quite some time. However, this is part of the endgame progression. It's just a shame that some of the specs are much worse without their traits than others.

    The story is a vast improvement over the base game's though still pretty bad.    … Expand
  90. Foxtina
    Jan 8, 2018
    7
    Fun expansion but I have found news maps to be very confusing and messy. Other than that it's great.
  91. 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
  92. Bulmarth
    Apr 24, 2017
    1
    First $50 for an "expansion", to me it's something that could be added on a patch but not in an EXPANSION. Elite specialization now beat core specs, and you need them in order to compete in PvP or WvW. They added viper gear wich is mandatory for condition build and you only get the mats in HoT zones, so if you are F2P or had the core game only you are on a huge disadvantage.

    The other    First $50 for an "expansion", to me it's something that could be added on a patch but not in an EXPANSION. Elite specialization now beat core specs, and you need them in order to compete in PvP or WvW. They added viper gear wich is mandatory for condition build and you only get the mats in HoT zones, so if you are F2P or had the core game only you are on a huge disadvantage.

    The other thing is that ANet promised a lot of things and didn't deliver nothing of it, like new legendaries or even more they told that elite spec would be a "side grade" or an alternative way to play each class, but it ended up been a "power creep" and being a upgrade of the classes, just look reaper and chronomancer.    … Expand
  93. em4o0
    Mar 5, 2018
    5
    A, Heart of Thorns, so aptly named. It has quite become a thorn in my sight and a genuine heartache.

    I became a fan of the franchise way back when 1 came out and since then I have played all expansions (with Nightfall being my favourite). Alas, HoT cannot claim such greatness. The game introduces 4 new maps to a rather large plethora of pre-existing territories, however, the new    A, Heart of Thorns, so aptly named. It has quite become a thorn in my sight and a genuine heartache.

    I became a fan of the franchise way back when 1 came out and since then I have played all expansions (with Nightfall being my favourite). Alas, HoT cannot claim such greatness.

    The game introduces 4 new maps to a rather large plethora of pre-existing territories, however, the new additions are noticeably larger in scale. Even better, there is now comprehensive exploration to be had on the vertical axis and, unlike some other games, it is not limited to flying mounts, but is instead full-fledged exploration. The map is no help as it does a poor job of denoting heights, yet, I found this pretty exciting and the explorer in me actually got some (admittedly, masochistic) pleasure. I would also be remiss not to compliment the design of the maps, as they are visually stunning.

    Populating the new maps are a set of new creatures, which are noticeably more challenging to deal with that the ones in core-game territories. Sadly their difficulty stems from buffed health and damage (in fact, some can oneshot characters). There are no enemies with interesting or unique mechanics, not even bosses. The overall creature design is thematic - from raptors to pumas to various cretins covered in tendrils, if predictable and uninspired. The elite enemies are, once again, just larger versions of regular ones, which is a bit disappointing (especially considering the overall low number of introduced monsters).

    Main centrepiece of the remains the typical "saviour" trope - you are the one and only hero (which glaringly contrast with the almost exclusively group content of the maps). Of course, this does nothing for immersion... or suspension of disbelief. Admittedly this is a problem that trickles down from the original game. Although clichés are abound, it is in general better that the core game. Voice acting is decent enough, but it is a MMO - don't expect miracles.

    The core gameplay mechanic in the new expansion are the so-called metaevents - essentially a tier type event comprised several smaller events that must be completed in order to reach an end boss. These are not only map-wide, but are spread out around the entire mar, and require the cooperation of a large number of players to be successfully completed... in a game with no effective or efficient method of communication between random players. It is fair to say these require all the stars to align perfectly. That is if you have enough players to begin with. Admittedly there does seem to be a level of adjustment for the number of characters currently on the map, but anything under 11-12 is simply not feasible (and even that's a stretch). Additionally, if certain conditions are met new smaller events will become available. They are nothing new though, being similiar in nature to the events from the core game maps.

    But that is, if you can even get to these in the first place... That's right the new "horizontal progression system," aka masteries. In essence those function in a similar way to regular levelling - collect (a lot of) XP to unlock skills. These skills are unique to each separate area (HoT and Central Tyria, the core territories). These are quite important as they literally limit your ability to explore the maps and participate in events, making it all the more annoying that they are "locked" behind a grind wall. And if that's not enough, they are required for story progression and raids. And remember - the only way to get HoT relevant XP is through the endlessly repeatable metaevents. Which leads to the next required skill, which costs even more XP. Which leads to playing even more metaevents. A magic circle, or rather - trap. Who thought this is a good idea?

    And last, but certainly not least - the new elite specialisations. Right of the bat, they are also safely put away behind a rather considerable hero point barrier. Hero points are now obtained in chunks of 10 (mostly) by beating an elite mob, which always requires a group of players (or a talented pro, I suppose). In reality, this is likely to be a long and arduous process, probably not completed before you have already finished the vast majority of the story. The new specialisations are a lot of fun though and definitely worth it. They also add more variety to class playstyles, granted that was not terribly necessary, as plenty options were already available. Still, as Dolly Parton said - "...more is more." and I do so find it to be wise remark.

    Overall, the expansion takes a very sharp turn from an (in my opinion) already winning formula... and fails. The new areas are beautiful and big, but ironically devoid of content - you will be stuck repeating the same chain of events ad nauseum. Allowing the developers to pad the content by introducing, what amounts to, "time gates" is a dangerous precedent (and has honestly shaken what belief I had in ArenaNet).    … Expand
  94. furyunleashed
    Jun 22, 2017
    2
    Be aware. Depending on what you look for in a mmorpg, this game does not have a lot to offer. It is also arguable NOT an P2W-mmo, but I would beg to differ. EVERYTHING remotely advantegous for your character/account, you have to pay. More space? Pay. Rent armor. Rent weapons. Rent, rent, rent. There are even passes for areas in the cities which has all the necessary vendors combined, andBe aware. Depending on what you look for in a mmorpg, this game does not have a lot to offer. It is also arguable NOT an P2W-mmo, but I would beg to differ. EVERYTHING remotely advantegous for your character/account, you have to pay. More space? Pay. Rent armor. Rent weapons. Rent, rent, rent. There are even passes for areas in the cities which has all the necessary vendors combined, and guess what? You have to RENT that space too. And if you are looking for a PvP-experience, this is not the game for you. You have 6 attacks/skills to play with, rest are buffs/self-healing. For 10 attacks, you can swap with secondary weapon.

    The only thing which has some entertainment-value is the world-events. Bosses spawn, and many player gather around to kill it, though it's mostly just dpsing, dying, getting ressed, rince and repeat.

    Gw2 has few 'moments', and is much less than it gives itself out for.
    97 hours of playtime (with lvl 80).    … Expand
  95. brightwish
    May 8, 2019
    3
    The gliders were a nice addition, but the multi height levels made the maps too difficult to navigate.
  96. 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 :)
  97. Angenix
    Sep 7, 2020
    10
    Loved map design. Meta events are the best of entire game. Cool elite specs.
  98. nemoo
    Feb 13, 2020
    0
    Dont play this game if you want a support team that cares for you, got 20000 gold taken away and when i showed them how i got the gold they just stopped responding to my emails really lazy support
  99. 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
  100. 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
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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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