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. 3lfk1ng
    Sep 12, 2012
    10
    First of all, my playstyle is hardcore and I have a lot of MMO experience.

    I have been playing MMO's for almost 10 years starting with the release of Shadowbane. I have subscribed to roughly 8 different MMO's during that time-frame, BETA tested another 10 or so, and I am not afraid to admit that World of Warcraft was my previous favorite MMO. but now...Guild Wars 2 has easily taken    First of all, my playstyle is hardcore and I have a lot of MMO experience.

    I have been playing MMO's for almost 10 years starting with the release of Shadowbane. I have subscribed to roughly 8 different MMO's during that time-frame, BETA tested another 10 or so, and I am not afraid to admit that World of Warcraft was my previous favorite MMO.

    but now...Guild Wars 2 has easily taken the throne as my #1 favorite MMO of all time. Despite minor issues at launch which in no way affected my ability to login, level up and actually play the game, this game is nothing short of amazing. There is just so much detail and depth, all while offering players the ability to play hardcore or casual... with no monthly fee. You can login for an hour or two and walk away feeling accomplished.

    The crafting system is a blast. The learning curve for playing classes can be steep, but only if you want it to be. There is no longer a need to grind for gear or farm for reputation. If you have a steady job, you can be just as good in game as your jobless friends. There is no need to set aside two nights a week for raiding or collecting the materials beforehand. No need to avoid playing with other players that might take your loot. No longer do players have to ask for a gear score or look you up on armory before doing a dungeon. They have almost completely eliminated the whole standing around for 30minutes looking for a healer or a tank fiasco. Finally, this game is based on skill. It's not about who has no life and the ability to invest the most time. It's a game where you can login, hit level 2, and go straight into PVP and be on almost even grounds, only skill will determine how well you do.

    ALL of the things that were (mostly) dreadful in previous MMOs, have been made (mostly) enjoyable in Guild Wars 2. Huge thanks go out to ArenaNet. I disliked Guild Wars 1 but this game is totally different and phenomenal. There is absolutely no reason that anyone should even consider continuing to pay and play World of Warcraft or any other MMO for that matter unless you dislike the fantasy genre all together... in which case, the fact that you're reading this would suggest otherwise.

    I give it a 96/100
    There is always room for improvement.    … Expand
  2. deusemx
    Sep 12, 2012
    10
    Awesome, in a single word best describes my experience thus far with Guild Wars 2. After sinking over 100 hours in the game, achieving level 60, rank 5 in structured PvP, and battling it out in World vs World (where I spend the majority of my time) I still cannot find enough time to play this game. I write you this review only because I am stuck at work and cannot log in from here ;)

    I    Awesome, in a single word best describes my experience thus far with Guild Wars 2. After sinking over 100 hours in the game, achieving level 60, rank 5 in structured PvP, and battling it out in World vs World (where I spend the majority of my time) I still cannot find enough time to play this game. I write you this review only because I am stuck at work and cannot log in from here ;)

    I wanted this game to be my PvP game as the first Guild Wars had a reputation for it. I wanted something to replace WoW's PvP for me. I played WoW for both 3v3 arena and rated battlegrounds which I achieved 2750 an 2450 ratings respectively. I wanted a game that rewards skill and strategy and not time spent playing and I believe GW2 does just that. This is a game about positioning and coordinated execution. There exists "Combo Fields" and "Combo Finishers" in which any Combo Finisher that interacts with a Combo Field gains additional power. This system of synergy allows coordination to rein king. Structured PvP is interesting because the moment you step into the structured PvP zone your character reaches maximum power equal with all others. If you think you see an overpowered combination you can quickly and easily copy their setup to see for yourself. The competitive mode is 5v5 on a 3 node king of the hill map, a standard configuration. I haven't quite figured out all of the mechanics of all the classes so I cannot really comment on balance but it feels good so far. Each class is very customizable almost to the point of being overly complex. Of your 10 abilities half of your abilities depend on the weapon(s) you are wielding while the other 5 are selected from a pool of skills depending on your class and then there are additional traits that affect you in various ways. However, World vs World PvP is where you'll most likely find me. Defending and laying siege to towers, forts, and even castles. Huge battles with over 100 strong on both sides. Your entire server is your team and you are against 2 other servers in a battle to control the most territory--to get the biggest slice of the pie. Periodically the servers get mixed up and paired based on your servers performance. Right now things are a little dicey in WvW due to all the mixing currently. Sometimes one server greatly overpowers another but with the mixing and match-rating it will inevitably create a better experience as time goes on. But now for the bad news! As much as I love this game it does have some technical problems. I have a Crossfire video card configuration but I am not able to make any use of my 2nd card. Some areas in the game drop my FPS while others are brilliantly smooth. The queue times for World vs World were initially exceeding 2 hours! The queues have come down since then. This game definitely has some growing pains but Arenanet seems dedicated to fixing it. They patch the game every single night. I remain hopeful that they will iron out these issues but I am still having a blast regardless.    … Expand
  3. Megurine
    Sep 23, 2012
    10
    The game is amazing in my own opinion. The graphics are spot on and the visual schemes are amazing. I am still playing and i feel so immersed. Besides the PvE which i can go meh at sometimes (compared to many other mmo's where the pve is just BLAH), it rescues itself in PVP. It is legendary in that aspect. I'll admit although that the story lines somewhat branch off to random places butThe game is amazing in my own opinion. The graphics are spot on and the visual schemes are amazing. I am still playing and i feel so immersed. Besides the PvE which i can go meh at sometimes (compared to many other mmo's where the pve is just BLAH), it rescues itself in PVP. It is legendary in that aspect. I'll admit although that the story lines somewhat branch off to random places but the new story lines that they introduce are so immersible that I didn't really give a care. The branching story lines was great and the crafting system is truly a new change in the mmo concept and will mark the beginning of evolution of mmo's. Sometimes the bosses are so hard and make you so irritated but they motivate you to keep trying! The game is A BIG ASS PARTY. Not one party, a huge ass one lol. You can also frequently change weapons so, you get 5 skills per weapon set which makes 10 skills but this requires revolutional which weapon to choose at an certain time unlike those people who complain. This brings about a whole new system of balance. For instance, i can go Dagger and Dagger mage to do single target DPS or i can go staff to provide aoe cover and viable support to my team. All classes are balanced in their own unique ways! To be honest i didn't know what class to choose at first since i loved them all so much and that none of them were op, all of them had their own pros and cons and were all perfectly balanced. This one mmo actually had you think and plot plans instead of going in to the middle and blasting everything away with a huge aoe skill or with op items. This is why when u go to a low level place on the map, they scale you down in order to provide a challenge and make so many things so entertaining!… Expand
  4. Gonko
    Sep 13, 2012
    10
    Fantastic game, closest mmo to "perfect" I've seen since wow, Plus, with no sub fee, you don't feel pressured to play to get your moneys-worth out of it, staggeringly good PvE exploration and WvW is fantastic.
  5. victor2012
    Sep 13, 2012
    10
    I played WOW starting BC
    I feel that WOW was like a job - login at raid time, try boss, try again...ever, to make a raid progress.
    spend time and money for nothing. Also no content updates since 2011, but anyway each patch was just new boss skins. GW2 became as a fresh air! Really great game! Beautiful, big and deep. I just relax and enjoy playing Really GW2 feels like a MMO. In GW2    I played WOW starting BC
    I feel that WOW was like a job - login at raid time, try boss, try again...ever, to make a raid progress.
    spend time and money for nothing. Also no content updates since 2011, but anyway each patch was just new boss skins. GW2 became as a fresh air! Really great game! Beautiful, big and deep. I just relax and enjoy playing
    Really GW2 feels like a MMO. In GW2 finally you see other people in the world who help you to make dynamic events for example, in wow (during leveling) you play almost solo.    … Expand
  6. orange56738
    Sep 13, 2012
    10
    This is a great MMO and it is getting better. Forget WoW. This is it! I love the fact that the holy trinity of tank/healer/dps does not exist nor is it necessary. The game is not about gear or grinding. All those other annoying things in other MMOs have been gracefully dealt with in GW2.
  7. Dear
    Sep 13, 2012
    10
    I followed the creation and production of Guild Wars 2 for the past three years, and I have to say it has lived up to and even surpassed my greatest expectations. I love this game, from the gorgeous artistry in every detail, to the way gameplay is so seamless you progress without meaning to, to the masterfully executed storytelling that truly makes you feel important, a direct force in anI followed the creation and production of Guild Wars 2 for the past three years, and I have to say it has lived up to and even surpassed my greatest expectations. I love this game, from the gorgeous artistry in every detail, to the way gameplay is so seamless you progress without meaning to, to the masterfully executed storytelling that truly makes you feel important, a direct force in an actually, really, truly epic fight to save the world. Arenanet has been brilliant the whole time, by the way. They've done a most commendable job in communicating with and paying attention to their fans/playerbase on a refreshingly personal level. 10/10, 5 stars, two thumbs up, and a standing ovation.… Expand
  8. MrBungle420
    Sep 13, 2012
    10
    Seriously the most innovative MMO.

    Any low reviews are people with out-dated computers, WoW fanboys or outright Blizzard employees.

    There is NOTHING bad about this game.
  9. BrinZalazar
    Sep 13, 2012
    10
    I'm very happy with GW2, I have enjoyed every second I have played the game and look forward to being able to spend more time with it. There is so much depth, but it's easy for me to pick up and play and learn new things. If you are on the fence I'd say now is a great time to start playing. :)
  10. CurtisQ
    Sep 13, 2012
    10
    This is one of the finest games I have ever played. It succeeds in all areas that I care about in an MMO. It is fun to play by myself and interact with other people I don't know and its also fun to play with friends you know. You can play with any of your friends thanks to the downleveling system which I think is an awesome idea. The world is beautiful and charters look great, the storyThis is one of the finest games I have ever played. It succeeds in all areas that I care about in an MMO. It is fun to play by myself and interact with other people I don't know and its also fun to play with friends you know. You can play with any of your friends thanks to the downleveling system which I think is an awesome idea. The world is beautiful and charters look great, the story quests are also great in my opinion, its the only MMO I have ever played that has made me care about the story in any way shape or form. All around an amazing MMO and no subscription fees! It doesnt get much better than this for $60 if you ask me.… Expand
  11. HashuePoe
    Sep 14, 2012
    10
    Guild Wars 2 is the most original MMO in an over saturated market. This game continues to entertain and deliver new thrills. Arena Net has designed a game that encourages exploration and makes the world feel vast and alive. Guild Wars 2 has also created the most dynamic and interesting combat system. If you try to just button mash or spam an attack you will not succeed. The end gameGuild Wars 2 is the most original MMO in an over saturated market. This game continues to entertain and deliver new thrills. Arena Net has designed a game that encourages exploration and makes the world feel vast and alive. Guild Wars 2 has also created the most dynamic and interesting combat system. If you try to just button mash or spam an attack you will not succeed. The end game content is vast and very challenging. This creates an environment where everyone wants to compete and play since the dungeons are designed for 5 players only. Each one of the 5 players are required to play and if they have a weakness it will be exposed. The crafting system is a breath of fresh air and never feels tedious or awkward. I highly suggest this game to any type of gamer. Guild Wars 2 offers something for any game type.… Expand
  12. sangct
    Sep 14, 2012
    10
    Guild Wars 2 is awesome, it was more than I could expect. The game is fantastic and I really love all the beautiful details... the quality is way above any other MMO I've played. The personal story is intriguing and you can't stop playing.
  13. geohams
    Sep 16, 2012
    10
    Like WoW in its time, Guild Wars 2 borrows the finer aspects of its predecessors, but also blends in enough variety and freshness to give it the edge we always craved from the "WoW killer" MMORPG. Stylistically, it feels like what a Final Fantasy MMO should've been, but with the technical crispness of WoW's best moments, strong world PvP like Dark Age of Camelot, and world group eventsLike WoW in its time, Guild Wars 2 borrows the finer aspects of its predecessors, but also blends in enough variety and freshness to give it the edge we always craved from the "WoW killer" MMORPG. Stylistically, it feels like what a Final Fantasy MMO should've been, but with the technical crispness of WoW's best moments, strong world PvP like Dark Age of Camelot, and world group events such as those found in Rift.

    Incredibly, the PvE aspects are as good as any game I've played, which I felt was a huge shortcoming of the original Guild Wars. Granted, I'm only a short way through the plotline, but the way it's going I don't think I'll be bored with any aspect of the game any time soon: whether multiplayer or solo, against players or monsters, questing or crafting or simply exploring the rich game world, everything in GW2 scintillates.

    This game rules. Buy it, play it, love it, tell your friends, and don't forget to go outside once in a while...    … Expand
  14. Mysticmonarch
    Sep 21, 2012
    10
    Must have!!!! Change my view of MMO's
    Must have!!!! Change my view of MMO's
    Must have!!!! Change my view of MMO's
    Must have!!!! Change my view of MMO's
  15. Mordread
    Oct 10, 2012
    10
    This game is awesome, got it as a gift (was going to buy it anyway but my birthday came first :P) I did not play GW1 but have played many other MMOs. Its true that it takes quite a bit from games like Warhammer online, but it takes the good and improves on it. It also introduces new ideas and concepts I haven't seen in other mmos. The game handles lag very well (I play from South Africa)This game is awesome, got it as a gift (was going to buy it anyway but my birthday came first :P) I did not play GW1 but have played many other MMOs. Its true that it takes quite a bit from games like Warhammer online, but it takes the good and improves on it. It also introduces new ideas and concepts I haven't seen in other mmos. The game handles lag very well (I play from South Africa) compared to games like WOW or Diablo 3. My only real complaint is the lack of proper learning content, its either not there or too boring to do. Its way more fun to just jump in and play like an idiot while you figure things out. I must say that this game is growing on me. The more I play the more fun it seems to get! Graphics are good, quests are fun, events are amazing, sounds are cool and personal quests add a fun single player element to the game(can be done multi, I like to single it). For those skeptical about the RM gem system, it is a little annoying but can be worked around, gems can be bought off ah with gold. 1 suggestion to A-net is please add more attacking animations haha… Expand
  16. Tacoss23
    Sep 29, 2012
    10
    Masterpiece of an MMO-RPG game. Let me start by saying I'm not a fanboy of GW or Arenanet, nor I'm a person that takes sides first before critically thinking, or devotes himself to a product/idea/politics, etc etc before having an objective analysis. I'm simply extremely happy with this game and I praise Arenanet (a company unknown to me before this) for what they have accomplished here.Masterpiece of an MMO-RPG game. Let me start by saying I'm not a fanboy of GW or Arenanet, nor I'm a person that takes sides first before critically thinking, or devotes himself to a product/idea/politics, etc etc before having an objective analysis. I'm simply extremely happy with this game and I praise Arenanet (a company unknown to me before this) for what they have accomplished here. GW2 is better in almost everysingle aspect than any other MMO out there right now. Their PvP, Classes, Dungeons, Combat (TERA might arguably be better), inventory, UI, questing, Storyline (SWTOR was equally as good), itemization, gathering, community (oh boy, this is the best part), side-dishes (things to do extra), crafting, graphics, major cities.....(I could go on for a while), are far superior and well done than their competition (WoW). All this put together, gives the player a sense of adventure, challenge, journey, community, and above all Epicness. This is something that a lot of MMOs are losing (WoW spearheading the idea) in favor of faster, easier on demand mindless GRIND. I can't simply understand how Blizzard has the face to charge their customer $15/month for their junk, after watching what Arenanet did with this game, it's even more unbelievable is the fact that people would still pay for it. Bottom line, this game is as good as it gets in MMOs, and best part is that I see Arenanet very much involved in listening their customers and taking the game in the right direction.… Expand
  17. Zaytsev
    Sep 25, 2012
    10
    I waited yers for this game to come out and truth to be told it was its trailer that made me try Guild Wars 1 which I played for some ammount of time. This game really did live up to expectations, the gameplay is really fluid thanks to the way the combat is designed for movement while fighting making you able to dodge, roll, jump, etc out of the way of damage while making your attacks inI waited yers for this game to come out and truth to be told it was its trailer that made me try Guild Wars 1 which I played for some ammount of time. This game really did live up to expectations, the gameplay is really fluid thanks to the way the combat is designed for movement while fighting making you able to dodge, roll, jump, etc out of the way of damage while making your attacks in turn while they very interestingly added something similar to a special attack you can build up by attacking. Your attack skills are earned by using the weapon of choice which change depending on the weapons you have on you, this essentially gets rid of the annoying "level up to get that skill!" and making it more versatile and practical by making you unlock the skills through fighting rather than waiting for each level up to earn something. Another great thing is the cooperative gameplay that makes it that as long as you contribute you get exp. so that makes it impossible for people to steal exp, monsters or loot while everyone can revive you AND heal themselves, so you'd group only to see your friends on the map. The graphics are very beautiful and even with my medium end pc I can't quite completely max everything with the ammount of details everywhere. To this I will also that it's kind of interesting how castles, mountains and whatnot LOOK like paintings. The story of the game will very very very different for each person as it changes depending on your choices as well as you character's back story. It's really a hell of a game, I feel as if every penny that I payed should have been dollars because it really is such a magnificent game that I think I payed less than I should have. Great job Arenanet, it REALLY was worth the wait.… Expand
  18. Whiskey78
    Sep 26, 2012
    10
    Fun and innovative in the sense that you level up quickly without realizing that your doing it. Combat is fast paced and smooth, graphics are beautifully done, and over all game play is extremely enjoyable.
  19. humd1nger
    Sep 27, 2012
    10
    Before the game came out I worried that it was over-hyped and that Anet couldn't possibly deliver everything they said they could, but they did! I've been glued to this game since getting it a couple weeks ago. In other games, after an hour or so of questing, I'd start to get bored and need a break but I didn't have that happen in GW2. After doing heart events for a little bit, aboutBefore the game came out I worried that it was over-hyped and that Anet couldn't possibly deliver everything they said they could, but they did! I've been glued to this game since getting it a couple weeks ago. In other games, after an hour or so of questing, I'd start to get bored and need a break but I didn't have that happen in GW2. After doing heart events for a little bit, about the time boredom would normally set in, I'd start looking for vistas or do some gathering and then all of a sudden some huge event will kick off, like a world boss or something. Next thing you know you've just lost hours playing and you're ready for some more heart events or story quests. The world just feels alive and like there's always something happening. Seriously, one of the best games I've played in years!… Expand
  20. Sixgunsuicide
    Sep 27, 2012
    10
    Truly loving this game. I decided the second I saw it that I would buy this game and was not disappointed in the slightest. I have been playing WoW for 6 years. I am glad in a way that Mists of Pandaria is so terribly childish, given me more time to play GW2.

    I love the PvP and cant wait for more battlefields to be added. Server vs Server PvP is a lot of fun and a cool thing to be    Truly loving this game. I decided the second I saw it that I would buy this game and was not disappointed in the slightest. I have been playing WoW for 6 years. I am glad in a way that Mists of Pandaria is so terribly childish, given me more time to play GW2.

    I love the PvP and cant wait for more battlefields to be added. Server vs Server PvP is a lot of fun and a cool thing to be brought into MMOs. I enjoy the constant struggle to keep another realm from dominating. I love reactive things, so this fit well for me.

    I absolutely love the art work and it doesn't bog down my aging comp, which is a bonus. The armor sets are truly epic!    … Expand
  21. eroninja
    Sep 27, 2012
    10
    After playing this game hardcore for over a month, I feel that the hype has finally worn off and the game truly deserves a 10 rating. It's by far the best MMO right now, even better than World of Warcraft (though that's mostly due to Blizzard's failings).

    Arenanet delivered on every promise they made prior to releasing the game. You are always happy to play with other people, you    After playing this game hardcore for over a month, I feel that the hype has finally worn off and the game truly deserves a 10 rating. It's by far the best MMO right now, even better than World of Warcraft (though that's mostly due to Blizzard's failings).

    Arenanet delivered on every promise they made prior to releasing the game. You are always happy to play with other people, you never feel like you're forced to compete against others, the visuals are stunning, character creation is surprisingly deep, and the action during even the most mundane event is amazing and fun. Anet has taken MMO gamers off the hamster wheel (endless loot cycle) and given us a game that's supposed to be fun. I can honestly say they delivered.    … Expand
  22. crishrice
    Sep 28, 2012
    10
    The amount of stories that are available is amazing. The game has so much replay value. I am definitely getting my $60 out of the game. The game is huge and i feel like i will never finish it. I have had the game for 2-3 weeks and i am level 37 and have no intention on quitting now. (having friends with you is a great way to enjoy the game more.)
  23. Anubis_RE
    Sep 29, 2012
    10
    Na, na, na, na, na, na, na na, na, na, na, na, na, na Guil Wars 2, no fees, no the boring trinity world vs world ......... .......

    Again, no fees, pay, play and play when ati, you exit the [.......]. There is NOTHING in the current market, you do shadow, NOTHING, not ever compare with the failed and rehash MOP WOW, that Bli $ $, not interested in their customers, they are interested    Na, na, na, na, na, na, na na, na, na, na, na, na, na Guil Wars 2, no fees, no the boring trinity world vs world ......... .......

    Again, no fees, pay, play and play when ati, you exit the [.......].

    There is NOTHING in the current market, you do shadow, NOTHING, not ever compare with the failed and rehash MOP WOW, that Bli $ $, not interested in their customers, they are interested in your wallet, good for all companies as well, but other caregivers better than others.    … Expand
  24. snook
    Sep 29, 2012
    10
    So I just read some red reviews like "I hated it before I played it" and I notice that people are not satisfied because the game is more for casual players with no intention to play a year to achieve a fully playable character. I noticed more than once that the problem is mostly that the game does not support the I'm being better than you style, but you guys forget something - that is notSo I just read some red reviews like "I hated it before I played it" and I notice that people are not satisfied because the game is more for casual players with no intention to play a year to achieve a fully playable character. I noticed more than once that the problem is mostly that the game does not support the I'm being better than you style, but you guys forget something - that is not the targeted player base. It is a pay once game, so why the heck they should bind players for long term like monthly fee mmos? As also I will clear something up - not everyone is interested in graphics - and for a mmo this is awesome... I started playing with Anarchy Online - yeah there where games before WoW (I never understand why someone play that game) and to all those crying - calm down and play a game not 10 years old and then we talk again about gameplay and graphics. It is like with everything - human are never satisfied for long term, but this game is just better than everything else out there if you consider you just pay the price for a normal AAA game with 6-10 hours playtime and NO monthly fee. You dont get it right? There is absolutely nothing you can say against this game if you keep that in mind.… Expand
  25. Ozriel
    Oct 1, 2012
    10
    I've personally been waiting for a game like this for a long time. The freedom to level how you wish is phenomenal. Being an artist though, the art direction is what pulls me in the most. This game is beautiful. I'm not saying that the graphics have to be "uber current" with today's technology, but just that it has a focused consistent appeal with it's design and personality. The races areI've personally been waiting for a game like this for a long time. The freedom to level how you wish is phenomenal. Being an artist though, the art direction is what pulls me in the most. This game is beautiful. I'm not saying that the graphics have to be "uber current" with today's technology, but just that it has a focused consistent appeal with it's design and personality. The races are really refreshing too, all of them, (less so with the humans) bring something new to the stereotypical races seen today in MMORPGs. The story may not pull me in quite as powerfully as say SWTOR, but WAY more than WOW. Don't get me wrong I actually play and enjoy all three, it's just that I still find myself attracted to GW2 the most even though MOP is fun. But I can only compare these three MMO's as they are the only ones I've ever played. Coming from a background of Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale, Neverwinter Nights, Dungeon Siege, Age of Mythology, Unreal Tournament, Borderlands, Fable, Titan Quest, Warcraft III, and some other A+ titles, I have high standards for a games lore, and that is why WoW pulled me right in. But since I tend to swing back and forth between gaming moods for the slower pace of RPGs and the frenetic action of FPSs, I've been waiting for a game that has a good balance of both. That's where GW2's pulled me in. It's PvP has all I have been waiting for as the mechanics and level of freedom flow with the fluid controls and animations of your character. While in WoW I could never shake the feeling of controlling an agile paper doll, in SWOTOR I felt like I was trying to manipulate a stiff action figure. In GW2 my character actually controls much closer to the living being that I want as my character in an MMO or any game for that matter. It's simply refreshing to have that feeling while playing. My other biggest draw to this game was the limited number of skills to use, yes "limited". Having so many buttons to push and keep track of for skills always hindered my ability to stay immersed in whatever I was doing in-game. So maybe I'm not hardcore, but when I play a "game" I want it to be a game and not a "job". So having fewer abilities actually creates a nice balance for me, while it did not dumb down all the theory crafting I enjoy too. So in short this MMO offers something different and different in a very good way for gamers today. As a veteran gamer GW2 has firmly planted itself alongside WoW and all the other AAA games that have been my favorite franchises and IP's.… Expand
  26. DoorNail
    Oct 1, 2012
    10
    It's my new main MMO. I'm a casual player, meaning I have a life outside of the game. Working 40+ hrs a week along with my hubby and child. I don't feel pressured to play the game to get my moneys worth. Questing known as hearts are still the same as any other MMO but hides it with a new way by giving options of what you want to do. No longer having to kill 50 lizards just for a smallIt's my new main MMO. I'm a casual player, meaning I have a life outside of the game. Working 40+ hrs a week along with my hubby and child. I don't feel pressured to play the game to get my moneys worth. Questing known as hearts are still the same as any other MMO but hides it with a new way by giving options of what you want to do. No longer having to kill 50 lizards just for a small pecentage of experience and repeat. DE is just wow, just wow. No more griefing over others taking my kills or resorces.… Expand
  27. dthrevan
    Oct 3, 2012
    10
    Fantastic game. If you sick and tired of boring copied wow clones then this game is for you. Excellent graphics, gameplay and best of all its B2P. This game is definitely gonna give **** Mop a run for its money.
  28. DemigodChewtoy
    Oct 2, 2012
    10
    This is as good as any MMO has ever been. If you're still playing WoW and the Mists of Panderia daily grind, it's because you underestimated and/or misjudged GW2. This is the game to be playing, and any fan of WoW, Rift, or DAoC owes it to themselves to call GW2 their home for the foreseeable future. This is not another incremental evolution, this is an MMO revolution.

    The only thing    This is as good as any MMO has ever been. If you're still playing WoW and the Mists of Panderia daily grind, it's because you underestimated and/or misjudged GW2. This is the game to be playing, and any fan of WoW, Rift, or DAoC owes it to themselves to call GW2 their home for the foreseeable future. This is not another incremental evolution, this is an MMO revolution.

    The only thing you might miss are instanced raids at end-game. End-game now consists of open-world raids, 3-faction world vs. world PvP, character appearance and gear customization via dyes and dungeon systems, and legendary weapon grinds. In addition, there are still tons of places to explore, quests and events to complete, secret treasure chests to find, jumping puzzles to solve, scenario PvP, and plenty more surprises.

    The game might feel a lot like WoW at first, but that just means you're playing it wrong -- seriously. Don't worry, much like anything new, you will begin to understand it with time and effort invested.

    Ultimately, GW2 is a wholly unique experience that captures some of the magic that your favorite MMO used to have. Guild Wars 2 is as good as the genre has ever been.    … Expand
  29. Orctownorc
    Oct 2, 2012
    10
    Fans of fantasy RPG have had to wait a long time for a game where they can imagine themselves as heroes in 'another world' without paying by the month for it. This game fills a gap that Witcher 2 and Dragon Age 2 both sorely failed to fill. Guild Wars 2 scratches the itch of Fantasy RPG fans with an expansive, beautifully presented world. There is exploration, crafting, swords and sorcery.Fans of fantasy RPG have had to wait a long time for a game where they can imagine themselves as heroes in 'another world' without paying by the month for it. This game fills a gap that Witcher 2 and Dragon Age 2 both sorely failed to fill. Guild Wars 2 scratches the itch of Fantasy RPG fans with an expansive, beautifully presented world. There is exploration, crafting, swords and sorcery. There are guilds and social elements if you need them, or you can solo if you prefer. If you want PVP. There are plenty of different builds to play around with, and five races to delve into. The developers appear to be doing their best to offer a gamer-friendly experience and have certainly worked very hard to make this game big enough and flexible enough for everyone except the most head-up-the-arse hard core-nutters. The elements of killing mobs and bosses, and grinding levels are all familiar, and not really better than youve already seen elsewhere. But the art IS better. Many small details of presentation ARE improved. And the pay-once play-forever model is a SUPERB challange for Blizzard to start trying to earn money with better games rather than milking and exploiting their customer base all the way. If you are an RPG fan, you can't go wrong with this game. If you haven't tried an MMO before THIS is the place to start. If you play WOW and are curious, play some of a friends account and choose whichever game you prefer. Thanks Arenanet for expanding our choices, and thanks for Trying to upgrade and evolve the model. If this game gets Blizzard to try harder we all win. For that reason alone... for daring to compete we should all appreciate and applaud what this game represents. The trolls giving this game 0s and 1s should understand just how this game might end up helping them enjoy better games at better prices and repost with scores that reflect an understanding of how Arenanet efforts will finally IMPROVE their gaming experience. 8/10 for the game. 10/10 due to its entirely positive influence on game design for those games to come which will be better and cheaper because of Guild Wars 2.… Expand
  30. MenaceX
    Oct 3, 2012
    10
    Guild Wars 2 is a fun game. The no subscription fee method allows players to play the game at their own pace. That's another plus. Wouldn't be surprised if Guild Wars 2 won the 2012 Best PC Game Award.
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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

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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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