Guild Wars 2

 PC
  • Publisher: NCSOFT
  • Release Date: Aug 28, 2012
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 3192 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,380 out of 3192
  2. Mixed: 386 out of 3192
  3. Negative: 426 out of 3192
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  1. CaptainMushroom
    Jul 13, 2014
    8
    Not the groundbreaking, revolutionary game we were promised, but great nonetheless. This game combines the best features from other games, and adds its own flavour, making it even better. It's not as good as its claiming to be, but one of the best choices right now anyway. It does at times tend to feel like a singleplayer RPG though, so find a group to play with and you should be fine.
  2. dobserver
    Oct 8, 2013
    8
    From this game, you can tell GW2 is trying to evolve the standard MMO genre to be somewhat more engaging. So I'll try to cover the things it tries to add, that are a bit different from other games. Before I start, let me say that on a base level, GW2 does it well: balance, graphics, sounds, story, character creation, replay-ability.

    Pros: - Somewhat customizable story line based on    From this game, you can tell GW2 is trying to evolve the standard MMO genre to be somewhat more engaging. So I'll try to cover the things it tries to add, that are a bit different from other games. Before I start, let me say that on a base level, GW2 does it well: balance, graphics, sounds, story, character creation, replay-ability.

    Pros:
    - Somewhat customizable story line based on answers to different questions during character creation (leads to replayability among same classes/races)
    - Random large events that happen which everyone is free to join in (if you're passing by that area)
    - EXP for exploring, logging, mining, gathering and pretty much everything you do asides from walking
    - No subscription based billing, Buy to play (B2P) system no penalizing players that don't pay like F2P model often does
    - Continuously added content
    - Grouping for team quests is quite good and significantly improved
    - Dying and getting downed, doesn't necessarily mean you're down and out if you can kill an enemy and get back up
    - items do not give you so much of an advantage in playing, more rewarded for good play style and personal skill
    - ability to dodge attacks (sort of doesn't really always work)

    Cons:
    - It would have been nice if you got to choose the first 5 skills related to each weapon/secondary weapon instead of being only able to choose the latter 5 skills (this was actually what made gameplay a bit too repetitive for me) yes you can swap weapons sets and this gets you more variety, but thinking high level, if I'm using a bow shouldn't I have more than 5 ways of shooting it...and be able to choose how to shoot it?
    - crafting was a bit tedious and difficult to figure out without an actual tutorial (I might have missed the tutorial somewhere in the game) downplayed by the fact that items didn't make or break your character really
    - the game tries to vary the quest a bit so that it's not just Kill X number of Y monster, but in the end was still quite repetitive (i.e. Kill X number of Y monster OR pick up X item and bring to Y location). If the individual quests were more like events, it would be much more fun as you'd have a sense of urgency to kill Y monster instead of counting each one and hoping you reach the amount required to end the quest
    - I'd probably would have like advanced classes to be included in the game as well (for variety), but I guess that's personal preference

    Still a great game, with room for improvement. World is engaging, story keeps you entertained and is still a great MMO to explore.    … Expand
  3. Enel
    Aug 28, 2012
    8
    A very fine crafted sequel of GW1. It surely is a game that can live up to the hype. The game play is amazing and dynamic. Some people complain about having only 10 skills is not enough but that's because they haven't played the game at all. Actively swapping weapons for different skill sets was hard to get used to at first but now it works like chime. PvP and WvWvW are both exciting andA very fine crafted sequel of GW1. It surely is a game that can live up to the hype. The game play is amazing and dynamic. Some people complain about having only 10 skills is not enough but that's because they haven't played the game at all. Actively swapping weapons for different skill sets was hard to get used to at first but now it works like chime. PvP and WvWvW are both exciting and worth trying out for better experience. However ArenaNet made the same mistake Blizzard did - not being able to manage the opening day horde. Also the trading post (GW2 version of AH of D3) is not working yet. The graphics also look a little bit outdated - even with the highest settings. There are several more minor bugs, glitches to be fixed.… Expand
  4. Mudget
    Aug 30, 2012
    8
    This is an -initial- review, as the game just came out and my guess is as I become more familiar with it, the score will go up. But from a die-hard Guild Wars fan who has been sitting on the edge of his chair waiting YEARS (and then years on top of years) for this sequel - some of the air has been let out of my balloon. I'll just say what every other poster has said, because it's true inThis is an -initial- review, as the game just came out and my guess is as I become more familiar with it, the score will go up. But from a die-hard Guild Wars fan who has been sitting on the edge of his chair waiting YEARS (and then years on top of years) for this sequel - some of the air has been let out of my balloon. I'll just say what every other poster has said, because it's true in my case, too - I'm a die-hard MMORPG and RPG fan in general - have played every single major MMORPG release (and many minor ones) over the years since 1997 when I was addicted, truly addicted, to the original EverQuest. I'm much more a single-player RPG'er and will build an entirely new computer just for new releases like The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim (which lived up to the hype and was worth the PC construction). But EverQuest hooked me, DAoC hooked me, WoW hooked me, Conan hooked me, and, most recently, Star Wars hooked me. But none of those experience even barely hold a candle to the good times I had in the surprise hit of (2005 was it? 2004?) - Guild Wars. GW was so completely different. Absolutely re-wrote the book for MMORPGs and was underappreciated in this regard by both critics and players alike. Not just because it didn't cost a monthly fee, but because the game was more a hybrid between a collectible game like Magic: The Gathering, and a standard grinder like WoW. It was the collectible skill system that was the most innovative feature, and the endless hours of PvP trying out different combinations of found skills that kept me coming back.

    So I'll begin by saying that the move by Guild Wars 2 away from the collectible skill set system of the original game to a hybrid of very typical WoW grinding, Warhammer Online/RIFT area event quest generation, and so forth - was the first thing that let air out of my balloon. This line sums it up for me - GW2 is not the innovative MMORPG that GW was. It's not that it's a -different- game, like GW was, it's that it is a combination of many very -typical- games. Happily, the combination does work on many levels, and it is generally fun, albeit quite confusing at first. And VERY confusing if you're a diehard Guild Wars fan who expected this to be a sequel of some sort. Aside from the lore, there's not a lot of similarity between the first GW and this one. As with so many games nowadays in which critics praise the graphics as the "BEST IN ANY MMORPG TO DATE" - the graphics are actually just nice. They're not ground-shakingly good or making use of anything new in the genre, necessarily, but there are some nice vistas and good looking character models and animations. Still, I find myself saying that with almost every release nowadays. Finding one's way around massive cities is one of the more aggravating experiences in a new MMORPG, and GW2 is no exception, compounding this problem with multi-level cities in which you must hop into portals to get to some upper levels (took me quite a while to figure that one out). Slightly goofy camera controls add to this frustration a bit. But overall, the world is fun to explore and the new ability to JUMP in a GW game is nice. (Although again, this doesn't really feel like a sequel to me at all, but an entirely new game, more a spiritual successor to Aion or RIFT than to the original Guild Wars). There is indeed a TON to do in this game and you will never, ever be bored. Collect stuff and craft, dye armors, hop into a big local event that just sprung up, PvP in a smaller setting or PvP in a World-vs-World setting, follow the main quest, or just explore (you are rewarded for just exploring, which is awesome) ... there's never a dull moment. I guess so far for me this is the big selling point. But at this writing, I just can't get past the fact that I am still heartbroken that this isn't a sequel to the Guild Wars system of collecting, mixing and matching "skill cards". Oh well, over time, this may make me a whole new fan in a whole new way. For now though, I give this game a solid 8, because it stands strongly on its own. Can it pull me out of Skyrim (as I originally thought would be a no-brainer)? That's a tough question. When I get home from work and log into my computer my finger first hovers over the Skyrim icon and then hesitantly heads over to GW2. So, yeah, so far it's working. But only barely. This isn't the innovative ALL NEW game I thought it might be - we've seen all these elements in other games before (unlike in the original GW) - but they've been put together in a new way, and I think it might just stand a chance of being the trendy game to play for a few months before everyone either sinks back into their WoW comatose or goes back to the game they're truly in love with. Then again, maybe this will become the go-to game. Too early to tell.

    I'll update in a few months.    … Expand
  5. HunterZolomon
    Sep 11, 2012
    8
    This is a near perfect MMO. Incredibly well polished and rich in content. All systems, combat, crafting etc. are all well thought through and beats every competitor out there. The PvP, WvWvW etc. is awesome. Excellent sound (Soule score!) and graphics top it all off. So, why an 8/10? Guild Wars 2 lacks something the original game had in spades, an exciting storyline. The first Guild WarsThis is a near perfect MMO. Incredibly well polished and rich in content. All systems, combat, crafting etc. are all well thought through and beats every competitor out there. The PvP, WvWvW etc. is awesome. Excellent sound (Soule score!) and graphics top it all off. So, why an 8/10? Guild Wars 2 lacks something the original game had in spades, an exciting storyline. The first Guild Wars pulled me into the world of Tyria and refused to let go. I'll never forget fleeing across the Shiverpeaks with the survivors of Ascalon exploring the world as we went. Guild Wars 2 has none of the excitement that went with the original game storywise. The first 20 levels are about hunting random bandits and centaurs! No sense of urgency, excitement or scale at all, despite the stunning environments and vistas. The game would have benefited greatly from a much stronger story hook from the start.… Expand
  6. Stormie
    Aug 29, 2012
    8
    A solid and innovative piece of work, in a genre where it's rare and pleasing to see a game that is either of those two things, let alone both.

    I admire the fact that there is a real focus on encouraging players to enjoy the game together, rather than via a carrot & stick approach of forced grouping. Game mechanics appear to have been designed by a genuine design effort, it's hard to    A solid and innovative piece of work, in a genre where it's rare and pleasing to see a game that is either of those two things, let alone both.

    I admire the fact that there is a real focus on encouraging players to enjoy the game together, rather than via a carrot & stick approach of forced grouping. Game mechanics appear to have been designed by a genuine design effort, it's hard to point a finger at any mechanics which simply ape what has been seem frequently before. Art direction is excellent. Gameplay is free-flowing and has a definite ability to make you lose track of time.

    My main negative is the poor writing and voice-acting on the personal stories. It's easily the weakest aspect of the game, and really unnecessary in an MMORPG - save the single-player stories for single-player games. Additionally, while I don't want to be one of the raging ranters that give a game 0/10 due to server problems, there HAVE been plenty of them. We still don't have a functioning trading post five days after launch, and guilds have been plagued with errors inviting players and with players trying to use guild functionality.    … Expand
  7. Warfist
    Sep 5, 2012
    8
    Not the revolutionary genre changing game many of GW2's more zealous fans tried to tout pre-release, but a very solid, very good MMO with plenty to do and best of all no subscription fee.
  8. ohtwo
    Oct 2, 2012
    8
    Good game, good graphics, but nothing too amazing. After about 15 levels of leveling it starts to feel very much like WaR. Very boring after level 15 or so.. I'm still playing to try to keep a feel for the game and hopefully something will peak my interest.

    Experience: I've been playing MMOs ever since Meridian 59.
  9. Barua124
    Nov 10, 2012
    8
    I personally like the game, however I can see why some people don't. The game can get a little repetitive, especially with spells and abilities. There's a cash shop but it's not necessary as you already have full access to everything ingame. I never felt pressured to buy anything from the cash shop. The price for the game is a little steep as all new games are. It's not a $60 game. NotI personally like the game, however I can see why some people don't. The game can get a little repetitive, especially with spells and abilities. There's a cash shop but it's not necessary as you already have full access to everything ingame. I never felt pressured to buy anything from the cash shop. The price for the game is a little steep as all new games are. It's not a $60 game. Not worth that price. Maybe for $40.… Expand
  10. Lionhearted
    Sep 13, 2012
    8
    GW2 did what the last 7 years (and 100+) of mmos haven't really successfully, and thats innovate over WoW. The question is does it matter? The game is much better than other mmos gameplay-wise, and has "some skill", it's terrain complexity is a 10 of 10 also. The questing isn't rat race driven ect. I gave GW2 an 8 and that is rated on a curve, the amount of sheer creative input in thisGW2 did what the last 7 years (and 100+) of mmos haven't really successfully, and thats innovate over WoW. The question is does it matter? The game is much better than other mmos gameplay-wise, and has "some skill", it's terrain complexity is a 10 of 10 also. The questing isn't rat race driven ect. I gave GW2 an 8 and that is rated on a curve, the amount of sheer creative input in this game is impressive. GW2 is also the best MMOPVP I have played except maybe Champions online Zombie apocolypse, it's tailored largely like Lotro. But still, is this what weve been waiting for? It still has most of the immersion breaking mmo qualities, it gives you ability to "do your own thing" but the carrot on the stick has simply been switched from quest completion to "map completion". Is that better? A little, but I think only because it's newer. Also the dynamic events and pulling the social "level" walls enhances the game greatly. but again does that make mmos worth your time? I think it is finally with GW2 that we can see MMOs are deeply and fundamentally flawed, and it isn't just the trinity, it isn't just a lack of story of combat immersion. It's a lack of everything else, environments that are intelligent, personal social roleplay, all this replaced with cartoony mass media appetite filler, ect. online games need to be brougt back to the drawing board .. back down to why nerds actually played social games in groups 30+ years ago (and no they weren't addiction based every-night-entertain-me games). Because even 13 years after EQ began the first farm questing, we have still been seeking some actually engaging "imagination play". And it is simply not possible under mmo business as usual gameplay function. We need to start understanding what makes a game a game roleplay ~ roleplay~ and simple online interactive media .. just media and not a game~ After having said all that I can still say I "enjoy" the game and wish Arenanet even more success.. they did themselves proud ~ for a mmo. (and PS innovated many more things beyond whic a single post can hold)… Expand
  11. ChoicestGames
    Jan 18, 2013
    8
    While ArenaNet has definitely succeeded in making Guild Wars 2 different to anything else out there, it has taken away some of the endearing qualities of the original Guild Wars such as a greater variety of skills and placing a greater focus on storyline missions. For newcomers, the game will keep you entertained for awhile but long-term enjoyment boils down to PvP, WvW and popular dungeons.
  12. Jadagar
    Sep 21, 2012
    8
    After some time with Guild Wars 2, I can safely say that we're not looking at anything new here. Although, there -is- an absence of annoying quest-givers, questing is still essentially a hub-to-hub grindfest of tedious errands made occasionally interesting with zerg-dependent events and world raid bosses. PvP has about the same level of depth, lots of zerging involved with WvWvW with aAfter some time with Guild Wars 2, I can safely say that we're not looking at anything new here. Although, there -is- an absence of annoying quest-givers, questing is still essentially a hub-to-hub grindfest of tedious errands made occasionally interesting with zerg-dependent events and world raid bosses. PvP has about the same level of depth, lots of zerging involved with WvWvW with a handful of amusing tournament-based ordeals involving fewer players. I won't lie that I keep hoping for something revolutionary and GW2 doesn't necessarily exceed (or even meet) those lofty expectations. HOWEVER, for all its shortcomings, Guild Wars 2 does set the bar a little higher in a few ways, the foremost being is that it is executed very well. Shaky start notwithstanding, great depth is incorporated into the interface mechanics. In fact, I would argue that GW2 has taken from mainstream MMO's that which we love and trimmed the fat in an effort to minimize tedium. The result is quick and easy auctioneering, fun and rewarding crafting, and great variety in terms of sorting and customization. It is very clean, easy to manage, and altogether fulfilling. Sadly, while all the streamlining may appeal to the majority, the handful of dungeons and short list of pvp options will not be adequate fodder for the hardcore audience. Flaws aside, the sheer vastness and relative splendor of Guild Wars 2 is well worth $60, and that's really all you have to pay to keep playing; the game is easily playable without having to spend a dime on the micro-transactions, which are essentially non-vital extravagances you can purchase with in-game money given a little time and effort. All things considered, this is a good start, and the fact that Arena.net has promised more and more free features as time goes by makes the one-time payment for GW2 all the more worthwhile. 8/10.… Expand
  13. ozymandiasza
    Aug 29, 2012
    8
    I've played Ultima Online, World of Warcraft, Star Trek online, Dungeons and Dragons online, Rift, Guild Wars 1 and this is by far the best MMO I've ever played. I would recommend it to everyone!
  14. mininova
    Nov 5, 2012
    8
    Good game. There is only 1 BIG BUT. Why there is now PvP over the land. I have played Lineage 2 where you could fight anyone anywhere. Guild Wars 2 is missing that point which makes it a little boring with time. Exploring new lands, tasks and all that is a great idea. Why not add free PvP, or at least duels where you can fight other players for extra points/experience or soever. Arena.netGood game. There is only 1 BIG BUT. Why there is now PvP over the land. I have played Lineage 2 where you could fight anyone anywhere. Guild Wars 2 is missing that point which makes it a little boring with time. Exploring new lands, tasks and all that is a great idea. Why not add free PvP, or at least duels where you can fight other players for extra points/experience or soever. Arena.net should think about that, otherwise they will start loosing players.… Expand
  15. Xen-Masta
    Jan 15, 2013
    8
    GW2 is great for casual players. It does feel like WoW at times... a lot of the time imo. Nothing new here, and really low difficulty. I would never pay a subscription for this game, but fortunately there isn't one. This is the key imo. Since it's a one time purchase, this game is well worth it. It's a huge rpg. That's the way i think of it. leveling is a solo-fest, and theGW2 is great for casual players. It does feel like WoW at times... a lot of the time imo. Nothing new here, and really low difficulty. I would never pay a subscription for this game, but fortunately there isn't one. This is the key imo. Since it's a one time purchase, this game is well worth it. It's a huge rpg. That's the way i think of it. leveling is a solo-fest, and the community is so-so. But for a one time purchase fee, you will get far more content than any single player rpg out there, so you can't really complain. It seems real tactical teamwork, and cohesive communities (FFXI and EQ for example) are a thing of the past in the MMO world, which begs the question, why are we playing these games online. Sometimes i think games like this (GW2, WoW, SWTOR etc) could be easily be single player games with instanced co-op, like Demon's/Dark Souls. Like i said, at least this one is free. I give it an 8/10… Expand
  16. Gothic90
    Sep 8, 2012
    8
    If I want to describe GW2 with one sentence, I would say: "an MMO that gets most of what it intends to do right." There are three separate worlds of the game, sPvP, WvW and PvE. sPvP features flat progression: there's build differences, but there is no vertical gear difference (you can choose different gear but it's always about trade-offs). This is imo the most important feature of GWIf I want to describe GW2 with one sentence, I would say: "an MMO that gets most of what it intends to do right." There are three separate worlds of the game, sPvP, WvW and PvE. sPvP features flat progression: there's build differences, but there is no vertical gear difference (you can choose different gear but it's always about trade-offs). This is imo the most important feature of GW style PvP. Newcomers shouldn't have an unfair disadvantage of having worse gear than old players. Also good players shouldn't need an artificial faceroll advantage over lesser players. sPvP should be skill based instead of gear based. Classes can build into different roles and adds more variety to PvP. WvW may seem like a zergfest, but mindless zerg will seldomly win you games. Supply control, being responsive to opponent movements and strategies are all important. Three faction is also a good thing to bring back from DAoC. While two factions can't artificially ally, when your server claims more land, there is indeed a higher chance of being attacked from both sides. The only problem I have with WvW is that some servers have heavy Asian/Russian/Oceanic population and they have different time schedule, and their rating often under/over estimate their strength. Hopefully Anet can release an Asian server to alleviate this problem. I also wish there would be more focus on open field battle rather than base offense/defense. The PvE world is, unfortunately, not that awesome, and quite a few issues needs to be fixed. Exploration reminds me of Skyrim and is a pretty good part of the PvE world; The reward system is quite nice, coin/karma segregation design is elegant: it discourages annoyances such as gold farmers (they'll have to farm a lot harder than usual), but is not so frustrating to normal players. However, a few problems: dynamic events could be a little more friendly towards solo players; right now some events take too long for solos or 2-3 players and may become an issue once the heat from release is over and newbie zones become less populated. The PvE world, especially the personal storyline, is also quite buggy unfortunately. Some dungeons are also too hard, especially Ascalonian Catacombs; it seems to have an unreasonable difficulty. Trade post was not so good for the first week. Though I heard it's a conspiracy theory to discourage gold farmers, and in that case it's not good but understandable. Overall the PvE world isn't on a smooth release. I also happen to not like the dungeon reward system that rewards you more for going to a same dungeon over and over again than going to all dungeons. Overall it is a good MMO and a pretty smooth launch, and since it doesn't have a subscription fee, I can play at any time I want and don't feel "I have to play tonight, or it's not worth my subscription". Cash shop items are also not unfair towards free players. Problems of the PvE world needs to be patched, and hope Anet adds some more varieties to PvP. Other than that, the game is pretty damn good and I have been playing it almost non-stop.… Expand
  17. bonsai
    Jan 28, 2018
    8
    I give a 8 to Guild Wars 2, not because this game is great, but because it's the best MMORPG in the world right now. In the years i tried a lot of MMORPG, and Guild Wars 2 is the only one that give me that feeling of "this is so fun to play!", not just that "OMG i need to grind 120345 more times to buy that sword, ARRRRRRR"
  18. Muan142
    Sep 19, 2012
    8
    In the longer portion of this review I'll try to address some of the common complaints I see leveled against the game, but, in short, my opinion thus far is that It is an enjoyable improvement over every other MMO I've ever played, though it has some weak points and takes some getting used to. The most common complaint I see is that the graphics aren't that great. I haven't played TheIn the longer portion of this review I'll try to address some of the common complaints I see leveled against the game, but, in short, my opinion thus far is that It is an enjoyable improvement over every other MMO I've ever played, though it has some weak points and takes some getting used to. The most common complaint I see is that the graphics aren't that great. I haven't played The Secret World or Tera so I can't make a real comparison, but I can say the graphics don't look bad and I'm even impressed every once in a while when I turn around or look up to see a view like a landscape painting and realize I just travelled over that. Besides that, I've been playing games since the SNES and Genesis and I have to say, I haven't seen any major graphical improvements in the past 5 or 6 years, so saying it looks like a game from 2006 really doesn't strike me as a big insult. Guild Wars: EotN came out about then though, and GW2 does look significantly better than that. Secondly, there is the zerg-rush style combat people have complained of. To be absolutely honest, yeah, combat in big groups does feel pretty disorganized and I haven't been in a party since I started the damn game. Despite never joining a party though, I have to say that I've fought alongside other players multiple times every single time I logged on to GW2, unlike the solo grindathons I encountered in other MMOs, and if most of that group combat was a glorified zerg-fest, I don't really see too much wrong with that. It's a side-efect of making each player able to fight independently because you are never able to count on having a group in any MMO without AI partners. In other MMO's I've played, I can't remember being in a party most of the time anyway. In Phantasy Star Universe, I believe I partied up with someone else exactly once in the 6 or 7 months I played. This is the first MMO I've played that really felt like a multi-player experience through and through, and if we had to turn it into a glorified zerg-fest to do it, it doesn't take away too much from the enjoyment. As to the content of the events, it is basically the same as quests in other MMOs. Renown Heart quests are generally a little more complex but most of the dynamic events either involve killing bosses, escorting NPCs, or defending locations. All I can say is that, while you're basically doing the same sot of things you might have done in other MMOs, at least dynamic events generally bring players together so you won't be working alone. If you're in a big group and you don't know how to fight in a group, your role can feel insignificant. You fight differently in a group, shifting between support capabilities and ranged attacks and if you try the same tactics as when you fight alone you'll be ineffective. I haven't played WvW yet so I can't say anything to defend it. My own criticism of GW2 would be that it does a horrendous job of explaining itself. It is very easy to start thinking of it in terms of other MMOs and get frustrated. It's not a revolution, but neither is it quite cookie-cutter enough that you can't just pick it up and play like any other MMO. The professions work differently, the events work differently, even the way you acquire items works differently. Not a ninety-degree turn, but still, enough to through you off, even if you come to the table expecting something different. Also, I think I liked GW1's solo-oriented play-style better, but that's only after having played it for like six or seven years before putting it down. I also have several other minor complaints like the insane respawn rate and that the settlements on the map generally are not labelled, the early human storyline was so boring I just decided to forget about it for a while and enjoy leveling my character and exploring foreign lands. Events tend to cycle in rapid succession meaning that the effects of your actions last about 20 seconds, but that's mostly due to the massive number of players constantly triggering new events. It would be unfair to them to make your achievements last twenty minutes and force them to wait around that long to play the event themselves. This will probable change over time as concurrency rates go down. There are also several bugs, but that's what it means to be an MMO at launch. I give it a 9/10 because so far I haven't found any glaring issues I can identify and I've really started enjoying the game now that I realized there's a lot more depth to the professions than I'd previously thought. There are, however, several improvements I see they could make in the future updates, and if they don't address these issues my opinion will likely drop to a 7or 8.… Expand
  19. SilentHightimes
    Sep 12, 2014
    8
    Awesome MMO with Gorgeous art work worth every cent, the only thing that bother's me about the game is lack of pvp content and laggy World vs World. The content they add is always just dungeons which is a bore for me i'm a PvP fan all the way. They mix up the way you quest which is nice instead of pick up here return here its just go to area kill and completed.The fighting mechanics areAwesome MMO with Gorgeous art work worth every cent, the only thing that bother's me about the game is lack of pvp content and laggy World vs World. The content they add is always just dungeons which is a bore for me i'm a PvP fan all the way. They mix up the way you quest which is nice instead of pick up here return here its just go to area kill and completed.The fighting mechanics are the best of any MMO I have played and I have played a lot unlike wow you don't fall asleep doing low lvl dungeons. The cash shop is also pretty sweet you can buy everything with in game gold so you dont half to waste a penny if you love the game and play enough.

    Worth $50    … Expand
  20. Kuroshi
    May 21, 2013
    8
    Though i did not play Guild Wars 1, i was excited about Guild Wars 2 when i saw it, there are ups and downs in this game but you can overcome it if you are willing to go the length, you can't just expect everything to be falling out from the sky, and for those who got banned for exploiting in the game i am sorry for your loss, good luck to those still playing!
  21. Kaskas
    Aug 28, 2012
    8
    The game is good, world vs world is a lot of fun, structured pvp is also just as fun, questing is not as tedious as in most mmo's and has dynamic events which are fun to take part in, some of which can end up being tonnes of people taking part in. It is not without its flawes, overflow servers which you get put in when your server is full can become a pain as it makes it hard to groupThe game is good, world vs world is a lot of fun, structured pvp is also just as fun, questing is not as tedious as in most mmo's and has dynamic events which are fun to take part in, some of which can end up being tonnes of people taking part in. It is not without its flawes, overflow servers which you get put in when your server is full can become a pain as it makes it hard to group with friends. There is however a couple ways to join the same overflow server as your friends, like right clicking their portrait and clicking join them.. This sometimes does not work at this time in which case what u can do is exit the area and enter again until you join the same overflow, this method does NOT taking very long. The "auction house" has been down for 4 days now which is a big pain considering the small bank sizes.
    Although i mentioned the structured pvp is fun, it is rather limited at this time with only 1 type of match (base control) with 2 maps. More variety in this area would be a great improvement. Customization is also sub par as from what ive seen so far all gear obtained while leveling is very similar, basically my character has barely changed aspect since i began, at least i can change the colour on the items when i get bored of the look.

    Getting to some of the points of interest, vista points can be a challenge, and some of the jump puzzles are also a good challenge, nice way to pass some time when u get tired of the pvp or the pve and need a break.

    Ive read some of the negative reviews, and most seem to be angry because they either didnt know how things worked or are not aware of the fact that ALL newly released games have bugs..
    Others simply expected to gain an advantage over other players in pvp by spending more hours and getting better gear like usually happens in other MMO's. They dont seem to enjoy a level playing field.

    All in all a very good MMORPG which has no monthly subscription, equal playing field for everyone in pvp and dynamic questing. The game does have its flaws, however the official release date is today, meaning there is plenty of room for it to improve in the future.    … Expand
  22. Sasona
    Aug 28, 2012
    8
    Beautiful game. Shows off a great art style. Quests are fun and not a grind. The only problem that I have is that the skills are quite unresponsive so it drags down the pvp a bit. But overall a very fun game. I would recommend it to anyone that was thinking about joining some kind of mmo.
  23. VonBrewskie
    Aug 28, 2012
    8
    I didn't give this game a perfect ten because it's in no way perfect. What is? I've seen lots of little bugs, lots of stuff that is dynamic, but not really that different from other MMOs. The "Go here, kill 10_ to progress" is still present, but it's done in an engaging way. The events around the world you can pick up on and take part in on the fly are extremely fun. There is someI didn't give this game a perfect ten because it's in no way perfect. What is? I've seen lots of little bugs, lots of stuff that is dynamic, but not really that different from other MMOs. The "Go here, kill 10_ to progress" is still present, but it's done in an engaging way. The events around the world you can pick up on and take part in on the fly are extremely fun. There is some "zerging" that happens in the more populated areas. (I just learned that term.) Honestly, more often than not your glad to have the help. The jumping puzzles are fun too. I will also be spending the next few days crafting. I'm...oddly attached to the gathering/crafting process. The 8 is a high mark from me for an MMO. I played World of Warcraft for 34 levels, (over maybe 3 months) on one character before I got bored altogether. I'm no expert on MMOs. I actually bought the game because a friend told me it would be a bit different. He was right. It's a bit different than what I'm used to. I really like it a lot. It's free to play so you really have nothing to lose. I highly recommend this game to anyone.… Expand
  24. Kracket
    Apr 14, 2013
    8
    A few weeks into Guild Wars 2's launch, I wrote a review and gave the game 9 stars for it's leveling experience. A few months later and I haven't touched the game in weeks. Once you hit max level, complete the entire world, run every instance, jump every puzzle, score big trading deals and attempt to make a legendary, you will have no urge to play the game. Zero. Yet, I have put 400 hoursA few weeks into Guild Wars 2's launch, I wrote a review and gave the game 9 stars for it's leveling experience. A few months later and I haven't touched the game in weeks. Once you hit max level, complete the entire world, run every instance, jump every puzzle, score big trading deals and attempt to make a legendary, you will have no urge to play the game. Zero. Yet, I have put 400 hours into the game and loved every second of it. Enjoy the time you have with it, it doesn't last forever.… Expand
  25. TitanKing
    Aug 28, 2012
    8
    As excited as I was, disappointment soon set in. No tanks, no aggro, that is disappointing. But the most disappointing aspect of the game is the broken trading post whit is basically missing since pre-purchase. That is what MMO is all about. Overall, the game is not bad, but it is certainly missing a few things to make the game more exciting. Is it PvP factions, is it the characterAs excited as I was, disappointment soon set in. No tanks, no aggro, that is disappointing. But the most disappointing aspect of the game is the broken trading post whit is basically missing since pre-purchase. That is what MMO is all about. Overall, the game is not bad, but it is certainly missing a few things to make the game more exciting. Is it PvP factions, is it the character simplicity, is it missing true MMO soul? I don't know, as I progress, I hope to find something making the game more entertaining.… Expand
  26. Geist06
    Aug 28, 2012
    8
    As I've been toying around with the pre-purchased head start, I've been enjoying myself in the universe of Guild Wars 2. Let me be fair by saying that I'm not a big MMO player (Tried several, and tend to get bored easily), and that I did play the original Guild Wars for a bit...

    The quick n dirty: B. World feels alive. Fresh take on standard MMO quests. Fun classes. Excellent PvP.    As I've been toying around with the pre-purchased head start, I've been enjoying myself in the universe of Guild Wars 2. Let me be fair by saying that I'm not a big MMO player (Tried several, and tend to get bored easily), and that I did play the original Guild Wars for a bit...

    The quick n dirty: B. World feels alive. Fresh take on standard MMO quests. Fun classes. Excellent PvP. No monthly subscription - lots of content.

    I think the game is pretty. It doesn't quite have the WoW cartoon style, but still sticks itself in a fantasy look. Easily scale-able to fit different machine configurations. Sure, if you've got a solid gaming PC - you'll not have any problem and you've probably seen tons better in different games before. But I feel that they work and fit the environment / atmosphere ArenaNet wants.

    You do get 5 character slots (additional cost real world money). There are 5 different races and 8 classes. The races each have a fair amount of customization (some prebuild heads, hair, sliders to then adjust) to tweak your looks. Character classes, so far, all have a fairly unique design behind them. They feel fresh when you decide to branch out and try something else.

    The environment is littered with random things to do. Dynamic Events replace the exclamation points. Sometimes they take a little while, as you could be one of three people doing a group collection quest. Other times, a whole raid worth of people will be there to utterly destroy whatever is happening. Random "boss style" encounters, defend X position, and other events appear as well just while you're out exploring. I prefer this to randomly running to a town, loading up on quests and setting out. Just feels like I'm out in the world and things are happening around me.

    PvP and their W v W v W are pretty solid. Interesting. Dynamic. Definite team oriented combat slug fests. PvP you're boosted to max level, given appropiate leveled gear, and access to skills / talents for your level. Creates a fairly even playing field for you to go toe to toe against others in. Realm Fighting I haven't dove into much yet - but ganking is going to happen. Once again, Boosted to max level, but not with the gear (I think..) and skills I'm unsure of. With a team / guild, however, it'll be lots of fun.

    I have yet to really get involved in crafting. Its more complex than other MMOs I've seen. Something that you could really loose yourself in for awhile. And it gives experience.... so those super crafty people may just harvest and build for their levels.

    Lastly, price point. This is what sells it for me. The game costs as much as most new boxed games (and same price when MMOs first come out too). There isn't any monthly cost afterword. Sure, there are some item shop things (costumes, particular looks, extra character slots, boost potions), but I can go at my pace and leisure. I'm not a big fan of paying per month. And there is quite a bit of content.    … Expand
  27. effataigus
    Sep 25, 2012
    8
    I have strong mixed feelings about this game. TL;DR, this game isn't as good of a story-driven single player game as The Witcher, and it's not as good of a MMO as WoW. Whether taking great elements from both of these games made something better than either is up to you. If you're worried about spending money on this game, I'd say definitely buy it... fantastic entertainment per dollar.I have strong mixed feelings about this game. TL;DR, this game isn't as good of a story-driven single player game as The Witcher, and it's not as good of a MMO as WoW. Whether taking great elements from both of these games made something better than either is up to you. If you're worried about spending money on this game, I'd say definitely buy it... fantastic entertainment per dollar. If you're worried about spending time on this game, I'd say perhaps skip this one... doesn't have *great* story progression like Witcher and Bioware's games and doesn't build toward any coherent complex endgame like other MMOs.

    Good things include: 1. A bunch of changes combine to make it so that you spend much less time staring at things that are not the main game (such as item inventory and quest text windows). 2. The game is the perfect mix of high fantasy and realism in enemies and scenery (for me). 3. The story and world is internally consistent and engrossing. 4. Music wasn't annoying if that's your thing (yes, I think this is unusual). 5. Dynamic events exists in many games like this, but GWII uses them extensively and to great effect.

    Bad things include: 1. Dynamic events are very buggy and poorly tuned (for now)... 30% will be nonfunctional, 20% will be over by the time you find them, and the remaining ones are either impossible to solo or just a mind-numbingly easy group spam (tested it, and yes, most times you can switch to rdps, hit auto-attack, afk, and get a gold rating)... still more fun than traditional questing for now though. 2. There are cripplingly-few powers available at a given time. I appreciate their bold move in making so many powers linked to weapons (and all of the good things this does for balance), but right now my warrior has five powers that are just a consequence of using the best weapon for me, four powers that are passive buffs that are greatly incentivized, and only one power that I chose because I LIKE it (I'd swap out passive buffs for other powers I enjoy if there were any). 3. With the removal of the holy trinity, the only group synergy is spammed aoe buffs/debuffs... combo fields are cute (but silly) and not really engaging since you're using all of your powers on cooldown anyway, and chances are your combo field will just override someone else's... even in a small group. 4. for all of their effort to make a compelling underwater combat, they've failed to fix the fact that humans are bad at seeing things on a z-axis... their failure to recognize this as the MAIN problem for underwater combat has lead them to put much too much of it into their game.

    For all of my criticisms, I'm giving this game a high rating. I've been entertained enough to keep going for awhile now, and the passion and vision of the developers for the game is clearly evident. I'd like to see more power options (both slots and possibilities for those slots) and less bugs, and then I'd really fall in love with the game.    … Expand
  28. keithianw
    Aug 28, 2012
    8
    This has to be the most fun I have had since my first experience with WOW when that was released. Maybe because just about every game that followed WOW for the last decade have basically duplicated those elements with minor variations. GW2 just feels fresh. I don't feel as if I've played this game before. There really are some idiotic comments in these threads, especially about Graphics.This has to be the most fun I have had since my first experience with WOW when that was released. Maybe because just about every game that followed WOW for the last decade have basically duplicated those elements with minor variations. GW2 just feels fresh. I don't feel as if I've played this game before. There really are some idiotic comments in these threads, especially about Graphics. Most of the first impressions from professional outlets state that the graphics are superb. For me, the awe I had in Divinity Reach and some of these Vistas was above what I was expecting. Also, the game has soul. It feels MUCH more alive then other games such as SWTOR, AION, Rift, etc. The NPCs seem to be doing more and the world in general just feels as if it has a lot going on. Also, the sound effects of the environment are well above average. The only negative I had was some lag with World versus World and Im not a fan of the Overflow system when grouping with friends, but I realize this is launch and these things will be ironed out. Anyone who thinks that there won't be issues at the release of an MMO are smokin something or this is there first MMO.… Expand
  29. Nikecow
    Aug 28, 2012
    8
    This game is without a doubt the best MMORPG to date if it comes to leveling. Guild Wars 2 definitely raised the bar on this point with their excellent dynamic events and presenting 'quests' in a way that doesn't make it feel tedious. The graphics are great, the character customization is superb and the atmosphere is also phenomenal. It did basically everything right that SW:TOR did wrong.This game is without a doubt the best MMORPG to date if it comes to leveling. Guild Wars 2 definitely raised the bar on this point with their excellent dynamic events and presenting 'quests' in a way that doesn't make it feel tedious. The graphics are great, the character customization is superb and the atmosphere is also phenomenal. It did basically everything right that SW:TOR did wrong. However, for the lack of a PVE end-game (yes I know its a PVP based game but still) and the technical difficulties it experienced at launch I have to subtract 2 points. Therefor in my opinion GW2 is a solid 8 which is great for a new game in a market saturated with garbage.… Expand
  30. Obadiah_Jenkins
    Aug 17, 2023
    8
    This game is everything I thought it would be. It has no subscription which is just outright amazing for the quality of the game! Easy 8/10! Great MMO!
  31. ImJustaBilly
    Aug 30, 2012
    8
    DE's arently really innovative. They are basically the exact same questing system as any other MMO except ANET does a decent job of hiding it. Instead of having to accept quests you just do them. It's streamlined but still incredibly repetitive. You either kill things, collect things, or protect things. Sometimes raising the heart bar requires you to just click on an object and that's it.DE's arently really innovative. They are basically the exact same questing system as any other MMO except ANET does a decent job of hiding it. Instead of having to accept quests you just do them. It's streamlined but still incredibly repetitive. You either kill things, collect things, or protect things. Sometimes raising the heart bar requires you to just click on an object and that's it. Which feels kind of lazy. "Light this torch." (Click) Done. It's not all that fun after awhile and it's not very interesting except when you have some sort of story line tied into it that affects the environment. And that's another problem I have.

    I wouldn't have a problem with the repetitiveness of the game if the whole "Persistent" world thing were more persistent to begin with. I wanted to affect the world and feel like I'm doing things important. But most of the time I revive or free a prisoner just to have them end up in a freaking cell after 30 minutes. What the heck is up with that? Repel the damn wave just to have them come back an hour later? I felt like a hero when I revived the dead quaggan in the water but felt like a chump when I realized they just die again. I know ANET resets these things so that everybody could participate but they shouldn't have made it seem like things would persist for a long time when it really doesn't. One of the biggest reasons why I play video games is for the cinematic story experience. Games like Mass Effect 2 and Metal Gear Solid 4 are the types of cinematic quality I    … Expand
  32. kelvinlatif
    Aug 30, 2012
    8
    Crafting still useless like another games, does not really help progression, Dynamic Event's rewards are much better than crafting stuffs. Sidekick feature is not enough, only base lvl is reduced to be matched with area level, but equipments and skills are not, still a 30 lvl character would one hit kill lvl 5 monsters. It would be better if equipments and skills are matched too, as theCrafting still useless like another games, does not really help progression, Dynamic Event's rewards are much better than crafting stuffs. Sidekick feature is not enough, only base lvl is reduced to be matched with area level, but equipments and skills are not, still a 30 lvl character would one hit kill lvl 5 monsters. It would be better if equipments and skills are matched too, as the result that would be lot of things to do because low lvl events would not be fun with overpower/lvl character. Events are good (marked with hearth icons on the map), it actually same with quest in another games, but most of them could be completed without talking to npc first. Dynamic events are great, but most of them are too difficult to be completed with public people, it need a deeper organization to finish the dynamic event successfully. Personal story is good, but nothing special. sPVP like other games. WvW is great, but the matchmaking is still bad, a server could own two servers with more than double scores. Combat is good with little actions, but still click to attack view mostly. I have not tried dungeons, but as I see on serveral videos and heard from friends same as another games dungeons (WOW, Rift, etc.).… Expand
  33. tluv
    Nov 29, 2012
    8
    8/10 from me. I'll start with the good. The content is overwhelming. You may say there isn't content, then I don't know what game you have been playing. Everything from WvW, to PvE, to sPvP is simply fun. I even enjoy crafting, something I never really enjoyed doing in a game. The graphics are phenomenal. I'm playing on a low spec computer and still enjoy the beauty. That is another point,8/10 from me. I'll start with the good. The content is overwhelming. You may say there isn't content, then I don't know what game you have been playing. Everything from WvW, to PvE, to sPvP is simply fun. I even enjoy crafting, something I never really enjoyed doing in a game. The graphics are phenomenal. I'm playing on a low spec computer and still enjoy the beauty. That is another point, I'm on a low end computer. The game plays decent on it, I'm happy about that. I really enjoy the big "group dynamic events" where 100+ people show up to take down a baddie. That is always a blast to enjoy. I'm also a World versus World versus World (WvW) nut. I enjoy fighting alongside 100+ people taking a keep or a castle while getting barraged with arrows and oil. That is fun. I enjoy it. The classes are all fun to play. And the races are equally amazing. The personal story is very well done as well. Granted, I think after a certain point it starts coming together at the end so it is the same, but that makes sense. The story of an MMO has to have the same ending point. It is very well done. My only concerns are the following. The Culling issue in WvW and the PvE side are just bad. If I am fighting people, how come I can't see them, but they can see me while I'm getting hit? This is especially bad in WvW where you do find quite a few people at the same time. Another are the bugs. The bugs are endless. Just when one gets fixed, another one pops up. It took me a month to get one map completed because of a bug where the skill point didn't show up. Kind of hard to complete content that way. Another is the "endgame". The whole game was supposed to be end game. But instead we have people "farming and grinding" gear which is the total opposite of what the game was marketed to be. There isn't any reward for going back and assisting new characters or doing lower level content. If there was some sort of reward for going back to a different map, even it is was farming, perhaps the population would spread out again. Kind of pointless to see a 30 man zerg just farming events in the end game areas. If that was what the PvE ends up being, I'll stick to my WvW. The Class balance is out of whack. Seems to be that if you want to dominate, go Mesmer or Thief. The other classes don't even matter is seems like. Re-balancing needs to be done for the classes.

    All in all, the game is very well done. The best part, if you get frustrated or bored, you can always come back when new content comes out. That's always the best part, no worries about a subscription fee. If those small issues get fixed, and slightly more content for the little guy in WvW, it'll be a 10. Till then, a 8/10 it is.    … Expand
  34. hidefrompublic
    Sep 1, 2012
    8
    GW2 is not a "WoW" killer because "WoW" is already been killed by blizzard maybe 3-4 years ago. First thing i experienced was that you don't spend time talking to NPC in order to receive a quest which i believe is a great way of making mmo-rpg fun because you already consume time walking around the world clueless. However i'm gonna make it easy for those that are debating to try a new MMOGW2 is not a "WoW" killer because "WoW" is already been killed by blizzard maybe 3-4 years ago. First thing i experienced was that you don't spend time talking to NPC in order to receive a quest which i believe is a great way of making mmo-rpg fun because you already consume time walking around the world clueless. However i'm gonna make it easy for those that are debating to try a new MMO by stating few key points on why you should get GW2. Of course i might have missed few things but i only wrote on what interested the most. Everyone is different and experience differently (not everyone is gonna like GW2).

    Positives
    +If you are sick of WoW, then you should try GW2. +If you don't like talking to NPC's then you should get GW2. +If you love "zergfest questing," then you should get GW2 (i actually like zergfest, not sure what people are complaining about).
    +Better graphics than WoW (anything is)?
    +No rush on leveling
    +Free to play
    +No more debating on healers/dps/tanks
    +Easy questing overall
    Negatives
    -Getting use to a new MMO (especially after playing WoW for 4 years).
    -Walking/moving dynamics feels a little weird and camera view (maybe it's just me).
    -Not user-friendly for those that are new to GW2.    … Expand
  35. SadlyNot
    Sep 1, 2012
    8
    Starting with the good, this is a fantastic MMO. The combat is a big improvement on the standard button mash and stand still that a lot of MMOs have established. The world is gorgeous, you actually have lots of motivation to explore instead of grinding the same spot. Leveling is easy, so if you want to hit end-game you can do so. Even then, you don't need to hit end-game to enjoy the PvPStarting with the good, this is a fantastic MMO. The combat is a big improvement on the standard button mash and stand still that a lot of MMOs have established. The world is gorgeous, you actually have lots of motivation to explore instead of grinding the same spot. Leveling is easy, so if you want to hit end-game you can do so. Even then, you don't need to hit end-game to enjoy the PvP and WvW because you are scaled up. Overall, awesome experience for the first few days playing with friends. Also, the launch was great. I logged in the second servers became available at 9 pm PST and enjoyed hours of play. A few things were down, like trading and mail, but compared to some other big launches (Diablo 3) at least I could play immediately.

    The bad - I haven't been able to play for three days. Won't get into details but in short I changed my password because of recent hacks and now I can't log in. Support is being swarmed with users having similar login issues, so as a relatively young company not used to dealing with this much traffic don't expect much help beyond a confirmation for a while. Not saying they are a trash company - I'm saying that if you haven't bought this game yet, do yourself a favour and wait a few weeks. By then support will be working, there won't be in-game problems like mail system and trading being down, and you can fully enjoy the game from day 1 of purchase.    … Expand
  36. ultimateballoon
    Sep 1, 2012
    8
    Graphics: The game is beautiful. The art design is somewhere between stylized and realistic. The worlds are rich, vibrant and full of colour. Each area seems to feel alive and full of character. If you have the PC to handle it, max out those settings, this is an exceptionally good looking game. 8/10

    Sound: The music is engaging, and really fits the world. It never feels annoying or gets    Graphics: The game is beautiful. The art design is somewhere between stylized and realistic. The worlds are rich, vibrant and full of colour. Each area seems to feel alive and full of character. If you have the PC to handle it, max out those settings, this is an exceptionally good looking game. 8/10

    Sound: The music is engaging, and really fits the world. It never feels annoying or gets in the way, it just quietly hums along in the background, and adds character to the areas. Spells sound powerful, and swords sound sharp. It works very nicely. 9/10.

    Story: The voice acting is touch and go. Some of the voices are brilliant, making the character feel like it has personality, however most of the time, it is poorly delivered. The personal story is a nice touch, and it does feel like this is my characters story, however I never get a sense of weight on the enemies. Some of the characters make me truly hate them for all the right reasons, others make me hate them because they are bland and annoying, or just poorly fleshed out. I have yet to feel that the world is truly in peril from the dragons, hopefully that will change further in the game, for now though, story is meh. 5/10

    Combat: The combat system is fast and active. It is fun and works well. Each class only has access to 10 skills at any one time, and while this allows for a lot of variety in builds, however as you're only using a few skills at any one time with the remainder being situational, it ends up feeling repetitive, I guess it is meant to fit in with the fast paced nature combat that they were going for, but it falls kind of flat. No skills require you to remain static while casting them, and keeping on the move is important to stay alive. Targeting can be a pain as the game seems to want you to focus on the nearest enemy, even if you have locked on to someone, it will sometimes switch. 7/10.

    Crafting: I love crafting in games, it's one of my favorite things to do. The crafting system in Guild Wars 2 is excellent! You have to gather raw materials such as wood and scraps of cloth, refine them into usable items, like wooden planks and spools of string, then use the refined ingredients to make items. It makes sense, and it's fun. You also get experience from it! I cannot fault the crafting, so 10/10.

    Bugs: During my time with the game, I personally have not experienced any issues, however this is not the case for all. My Girlfriend gets random crashes with no real indication as to why. It appears that the game is not as optimized as it should be, as we both run fairly spec heavy machines, hers being more powerful than mine, which makes even less sense as to why she is having problems and I am not. Nothing that has happened was game breaking though. 8/10.

    Questing: The game really shines here. It feels like you are in control of where you want your adventure to take you, not the game holding your hand. It is fun to just say "Hey, what's over there?" and go. There is always something happening, and something to discover. Exploration is rewarding, and events are placed perfectly. The game guides you through interesting terrain and landmarks, rather than just saying "Go here, do this".

    The events that happen do get repetitive after a while, so it looses marks here, but otherwise it is a brilliant system. 9/10

    Multiplayer: I really hope this is just new game blues but MAN is it hard to group up with your friends. If one of you is in an overflow server, it can be near impossible to join together. That aside, the rest of it is fine. Players come together naturally due to the design of quests. You're rarely playing alone, and it is nice. 7/10 (Only due to the friends issue)

    So, all up, this is a wonderful game. It's beautiful, gives a sense of adventure, and is all around fun. It's really let down by the story and voice acting, though neither of those are necessary for enjoying the game. Overall score: 8/10    … Expand
  37. Hazax
    Sep 6, 2012
    8
    Guild Wars 2 does it different but in the same skin as its competitors. In terms of setting it evolves upon GW-1, still having a storyline focused upon you the player as several political factions try to oppose the dragons and other powers that threaten the civilized races that form the loose alliance set around Lions Arch. The combat at first glance seems the same as WoW (hit button 1 toGuild Wars 2 does it different but in the same skin as its competitors. In terms of setting it evolves upon GW-1, still having a storyline focused upon you the player as several political factions try to oppose the dragons and other powers that threaten the civilized races that form the loose alliance set around Lions Arch. The combat at first glance seems the same as WoW (hit button 1 to use skill 1) but once you delve into it, it is nowhere close. Each class has skills tied to weapons (skills 1-5) and then 5 that are unlocked as you earn skillpoints to unlock them, beyond this each class has unique mechanics which further sets it apart… Expand
  38. trichomes
    Sep 8, 2012
    8
    I was backing this game before it came out, just like I did with the first guild wars, I played beta with both games, and liked what I saw, but again, I feel the way I felt with the first one, boring, clunky, and no, there is still no better MMO then WOW, " in the fantasy mmo world". I hate what WOW has become, but yet, it destroys this game in every facet of mmo's. I see alot of peopleI was backing this game before it came out, just like I did with the first guild wars, I played beta with both games, and liked what I saw, but again, I feel the way I felt with the first one, boring, clunky, and no, there is still no better MMO then WOW, " in the fantasy mmo world". I hate what WOW has become, but yet, it destroys this game in every facet of mmo's. I see alot of people saying gw2 is better PVP, I don't think it's even close to WOW's pvp. I made an 80 in less then 1 week, wtf is that? sorry, but this game has too many flaws and shortcummings that have been explained by others. I've been wanting an mmo to replace WOW for quite sometime, this isn't it. Graphics are over-rated, pvp/pve is hugely over-rated. Professions are silly....just not my cup of tea. Still, all and all, it's a descent mmo for the casual player new to the genre, and may grow on you. Also, yeah, there's no month fee like other mmo's, but it still cost money to have internet, for me, over $60 a month, so, this game is not free to me at all, if there was an offline pve mode, or an ability to run my own dedicated server with some friends for pve, then, yeah....it's free afterwards. Good luck to arenanet, and for those who love this game, I'm happy for you, me, I'll be waiting for the next mmo, maybe elderscrolls online ha ha.… Expand
  39. Falcor
    Sep 20, 2012
    8
    So far i am realy enjoying the game itself. the combat system is great, the personal storyline all that, but there is one major flaw. one that people often overlook. the support team are nothing short of incompetent. they struggle to help with even minor issues. i can understand that they take a long time to reply, the game just launched and tonns of people are contacting them for aSo far i am realy enjoying the game itself. the combat system is great, the personal storyline all that, but there is one major flaw. one that people often overlook. the support team are nothing short of incompetent. they struggle to help with even minor issues. i can understand that they take a long time to reply, the game just launched and tonns of people are contacting them for a variety of reasons, and some people appear pleased with the work suport does. but me and alot of the people i play with have had naugth but infuriating dealings with the suport team!… Expand
  40. Adikon
    Nov 30, 2018
    8
    The game is brilliant. Contains action,exploring,pvp and group events. The idea of World Events is just great. The leveling is fun and it's not boring and monotonic. There are various types of quests. From gathering through killing escorting and ending on defending certain points. The mechanics of the game are great. Combo mechanism really kicks the fun up. The trading system is awesomeThe game is brilliant. Contains action,exploring,pvp and group events. The idea of World Events is just great. The leveling is fun and it's not boring and monotonic. There are various types of quests. From gathering through killing escorting and ending on defending certain points. The mechanics of the game are great. Combo mechanism really kicks the fun up. The trading system is awesome because you can trade while questing and doing your stuff. You don't have to run to the Auction house or something. You just trade as you go and then pick your money or stuff at Trade Post. Pvp is also a big part of the game and is balanced. Additionally building siege weapons and team playing really makes the pvp hot. This game is not just for solo play. Bigger fun is when you co-operate with other ppl, make events together and work in guilds.
    Awesome game    … Expand
  41. monti_84
    Oct 5, 2012
    8
    I´ve been checking the bad reviews of the game, and mainly i read complaints of people who let themselves be fooled by all the hype around it. Just to be clear for the persons that are looking for some guidance about buying the game or not: it is a MMORPG, plain and simple, not that different from many others out there. But its the kind of game that can be released after many otherI´ve been checking the bad reviews of the game, and mainly i read complaints of people who let themselves be fooled by all the hype around it. Just to be clear for the persons that are looking for some guidance about buying the game or not: it is a MMORPG, plain and simple, not that different from many others out there. But its the kind of game that can be released after many other games had done thousands of mistakes the guild wars developers learned from. I´m comming from playing mainly WOW (which i stop playing, i mean pandas?, give me a break!), and I´m enjoying guild wars 2 a lot. I really appreciate not having to talk to npcs for getting/delivering quests, the huge world to explore, the lack of armor grinding, and the feature that has to be a must for any other future MMORPGs: the scaling system. The fact that you dont have to explore the world in a linear way based on your character level is priceless. You get to enjoy the challenge of a 1-10 area even if you are a level 40 or whatever. The same about the fact that if i want to pvp, i don´t have to level my character, then grind countless hours for pvp armor in order to get to endgame pvp. You may now create a character just to pvp, you dont have to level it, just create, get to the pvp zone, and go kill people. If you are looking for a completely different experience from other MMORPGs: DONT LOOK HERE! If you want to play a MMORPG that is thoughtful about your time (no grinding for armor, not waiting for parties, etc) and gets you fast into action, this may be your game. One thing I have to agree with other reviewers in here is that the game is not very social. I see this as a very huge advantage because a hate having to waste my time waiting for a healer or a tank or whatever, or spamming text to find a party to do an elite quest, etc. But one thing they did right is the fact that there is not mob locking, everybody can benefit from a kill if they participated in it (same with gathering), so the sight of other players in that particular elite mob that you cant solo is great, you actually get happy about encountering others instead of seeing them as competition, although you dont even have to talk to them to work together. The players that enjoy feeling important (i´m the best healer, i keep everyone alive!), socializing too much in game or armor grinding are definitely going to be disappointed. Me?, i hate all that stuff, so i am really having a blast playing it. Concerning the critics about the combat being repetitive, with auto attack and cooldowns, well, its true. But i havent found a MMORPG that makes it that much better either, so, not much to comment on that.… Expand
  42. unoMaestro
    Nov 2, 2012
    8
    Just pros and cons.
    < > Pros: < 1 > Stunningly effective design (visual, graphics and music) < 2 > Innovative and convinient gameplay (anyone should try it) < 3 > Playstyles of different classes are really different < 4 > Wide character customization < 5 > Live world with continuous events
    < > Cons: < 1 > Inexpressive storyline (especially the ending) < 2 > Annoying    Just pros and cons.
    < > Pros: < 1 > Stunningly effective design (visual, graphics and music) < 2 > Innovative and convinient gameplay (anyone should try it) < 3 > Playstyles of different classes are really different < 4 > Wide character customization < 5 > Live world with continuous events
    < > Cons: < 1 > Inexpressive storyline (especially the ending) < 2 > Annoying last locations (both design and mobs' behaviour) < 3 > Turmoil in dungeons due to "no tank, random aggro" mechanics < 4 > Lack of end-game motivation (after some level of familiarization the game becomes boring even without full progress achieved)    … Expand
  43. GamePlayTalk
    Nov 3, 2012
    8
    • There is a long standing a gap between the action present in modern RPGs and MMORPGs, Guild Wars 2 is the next step in bridging that gap.
    • The dodge mechanic present in the game helps to add to that "action" feel, requiring the player to keep moving while concentrating on their positioning in the combat at all times.
    • Though the combat system is a great improvement    • There is a long standing a gap between the action present in modern RPGs and MMORPGs, Guild Wars 2 is the next step in bridging that gap.
    • The dodge mechanic present in the game helps to add to that "action" feel, requiring the player to keep moving while concentrating on their positioning in the combat at all times.
    • Though the combat system is a great improvement over more traditional MMORPGs, the game still bears many of the trappings that are a given part of any MMORPG.
    • Containing both a traditional arena based PVP and more open area mass battle grounds offers a wide range of PVP options where though not always competing on equal grounds, even new players are given a chance by being boosted to max level.
    • Though grinding is not required, population levels in certain parts of the game may cause certain dynamic events to either not trigger or be impossible for an individual to complete thus throwing off the expected leveling path. Otherwise the quest system is great.    … Expand
  44. Diablo92
    Dec 15, 2013
    8
    I am impressed. After putting some hours into it and understanding some of the basics. I think I have a good feel on most of the game. I like how the map layout is just so the way it is. Enemies are scattered all over the place and keep their distances for the most part. The automated leveling up on everything was a great idea but i think the player should choose if or not to. When you goI am impressed. After putting some hours into it and understanding some of the basics. I think I have a good feel on most of the game. I like how the map layout is just so the way it is. Enemies are scattered all over the place and keep their distances for the most part. The automated leveling up on everything was a great idea but i think the player should choose if or not to. When you go into a too high leveled area, the game will sometimes set the level right where it should be so its comfortable enough to sit back and level up all day long. I think 8/10 should do it. Good game.… Expand
  45. Zackis
    Dec 19, 2012
    8
    Fun theme park style of game...DO not rush to the end. Sadly for the end game there really is NOT all that much to do. Worth the experience to try it though
  46. Zonzai
    Dec 30, 2012
    8
    Story: 4 ---------------- The great overarching plot from GW1 is replaced by hundreds of meaningless (but fun) mini-events and some often contrived personal quests.

    Visuals: 10 ----------- It doesn't get a whole lot better for an MMO and the ANet art team is great at creating visual interest. Sound: 9 --------------- Jeremy Soul is a genius. The only reason this isn't a 10 is because    Story: 4 ---------------- The great overarching plot from GW1 is replaced by hundreds of meaningless (but fun) mini-events and some often contrived personal quests.

    Visuals: 10 ----------- It doesn't get a whole lot better for an MMO and the ANet art team is great at creating visual interest.

    Sound: 9 --------------- Jeremy Soul is a genius. The only reason this isn't a 10 is because of the headache-inducing noise of necromancer spells and deafeningly cacophonous boss fights.

    Combat: 7 ------------- It's good for an MMO but if you've ever played any action RPG you know exactly what you're missing. It's not as good as TERA's combat but it's good.

    Game Design: 8 ----- In all aspects the game is well-designed but it seems that ArenaNet is not immune to problems with class balance. Certain classes suffer from crippling class-specific design issues and poor skill synergy so much that the player must master every available skill and use them in every fight (engineer, elementalist). Others need do only know how to use a few skills to win most NPC encounters (guardian, thief, warrior). Basically, it's the same situation as with every other MMORPG.

    Fun Factor: 10 ------- Yeah, it's fun. It still gets repetitive, there isn't enough end game content yet and choosing one of the inferior classes can really be a downer but compared to any other MMORPG, it's the best there is. That means it deserves a 10 even if it isn't quite perfect.

    Overall: 8 -------------- A very good game with the potential for greatness. Here's hoping ArenaNet can tap that potential in future updates and class balance patches.    … Expand
  47. grimreaper10294
    Feb 14, 2013
    8
    I have played this game for approximately 3 months, and I first joined when my friends persuaded me to spend the $60 I put aside for CODbo2 for this. I was led here with the idea of a massive world with endless interesting things to do, and never-ending fun without the grinding so commonly found in everyday MMOs. However, to the newcomer who doesn't have much experience with this kind ofI have played this game for approximately 3 months, and I first joined when my friends persuaded me to spend the $60 I put aside for CODbo2 for this. I was led here with the idea of a massive world with endless interesting things to do, and never-ending fun without the grinding so commonly found in everyday MMOs. However, to the newcomer who doesn't have much experience with this kind of MMO, there seems to be way too many things to be done everyday. I have not played many MMOs lately, so I was a little daunted by the prospect of doing all the things needed to be done. Once you get used to the tasks, it is quite fun to wander around in a huge land. However, I think if you don't really have any close friends IRL who play it, there isn't too much to be done. It's a lot more fun to play the game with people you know well.… Expand
  48. Iamthejuan
    Jun 30, 2013
    8
    Too simple, but better than wow. There could be a lot more to do though...pvp is too accessible and there seem to be very little rewards since they completely removed the gearing and skill allotment features. I understand that the gear grind of other MMO's like wow is ridiculous (and this is better), but there should be some unlockables and other stuff to work towards. I actually miss theToo simple, but better than wow. There could be a lot more to do though...pvp is too accessible and there seem to be very little rewards since they completely removed the gearing and skill allotment features. I understand that the gear grind of other MMO's like wow is ridiculous (and this is better), but there should be some unlockables and other stuff to work towards. I actually miss the system from GW 1 to be honest. If they put those classes and skill systems into this game would have been better. But all in all this is a good game- not better than the first but still as good and different enough to not be a rehash. I quit WoW a while ago and settled on Skyrim as my temporary "mmo" (the npc's in skyrim are more entertaining and engaging than most players on WoW). This game has brought me back online.… Expand
  49. MMO_Critic
    Jun 16, 2013
    8
    ArenaNet promised a masterpiece and they did deliver it. It is, unlike the other common known MMOs, unique in its own way, the only thing that disappointed me a little bit is that it gets boring after a while. Unless you are a active PvP or WvW player.
  50. Severianizer
    Aug 9, 2013
    8
    Guild Wars 2 is an exciting new MMO. Instead if hardcore gear grinding and repetitive questing, thre are dynamic events. These can occur anywhere in the world, with a huge boss at the end sometimes )

    If I have any complaints, it's the dungeons. They are way to hard, and you should be level 80 with moderate gear to actually do them well.
  51. Swindlemoontwi
    Aug 21, 2013
    8
    This is not entirely the greatest game on earth but its not the worst and it shows. I took a break after a while because I was a wee bit disappointed in how long it takes to find certain events to get XP because this game doesnt hold your hand very much (Consider this a grateful thing) but it still shows promise basically because of almost everything you do gets you XP and thats what IThis is not entirely the greatest game on earth but its not the worst and it shows. I took a break after a while because I was a wee bit disappointed in how long it takes to find certain events to get XP because this game doesnt hold your hand very much (Consider this a grateful thing) but it still shows promise basically because of almost everything you do gets you XP and thats what I needed from a MMO for a long time. Because basically I dont last one very long and if I did, I would get bored but this game doesnt get you bored as fast as other MMO's however if you play long enough you feel like you want to take it easy and move on to something else which is totally fine. Its still money worth spent and please ignore these negative reviews because these people LOVE to complain about how much they dont like it and thats the problem with certain people's attitudes these days. Anyways this is still pretty fun and a great gem, you will not be disappointed. Unfortunately you still need a good computer to run it at ULTRA graphics that being said playing it on low settings isnt all that disappointing considering thats all my laptop can do for now till i get a better computer. This is revolutionary because its the first game to choose what you want to do without restrictions. World is really big and you can go to other races locations if you feel like it. However the personal story needs a really big facelift because I want it to be more personal rather than choosing what they made... THAT ISNT PERSONAL UNLESS YOU MAKE THE STORY YOU WANTED! Other than that I love this game I love the dialogue that non important characters say and the Asura is the most clever race I ever played on. GO ASURA! Thank you Arenanet for impressing me and not making me look bad. Yes I played the original but its nowhere near as fun as this one. This a truly a great gem you should try out and plus check the website because there is signup for a three day trial coming up this week!… Expand
  52. Notthatguy
    Sep 17, 2013
    8
    This game is one of the most beautiful I have played, includes such features as armor recoloring anywhere for FREE, tho some dyes have to be found or purchased.

    Leveling is not a chore, you just run around having fun and gain levels without any real grind, the leveling isn't fast its just FUN! The only reason i don't give this game 9/10 is that i couldn't find anything to keep me    This game is one of the most beautiful I have played, includes such features as armor recoloring anywhere for FREE, tho some dyes have to be found or purchased.

    Leveling is not a chore, you just run around having fun and gain levels without any real grind, the leveling isn't fast its just FUN!

    The only reason i don't give this game 9/10 is that i couldn't find anything to keep me playing, it didn't have an addiction for me, i still play it on occasion just to walk around and enjoy the beautiful world.    … Expand
  53. tagos
    May 4, 2018
    8
    After ten years playing Lord Of The Rings Online I spend way more time plaing GW2. the main reason? In GW no one is going to ask me to go kill 6 of something, then find 6 of something or wash 5 towels (an I Kid You Not LOTRO quest),

    This game has thrown out the quest hub system entirely. Instead you get a scripted personal story combined with open world events. This is so refreshing.    After ten years playing Lord Of The Rings Online I spend way more time plaing GW2. the main reason? In GW no one is going to ask me to go kill 6 of something, then find 6 of something or wash 5 towels (an I Kid You Not LOTRO quest),

    This game has thrown out the quest hub system entirely. Instead you get a scripted personal story combined with open world events. This is so refreshing. There’s always something to do, there’s always something going on and anything you choose to do contributes to your progression.

    Combat is fluid and the combination of builds you can put together gives great variety.

    It still looks great and gets new content on a regular basis. The Free To Play model is very generous and you csn go to level cap without paying a cent or being dramatically inconvenienced. The post level cap continuation just requires buying an expansion.

    If the two decade old quest hub MMO gameplay is draining you of the will to live then give this a free try.    … Expand
  54. DeusXCom
    Jul 30, 2014
    8
    Beautiful and incredibly extensive world, which despite it's gigantic size doesn't lose the touch for details. I generally don't like MMO's and this is essentially still an MMO with many of it's annoyances, but for some reason GW2 seemed much more sympathetic than the rest. Tyria is an amazing world to explore with many gorgeous vistas and I enjoyed my time spent in there. I loved theBeautiful and incredibly extensive world, which despite it's gigantic size doesn't lose the touch for details. I generally don't like MMO's and this is essentially still an MMO with many of it's annoyances, but for some reason GW2 seemed much more sympathetic than the rest. Tyria is an amazing world to explore with many gorgeous vistas and I enjoyed my time spent in there. I loved the character creation and all the differences in the branching story lines and different races, lots of replayability here. After capping the experience levels on 80 it lost the momentum for me and I was finishing the story for the sake of finishing it more than anything, but it still entertained me in a good way for hundreds of hours and that's an achievement that many other games can only dream of. 8/10… Expand
  55. xtrmsnpr
    Dec 11, 2013
    8
    Just a fantastic MMO,with all new features of the modern MMOs.
    Gameplay one of the best of that kind of games.
    Music, the OST binds with the scenes very well,and its adaptive too
  56. renanherz
    Dec 18, 2013
    8
    Guild Wars 2 is gorgeous, very fun to play and definitely very different to the plethora of other MMO's out there. It is undoubtedly among the best. You are able to jump as well as swim, leading to very interesting ideas such as jumping puzzles and huge explorable underwater areas.

    The cons: Skill simplicity and lack of customisation. This is especially apparent after having played    Guild Wars 2 is gorgeous, very fun to play and definitely very different to the plethora of other MMO's out there. It is undoubtedly among the best. You are able to jump as well as swim, leading to very interesting ideas such as jumping puzzles and huge explorable underwater areas.

    The cons:

    Skill simplicity and lack of customisation. This is especially apparent after having played the original guild wars. Having your skillset predetermined by what weapon you are holding feels very restrictive, and ultimately you tire of always using the same skills. I understand that this was done to reduce complexity, but instead there should be a larger set of skills predetermined by your weapon, from within which you select what skills you would like to use. There doesn't have to be many, just enough to give you the freedom to choose your own play style.

    Players who play more have access to better gear. This was not the case in the original guild wars, which rewarded extensive gameplay instead with better looking gear, rather than with superior stats.

    The lack of skill customisation leads to PvP feeling somewhat restricted. You will immediately know most of the skills that your enemy is about to use against you based on their profession and weapon chioce.    … Expand
  57. aatassi
    Mar 4, 2014
    8
    Best MMORPG so far. The best things in the game that count in score : graphics, background, personal story, living story and dynamic events. Teleportation points, vista, skill points, most jumping puzzles are good choices. We have 8 different class with some special bar per class Dungeons in scenario mode are relatively nice but need a certain level (80) and looking for group interfaceBest MMORPG so far. The best things in the game that count in score : graphics, background, personal story, living story and dynamic events. Teleportation points, vista, skill points, most jumping puzzles are good choices. We have 8 different class with some special bar per class Dungeons in scenario mode are relatively nice but need a certain level (80) and looking for group interface which existed lately. Dungeons in explorer mode is mush difficult and buggy. We can't do all 33 paths. We have also fractals with different levels. More accessible then dungeons at low level between 1 and 10. But after a certain level around 15 it is very difficult.

    Pve is far better then pvp. pvp is unbalanced in general, maps smaller then pve and often the same and mush more lag. Their is 2 kinds of pvp : WvW and structured. WvW and structured pvp contributes like pve to the duration of the games. They are complementary. WvW is nice because you have to take castle, garrison, tour, camp in a raid group using siege weapons. Structured pvp is nice because we need to take control of places and need some group tactic. Structured pvp is disappointing because we don't have nice skins affordable for characters.

    We have also a lot of activities for players how are bored from fighting.

    We can have up to 5 guilds per account. Not limited members. 10 levels of responsibility. Guild craft and missions. Need to represents a guild to chat with every member

    Game play : 8/10, graphics : 8/10, back ground : 8/10, lifetime : 8/10, sound : 8/10, community : 7/10, world : 8/10,

    personal story : 8/10, dynamic events : 8/10, living story : 7/10, normal pve : 8/10, jumping puzzles : 7/10,

    vistas : 7/10, teleportation points : 7/10, remarkable sites : 7/10, skill points : 6,5/10,
    yellow hearts : 5/10, achievements : 7/10

    fractals : 6/10, mini-dungeons (Vexa Lab, etc...) : 6/10, dungeons in scenario mode : 6/10, dungeons in exploration mode : 5/10,

    edge of the mists (WvW) : 7/10, wars of the mists (WvW) : 6/10, heart of the mists (structured pvp) : 6/10, activities : 5-6/10

    craft : 7/10, trade (auction house) : 7/10, character customization : 6/10,

    races : 7/10, classes : 7/10, mini-pets : 7/10, pets (ranger) : 7/10

    skills : 6/10, attributes : 6/10, fights : 5/10,

    titles : 5/10, guilds : 5/10,

    swim : 7/10, jump : 6/10, dive : 6/10, climb : 6/10, dodge : 6/10    … Expand
  58. LpSilent
    May 19, 2014
    8
    Guild Wars 2 is a fantastic Improvement from the first ''Guild Wars'', Its better then TOR, World of Warcraft and TERA, Lord of the rings online and more, they've made a brilliant decision on the games Gameplay and duel-wielding is personally my favorite thing to do, the duel-wielding feels brilliantly done, and the graphics are truly beautiful and stunningly detailed, but the bad thingGuild Wars 2 is a fantastic Improvement from the first ''Guild Wars'', Its better then TOR, World of Warcraft and TERA, Lord of the rings online and more, they've made a brilliant decision on the games Gameplay and duel-wielding is personally my favorite thing to do, the duel-wielding feels brilliantly done, and the graphics are truly beautiful and stunningly detailed, but the bad thing about this game is the ''PVP'' - It normally takes hours just to get into a game which is a big problem, personally I don't go to play any ''PVP'', but that's mainly because I gave it up as waiting too long is annoyingly silly...… Expand
  59. FrenziedRoach
    May 5, 2014
    8
    This game wins in that I didn't find it frustrating to play most of the time. However, I was greatly let down by it's character story and it's rather Meh PvP.

    That being said, I don't regret a minute I played in this game. Very solid game.
  60. petunius
    Sep 1, 2014
    8
    this is the best mmorpg game i have ever played and it does not make it worse that you just have to pay for it once and never again. if you like mmorpg games you will probably like this one! it's by no means perfect but way better than anything else!
  61. Nepharos
    Jan 29, 2015
    8
    Guild Wars... the counter part of World of Warcraft.
    I have played Guild Wars 1 since Factions came out (1st expansion) and loved it till the end.
    And in the months before the release of Guild Wars 2 it became clear to me that I had to have it as well. I have played this game a lot (I have 10 characters) and loved it. Gameplay The gameplay is unique, it's the first in it's kind    Guild Wars... the counter part of World of Warcraft.
    I have played Guild Wars 1 since Factions came out (1st expansion) and loved it till the end.
    And in the months before the release of Guild Wars 2 it became clear to me that I had to have it as well.

    I have played this game a lot (I have 10 characters) and loved it.

    Gameplay
    The gameplay is unique, it's the first in it's kind and it's grand!

    Starting off the combat alone is smooth and thrilling. Spells/skills you use look amazing and feel great!
    The dodging and running around in combat feels natural and gives you a lot of freedom. I found this feature the best of the combat system, because it makes it more dynamic and gives you the feeling you are REALLY fighting!

    Then there's the environmental jumping puzzles, which are fun to do but sometimes frustrating as well.
    In some occasions jumps are nearly impossible to get due to camera clipping in low caves or delay in pressing the button and doing the action.
    Otherwise, it is a creative feature that more games could use!

    You also get the drive to explore on each map you go to, every corner holds something new and exciting.
    The dynamic events are surprising, but boring after a while, because you can time them.
    So there should be more dynamic events that occur random, not on certain times.

    Dungeons and mechanics are really cool as well, only the same thing happens as with the story.. the dungeon stories get boring.
    Some dungeons remain challenging (the last one for instance and Fractals of the Mists), but I think overall the dungeon balance is cool.

    The looting system however is not rewarding at all. Chances that you loot something good looking (for stats are all the same) are not great. As are the tokens you get from dungeons. It's alright to get less tokens when repeating the same dungeon, but the amount of tokens you need for... a skin. Is too much...

    Story
    Racial and personal stories are cool and thought through very well, although if you have so many characters like I did... you eventually start to get bored of the stories and it starts to feel like a grind.

    Same goes for the dungeons, although some are hard enough to still be challenging after a while (just like Fractals).

    Graphics & Audio
    The graphics are great, skills look really good and are easy to spot from one another.
    Every single map urges you to explore it, thus showing it's great beauty.
    And then there's the audio, music recorded with a real orchestra sounds amazing and brings a positive atmosphere into the game.

    Skill sounds, voices, etc. are destinct and neat.

    Conclusion
    I love this game for it's smooth combat system, the dynamic and beautiful world and the community!
    Although it gets boring over time to repeat the dungeons and stories over and over again, it's good to see a new MMO RPG concept rise.

    I'm curious about the expansion, which looks equally great so far!    … Expand
  62. Yourcricket
    Aug 1, 2015
    8
    A distinguishing game in a time where most are competing to be carbon copies of popular formulas.

    And while there is nothing that is perfect, and this is true for GW2 aswell, the one time purchase you make will be worth every penny/dollar/euro with the amount of things you can and will do until/if you tire of the game. A few of the positive points: - An immense world to explore and    A distinguishing game in a time where most are competing to be carbon copies of popular formulas.

    And while there is nothing that is perfect, and this is true for GW2 aswell, the one time purchase you make will be worth every penny/dollar/euro with the amount of things you can and will do until/if you tire of the game.

    A few of the positive points:
    - An immense world to explore and discover by yourself or with friends, find hidden puzzles, vistas, quests etc.
    - Multiple ways to level up: explore the world, craft, do dungeons or pvp.
    - Skill based pvp with no itemization.
    - no pay to win items in the shop.
    - Wardrobe, a gallery style feature that allows you to browse all the items/skins you have unlocked or not (weapons, armor, costumes, miniatures etc)
    - Immersive story-telling and world altering events.
    - Awesome Artwork and Soundtracks
    - Non-competitive resource gathering and mob targetting.
    - Fast paced action combat    … Expand
  63. destinyfan1
    Jan 21, 2017
    8
    it looked boring in the beginning and it also still is soetimes but the content , combat exploration it is so big .
    ok graphical its pretty but fun to fight in
    just buy it it is at most moments better then any other mmorpg
  64. Thaksin
    Apr 12, 2022
    8
    Отличная ММО игра, одна из лучших и место заслуженное!
  65. HenriqueBG
    Jun 21, 2020
    8
    Game is nice, have decent character development story until the expansions. Have incredible world events and colaborative player interaction. You can have some good hours of fun. They added some lesbian characters to please political agenda and creepy teenagers that have wet dreams about it and story after the base game is kinda based on improvisation, but it sill worth playing.
  66. JoelArpal
    Dec 28, 2020
    8
    It's the only MMO that has been able to have me more than a week. I'm not a great fan of the genre but i think it has cool mechanics and a very interesting world.
  67. ReggiWatson
    Mar 31, 2013
    7
    As a great fan of Guild Wars i set myself to purchase this game as soon as it was released. I was not (too much) disappointed, its a great game, and a must have in for any MMO players. Go ahead, buy it, its worth it.

    Why an 7 then? Well, despite being a great game, its not perfect. And its definitely not the experience i was expecting since i played for like almost 7 year of Guild Wars.    As a great fan of Guild Wars i set myself to purchase this game as soon as it was released. I was not (too much) disappointed, its a great game, and a must have in for any MMO players. Go ahead, buy it, its worth it.

    Why an 7 then? Well, despite being a great game, its not perfect. And its definitely not the experience i was expecting since i played for like almost 7 year of Guild Wars. Let me do this in topics of Pos and Cons.

    Pos:
    - Gorgeous Graphics. Certainly a very good upgrade.
    - Free group questing, If you are in the are with more random players, everyone contributes for that same quest.
    - 5 distinct and interesting races. (personally i never had any issue of having a full human race on GW)
    - Weapon and skills mechanic. Each weapon gives you a set of skill based on which hand its equipped. 3 skills for main hand, 2 for off hand. All 5 for a 2H weapon.
    - Dedicated skill slots. 1 for healing skill, 3 for support skills, 1 for an elite skill.
    - The removal of the "healer stress". Since everyone must have a healing skill, its up to you to make your own survival.
    - The last stand mechanic. Which allow you to get back into the battle after you have been defeated if you kill 1 enemy before the timer goes down.
    - The still rich lore.

    Cons:
    - Lost its originality, compared to the original GW. Its just your regular MMO now.
    - Old mechanics. Dungeons. Elite Mobs. Auction House. Regular "collect X", "kill Y" and such quests.
    - Instant travel now costs gold, compared to the free travel of the original GW.
    - Skill limitation. I loved to mess around with the enormous quantity of skills of GW, now classes like Engineer are limited to like 3-4 weapon sets.
    - Dual class system was removed.
    - Special class traits where removed. No more get energy with each dead enemy for necromancer, and such.
    - Some classes where removed. Hope they get back on an expansion or so.
    - Loss of tactical action. Since Monk was removed and everyone can heal themselves, you consider each class as a DPS. Just spam attack skills.

    There are some other things that where added that in my opinion bring nothing to the game:
    - Pseudo durability system. Pointless
    - Jumping key. Sorry, i think this was a huge fan service, i think its pointless to have it compared to GW, i liked the fact i could use the space bar to do focused actions and not jump.
    - The complete loss of character customization, where you had a complete different set of faces and hairs for each class (and campaign) in GW, now its just same sets for each race, leaving you probably recycling the same face/hair for many characters.
    - No more skill hunting. You get a weapon, you use it to train the skills, that's done.
    - Amped up level cap. Why? I loved the fact level cap was only 20 in GW, and the real game started from there on, where enemies got stronger and above that level cap. (lvl 31 Dragon Glint anyone?)

    Bottom line, Guild Wars 2 is a great game, but lost the Guild Wars originality and became mainstream. If you like WoW or SW TOR you will like this game, if you loved Guild Wars, you might get a bit disappointed with this new installment. Let's hope new expansion will make things different.    … Expand
  68. johann1978
    Sep 9, 2012
    7
    Its a good Casual Game, with great PvP. But it is NOT the best MMORP of the last Years. The story is lame and presents acts thrown together, Events seem to have nothing like quests ( kill XY 90% of the Events) still to often as a Hack & Slay ( more then 3 Players at a Event)
    There are many other examples where you realize that it's just standard, only the PvP is great! But it is Guild    Its a good Casual Game, with great PvP. But it is NOT the best MMORP of the last Years. The story is lame and presents acts thrown together, Events seem to have nothing like quests ( kill XY 90% of the Events) still to often as a Hack & Slay ( more then 3 Players at a Event)
    There are many other examples where you realize that it's just standard, only the PvP is great! But it is Guild Wars, I expected this.
    My Score ist 8.5 /10    … Expand
  69. hfffoman
    Nov 25, 2012
    7
    I am downgrading my score from when it first came out because of some annoying bugs. On two occasions I suffered a rollback which meant I went back to an earlier version of my character, losing all progress. Each time it cost me a day's play. I believe they are aware of the problem but chose to do nothing about it. The rest of my review still stands - the game is fantastic fun to playI am downgrading my score from when it first came out because of some annoying bugs. On two occasions I suffered a rollback which meant I went back to an earlier version of my character, losing all progress. Each time it cost me a day's play. I believe they are aware of the problem but chose to do nothing about it. The rest of my review still stands - the game is fantastic fun to play though I found the story a bit weak.… Expand
  70. GolovA
    Oct 20, 2012
    7
    I failed to see what all the hype was about. This game is by no means special.
    HOWEVER: having said that, it is a very good Online RPG. Many characters to play, tons of items, skills, spells, etc. But for me - what's important in an online RPG is to play with someone i know. Otherwise - it's just no fun - even less fun if there was a single player campaign.
  71. MRGamer
    Feb 3, 2013
    7
    I bought the game during the holiday sales and leveled a warrior to level 80. I completed the personal story, and did a bit of everything else- sPvP, Fractals, WvW. There are many casual/ solo friendly features of the game that make it a great "B2P" game to pick up and play through. The production value is high, and the game looks good and runs well. However, as I continued to log in andI bought the game during the holiday sales and leveled a warrior to level 80. I completed the personal story, and did a bit of everything else- sPvP, Fractals, WvW. There are many casual/ solo friendly features of the game that make it a great "B2P" game to pick up and play through. The production value is high, and the game looks good and runs well. However, as I continued to log in and play with my level 80 character, I started to feel the impact of the design decisions Anet continues to make that are aimed at herding players toward the TP/ Gem Store. In spite of the famous "no grind" manifesto policy, each of the areas of the game presented me with some sort of time/ gold sink, including the infamous "DR" that prompts so much conspiracy discussion. For every inconvenience the game presents, there is a solution that can be purchased in the gem store. It is a delicate balancing act, and GW2 will continue to run the risk of losing players when the obvious F2P greed drives away customers- like myself. I decided I got my money's worth out of my one play through. The fun of playing the game was not worth the time and effort for me, and I personally will not start buying gems/ gold in order to enjoy the game. I would rather pay a sub or full price for expansions than get continually nickel and dimed to ride all the rides. Still a good game, but I am not going to keep throwing money at it.… Expand
  72. Jesperbro
    Oct 20, 2012
    7
    Haven't played the game in a little while, but will write a few thoughts about it anyways.

    First of all it has a gigantic, beautiful world to explore, something I appreciate a lot. Exploring the world in full is rewarded in forms of xp and gear. The quest system is great, as well as the occasional event system. The trading system is very good, although getting materials for making    Haven't played the game in a little while, but will write a few thoughts about it anyways.

    First of all it has a gigantic, beautiful world to explore, something I appreciate a lot. Exploring the world in full is rewarded in forms of xp and gear. The quest system is great, as well as the occasional event system. The trading system is very good, although getting materials for making something can take some grinding. The combat system is good, and I like how they implement a few action elements to it, so you don't feel like you're just clicking on something, and engaging you more into the fight. That if you participate in killing something, all the loot and experience is shared, so there isn't some manical battle for the item drops like in for example Runescape. The only PvP mode I played reminded me a bit of League of Legends, something that I find good. Overall - the game is very good. I liked it a lot the first three weeks I played it. Then...

    I realized how redundant and repetitive the game became. While you get different areas to explore, you're just doing the same quests over and over and over again. Either it's kill this, or fetch a lot of this, and this goes on for EVERY area in the game. I've never really been a gigantic fan of MMORPG's, and this shows why. After a while you'll just get so bored with the game that you won't play it again for a long time. Maybe after a while I'll go back to playing it, but after a while I'll grow bored of doing the same things over and over. This pulls down my score of the game a lot, something that could've been a perfect ten. When I play games I need a bit of variety, and Guild Wars 2 sadly doesn't provide that.    … Expand
  73. kirkkh
    Oct 3, 2012
    7
    This isn't an mmo. It's smash brothers with a F2P "world explore" mode tacked on. You can level straight to 80 and play the real game at any time. Items and "builds" (they're a joke) don't really effect much. Pve is a gank-fest, pvp is a gank-fest. You just find a group of madness to join and blaze through. Don't go here looking for strategy, community or depth. You'd be surprised howThis isn't an mmo. It's smash brothers with a F2P "world explore" mode tacked on. You can level straight to 80 and play the real game at any time. Items and "builds" (they're a joke) don't really effect much. Pve is a gank-fest, pvp is a gank-fest. You just find a group of madness to join and blaze through. Don't go here looking for strategy, community or depth. You'd be surprised how quickly it gets old (for god sake their are jumping puzzles). It's completely different than the original Guild Wars. I give six months.… Expand
  74. Kamikazenz
    Sep 10, 2012
    7
    I agree with alot of the mid-range user reviews posted so far. After purchasing the game, i can see where all the hard work and development time went, the game looks great stylistically, and i like how they have attempted at every turn to make the game different from the mass produced MMORPG norm. Breaking the holy trintiy of Tank Heals and DPS and making it work is no easy feat in anI agree with alot of the mid-range user reviews posted so far. After purchasing the game, i can see where all the hard work and development time went, the game looks great stylistically, and i like how they have attempted at every turn to make the game different from the mass produced MMORPG norm. Breaking the holy trintiy of Tank Heals and DPS and making it work is no easy feat in an MMORPG. but for me it doesnt work. im enjoying the game immensely dont get me wrong, and can see why people will love it. but for me its a filler game i will play out untill i get bored, it hasnt quite grabbed my attention in the same way other games in the genre have. which is no fault of the game itself, maybe thats me as a player?. in summary, the game is excellent for what it is. worth the purchase. but for me personally, i will probably put it aside when the WoW expac or similar comes out.… Expand
  75. RetRap
    Oct 14, 2012
    7
    This game is well worth the box price, I've put about 60 hours into GW2 and while they have been enjoyable; I will not likely be going back to it any time soon. Although it is a fantastically crafted world with wonderful new perks to the tried any trusted MMO formula; this game still has the basic hot-key combat and repetitive actions. While giving lots of different tasks to try such asThis game is well worth the box price, I've put about 60 hours into GW2 and while they have been enjoyable; I will not likely be going back to it any time soon. Although it is a fantastically crafted world with wonderful new perks to the tried any trusted MMO formula; this game still has the basic hot-key combat and repetitive actions. While giving lots of different tasks to try such as exploring for Vistas, taking part in dynamic events and more formulaic 'heart' quests; after the 50th time of doing a slight variation it does, unfortunately; get boring (at least for me). As a great piece of escapism and for those happy with the existing MMO foundations; buy it without hesitation. If you've grown bored of the likes of WoW, ToR, Rift, Tera et al. this will provide a welcome refresh but will eventually get stale.… Expand
  76. edjiang
    Oct 9, 2012
    7
    Great artwork, clean combat, and a VERY nice PvP system. However, the game simply couldn't hold my attention for more than a month. Definitely worth trying out though.
  77. BeoMauz
    Nov 19, 2012
    7
    Why Hello thar,

    first of all Guild Wars 2 isnt a bad Game at all, the Leveling is quite nice but htere could be more Models for the NPC enemies. The Problem with the Game is the Endgame once u hit Max Level the Game just falls a bit off, due to lack of Content. The PvP is a split Thing the WvW-PvP is quite nice and offers you options on how to play, for example you dont need to zerg    Why Hello thar,

    first of all Guild Wars 2 isnt a bad Game at all, the Leveling is quite nice but htere could be more Models for the NPC enemies.
    The Problem with the Game is the Endgame once u hit Max Level the Game just falls a bit off, due to lack of Content.

    The PvP is a split Thing the WvW-PvP is quite nice and offers you options on how to play, for example you dont need to zerg around you can push the Logistics and make your team win.

    All in all the Game is solid but the Motivation after you hit Max Level is just fallin off a bit too quickly.    … Expand
  78. Quorina
    Aug 28, 2012
    7
    This game can definitely stand on its own against behemoths like World of Warcraft and Star Wars: The Old Republic (if that even counts anymore since it is going free to play). It's a good game that doesn't even need to go against its competitors simply because it has no momthly fee (a huge plus in my book) and doesn't really clone any games (think Rift and SWTOR cloning WoW). In that wayThis game can definitely stand on its own against behemoths like World of Warcraft and Star Wars: The Old Republic (if that even counts anymore since it is going free to play). It's a good game that doesn't even need to go against its competitors simply because it has no momthly fee (a huge plus in my book) and doesn't really clone any games (think Rift and SWTOR cloning WoW). In that way it is truly innovative as it is its own game in its own right. Now, I do think this game is NOT the second coming of Jesus, nor does it live up to all the hype. Why? First of all, I think one of the most hyped up aspects of the game, World vs World (realm vs realm) is probably one of the more boring aspects of the game. You'll spend at least 5 minutes simply running around trying to find the action and when you die, and you will, you'll spend another 5-10 minutes running around looking for action. It's almost as if Anet designed it to be a time sink, but why they would I don't know, again there's no monthly fee. If you don't mind it the fights are really fun (always make sure to carry supplies around with you!!!) and the charm of it all is simply inescapable. My biggest pet peeve of the game, which is a good game mind you, is leveling in PvE. I'm a level 14 elementalist as I write this and I've had to grind on dynamic events several times just to catch up to my story quest, which can jump from level 10 to 15 easily. There aren't enough heart missions (area quests) and unique dynamic events to get you through, so you either have to repeat dynamic events or gain levels through World vs World. Not a favourable aspect of the game for me. I will end this review on one note though...the exploration in this game is simply amazing, fantastic, wonderful. If you like to explore you'll love this game. I didn't like exploring before but now I'm getting addicted to it. Anyways, it's a 7.5 to 8 game out of 10 in my humble opinion, I don't think this game deserves a 10 or anything less than 6.… Expand
  79. Mutica
    Aug 29, 2012
    7
    The problem with metacrtic... well there are many... but one big thing is the inflation/deflation by all the fanboys and haters. Not to mention that the critic reviews are almost always worthless, critics pretty much love any AAA or AA title. Ok this is not a 10/10 game... and it is not a 0/10 game either. If you are thinking about buying this game, the most honest thing I can say isThe problem with metacrtic... well there are many... but one big thing is the inflation/deflation by all the fanboys and haters. Not to mention that the critic reviews are almost always worthless, critics pretty much love any AAA or AA title. Ok this is not a 10/10 game... and it is not a 0/10 game either. If you are thinking about buying this game, the most honest thing I can say is WAIT. Wait till the dust has settled, remember SWTOR, started out with a metacritic score of around 8.5... its now in the 5.6 - 5.8 range. This game is still an mmo, it does a few thing different, but if you've played mmo's, it will still feel like an mmo. Questing does feel a little less grindy and seems to be an improvement from the standard quest chain; its implemented differently in GW2 so it is more fluid, but essentially the same. The world/graphics are well made, however there are limited FOV options and camera pull in and pull back it too limited atm. They say its by design, but in the end limited FOV makes certain dungeons and small area fights more annoying than fun. The lack of a true trinity system makes 1 v 1 skirmishes feel more dependent on skill... however most pvp encounters will not be 1 v 1. The lack of a trinity is an interesting and bold attempt to do something different... I found however, that it creates more of a zerg mentality, whether in pve or pvp. Attacks are well coordinated with a tank or dps initiating, and a healer for support. People don't seem to target assist during multiple mob encouters in GW2. In the end World Events and PvP feels a bit zergy and more chaotic than truly requiring skill and strategy. But this is a new system, so it could be that in a month people will find ways to be strategic without a trinity system. However, I'm not that optimistic, I do like the dodge mechanic, but still feel that battlegrounds or large scale pvp in other mmo that employed the trinity resulted in more tactical thinking and more natural coordination. Also there is no dueling system atm, which is sort of a pity, especially when there is no open world pvp. You have to zone into a pvp area in order to pvp.

    Limited options in some of the keybindings... for instance now the "F" seems to do everything, from interact with objects/players to looting/ to rezzing other players... this gets really annoying at times when you are trying to loot but can't since there is an npc or other items there. Trading post is still not in, but probably will be soon; Also, there is no system for personal trading or C.O.D. in the game, which seems bizarre, particularly for a modern mmo with a large crafting system. The crafting system seems good, although I didn't really get into it; There is an annoying thing about not being able to auto use crafting items stored in your bank. In the end it makes crafting a bit annoying at times. The Game still has psuedo-ques to get into your server, you log in right away but into an overflow server, probably in a few weeks or less this will remedied as server populations and login times stabilize. That said, zoning while in group can sometimes still be problematic and annoying, sometimes you will go to a new area, but members of you party will be in another instance of that area.

    The questing and story telling are a step up from WoW for sure, not as immersive as SWTOR with everything fully voiced, but an improvement from the standard mmo fare, albeit a small one. There are definitely plenty of moments of weak voice acting or just poor writing that snap your immersion. If you are an mmo player used to complete free speech in your game, also be warned. GW2 devs are not shy about using the ban hammer if you choose an inappropriate name or choose to say something offensive to another player. In some ways this does sort of force a respectful environment, but it does treat you like a kid. I don't know, if people want to curse and insult each other in pvp or pve I doesn't bother me. In some ways it adds a little flavor to the community... yes it can get excessive. But it does seem they've drawn the line a bit too close; although I wasn't banned... the internet seems rife with the complaints of several banned players (note banns are usually only for a day or 2). If people are offended with another player, they should just add them to the ignore list. It also seems at the moment that there are security issues with accounts getting hacked/stolen etc. I'm sure that this a high, maybe the highest priority issue for Arenanet atm. But it is a little disconcerting that they really seemed to have missed the boat here on account security. Pick a strong password if you play and make sure it is different from the email password for your email account tied to the game. In this day and age I think a AAA/AA mmo should probably always ship with an authenticator or have authentication software available.    … Expand
  80. iozay
    Feb 2, 2013
    7
    Guildwars 2 is a decent game, is supported well but the game is pretty overhyped. The game is also arguable "pay2win"(Even though people might disagree with it).
  81. Heatsink
    Oct 1, 2012
    7
    Arenanet made a number of improvements to MMO design with Guild Wars 2, but also made a significant number of questionable design decisions, effectively repeating the mistakes of the products they should have learned from. Positives: mob tapping is gone, grouping works automatically in the open world, the trinity is gone, graphics are very good, events help the world seem not-so-static.Arenanet made a number of improvements to MMO design with Guild Wars 2, but also made a significant number of questionable design decisions, effectively repeating the mistakes of the products they should have learned from. Positives: mob tapping is gone, grouping works automatically in the open world, the trinity is gone, graphics are very good, events help the world seem not-so-static.

    There are some heavy negatives to consider though. The boosting system in WvW doesn't do much as level 80 characters can drop lower level players in literally 1 second flat. Crafting is yet again something of an afterthought, but does bring significant XP gains, without many sellable products. Some drops required to craft seem broken, as the rarity makes them non-viable for production. Not much of an endgame is available. The game still has significant bugs as of 10/1/2012, such as trait point NPCs disappearing. Character classes are wildly unbalanced, with some being orders of magnitude more powerful than others. Personal story quest difficulty is largely broken, with mobs wiping out players pretty quickly, leading to repair bills.

    One last item to consider is the combat design. It is a bit..odd. Players have an active dodge, which can be used twice and then wait for recharge. Mobs tend to hit extremely hard, even on their plain vanilla attacks, and even from trash mobs. Mobs also are spawned on top of players already in combat quite frequently. Overall, the combat seems somewhat clunky. Defensive abilities tend to be weak, healing abilities almost not worth using, and both are usually on very long cooldowns. There are a number of other abilities than don't seem to have much to offer, and yet again, on long cooldowns. Range attacks are usually more advantageous then melee, mostly due to the damage mobs toss out to melee characters.    … Expand
  82. aazru
    Sep 1, 2012
    7
    Short version: Nice, but nothing(literally nothing) special. Sound fx are hit and miss, at the worst annoying as hell. Some of them forced me to turn off sound. Too much particle effects kill any enjoyment from combat. Graphics go from good characters to bad textures. World is pleasant too look at only from a distance. Did I mention overblown particle effects? The world is big but theShort version: Nice, but nothing(literally nothing) special. Sound fx are hit and miss, at the worst annoying as hell. Some of them forced me to turn off sound. Too much particle effects kill any enjoyment from combat. Graphics go from good characters to bad textures. World is pleasant too look at only from a distance. Did I mention overblown particle effects? The world is big but the size feels like forced. Story can described in one word: filler. It has good parts, mind you. But too far apart to call it good as a whole. Whole dynamic event thing is glorified filler. Only thing that makes this game is combat. It is too "spam the same button" for my taste but still good. In summary: It is worth the box price but doesn't ask for a sub fee because it isn't worth a sub fee.… Expand
  83. Nataraja
    Sep 17, 2012
    7
    I will preface this with a caveat - I tried very hard to like the original GW and just never got into it. I am also very picky about my games right now and fantasy games are a bit stale to say least.

    I much prefer a more recent game that I will not go into but it lacks any sort of decent end game. To me that is where GW2 shines with the open world events, sidekick level system (so you    I will preface this with a caveat - I tried very hard to like the original GW and just never got into it. I am also very picky about my games right now and fantasy games are a bit stale to say least.

    I much prefer a more recent game that I will not go into but it lacks any sort of decent end game. To me that is where GW2 shines with the open world events, sidekick level system (so you can't face roll content lower than you) and the dynamic events that alter the world - but what really shines is the PvP, both structured and WvWvW - Especially the WvWvW. I can lose days in that setting.

    The instances are decent and the lack of a trinity is AWESOME. However there are things that drive me nuts:

    - the game gets repetitious and leveling an alt is tedious at best
    - the dynamic events follow about 3 or maybe 4 templates and get old
    - there are some unresolved bugs that seem to continue to evade the devs
    - Its another -ANOTHER - fantasy game
    - Asura are annoyingly cutesy and should be exterminated like the rats that they are
    - The setup for the cash shop makes it seem like ArenaNet constantly has its hand out
    - There are parts of the game that should just be totally reworked (the abysmal writing and voice acting in places - especially the Norn area)

    So its a decent game and for $60, assuming you don't go CE or use the cash shop, is better than most single player games - and it has no sub fee so you can come and go guilt free.

    So its a decent game - but is it revolutionary? Not really. Its a very VERY safe game compared to other recent games and in the end will be a nice diversion from things that are truly revolutionary that I consume like a rabid animal.    … Expand
  84. BrosefStalin
    Aug 28, 2012
    7
    Being a fan of the original Guild Wars I decided to buy the second one. I was very pleased, the gameplay is smooth, has a lot of customization and the story (in my experience) was entertaining. Also the graphical quality is very nice for an MMO. The game was however streamlined to be more like other MMO's which might turn off a few of the original Guild Wars fans. However it is wellBeing a fan of the original Guild Wars I decided to buy the second one. I was very pleased, the gameplay is smooth, has a lot of customization and the story (in my experience) was entertaining. Also the graphical quality is very nice for an MMO. The game was however streamlined to be more like other MMO's which might turn off a few of the original Guild Wars fans. However it is well executed and well done.… Expand
  85. ActiBlizzCancer
    Aug 28, 2012
    7
    Without the game's problems, it would be a 10/10. Anyone that has rated this game as a 10 is a **** brand loyal marketing drone who can't see past his own hype and post purchase rationalization that they are unable to think for themselves. Here lies the problem, Guild Wars 2 starts out with a 10/10 but then loses points for various things. The major problem with GW2 is its community. NotWithout the game's problems, it would be a 10/10. Anyone that has rated this game as a 10 is a **** brand loyal marketing drone who can't see past his own hype and post purchase rationalization that they are unable to think for themselves. Here lies the problem, Guild Wars 2 starts out with a 10/10 but then loses points for various things. The major problem with GW2 is its community. Not only is it the worse community online that you will ever find, including Biodrones and Furries and Bronies, but they are unable to actually comprehend any form of criticism against GW2. For example, if you say how there is no such feature in the design of GW2 such as dueling (which lets be honest, people expect in a 2012 AAA MMO), they don't actually read your criticism properly, they skip read it and assume that you're "a troll". Or if you mention how you'd like something to be different you are met with a torrent of filth, logical fallacies and attacks on your character from people that want you to stop "saying bad things" about GW2. As for the actual features that are missing from GW2, they include; dueling, gear inspection, capes (they are too lazy to fix armor clipping), guild halls, skill customization (you are limited to 2 weapon sets and skills that you can't choose simply because they are too lazy to implement class balance or dual professions), interesting achievements and skill hunting like GW1, larger amounts of skills available for support slots, no account tied dye system (it was removed thanks to the Nexon employee removing them and making you more likely to use the Korean F2P cash shop). It also has 8 professions and only 5 character slots. The cash shop is strange, like they didn't think it through properly - i.e. there are craftable boosts that do the same things as the cash shop boosts except cost 10 copper coins where as the cash shop ones cost like $1.50. Why? Oh and there is too much grind required (if I'm not mistaken) for cosmetic sets of dungeon gear, requiring around 60 runs to collect a full set - which is clearly stupid. If these features were patched in, it would be an 9/10 game. It's brought down 1 point so far by the stupidity of its community who would be happy enough to send you death threats for negative reviews of their christ savior MMO. But to end on a happy note, this game is so much better than World of Warcraft or its clones, and is very beautiful to look at. It's just missing some of the things that made GW1 beautiful, which they dumped.… Expand
  86. shinta42
    Aug 29, 2012
    7
    The character model is too 2d sprite-like and does not have a feeling of solidness. The graphic engine of DAOC which released so many years ago feel more right than this game. Otherwise I would give it a higher score.
  87. Homergdog
    Aug 29, 2012
    7
    Well, the game itself has more hype than I've seen out of any MMORPG, which is saying something, but its a good game. Will I be playing it months from now? probably not. Is it worth the price of admission? yes. A couple issues I have with the game, its pretty simplified, which is a good and bad thing. The login issues are a HUGE problem. I can't verify my email and my home PC can't loginWell, the game itself has more hype than I've seen out of any MMORPG, which is saying something, but its a good game. Will I be playing it months from now? probably not. Is it worth the price of admission? yes. A couple issues I have with the game, its pretty simplified, which is a good and bad thing. The login issues are a HUGE problem. I can't verify my email and my home PC can't login to GW2 at all. These are all initial problems with any MMO, but the login issues can be pretty severe. I figure it might be as late as next week before this gets worked out (Error 42, firewall issue. Even though my PC is a DMZ, UAC off, Run as Admin, with no firewalls.) Funny enough my work pc logins in just fine LOL. Other than the above issues, GW2 seems to have taken the best of all MMOs, and I really like how they have redone the typical quest leveling. No more Quest hubs with ! above peoples heads, its still kinda there, but is dressed up and forces you to engage in the quest story and only do 1 at a time. Don't expect the hype you are seeing from the reviews, but expect a good MMO, with some growing pains. If MMOs aren't your thing, stay away from this game, but if you are a WoW player looking for something different, go buy it NOW! Me, I'm an old school EQ player that will probably play it for a couple months as a casual. Now if your from ArenaNet reading this review, fix your LOGIN Issues!… Expand
  88. hitthegoat
    Sep 7, 2012
    7
    I like this game. Is it perfect? No. But I dare you to name a perfect game. Sure, the dynamic events was done in Rift, and sure the combat system is similar to Tera, and the quest system is similar to Warhammer, but who really cares? IMO they were done better in GW2 and that's more important. I find the graphics to be good, not the best ever, but then again, I'm not a graphics fanaticI like this game. Is it perfect? No. But I dare you to name a perfect game. Sure, the dynamic events was done in Rift, and sure the combat system is similar to Tera, and the quest system is similar to Warhammer, but who really cares? IMO they were done better in GW2 and that's more important. I find the graphics to be good, not the best ever, but then again, I'm not a graphics fanatic and I certainly can't believe anyone finds them to be "bad." I haven't experienced any of this "floaty" or "disconnected" game play/controls, I honestly don't get it, I find the controls and the combat to be fun. And personally, I find the smaller amount of available skills to be fun, the one thing that I came to dislike about WoW (and saw that SWTOR has done) is the insane amount of skills on action bars you would have on your interface, which just caused annoying clutter to me, almost half of your screen is buttons and menus. To me that seems less like I'm playing a game, and more like I'm monitoring equipment of some kind, almost like working. One complaint that I do have is the lame selection of Elite skills, at least on my Norn. 3 of the first available 5 are shape shifting, and 1 of the 2nd tier is shape shifting, they might be fun, but that's not really my style. And whilst perusing through the numerous negatives, I see a lot of comparison to SWTOR, and that just irritates me to no end. Quit comparing games to other games. There's a reason this game is called "Guild Wars 2" and not "Star Wars: The Old Republic," they're different games made by different people with different features, the only similarity is that they're MMOs.… Expand
  89. Opulet
    Sep 10, 2012
    7
    PROS: $60 flat, WvW, sPvP 5v5 Tournaments, Latter parts of PvE without Heart-Quests, Dungeons, Puzzles, Top Tier Boss fights in both instanced and open world situations, Non-invasive money shop. CONS: Weak Personal Storyline during early-mid game, Early Heart-Quests, Random 16 player sPvP, Lack of more game-modes in sPvP, OVERALL: Top quality content at $60, no monthly fee. Better thanPROS: $60 flat, WvW, sPvP 5v5 Tournaments, Latter parts of PvE without Heart-Quests, Dungeons, Puzzles, Top Tier Boss fights in both instanced and open world situations, Non-invasive money shop. CONS: Weak Personal Storyline during early-mid game, Early Heart-Quests, Random 16 player sPvP, Lack of more game-modes in sPvP, OVERALL: Top quality content at $60, no monthly fee. Better than anything else on the market at the moment.… Expand
  90. MistahYebba
    Sep 10, 2012
    7
    There are too many characters in my review to post it here, so please check out my review at CURSE forums. http://www.guildwars2guru.com/topic/63286-guild-wars-1-vs-guild-wars-2/

    Thank you!
  91. Tykune
    Sep 14, 2012
    7
    This game is better than the other moderately entertaining games out there, such as TERA and some of the other F2P games out there, but while the graphics are stunning and the story play is stellar, there are some flaws that this game acquired. I am not at all saying that this game is bad, but has a lot of potential, and has a long way to go to fix itself up to from that cracked crystalThis game is better than the other moderately entertaining games out there, such as TERA and some of the other F2P games out there, but while the graphics are stunning and the story play is stellar, there are some flaws that this game acquired. I am not at all saying that this game is bad, but has a lot of potential, and has a long way to go to fix itself up to from that cracked crystal gem to a flawless diamond gem.

    Pros: Great Graphics - It is rare to find awesome, cutting edge graphics in any other game. This one in particular, takes the cake in being unique and note-worthy.

    Excellent Story - The fact you can pick your own background and progress through the story on a global scale, yet blend together with other players in the world around you, is a very rare thing to find in an MMORPG. This is what makes the game in itself unique and fun to play.

    Cons: Buggy and Unfulfilling Events - The events themselves are quite buggy and they leave a feeling of unfulfillment. You could litrally kill 3 things, and go take a dump while they event wears out, and you will get a gold medal and max rewards. This is something in my opinion should get fixed right away.

    Unbalanced Classes - Some of the classes are boring and unpolished, and as NCsoft stated 'unfinished', except for warrior of course. Some of the classes are useless in PvP and in some cases, nearly useless when soloing.. or at least makes it extremely difficult.

    Summary - In general, this game is not too bad at all.. in fact, it is great and holds a lot of potential, but it needs some sprucing up and fixes here and there, and a bit of changes before it can really be worth its money. I'd honestly say let the game mature a bit, then maybe NCsoft can clean it up.    … Expand
  92. suzakuii
    Sep 25, 2012
    7
    Overall not too bad of a game. The best thing about this game is still the PvP. The pvp became better with the WvWvW system implanted that could affect your PvE. Many times people resort to just clicking everything they can when it is off cd. Not a particular effective way of going about PvP. Theres a certain element of anticipation and knowing your enemy before engaging recklessly.Overall not too bad of a game. The best thing about this game is still the PvP. The pvp became better with the WvWvW system implanted that could affect your PvE. Many times people resort to just clicking everything they can when it is off cd. Not a particular effective way of going about PvP. Theres a certain element of anticipation and knowing your enemy before engaging recklessly. Everyone will start off reckless, myself included, but as you play your character class more, you realize theres more than just spam can save your tail. Perhaps waiting for them to start channeling then stun them would be wiser than just stunning them upon seeing them. dodge roll back as you see them charging toward you. Stealth the moment you enter a fray (people don't even know you are there) and start reviving downed allies. Many more possibilities can be explored. Unfortunately PvE of this game is kind of lack luster. Daily achievements helps you level up your character, but always the smae thing. Dynamics events attracts your attention for the early game, then after a while it all became the same. Defend spot/character/building for x waves of enemies, kill the leader of y group to disband, collect z items and deliver. However theres a few very interesting dynamic events. Early dynamic events has almost no consequence for failing. However some would actually have a town wiped out and events will follow to try and restore the town back to normal. Other really interesting events includes bosses that rarely spawns, like a dragon that will be almost 100x bigger than you. These although fun to try and kill, there will be too many people around, it lags the crap out of you. Story for the characters seems rather generic. Each choices in the character creation affects your story line for like the first 30 levels. After that all the stories are just the same. There are some choices in paths of the story like using brute force, sneak and assassinate, or like gather info. Ultimately it just makes you fight in a different setting and still merge back to main story afterwards. Fighting in PvE is purely spamming. auto set your first skill to auto cast. This just means that is your normal attack. everything else have a cool down you will probably use the moment it is off cd. PvE has auto adjust to level of surrounding if surrounding is weaker than your total level. This way you will still feel like doing something in the beginning areas (esp areas of other races) don't feel like you were simply overpowered. There are some rather intricate mazes/jump quests layed out in just about every map. Can try to find the secluded entrence by your self and everything afterwards is pretty straight forward with the jump quest. Each level up is not too difficult. It feels nearly the same as going from lvl 8 to 9 as lvl 79 to 80, there really isn't your typical grind fest of like 10 days to get 1 level. Aside from the few set backs, I think this is a game that deserves and good look at… Expand
  93. Xiny
    Sep 27, 2012
    7
    I Loved the game, excellent quests, unique combat and even has a separate story quest line. However, the love for this game quickly died when i started doing dungeons. The fun, reward, and sense of purpose for GW2's dungeons is one of the biggest fails I've experienced in any MMO and by far the worst mechanics. However due to not having a holy trinity i don't think they would be able toI Loved the game, excellent quests, unique combat and even has a separate story quest line. However, the love for this game quickly died when i started doing dungeons. The fun, reward, and sense of purpose for GW2's dungeons is one of the biggest fails I've experienced in any MMO and by far the worst mechanics. However due to not having a holy trinity i don't think they would be able to properly recover from this fiasco, so i got a refund. If you want this game i would avoid dungeons till they are patched.… Expand
  94. Its_Nice_In_RW
    Sep 29, 2012
    7
    I played GW1 it was a decent game not great but decent. I played WOW it was a very poor game graphically and had the worst player base in any game I played but it had something that drew you back to it (gameplay). I now play GW2 (and others) graphically very nice not as spectacular as Tera but nice. Like Tera does not offer much at end game level. If you want to experience some differentI played GW1 it was a decent game not great but decent. I played WOW it was a very poor game graphically and had the worst player base in any game I played but it had something that drew you back to it (gameplay). I now play GW2 (and others) graphically very nice not as spectacular as Tera but nice. Like Tera does not offer much at end game level. If you want to experience some different aspects of MMO I would suggest GW2 is a good place to start. Be aware though (WOW rips a monthy sub from your hands) GW2 is one off payment for game though the aggressive shop influence make it less attractive from a costing level. Its a mix mash of different good things taken mostly from Korean MMO's nothing particularly new but all in one game rather than spread over many MMO's. If you play MMO's it will be interesting for about a month then probably you will move on to next one (like me). The game plays like a cash shop mico payment game which is very sad but people seem to like this genre at the moment. People thinking free to play is actually that which in fact it is much more expensive than a sub game IMO and IME. The famous problem of bagsize is here in all its glory. Lastly the game whats new hmmmm well I have seen everything in this game in other MMO's I have played so nothing I could say the events as in other games they tend to be GM initiated but happen on a timer in this game so that :) Enough to keep me playing ? Not at the moment. I will give it an 7/10. I can return to the game at any time for no fee so that is a big plus but the rabid cash shop element makes it in the minus for me. On the whole the community is very nice so that is a big bonus.… Expand
  95. Ghostte
    Oct 12, 2012
    7
    I liked GW2 but i was disappointed that I did not LOVE GW2. While not a huge fan of MMO's i thought this would be the game that brought me into this genre. However, i was bored by the time i reached level 60 with my necromancer and i couldn't take how slow my character moved and how the camera had a little sway to it.. I alo hated how immersion breaking the story was. As a necromancer II liked GW2 but i was disappointed that I did not LOVE GW2. While not a huge fan of MMO's i thought this would be the game that brought me into this genre. However, i was bored by the time i reached level 60 with my necromancer and i couldn't take how slow my character moved and how the camera had a little sway to it.. I alo hated how immersion breaking the story was. As a necromancer I would have not made the decisions my character was making. I wish there were more voice choices and speech options. Overall well polished game with fun PVP.....but just not for me.… Expand
  96. Jalfred
    Nov 2, 2012
    7
    I'm an avid fan of MMORPG and this game fall short of my expectations and many others by the looks of it. Yet I still recommend fans of this genre pick up this game as unlike most, it's none subscription based and will be a game I will come back to every now and again for years to come.
    The games PvP, from what I've seen is pretty unbalanced but it's not a game breaker. The PvE is very    I'm an avid fan of MMORPG and this game fall short of my expectations and many others by the looks of it. Yet I still recommend fans of this genre pick up this game as unlike most, it's none subscription based and will be a game I will come back to every now and again for years to come.
    The games PvP, from what I've seen is pretty unbalanced but it's not a game breaker. The PvE is very different to any other MMORPG I've played. Each instance has a limit of 5 players which I found slightly disappointing yet they are very challenging and requires a lot more cooperation than any other multi player PvE experience, like World Of Warcraft for instance. What I found very interesting is the fact ArenaNet based the game on giving the player a choice of how to level. For example, one could level to 80 with just World PvP (A new feature which involves a server VS server VS server system. Which takes place in a huge battleground). Or Structured PvP (A smaller PVP environment). Or even just questing. The game hasn't got a compelling storyline but this can easily be avoided.
    The game play varies greatly from profession to profession, depending on what type of profession you're playing. The thief and most melee classes consist of more button mashing then skillful play with ranged classes mostly bound to a powerful rotation.
    Personally I recommend picking this up even if you don't plan on playing for a considerable amount of time. The soul fact that this game isn't a subscription is a must buy for me.    … Expand
  97. GrouchoMarx
    Nov 3, 2012
    7
    This game is worth the money, if only to go through the content once. I was a hard core WoW player for 4 years before giving it up. Guild Wars 2 makes it clear it is going head-to-head with WoW as evidenced by this "encrypted" saying that was on one of the tombstones outside of Divinity's Reach: "I played WoW and look at me now. If only I had been like you and stuck to playing GW2". ItThis game is worth the money, if only to go through the content once. I was a hard core WoW player for 4 years before giving it up. Guild Wars 2 makes it clear it is going head-to-head with WoW as evidenced by this "encrypted" saying that was on one of the tombstones outside of Divinity's Reach: "I played WoW and look at me now. If only I had been like you and stuck to playing GW2". It has since been removed, but it makes it clear what audience ArenaNet is going after. + Better than WoW
    = Equal to WoW
    - Worse than WoW

    + Dynamic quests keeps things fresh and exciting and making grouping up with people in the same area painless
    + Every class gets a self heal
    + Every class can rez another player
    + Access to trading post from anywhere in the world
    + Shared resource nodes (unlike WoW's every man for himself model)
    + No monthly subscription fee = Graphics: Pretty equal to WoW, although the text in GW2 is a bit weird/dated.
    = Environment: World is alive and detailed with leaves flying around and visually stunning landscapes
    = Sound/Music: Music is good; the sounds come from real life recordings for realism
    = Holiday events and rewards on par with WoW's

    - Different areas are instanced leading to "breaks" between traveling between them
    - No LFG tool. Every modern MMO has this. This game needs a serious LFG tool like WoW
    - No addon support
    - Lack of content. I found myself trying to hunt all over for quests to level up with. WoW doesn't have this problem
    - Dungeons can be frustrating
    - Lack of a decent tutorial or guide system for crafting, travel and gameplay (Blizzard now gives you a PDF manual with everything you ever wanted to know and more about WoW)
    - Lack of mounts

    Overall, this game seems like WoW in a simpler time, like 2004/2005. Sit in a map or a city and spam the chat channels LFG. That's what I did years ago and don't feel like doing that anymore.    … Expand
  98. InternetWarrior
    Nov 19, 2012
    7
    Guild Wars 2 was said by many to be the game to usher in the next generation of MMOs. In my view, it hasn't lived up to that distinction. Nevertheless, I would still commend ArenaNet on attempting to innovate rather than re-hashing same old tired generic MMO concepts.

    The PvE (Player versus Environment, i.e. player versus computer) is probably the best part of GW2. The combat system,    Guild Wars 2 was said by many to be the game to usher in the next generation of MMOs. In my view, it hasn't lived up to that distinction. Nevertheless, I would still commend ArenaNet on attempting to innovate rather than re-hashing same old tired generic MMO concepts.

    The PvE (Player versus Environment, i.e. player versus computer) is probably the best part of GW2. The combat system, scaling and dynamic events breathe new life in to open world PvE. As someone who has done questing to death in other MMOs, I actually found I was perfectly happy to run around and do a few zones without getting bored. The two big criticisms I had of open world PvE was unoriginal/boring story-lines and hearts (very close to traditional quests).

    Regarding the hearts. This was a feature announced basically at the 11th hour. Most zones were given X amount of heart quests to complete, each appearing on the world map. This encouraged people to run around doing them and move on to the next zone, hence, detracting from dynamic events (which were the real innovation with GW2). Furthermore, the hearts caused many people to wander in to the next zone under-leveled because they did not grant sufficient experience.

    To elaborate on the "unoriginal/boring story-lines", I felt the stories had pretty generic MMO/DnD fantasy type plots. I can't remember any use of writing devices such as red herrings and plot twists to mix things up a bit and make them interesting. Additionally, I wasn't impressed with the setting outside of dynamic events/hearts either. Although the races are not standard fantasy Human, Elf and Dwarf (etc.) they do use the same old stereotypes we have seem time and time again. Lastly, I found the voice acting to range from acceptable, to downright bad to completely immersion breaking. Having multiple races (sometimes in the same zone) with "funny" Jar Jar Binks-like voices really irritated me.

    The two major parts of PvE I have not mentioned are dungeons and the personal story. I would say much the same thing about personal story that I did in the last paragraph. Dungeons on the other hand were well done. However, I would liked there to have been more of them.

    WvW (World v World v World) offers good large group siege warfare style PvP (Player versus Player) if you like that sort of thing. Nevertheless, be prepared to deal with technical problems (i.e. lag). I have a monster PC and average internet connection and I was still experiencing lag (most likely some kind of server-side bug). Furthermore, you should also be prepared to deal with a system where whoever has the greatest numbers generally wins and a rather arbitrary scoring mechanism. In other words, winning is not really about playing well, winning is about getting as many people as possible to play at silly 'o' clock in the morning.

    WvW also fails to cater very well to the solo player, small group and guild. Solo players and small groups are very likely to encounter larger groups of people in their travels due to the relatively small size of the map (considering the amount of people in it). When solo players and small groups do manage to take appropriately sized objectives they will often find it is steamrolled by a larger group and taken back 5 minutes later. WvW could have potentially been a great environment for guilds, however, that was defeated by small population limits on maps and long queues; it takes a long time to get the whole guild in.

    Structured PvP is the last big part of GW2 I haven't mentioned. Teams of 1-8 compete to take and hold 3 objectives within a small map. It is intended as the more competitive PvP option. As great as the combat system is for PvE, it doesn't really seem to compliment PvP at all. The dodge system, removal of energy and abilities in general seem to make for a very frustrating style of play. Remember those extremely irritating gimmicky builds from other MMOs (e.g. early WoTLK Retri Pala, early RIFT Saboteur and SW:TOR tracer spammer)? Well, it's not the occasional person running this type of build in GW2, it's everyone.

    The dodge system is frustrating because it can add a huge element of luck in to winning and justifies the inclusion of insanely powerful dodge or die abilities. These dodge or die abilities have a disproportionately powerful considering how hard it is to dodge them. In addition, be prepare for limited field of view, excessive spell effects, lack of cast bars and an excessive amount of characters (e.g. pets/clones) on screen to make dodging these abilities even harder. The number of dodges does not scale with the number of attackers, so you can potentially get nuked down in a second, if focused by a large group.

    If you enjoy doing solo and small group PvE I would recommend GW2 wholeheartedly. The fresh take on things is well worth experiencing. However, there is a limited amount of PvE content available so don't expect it to last months and months if you play a lot.    … Expand
  99. Jangle
    Dec 1, 2012
    7
    I played this game for around 3 weeks from release and sold the account for $140 with a lvl 80 warrior alone. The game is fun and interesting with new mechanics for the first few weeks. The story is somewhat decent. The action is pretty linear and easy for anyone to use, so it appeals to more new players in the GW series. For the more experienced players, there is little customizationI played this game for around 3 weeks from release and sold the account for $140 with a lvl 80 warrior alone. The game is fun and interesting with new mechanics for the first few weeks. The story is somewhat decent. The action is pretty linear and easy for anyone to use, so it appeals to more new players in the GW series. For the more experienced players, there is little customization of skills and weapons, so basically, everyone does the same thing. Compared to GW1, there is only single class so no adding a second, there are a small limited pool of skills for every class, there's a lot less strategy and skill involved since you can attack and use skills while moving and you can see your enemies' AOE landings before they hit the spot, and there are numerous game-breaking bugs. The PVP is very repetitive and doesn't give me any incentive to play it. Aside from these downs, the achievements systems is probably one of the best I've seen in any MMO. The graphics are pretty good even though they aren't optimized well for higher end systems yet. The quests are pretty average and mundane so yes you will do a lot of gathering wood for farmers and such. So for those of you considering the game, if you are new to MMOs and haven't played GW1, you will like this game. From the more experienced players, you will notice a lot of what made GW1 so great, has been removed and made it more geared towards new players. Interesting strategy considering it's much easier to keep your loyal customer base than trying to get new ones. They should have kept their strengths and simply tweaked and updated them. All around, some decent mechanics, but essentially, not much different from any other MMO out there.… Expand
  100. colnaghi
    Feb 4, 2020
    7
    Great graphics, nice character customization (not as good as Tera in this aspect), gigantic worlds and plenty of quests to perform and mobs to fight.
    Swimming and diving are amazing adds to the game possibilities that cannot be seen that often on other mmo's.
    It may take a while until you grasp the inner works of the complex crafting system.
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Awards & Rankings

3
#3 Best PC Game of 2012
5
#5 Most Discussed PC Game of 2012
4
#4 Most Shared PC Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
90

Universal acclaim - based on 69 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 68 out of 69
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 69
  3. Negative: 0 out of 69
  1. PC Master (Greece)
    Feb 6, 2013
    90
    GW2 has made a powerful impact on the MMO scene, confirming years of expectations. Stunning presentation and revolutionary design guarantee a thoroughly enjoyable experience. However, it’s not flawless, nor complete. The beautiful vistas, the massive PvP element, the rich leveling experience- those can offer hours of gameplay, but the endgame is desperately seeking for enrichment. [November 2012]
  2. Gaming Nexus
    Jan 2, 2013
    95
    Guild Wars 2 surpasses the original in every aspect, from its massive and atmospheric world to its addictive and engrossing gameplay.
    Read full review
  3. RPG Fan
    Nov 28, 2012
    80
    After spending fifty hours with GW2, I have a lot of praise for ArenaNet's work and the way it changes up some of the typical trappings of the MMO. And yet, I find myself thinking less and less about it each day. It's not a declaration against the product, mind you, but simply a fact that this game still is very much an MMO, and your enjoyment will directly relate to how much you enjoy the genre. For many who were hoping for a clean break from MMO design philosophy, Guild Wars 2 will probably come across as a slight disappointment. It pushes the genre slightly forward, however, and could lead to even further development in the future.
    Read full review
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