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. jonesen
    Oct 15, 2015
    6
    Okay decent mmorpg but nothing in the game that keep me interested for long. The weapon and spell mechanic combination were a very nice touch. Great graphics but beyond those two things nothing else felt interesting.
  2. sreven199
    Oct 11, 2015
    9
    This should be a standard for how MMOs are made.

    *Note* I haven't really played PVP yet, and I have yet to find a suitable guild. so this will be from a mostly solo PVE experience. Pros: Encourages Cooperation rather than Competition. Everyone can loot the boss, everyone can loot the chest, everyone can mine the ore vein etc. Why isn't this a normal thing? SO much content. the /age    This should be a standard for how MMOs are made.

    *Note* I haven't really played PVP yet, and I have yet to find a suitable guild. so this will be from a mostly solo PVE experience.

    Pros:
    Encourages Cooperation rather than Competition. Everyone can loot the boss, everyone can loot the chest, everyone can mine the ore vein etc. Why isn't this a normal thing?
    SO much content. the /age command tells me I've logged almost 290 hours into it, and that's just solo PVE.
    It doesn't feel grindy. (until you start leveling up your other characters after exploring the entire map) And the pacing is very nice.
    Graphics as astounding, even on Medium settings it looks gorgeous.
    Huge explorable world
    Very clean UI
    Lots of customization options, what with dyes and such, and character customization is very in-depth
    Crafting is simple yet very rewarding
    Small conversations overheard between the town NPCs make the world feel alive
    Very, Very kind community. 90% of the people you will meet are willing to help, and I've had random people party up with me to sort of be a private tutor of sorts.
    No standard Trinity system (Healer, Tank, DPS) Every class can sort of do it, but of course, there are specializations.
    No Pay 2 win options whatsoever. Most microtransactions are cosmetic, and when they're not, they're 1 hour boosters for Exp, Magic find, etc.
    No subscription fee! Pay for it once and it's yours forever. I picked up the Heroic edition for 20$, and that was well worth it.
    Mosaic Art Style and animated cutscenes are beautiful
    Very fewFemale light armor appear "Slutty." The ones that do show some skin actually come off as more majestic/graceful/whatever

    Cons:
    Certain character models need some work. Mainly with the Asura. The Shield just kinda floats on your arm.
    Story is meh. Dragon has a giant zombie army, so you have to stop him. that's pretty much it.
    The entire map you're given is not completely explorable. Crystal desert, Ring of Fire, mostly the corner areas are not accessible. Which is sad, because I really want to explore more.
    Armor doesn't get varied and "cool looking" until around level 30.
    Getting around via waypoints can get expensive, especially at the higher levels, when traveling to the closest waypoint costs 2 silver, and 10 silver for cross map.    … Expand
  3. WEBZPINNER
    Oct 8, 2015
    10
    Best online game ever. Character development is actually dynamic, graphics are gorgeous even on mediocre systems, and it is tons of fun. The gaming world is huge and rich in content at all play levels, without the grind usually associated with MMORPGs.
  4. Tshober
    Sep 11, 2015
    9
    If you haven't played GW2 and you love MMORPGs, this is one you *must* play. I bought it when it first came out but life got in the way and it was shelved for 3 years. My friends and I are back on now, and wow, what a great game.

    The world is HUGE! The lore is HUGE! You can level up however you want: pve, pvp, wvw, craft, exploration, questing, dungeons... it's brilliant. There is so    If you haven't played GW2 and you love MMORPGs, this is one you *must* play. I bought it when it first came out but life got in the way and it was shelved for 3 years. My friends and I are back on now, and wow, what a great game.

    The world is HUGE! The lore is HUGE! You can level up however you want: pve, pvp, wvw, craft, exploration, questing, dungeons... it's brilliant. There is so much to do, you'll get 100's if not 1000's of hours of entertainment from this game, and best of all, it's a one time fee- no monthly charges.

    I dock 1 point because the loot system could be made more compelling and the skill/power system was more customizable in GW1.    … Expand
  5. Rorschachx
    Sep 11, 2015
    10
    exelente game with good gameplay , not massive quest, pvp epic , revolutionary skill system, flawless..
    I recommend to all players who like challenges...
  6. BobbyM747
    Sep 7, 2015
    4
    Was one of my favorite games, until it was updated a while ago, and it started going down hill. I got this game a few days after launch, I can easily tell you, many hours of gameplay. But the update that made me hate Guild Wars 2 and made me switch to World of Warcraft. There is no more freely doing your storyline quests. You have to do it EVERY TEN levels. Used to be every 2-5 levels.Was one of my favorite games, until it was updated a while ago, and it started going down hill. I got this game a few days after launch, I can easily tell you, many hours of gameplay. But the update that made me hate Guild Wars 2 and made me switch to World of Warcraft. There is no more freely doing your storyline quests. You have to do it EVERY TEN levels. Used to be every 2-5 levels. Now, this game is a grind/farm simulator. Now that you have to wait every ten levels to do a quest, better get busy farming XP from enemies for a few days. This game is also going F2P, which is actually good, because the game is going bad anyways. Can't really find any players, microtransaction for jewels. This was in the game after launch day as well, when I paid over $60 for it. Save your money, and do not buy the expansion, don't even buy the game, unless you have so much time on your hands, and you are into killing the same enemies for hours on end.… Expand
  7. Augustus75
    Sep 2, 2015
    6
    Definitely a game for younger gamers. From cartoony Pokemon type graphics, to childish voice emotes when leveling up or performing certain skills, this is a large departure from the original guild wars games.

    That said, the game is extremely polished, and very well made. As an adult, I can't possibly become interested in this type of game. However, I absolutely appreciate the    Definitely a game for younger gamers. From cartoony Pokemon type graphics, to childish voice emotes when leveling up or performing certain skills, this is a large departure from the original guild wars games.

    That said, the game is extremely polished, and very well made. As an adult, I can't possibly become interested in this type of game. However, I absolutely appreciate the excellent job they did in creating a fast paced, all encompassing game for younger and casual players. Would not recommend it as a serious game however for veterans of mmorpgs, or those seeking a mature game.    … Expand
  8. jovan99
    Aug 30, 2015
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. In a genre dominated by World of Warcraft and other similar games Guild Wars 2 is refreshingly different. It ditches static tank and heal group gameplay for action based gameplay. No subscription fee means the game does not have to introduce tedious but psychologically addictive gameplay to keep its player base. Instead I'm playing simply because it's engaging and above all embodies what a game should be and what the rest of the MMO genre is lacking: FUN! Collapse… Expand
  9. Nipenthis
    Aug 30, 2015
    10
    A new take in the mmo genre, with a completely different philosophy! Awards you for playing, instead of forcing you to grind to reach to a place where you enjoy the game. Amazing lore and a totally distinct world, where story telling is as important as you'd expect in a RPG. Awsome graphics and artwork that blow your mind. All in all, a great game!
  10. natix
    Aug 16, 2015
    0
    it was a waist if my money every time i go to log in it thinks i'm trying to hack my own account even tho i know my username and password then to make it worse their tech support is of no help at all they just ask for the same info over and over again
  11. 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
  12. Heroixx
    Jul 16, 2015
    10
    If you're looking for some fun, don't look any further. This game provides a huge, magnificent, wonderful, adventurous world to explore. Besides the PvE content there's PvP and WvW. The best asset of the game is the community: GW2 truly is the Canada of MMO's. Friendly, helpful, relaxed community, obviously backed by the Guild system. Fact is that this game is perfect for people lookingIf you're looking for some fun, don't look any further. This game provides a huge, magnificent, wonderful, adventurous world to explore. Besides the PvE content there's PvP and WvW. The best asset of the game is the community: GW2 truly is the Canada of MMO's. Friendly, helpful, relaxed community, obviously backed by the Guild system. Fact is that this game is perfect for people looking for a laid-back MMO experience. Have fun!… Expand
  13. iamghost111
    Jul 14, 2015
    4
    This game has become a train wreck. When it was first released a lot of people were really amazed with this game. Stunning visuals, unique combat, and an innovative way to quest. However over the years Anet has continuously destroyed it one step at a time.

    Pro's of Guild Wars 2 currently: -Stunning Visuals -Interesting Lore -Interesting world Con's of Guild Wars 2:    This game has become a train wreck. When it was first released a lot of people were really amazed with this game. Stunning visuals, unique combat, and an innovative way to quest. However over the years Anet has continuously destroyed it one step at a time.

    Pro's of Guild Wars 2 currently:
    -Stunning Visuals
    -Interesting Lore
    -Interesting world

    Con's of Guild Wars 2:
    -unprofessional company
    -bugs are rarely fixed, the major ones get ignored
    -major balance issues, only a few classes are viable
    -major lack of content, it took 3 years to get an expansion and the xpac is very. very. very small
    -hack issues, players constantly hack in WvW, its biggest pvp feature
    -Turning into p2w with new pvp advantages being locked behind their cash shop
    -untrustworthy developing team, they treat it like its a beat and erase features of the game and start over. Character customization for example was completely scrapped and replaced with an inferior system.

    There really is no reason to play this game anymore. 2 years ago i'd still recommend it but the way it has become over those past 2 years is disturbing. For a f2p game this might be something worth playing for a month to stay occupied. However because the game is not f2p and costs around 120$ (including its "expansion") you should not play this game. There are much better mmo's out there currently that can do everything guild wars 2 can, but better.    … Expand
  14. Sajius
    Jul 7, 2015
    9
    This game is 'respectful' instead of 'demanding' of your time.

    Guild Wars 2 is the casual gamer's MMO of choice, and in my opinion, this is not a bad thing at all. There is no real "gear treadmill" in this game, and you never get the "carrot-on-a-stick-second-job" feeling either while playing. It is very easy to pick up, play, and get right into the action of doing "hearts"    This game is 'respectful' instead of 'demanding' of your time.

    Guild Wars 2 is the casual gamer's MMO of choice, and in my opinion, this is not a bad thing at all. There is no real "gear treadmill" in this game, and you never get the "carrot-on-a-stick-second-job" feeling either while playing. It is very easy to pick up, play, and get right into the action of doing "hearts" ("living"quests that can be completed in multiple ways) or just exploring the world in general looking for jumping puzzles, world events, etc. I can honestly say I never feel like I am grinding when I am playing this game. I would however recommend playing with a friend, a group of friends, or someone you know, as that makes a lot of difference in the "fun factor" when leveling up and exploring. My girlfriend and I have a ton of time into our Norn characters, and we love every minute of it. I play a warrior and she plays a ranger, and that combo compliments each other perfectly. Its just plain fun.

    The game world honestly looks like a water color painting. Its beautiful, and really does make you feel like you are living in a fantasy world. Many MMOs just take place in a very dead/static feeling world, but in GW2 this isn't the case. The scenery changes drastically as you enter different zones, and even within zones themselves it changes as you walk down a road or a path.

    The combat in this game is very fluid. You are almost always on the move while fighting, which is a very refreshing and nice change of pace compared to other MMO's. The "holy trinity" of role playing games (Tank/DPS/Healer) isn't really present in this game though, which takes some getting used to. When I first started I thought this was odd, however you learn to like it once you realize that no matter what class you are you can heal yourself. This opens up the ability to go explore places without "needing a healer" if something is tough. You feel a lot more self-sufficient/self-reliant when you take down an enemy on your own knowing that the right combination of skills/weapons you picked are what defeated it. The ability to actively dodge enemy attacks is also a huge pro to the fluid combat, as skillful timing of dodging (that uses a little limited pool of "dodge energy") can mean the difference between beating a tough enemy at the last second or not.

    That brings me to my next point, skills and weapons. A majority of the skills you use in this game depend on which weapon you have equipped at the time. There are also profession (class) specific skills in a different skill bar as well that you unlock with skill points, but early on you will primarily find yourself experimenting with different weapon sets in order to try different types of attacks/buffs/etc. This is also aided by the fact that most professions can switch between two weapon sets at a time on the fly. So, you can go from sword and shield to bow and arrow in a button press, and your skill bar switches instantaneously. This is awesome when the situation changes during combat and you can adapt to it without missing a beat.

    The sub model in this game is non-existent, as it is B2P (buy you play). You can buy gems with real life $ to spend at the "gem store" which includes things like booster packs for XP, as well as vanity skins to apply to your weapons and armor.

    In the end, I highly recommend this game if you are looking for a refreshing MMORPG that doesn't feel like a job, and is a lot more "relaxing" to play. You don't feel like you "have to" log in to get your money's worth since its B2P, and since there is no treadmill or grinding feeling, you can enjoy while you play instead of constantly feeling like you need to rush to "get to the good stuff" or "get to the end game". It is very much a journey and not a destination game, as the whole game is pretty much the "end game" due to the way its structured.

    Like I said, its just plain fun.    … Expand
  15. SpaceRaptor
    Jun 21, 2015
    6
    It's not awful, but it's not all that great either. While I don't hate this game, since people give it so much praise I'm going to focus on where it falls short. GW2 advertises itself as a lot of things that are only really quarter truths. I think the most outlandish false advertising was the "dynamic event system". To quote:

    "The living world of Guild Wars 2 is filled with thousands of    It's not awful, but it's not all that great either. While I don't hate this game, since people give it so much praise I'm going to focus on where it falls short. GW2 advertises itself as a lot of things that are only really quarter truths. I think the most outlandish false advertising was the "dynamic event system". To quote:

    "The living world of Guild Wars 2 is filled with thousands of dynamic events that constantly change based on the actions of players like you. You never know what you’ll discover when you log in!"

    This is true, until you log in the second time. The "events" are inherently no different than your standard "My dog **** on my neighbour's lawn so I need you to to deliver this apology cake 3 meters due south." generic MMO quest. The only thing GW2 changed is that now they walk and talk, and you have to repeat them over and over and over and over. And no they don't impact the world in any meaningful way because just as there are no permanent consequences, there are no permanent solutions.

    Some other half truths from their video on their combat page: "If a big attack comes your way, you can dodge roll out of the way" - Yes, if your endurance is full. And you can only dodge roll twice before you have to wait for it to recharge, making it feel entirely pointless. "It has the action of a shooter, the strategy of an RTS and the depth of an mmo". Haha, no. The action is entirely third person and repetitive. The "strategy" is practically non existent given the ridiculous limitations on evasion, cool downs, heals, skills, blocks and what have you. A common cause of death is not lack of skill, but lack of skills.

    The story is at points questionable, laughable or boring. The writers start by trying to prop you up as an unbelievable speshul snowflake which is most evident in the human starting story, where despite the military evacuating the entire town allow you, random civilian #4832, to stay and fight for no apparent reason. Or perhaps the Norn, where at level 1 you slay an ice wurm people widely praise and give you a title for and they continue to praise you for it even when you get to a level that you could've one shot it at.

    I should also mention both story and game mechanic wise, NPCs are inherently useless unless they're Trahearne. In which case, he is a paradox of being the most uselessly important person in the entire world. By this point the writers are really trying to make you feel like you're just another John Smith in a world populated by characters no inherently more important or special than the other. While commendable in theory, it's entirely awful in execution given Trahearne just takes credit for everything you do.

    In one of their promotional videos before the release of the core game, one Anet spokesperson said something along the lines of “If you're a FPS gamer you'll like playing Guild Wars 2”. Hilarious, because my boyfriend who exclusively plays only FPS and RTS games absolutely reviled this game. I could never get him to play it with me for more than an hour. His major gripes being the combat system which I already semi elaborated on (and it hits harder for FPS/ RTS gamers) and the levelling system (linearity).

    You're very much locked into an area of what you can do via arbitrary numbers. And you're not rewarded for seeking out challenges (I mean real challenges, not the “but it's your level” kind of challenge), in fact you're outright punished for it. And if we keep in mind how relatively fast it is to level, the entire system just makes itself redundant. You could have maps and characters where everything is just “a challenge” instead of a level, but instead you're punished every time you make a new character by being restricted to repeating the same content over and over. “Oh god, not this event/ map again”. And then there's dead maps problem caused by this.

    And speaking of end game, there isn't one. Yes, by all technical means there are things to do at level 80. The problem is, these are the same things you've already being doing in your treadmill climb to end level. Anet did at one point say "The whole game is the end game". That is the one whole truth they've said. So you kind of end up with a game that is marginally more enjoyable than your average MMO by a couple inches, but after a couple level 80's and tiring of the lack of features you find yourself logging in maybe once a month to play one new content release, get bored of it and then let it collect dust on your desktop till the next time you get bored of your other games.

    The one good thing I can say about GW2 is you don't feel like you have to spend a year to catch up to other players when you do return. Given this, I wouldn't call it a waste of money.

    In summary, meh. It's kind of OK.    … Expand
  16. Sloppyjoe
    Jun 19, 2015
    0
    Doesn't matter. Any company that cheat or lies to their customers are scum. I really hope the devs weren't in tandem with the decisions ArenaNet are making. See Heart of Thorns pre-purchase controversy for further details.
  17. Bombzy
    Jun 4, 2015
    10
    Amazing game. Superb artwork, great depth and incredible value for a one time fee, Yes, there are promotions aimed at getting people to spend money in the shop, but these are largely cosmetic or convenience based - the game is in no way pay to win. Good community, vast world and enough content to keep interest for many, many hours.
  18. hnwan
    May 16, 2015
    3
    I played Guild Wars 2 for a few thousand hours, and I wouldn't recommend it.

    The focus on monetization. Every update that comes out is only filler stuff (busy work achievements) coupled with new real money promotions, or as of recently only the real money promotions without any content. Uninstanced open-world events leave you with a feeling of "why am I even doing this". You cannot    I played Guild Wars 2 for a few thousand hours, and I wouldn't recommend it.

    The focus on monetization. Every update that comes out is only filler stuff (busy work achievements) coupled with new real money promotions, or as of recently only the real money promotions without any content.

    Uninstanced open-world events leave you with a feeling of "why am I even doing this". You cannot meaningfully influence the outcome because it's just a gigantic blob of people spamming skills. Might as well go AFK. The loot is trash and itemization is overall very frustrating due to the phenomenon of "boxes within boxes", that ultimately cannot drop anything meaningful.

    The end-game is a joke. Dungeons have been completely neglected, and never had any challenge to start with. Everyone has max gear or almost max gear just from hitting level 80. The developers are constantly saying once you're 80 it's about the skins, but skins are what they sell for real money. There have been hundreds of new skins added since release, 95%+ of them on the in-game store.

    Overall the game is just very bland, despite shiny graphics, and the only thing holding some people back are the achievements and daily rewards that force you to login every day for fear of missing out. That and the monetary investment that a lot of people have made into their characters, it's a defensive mechanism to keep believing all the money and time is not invalidated.

    The game also has a lot of bugs, and those are not superficial in-game bugs but actual technology issues. The auction house and guild panel are actually websites displayed by an in-game browser, with detrimental effects on framerate and interactivity. Network service has major issues where it will disconnect you partially, making you unable to read/write certain chat channels or accept group invites, or puts you into the wrong region for the LFG browser, so that after finding a full group you find out you cannot actually join their instance because they are in a different datacenter.

    LOADING SCREENS. They take a minute or more to load on a very decent (i7, SSD) computer. A compounding issue is that the game is constructed so that you have to constantly teleport between maps, and people regularly sit through 3 loading screens in a row in order to avoid a waypoint fee. The world is split into small rectangular zones with portals on the sides, it's not a contiguous map like you would expect from World of Wacraft.

    A lot of items that were said to be exclusively for the East (China) have found their way onto EU/NA servers' in-game shop: Teleport to Friend, VIP restricted area passes, DMG/Armor/Healing booster, Daily Login Reward Track.    … Expand
  19. kissman9
    May 2, 2015
    10
    Guild Wars 2 lights me up everytime when I do dungeons and fractals of the mist, when I do world events like Tequatl and Triple Trouble and when I open chests.
  20. funchrist
    Apr 22, 2015
    10
    Amazing game! very smooth detailed graphics. plenty of thngs to do for thext 2 years. no fees. 1 price and you are ready to go. incredible vast maps. always something to do.

    cons: it might take a while to get used to. some things are a bit complex. crafting, teams lays. some interface should be simpler.
    i recommend 100% if you are a fan of Dungon Siege (x100 better)
  21. arkanjileq
    Apr 18, 2015
    0
    I could not play the game. I bought it and it detected my GW1 account attached to my email address. I forgot the password for GW1 and apparently they do not do password reset for GW1 anymore. Created a new email address to start a brand new GW2 account and for some magical reasoning, they associated the new email address with my GW1 account... and refused to let me play. Customer serviceI could not play the game. I bought it and it detected my GW1 account attached to my email address. I forgot the password for GW1 and apparently they do not do password reset for GW1 anymore. Created a new email address to start a brand new GW2 account and for some magical reasoning, they associated the new email address with my GW1 account... and refused to let me play. Customer service could not help and offered me a full refund. Very poorly done, they should've given anyone with a GW1 account who forgot their login the option to just start a fresh GW2 account.… Expand
  22. Ixnatifual
    Apr 13, 2015
    5
    Yet another overhyped MMO that turned out mediocre. Basic gameplay feels really clunky here, perhaps even worse than Warhammer Online. It's missing that MMO feel of games like World of WarCraft and EvE and feels more like a kindergarden. Somewhere in the construction of this game ArenaNet missed many of the important things of the genre. Building your character, the feel of being in aYet another overhyped MMO that turned out mediocre. Basic gameplay feels really clunky here, perhaps even worse than Warhammer Online. It's missing that MMO feel of games like World of WarCraft and EvE and feels more like a kindergarden. Somewhere in the construction of this game ArenaNet missed many of the important things of the genre. Building your character, the feel of being in a world, and perhaps most importantly, HAVING FUN.… Expand
  23. xTobyMc
    Mar 11, 2015
    9
    + Graphics are some of the best of any MMO, even with it being almost 3 years old now.
    + Combat and mechanics are very friendly towards new players and not overly complex (a personal preference)
    + There is a lot of diversity in the world, exploring new locations is a genuine pleasure. + World events are a huge amount of fun. Teaming up with 50+ other players to battle a boss is    + Graphics are some of the best of any MMO, even with it being almost 3 years old now.
    + Combat and mechanics are very friendly towards new players and not overly complex (a personal preference)
    + There is a lot of diversity in the world, exploring new locations is a genuine pleasure.
    + World events are a huge amount of fun. Teaming up with 50+ other players to battle a boss is extremely satisfying, and worth the rewards.
    + WvW is a lot of fun and works very well, once you get the hang of it you can waste away many hours fighting other servers. I have not played PvP yet so I cannot comment for this right now.
    + The user interface is very intuitive and easy to navigate, much like the combat it's not overly complex, which is something I prefer over MMO's that have so many items on screen you feel lost.

    - The optimisation isn't very good. With SLI I get 40% usage for each GPU. When entering city zones and large events with lots of players the frame rate drops massively. Even with a top of the range PC like mine I get 30fps in world events and areas of WvW. The game is extremely CPU intensive. However, in 'calmer' areas of the world you can easily get 60+fps the majority of the time.
    - The main story quests can seem a little bit childish. They're not particularly geared towards adults and seem a bit silly and pathetic at times, but this is only a minor complaint.
    - Whilst I like the easy to learn combat, it can result in the game becoming a little too easy as you progress into the later stages of the game. Rarely have I really felt challenged in PvE.    … Expand
  24. Destai
    Mar 9, 2015
    9
    Love it or hate it, Guild Wars 2 is a new force to be reckoned with. Arguably, there hasn't been a more successful or popular game since World of Warcraft. It launched on the decision to halt development of Guild Wars and redirect that energy and resources to a new game. For me, Guild Wars was the most iconic game of my youth. I met friends that I still game with, concepts from that gameLove it or hate it, Guild Wars 2 is a new force to be reckoned with. Arguably, there hasn't been a more successful or popular game since World of Warcraft. It launched on the decision to halt development of Guild Wars and redirect that energy and resources to a new game. For me, Guild Wars was the most iconic game of my youth. I met friends that I still game with, concepts from that game color how I see other games. In short it was titanic.

    So is Guild Wars 2 the same? No. But it's damn close.

    Guild Wars 2 has so much going for it - the UI is relatively respectful of the real estate it occupies, the character system is acceptable, and there are amazing quality of life features that not even WoW can boast. The games combat has changed the genre for me, and I find it hard to play anything but an action combat MMO. It rendered tab targeting inert. Yet with each of these, there's an Achilles heel. Sometimes that chink in the armor is minute, other times it's problematically annoying.

    Combat
    It's fluid, it's responsive but it's hindered by an annoying camera. I can't tell you how many times that camera has blinded me while i'm jumping in a puzzle or attack an enemy from a non-obvious angle. The skill system is incredibily rewarding and keeps you engaged in the fight. As with many RPG system, some classes start out better than others. I've mained a guardian since beta and it's easily my favorite character class in any RP game. Each weapon offers a different flavor, but keeps the theme of the profession consistent.

    Story
    Storywriting in Guild Was has never been novel worthy. It has never been their strong suit but this game is borderline on fan fiction. The base campaign while leveling is acceptable and there are many local quests that are fun. I get this nagging feeling that many of the writers are trying to write stories for alternative lifestyles and it's just coming out really cheesy. There are some convincing characters, and there are some quite cardboard. I find the sylvari to be particularly annoying. All in all, it's acceptable writing with the occasional "WTF" moments. It gets the point across, even if it feels largely departed from the first game.

    Artstyle
    This is a pretty game. The world design is world class (seriously, these people are artists) and the UI is one of the best in the genre. My only gripe is the painted style of the game can make it a bit hazy for me, particularly in the UI. However, this game really has its own unique character and is a nice departure from both hyperrealistic and stylized cartoon graphics.

    Character advancement
    I love that the game is not about raiding. I really do. Yet still, I feel this game needs a more permanent character advancement system. The trait system has so much potential, but it's too divorced from the flexibility of the first game's system. They finally added the ability to move traits down and up at will, which is awesome. I'm mixed on the ability to earn traits. On one hand, it's like skill quests of old. On the other hand, it's hard work for some. Nonetheless, the upcoming progression system is going to be interesting. I enjoy having a flexible system and I hope that will continue the Guild Wars 2 spirit.

    Content
    This is not a raider's paradise. That's hard for people to understand and accept at times, even myself. There are 8 dungeons, dozens of story missions, and now the instanced living world content. The game really comes alive when you have others in the open world, hacking away at a boss or something. The game is really fun and focuses on that. Yet, it can be zergy at times and the lack of standard trinity classes lends itself to group disorganization.    … Expand
  25. harry125
    Feb 14, 2015
    2
    After the initial high scores were in, ArenaNet pulled a 180 and added as much grindy content as they could, including a gear threadmill.

    An mmo with a no-grind policy that has more grind than most. A developer recently 'adjusted' their no-grind claim stating "it only applies to the levelling process". All other content besides levelling (which ArenaNet considers optional) is loaded    After the initial high scores were in, ArenaNet pulled a 180 and added as much grindy content as they could, including a gear threadmill.

    An mmo with a no-grind policy that has more grind than most. A developer recently 'adjusted' their no-grind claim stating "it only applies to the levelling process". All other content besides levelling (which ArenaNet considers optional) is loaded with grind until it spills over.

    And in their upcoming release, they added a new level cap disguised as 'Masteries' which requires players to grind away to unlock content? Sure, but it's not against their claims because technically, it's not levelling...

    Steer away from this one and all future releases. It's a big bait&switch scam.    … Expand
  26. Bloodsugar
    Feb 9, 2015
    9
    A Completionists' and Adventurers' paradise. It's not only the best MMO per dollar, but the most detailed and magnificent world I have ever been a part of. It's a go anywhere, do anything type of game. Level up's don't really constrict you as you can gain experience from everything and anywhere. People are friendly and it's open party system keeps people interested in helping orA Completionists' and Adventurers' paradise. It's not only the best MMO per dollar, but the most detailed and magnificent world I have ever been a part of. It's a go anywhere, do anything type of game. Level up's don't really constrict you as you can gain experience from everything and anywhere. People are friendly and it's open party system keeps people interested in helping or resurrecting strangers.

    Every time I put down this game and pick it up again, I find myself asking the same question. Why the hell did I stop playing this?

    Down side? People don't like weapon skills. It has a long range of character customization but it mostly always boils down to what weapon you want to use. I personally can't stand using anything but dual daggers/pistols on my rogue.

    9.5/10    … Expand
  27. 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
  28. Bmane
    Jan 10, 2015
    4
    Guild Wars 2 is probably, as of now, the current best MMO on the market. And that's really an insight into the current trend of MMO's. The idea that an MMO is about exploration and living in a new world, reaping the benefits of what should be fun non-stagnant gameplay, has now become set in stone as a repetitive grindfest upon a treadmill that you, as the player, now thread on.

    MMO's    Guild Wars 2 is probably, as of now, the current best MMO on the market. And that's really an insight into the current trend of MMO's. The idea that an MMO is about exploration and living in a new world, reaping the benefits of what should be fun non-stagnant gameplay, has now become set in stone as a repetitive grindfest upon a treadmill that you, as the player, now thread on.

    MMO's have not changed. Concepts might be new, in some cases, and the gameplay might take on different forms, but in the end, it is always the same. You do a quest. You level up. You kill stuff. you level up. You do dungeons together and level up, collect that epic loot at the end of the tunnel.

    So what's wrong with all that? Nothing, except for that the mechanics have not changed since the invention of the MMO. Guild Wars 2 was suppose to be revolutionary, instead, it only proved to be a clone of what has come prefer. A clone that comes in prettier graphics with different mechanics that are essentially unchanged, just done differently.

    Today's MMO's are a bit like candy: They come in all different flavors, and the consumer likes to take a nipple at each one now and again. When they come across a flavor that they like, they'll consume it until they are full and sick of it, and then move on to the next fad.

    Guild Wars 2 is quite cleverly designed in that it looks revolutionary from the outside, but once you get into it, and discover its rather bland and mundane crafting system that is really only useful at the top-tiers, or its horrendous spam loot system that spams you with useless loot, you'll see that it really is nothing different.

    Sure the graphics are quite good, probably the best of any current market MMO, but graphics will only get you so far. Guild Wars 2 is the prime example of stagnant. As a player who was in the beta and pumped a lot of hours into this game, I can tell you right now that having briefly jumped back into it recently, nothing has changed. Guild Wars 2 opened to the public on its launch day and has essentially been left as it is with no drastic improvements or features other than perhaps byte-size ones. The devs have adopted a policy of no expansions for the game, while they have not ruled it out completely, the issue is moot. Guild Wars 2 looks to remain as it is for quite sometime.

    Leveling up in Guild Wars 2 is also a dull affair. Some of the top weapons are not that great, crafting, as I said earlier, is really beneficial if you pump a load of hours into it. Low-tier and mid-tier crafting is useless other than getting your skills up. *yawn*

    Character progression is subtle and rather bland. You really do not feel that the extra 3% bonus you'll get from progression will help you, and it is incredibly boring when most of your level up is done in incredibly small increments.

    But the worse offender... and my main pet hate of Guild Wars 2, and any MMO for that matter, is the quests. O god the quests! The Hello Kitty Quests!

    Guild Wars 2 perhaps has the most non-offensive yet offensive quests imaginable. Did I create a Necromancer in this game just to go around and throw snowballs at unsupervised kids? Why do I have to be turned into a 'cat' and then to subsequently 'pee' on bushes to stir rabbits from them... Why do I have to help the farmer with catching her piglets? Yes... Anyone who has played MMO's knows the story here, nothing new...

    But Guild Wars 2 just took it to a whole new level. Lets not get into the rather mundane personal story quest that perhaps wins the award for the most anti-climatic end ever in a story. The Guild Wars 2 quests drove me mad. It's as if their target audience was that of a twelve year old girl who sits around and watches the Disney channel all day. That's the sort of level you can expect here. Sure, I'm not asking for Guild Wars 2 to contain a more mature content or a darker atmosphere (o wait, I am!) but I would have liked a lot less of the rather stupidly mundane quests. Even the first GW game was less annoying than this.

    Honestly, despite the fact that I said GW2 is the best mmo on the market, there are a few contenders. Age of Conan is for one a rather enjoyable affair. GW2 just happens to be the big elephant in the room that dwarfs all the others, and it is a damn shame that it's not as revolutionary as it could be, and all it is, is a rather mundane bland adventure into a fantasy land.    … Expand
  29. marc5477
    Dec 31, 2014
    7
    Probably the best MMO available and fits a wide range of audience. Anyone can pick it up and be successful at the casual level yet there is enough intricacy that the hardcore crowd can do their customary min/maxing. They nice thing about this MMO is it receives a lot of love from its developer. World events are frequent and the stories are always moving along to keep people interested inProbably the best MMO available and fits a wide range of audience. Anyone can pick it up and be successful at the casual level yet there is enough intricacy that the hardcore crowd can do their customary min/maxing. They nice thing about this MMO is it receives a lot of love from its developer. World events are frequent and the stories are always moving along to keep people interested in raids and bosses. The bad news is that the game is easy... then again, all MMO's have devolve to this problem since WoW became successful and I cannot fault the developers for wanting to make enough money to keep their jobs. There are some nice features in this game that others lack, most notably, exploration is rewarded and it really is fun to run into random puzzles in the world and try to figure them out. Some of those jumping puzzles are very memorable and well placed. In fact, if you are not alert or reading a guide, you can miss them altogether which is really cool when you find them on your own. The game has your standard crafting professions as well as class trees that are fairly well balanced allowing for many viable builds. PvP is ok and world PvP is somewhat fun but I was never a PvP guy so I didnt play as much of it. I personally enjoy exploring new areas and getting the best gear within reason (kind of like trophies for me). The nice thing about Guild Wars 2 is that everyone has means to get some of the best weapons in the game. You can do it the old fashion way of raiding or your can earn it in other ways such as PvP or crafting or just through in game wealth. I like the mini-instances in the game but the one thing that I dont like is itemization. Loot in the game just feels useless and most items only have value because they are torn down via crafting. I suppose there is no way around this in an MMO (or even 1 player games) and it has been a gripe of mine since my early gaming days. Anyway, its a great MMO. No subscription fees to worry about and most anything can be bought with in game currency and time. You can buy some cosmetic upgrades or more storage slots but honestly, there is no reason to do so. I would recommend playing the game normally and saving up for the upgrades since there is nothing else worth spending in-game money on anyway.… Expand
  30. ensum
    Dec 11, 2014
    1
    This game is way too grindy.

    The gameplay mechanics are incompatible with the control scheme. A gamepad would have worked better than the keyboard/mouse setup.

    Having said that, an RPG should never try to be a platform game. Especially a PC RPG. That's why they're RPGs.

    The targetting system is unstable and inaccurate.

    The camera is in constant conflict with the movement controls.
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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.
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  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.
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