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. Sajuuk
    Sep 19, 2014
    0
    Most reviews here are 2 years old.

    Now, two years later, the game is exactly the same as it was back then. NO new maps, NO new dungeons, NO new professions/weapons or skills. During two 'feature packs', the game has undergone significant changes to the leveling process, mainly trait acquisition and level progression. There has been an uproar in the community ever since, and nothing    Most reviews here are 2 years old.

    Now, two years later, the game is exactly the same as it was back then. NO new maps, NO new dungeons, NO new professions/weapons or skills.

    During two 'feature packs', the game has undergone significant changes to the leveling process, mainly trait acquisition and level progression. There has been an uproar in the community ever since, and nothing was done about it.

    Granted, this game was nice at first. But even then, being a MMO player, I've seen the flaws many haven't: it had lots of bugs, problems with build diversity, problems with PVP (only ONE mode and four maps, even after two years?!).

    Now, however, the game is worthless. With bad sound engineering, clunky mechanics (ever tried using a cannon or trebuchet?) and poorly-designed PVE, this game has gone nowhere. I am sorry, but I truly believe this overhyped game doesn't deserve more than a 0 right now.    … Expand
  2. 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
  3. FexZ
    Jan 10, 2013
    9
    The game doesn't have that good graphics. But I'm not playing games because of graphics. When I first tried the game in it's beta state I was like a "donut" simply, is this real? Am I playing this MMO? Simply the best MMO to date. Age of Conan still has better graphics, but hey. They just took normal quests were you read paragraphs of paragraphs of text and just go over there talk to thatThe game doesn't have that good graphics. But I'm not playing games because of graphics. When I first tried the game in it's beta state I was like a "donut" simply, is this real? Am I playing this MMO? Simply the best MMO to date. Age of Conan still has better graphics, but hey. They just took normal quests were you read paragraphs of paragraphs of text and just go over there talk to that guy and go all the way back by putting in hearts where you put out fires, kill monsters, gather this and that. It's variety! And not to forget the event system, event chains like something happens, and you fail to stop it and now you have to take it back.
    The personal story is also amazing except the last quest. You simply spam one button. You have so many different choices which means you can play it again and have a different experience. And with this personal story you can actually tell your friends and people you met online who your character is and what they've done in order to "save" the world. The gear system is just amazing. Every peace of gear in heavy-, light- and medium armor is equally good. Nothing is better than other gear just different stats. And the fact that you can change the looks of gear to what you like it to be is great. Now let's move over to the dungeon system. first of all it's ONLY 5-man. because the classes do everything like tank, heal and dps. The class is not what you are and what you do but how you do it. If it's mor than 5-man you need a specific tank class etc. More about classes later. But the dungeons consist of one story mode and explorable one. Story mode: Well it's story based, and actually not a bad one either! It's a extra story for your personal story. It's hard if no one in the group knows the tactics but when you learn them they are fairly easy, and you get good exp if you're leveling (lvling) up. Before I start on explorable I'm just telling you that they said they will remake everything we know of the dungeons to this day :) Explorable: Consists of 3 or more paths, much harder but still not that hard, more teamwork, more skill ofc. When you finish you get emblems to use for gear/legendary(ies). Classes/Races: 5 races and 10 classes. Each race can be every class, each races has they're own story. The customization is slick and has much to it. The fact that you can get dyes and color your armor the way you want is amuses me every day and every time I do it. I've tried every race and the only races I don't like that much is Azura just because they don't have as much detail to the armor as the others. But the classes. 2 soldier classes (heavy armor) which is Warrior and Guardian. 3 adventure classes (medium armor, which is ranger, thief and egnineer. 3 scholar classes (light armor) which is elementalist, necromancer and mesmer. Read more about the classes on http://www.guildwars2.com Fun stuff to do: Jumping puzzles. I've got to say, these are fantastic! It's ridicolus how much fun it's to see how much people can fail at these. Do them with your guild or friends. It's fun!

    One shout out to ArenaNet for this amazing MMORPG. They have invented the best MMORPG to date.    … Expand
  4. 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
  5. FiddlerSC
    Aug 28, 2012
    10
    I played the Original and This sequel fit the bill PERFECTLY on gameplay fun and bring back all the fuzzy memories of the original!

    PvP is a lot of fun and OMG complex in the best of ways! The lack of level grinding is a HUGE Plus for me Yes cap is 80 but you dont get to lvl 80 through conventional means of killing 20 or so boars its about exploration of the world and exploring your    I played the Original and This sequel fit the bill PERFECTLY on gameplay fun and bring back all the fuzzy memories of the original!

    PvP is a lot of fun and OMG complex in the best of ways! The lack of level grinding is a HUGE Plus for me Yes cap is 80 but you dont get to lvl 80 through conventional means of killing 20 or so boars its about exploration of the world and exploring your character and making fun yet interesting decisions on your way though the story!

    if you havent already i recommend buying this game if your a fan or Guild wars 1 or your fresh eyes on this Product!    … Expand
  6. zeofatex
    Aug 28, 2012
    10
    Game is superb. I've been playing MMO's since they first started appearing. This one is highly polished, the dev team is highly responsive in community forums. Music is excellent, visuals are excellent, story is excellent. 10/10 for me!
  7. debacol
    Aug 28, 2012
    10
    If you like themepark based MMOs, there really is no better game out right now than GW2. The level of detail and polish just in the NPC chatter alone really helps shape the lore and world. Combat is extremely fluid with weapon swapping, dodging and combo fields this game is one of the more visceral MMOs out there. If you like to explore, this is the game for you, if you like to only Raid,If you like themepark based MMOs, there really is no better game out right now than GW2. The level of detail and polish just in the NPC chatter alone really helps shape the lore and world. Combat is extremely fluid with weapon swapping, dodging and combo fields this game is one of the more visceral MMOs out there. If you like to explore, this is the game for you, if you like to only Raid, you may find it lacking.… Expand
  8. arcanewun
    Aug 28, 2012
    10
    The game has stepped one hundred feet in the right direction for the genre and this is something that the genre has been awaiting for a long time.

    The inclusion of actual, dynamic dodging and attacking. The combo system that allows you to combo with your friends... its all amazing. People who are claiming no end game need to realize that this is and always has been a pvp driven    The game has stepped one hundred feet in the right direction for the genre and this is something that the genre has been awaiting for a long time.

    The inclusion of actual, dynamic dodging and attacking. The combo system that allows you to combo with your friends... its all amazing.

    People who are claiming no end game need to realize that this is and always has been a pvp driven universe. The fact that you can jump in at max level and pvp with your friends is amazing as is the WvW system where you fight other servers.

    The combo system and dynamic ability to switch weapon sets during combat, along with the co-op style combo system makes PVP VERY skill based, rather than other MMO's face-smash style of fighting.

    If you are a fan of PVP, get the game. NOW.

    The story still has flare and is fun to go through when learning how to play your class and the mechanics of the game.    … Expand
  9. solann16
    Aug 28, 2012
    10
    I gave this game a ten because I feel that it was money well spent. 60 dollars for the cleanest RPG experience in an MMO. If you hate the Xobx live kids, or the trash talking low lives from various MOBA, FPS, and other competitive MMO, you know that GW2 staff is ready to squash these babies.

    The company has character and integrity. They believes strongly in their product and policies    I gave this game a ten because I feel that it was money well spent. 60 dollars for the cleanest RPG experience in an MMO. If you hate the Xobx live kids, or the trash talking low lives from various MOBA, FPS, and other competitive MMO, you know that GW2 staff is ready to squash these babies.

    The company has character and integrity. They believes strongly in their product and policies and has thus far stuck to their message. There's communication between Arena net's staff and the GW2 community, and the communications have been civil and constructive.    … Expand
  10. Pace202
    Aug 28, 2012
    10
    I've been around gaming for a long time. And this is the game I have always been waiting for (well at least a 1st step) a living breathing world for me to explore and interact with.
  11. sua6
    Aug 29, 2012
    10
    I don't understand the nitpicking from the reviews previously posted. This game is phenomenal. First off: this game looks amazing. Not amazing because it looks incredibly realistic, but because of the art style that the developers chose to pursue. I'm not entirely sure what some of these other authors were looking for in terms of graphics but quite honestly, either they're playing aI don't understand the nitpicking from the reviews previously posted. This game is phenomenal. First off: this game looks amazing. Not amazing because it looks incredibly realistic, but because of the art style that the developers chose to pursue. I'm not entirely sure what some of these other authors were looking for in terms of graphics but quite honestly, either they're playing a different game or are playing on a very outdated rig. From distance, structures and landscapes look like concept art. The idea is amazing. When's the last time you played an MMO with the graphics of Crysis? I'm not trying to say that Guild Wars 2 is a leader in the category, but it certainly does NOT fall short.

    As far as connectivity issues goes, I played all throughout the three day head start on a mediocre internet connection and had very few problems. Even such, this was the smoothest launch that I've been apart of (Cataclysm, Diablo 3, Tera, Rift). Giving this game a 1 rating because the pre-launch head start was a little rocky? That's a bit critical. You're not even paying a monthly fee to play the game and you're still complaining. I absolutely hate the idea of rating a game based off of other reviews, but unfortunately I feel the need to counter out the unneeded negative reviews given by authors who obviously have other problems with the game. I would otherwise give the game a 9.    … Expand
  12. 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
  13. GreenSleeves
    Dec 22, 2012
    10
    Guild Wars 2 is incredible. I was a huge fan of the first Guild Wars and this game definitely lived up to the hype for me. The world is vast, beautiful, and extremely detailed. The graphics are rich and vibrant. The quests, events, and puzzles are fantastic and very unique. The branching personal story lines are all very engaging, and the PvP is addicting as crack. I love these people thatGuild Wars 2 is incredible. I was a huge fan of the first Guild Wars and this game definitely lived up to the hype for me. The world is vast, beautiful, and extremely detailed. The graphics are rich and vibrant. The quests, events, and puzzles are fantastic and very unique. The branching personal story lines are all very engaging, and the PvP is addicting as crack. I love these people that are saying that this is "just an average Rift clone." How is it in any way a Rift clone? Because it has public events? Guild Wars 2 took a successful concept and refined it, fleshed it out more, and made it their own. It's called innovation. They are not copying Rift, they are simply taking a page out of Rift's book and expanding upon it. That's how things make progress. I would also like to mention that several of the issues that people were complaining about and thus gave this game a "0" are all fixed. Guild Wars 2 is the most preeminent MMO to be released in a long time. Do yourself a favor and pick it up.… Expand
  14. 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.)
  15. Logy
    Jan 6, 2013
    9
    Being a long time mmo player i knew i needed to try Guild Wars 2 has they add promised to deliver a dynamic world where questing didin't felt like a shore and your actions changed the world, but did they achieve it?
    Well after playing it for hours i can safely say yes, yes they did.
    Gameplay: This is not you typical mmo combat system, in Guild Wars 2 you get a new set of 5 skills in    Being a long time mmo player i knew i needed to try Guild Wars 2 has they add promised to deliver a dynamic world where questing didin't felt like a shore and your actions changed the world, but did they achieve it?
    Well after playing it for hours i can safely say yes, yes they did.

    Gameplay:
    This is not you typical mmo combat system, in Guild Wars 2 you get a new set of 5 skills in each different type of weapon and an additional 5 skills (one of which is an elite skill) which you can customize depending on you class.
    The combat itself is a mix between action oriented(Tera Online/Raiderz) and a typical mmo (WoW/SWTOR). If you use an ability that swings your sword and you have more then one enemy around the game will recognize and you will damage all the enemies, however you dont have to aim the abilities like in Tera.
    The problem i have with most mmo's gameplay is the combat not feeling fluid and the animations of said abilities lagging behind, this however doesn't effect Guild Wars 2, all the abilities have different animation and they all sync perfectly.

    Graphics:
    The graphics of Guild Wars 2 didin't impress me all that much but they have to take into account that the game must perform well with hundreds of players on screen like WvWvW. While the graphics aren't the strongest point the game compensates with a beautiful artstyle across all zones.

    What to do?
    Like the ordinary MMO you have PvP and PvE. As for PvP there are two types, WvWvW(World vs World vs World) and sPvP (Structured PvP). You can do both of this at level 1, WvWvW is a massive battle between 3 servers with points to capture across a huge map divided into 3 zones and sPvP is the typical Battlegrounds that we are used too from others MMO which can be played competitively.
    The PvE of Guild Wars 2 consists of 5 Man Dungeons, Dynamic Events and the personal storyline.    … Expand
  16. 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
  17. Clinnger
    Dec 2, 2015
    1
    Honest Review

    Guild Wars 2 is, entertaining, but not for long, why is it? Well, to say it short, content is actually just doing the same thing over, and over, and over, and over again, there's actually not that many things to do, especially after their so called "Expansion", which is actually quite smaller than a usual DLC, which most likely yield more content than that. But we're    Honest Review

    Guild Wars 2 is, entertaining, but not for long, why is it? Well, to say it short, content is actually just doing the same thing over, and over, and over, and over again, there's actually not that many things to do, especially after their so called "Expansion", which is actually quite smaller than a usual DLC, which most likely yield more content than that.

    But we're not talking about their "Expansion". Guild Wars 2 only serves for about maximum of 6 months if you're a hardcore MMORPG player, and you'll get second to no support, development information, balanced updates and so fourth from ArenaNet. They're pretty silent, lying dormant, cutting down the community and just throws in visual nerfs into the game. Definitely this means it's run by money with no communication to the players in the forums.

    Do not, please, do not buy Guild Wars 2, although it's free now... you'll most likely just suffer as the maximum abilities you can use are 10, which feels more like it's for PvP content.

    Which reminds me, the PvP is unbalanced, extremely infrequent balance patches, making the game make you more likely not to play it (if you're there for the PvP), besides, the so called "PvP" also only consist of Capture Point. They've tried a Death Match map, and I for one, hated it. Even made me think that World of Warcraft PvP is more balanced, although that's gear and level based. Also to mention, with their "Expansion" have they put in so called "Elite" specialization where they said they wouldn't be stronger than the core specialization trees, and it turned out to be a lie. Every Heart of Thorn owner uses these Elite specialization, and furthermore bringing in unbalanced gameplay, and therefor I can't see why people are actually playing the game, when they do not keep their promises, nor their "No-Grind Philosophies" and so on.

    They are not keeping their words. Simply lies and steals your money, and for all I care about the Critic from known websites: Are not trustworthy either.

    Guild Wars 2, questions me, why I don't trust people, why I play it, why I hate people that lie, day in, and day out.

    Recommendation: Look past this, it's only good for your mental health, you won't suffer what people has to say, lies and disappointment. This is what real life should learn you, not a virtual world.    … Expand
  18. KRob4
    Nov 27, 2012
    10
    Guild Wars 2 progresses the MMO genre. There's no grind, there's collaboration galore, a wealth of PvP, and quite possibly the most scenic game I've ever laid eyes on. I'm constantly bewildered by its beauty, and fun. Buy this game. Get in a big guild. Play WvW, play sPvP, get in dungeons, play live events...etc, etc, etc,etc,etcet,cet,
  19. Contemptible
    Dec 12, 2012
    9
    I've been playing Guild Wars 2 almost everyday since release, and I love it. I don't think I've enjoyed playing a game this much, especially exploring and completing dungeons with friends. I would have to consider this my favourite game. The reason I'm not giving it 10/10 is because it still has its problems.. It was incomplete on release, several bugs which still exist now, crappy loot,I've been playing Guild Wars 2 almost everyday since release, and I love it. I don't think I've enjoyed playing a game this much, especially exploring and completing dungeons with friends. I would have to consider this my favourite game. The reason I'm not giving it 10/10 is because it still has its problems.. It was incomplete on release, several bugs which still exist now, crappy loot, the progression has left everything empty except fractal dungeons and I don't believe the classes are evenly balanced (Warrior). I haven't had much experience with MMO's to compare GW2 with anything else (quitting through the beta of SWTOR is about it). There is definitely a grind aspect to the game, however they do a decent job of covering it up and give players options and experience towards that goal. Despite its issues, Guild wars 2 is beautiful and enjoyable with unique classes and races with a variety of areas to explore. There are a number of dungeons to participate in which can challenge and frustrate players. This game is definitely worth its money for casual and experienced players giving them flexibility of how they want to play.… Expand
  20. x_ares_x
    Sep 2, 2012
    9
    Guild Wars 2 is what an MMORPG is supposed to be. The standard questing system of kill # of monster or gather # of resource is not present here, at least, not present in its familiar form. Yes, you still do kill # or gather # of objects, but ArenaNet have cleverly hidden these objectives in the form of a public questing system. They have taken out the ho-hum grind of doing these quests inGuild Wars 2 is what an MMORPG is supposed to be. The standard questing system of kill # of monster or gather # of resource is not present here, at least, not present in its familiar form. Yes, you still do kill # or gather # of objects, but ArenaNet have cleverly hidden these objectives in the form of a public questing system. They have taken out the ho-hum grind of doing these quests in the form of Heart NPCs. You get Xp for nearly anything you do, from crafting to just exploring. While the game does have a few problems, mostly with the auction house, it is still a very fun, very social game. The game is full of surprises. You can pass an area hundreds of times and still find that there are things you missed. The world is colorful and alive with NPCs talking with one another about different events. Everyone can revive one another and has their own personal heal. I won't say Guild Wars 2 innovates, but I will say they have vastly improved on a genre which has long been stagnate. I almost forgot to mention; the game is NOT free to play, nor is it pay to win, it is however buy to play with the option of paying in the form of a gem shop, which I have experienced first-hand. The boosts which people have fretted over for so long are of such little consequence that it don't matter whether or not you have them. You can perform just as well without them. They're so insignificant in fact, that most of the time, I forget to even use them. If you want a great, social game with interaction everywhere and you want to do in in a world teeming with beauty and life, get this game, it is well worth the money you will pay for it.… Expand
  21. 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.
  22. Khalisto
    Sep 13, 2012
    10
    For Presentation they get a 10! There is detail in everything you encounter even the idle character animations.
    Graphics on a high end PC is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen, true artistry! Not just higher polygon count or pixels.
    Sound is a perfect 10! The music and the ambient sound lures u in this fantasy world. Gameplay is by far the best offered in any game period! You got    For Presentation they get a 10! There is detail in everything you encounter even the idle character animations.
    Graphics on a high end PC is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen, true artistry! Not just higher polygon count or pixels.
    Sound is a perfect 10! The music and the ambient sound lures u in this fantasy world.
    Gameplay is by far the best offered in any game period! You got strategy, fact action clicking, responsive moves, counter moves the combat actually feels alive! Not just stand there an spam 1 2 and 3...
    Lasting Appeal receives a 9! The world is huge and u like great exploring this world on a main character as well as on an alt. having different races and classes give me many month of enjoyment    … Expand
  23. Gwydiian
    Sep 4, 2012
    9
    I've played a good amount of MMORPGs, starting way back with Everquest and Ultima Online, and this is the first MMO since then to make me so excited to take it slow and enjoy the content.

    Graphics/Art style: 10 Beautiful landscapes and tremendous cities make this game's environment the single greatest in any MMO to date. There is no doubt that a lot of heart and soul went into the    I've played a good amount of MMORPGs, starting way back with Everquest and Ultima Online, and this is the first MMO since then to make me so excited to take it slow and enjoy the content.

    Graphics/Art style: 10

    Beautiful landscapes and tremendous cities make this game's environment the single greatest in any MMO to date. There is no doubt that a lot of heart and soul went into the development of this game and it shows nowhere better than in the art.

    Music: 8

    The music is well composed and doesn't intrude on your play, but it isn't anything especially heart pumping or iconic, like some of the game's competitors.

    Gameplay: 10

    Though the combat can get repetitive, just as in any MMO, this game makes up for it with plenty of other things to do. Exploration is fun and rewarding, with many jumping puzzles and other landscape games. Crafting is rich and exciting, allowing the players to make great leaps in crafting skill with some careful planning and experimentation, rather than grinding out the same recipes until new ones become available. Mini-games are a great break from normal game-play. PvP is fantastic, fast paced at the small scale, and deep and strategic in the large scope.

    Replayability: 10

    With each race and class having a very unique playstyle and personal story, this game will easily give you hundreds of hours of new and fun content, at a bargain of a one time price.

    Ultimately Guild Wars 2 has raised the bar on what it is to be a current generation MMO. While WoW will still retain it's loyal player base with it's tried and true style, Blizzard will have to make some groundbreaking changes to pull players away from this game. A great pickup for any fan of MMOs or RPGs    … Expand
  24. ginnk
    Dec 1, 2012
    9
    I love this game a lot, i don't find it boring at all as many people said. Graphically it looks like more Rift than other modern MMO. I could say GW2 and Rift are playing in same sandbox! There are thousand things to do: fight, climb, discover, craft, explore,... i don't have a HL character - my main is 32, that small but i never find time so short since i play GW2. I like to play alone,I love this game a lot, i don't find it boring at all as many people said. Graphically it looks like more Rift than other modern MMO. I could say GW2 and Rift are playing in same sandbox! There are thousand things to do: fight, climb, discover, craft, explore,... i don't have a HL character - my main is 32, that small but i never find time so short since i play GW2. I like to play alone, without guild or anything else and this MMO is so good for this. Public fights are great, copied on those exising in Rif… Expand
  25. Althusser
    Sep 2, 2012
    9
    This is the first next generation mmorpg un post wow era. Maybe you dont like the game per se, but in an honest view this game is by far a tecnical superior that all morpg games in actual market (yes, including WoW).
    A really MUST buy.
  26. DirtyBird07
    Sep 10, 2012
    9
    Game is great.
    People who complain about dated graphics aren't playing on high settings. Turn settings way high and you'll see its a great visual game. (requires as pretty decent rig)
    PvE and storyline is actually engaging. Most MMOs (IE FF11) you're wandering around having no clue what the point of your adventure is... not the case here. Definitely a good story line with plenty room    Game is great.
    People who complain about dated graphics aren't playing on high settings. Turn settings way high and you'll see its a great visual game. (requires as pretty decent rig)

    PvE and storyline is actually engaging. Most MMOs (IE FF11) you're wandering around having no clue what the point of your adventure is... not the case here. Definitely a good story line with plenty room for expansion.

    PvP takes the cake. Very awesome. Try it to see what I mean. World vs World is awesome.

    I give it a 9 because we're two weeks after release and still the trading post (AH) is up and down.
    I also give it a 9 because leveling is almost too easy. People are maxed out at lvl 80 already! thats obnoxious.
    I give it a 9 also because of the GEM STORE. Understand this is a free to play game, and they need to make money somehow. But I truly dislike games that add a store where players can pay to be the best at the game with little skill. Gem store allows you to buy gems where you can spend them on super equipment and timed exp boosters etc... laaaaaaame.

    Overall great game though - very very well done.    … Expand
  27. KeksReloaded
    Sep 10, 2012
    10
    Guild Wars 2 is a milestone in MMORPG history. With its dynamic quest content, it's giant world, it's wonderful artdesign, it's interesting classes and it's epic bossfights Guild Wars 2 is nothing like everything you have played before. Get ready to be blown away from this masterpiece. Five interesting and very different races, eight classes with multiple different approaches and a giantGuild Wars 2 is a milestone in MMORPG history. With its dynamic quest content, it's giant world, it's wonderful artdesign, it's interesting classes and it's epic bossfights Guild Wars 2 is nothing like everything you have played before. Get ready to be blown away from this masterpiece. Five interesting and very different races, eight classes with multiple different approaches and a giant battleground with 3 whole servers fighting against each other seal the deal.… Expand
  28. MasterDiwa
    Sep 10, 2012
    10
    I always wanted to get distracted in an MMO. To get lost in its world. In Guild Wars 2, I am so lost and always distracted by everyday surprises. It has everything I ever wanted in a modern MMO.
  29. 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!
  30. Claytality
    Jan 31, 2014
    5
    Don't get me wrong, the game is good, but the way people were speaking and writing about it you would expect it to be the next huge evolution in the MMORPG genre. It is not.
    There are a few great improvements, such as "dynamic events" which let you join in on any world event regardless of your level (won't scale you up though). But if I am being honest this is more of a convenience than    Don't get me wrong, the game is good, but the way people were speaking and writing about it you would expect it to be the next huge evolution in the MMORPG genre. It is not.
    There are a few great improvements, such as "dynamic events" which let you join in on any world event regardless of your level (won't scale you up though). But if I am being honest this is more of a convenience than a major game changer, it simply makes it faster to run around and engage in the world rather than having to find a party/guild, etc.
    The gameplay/battle is standard cookie-cutter MMORPG fare from 2006. If you enjoy pressing tab to target, then your character auto attacks or you use a few skills till its dead, then this game will live up to your expectations. I will say the dodge system is a nice small change, but it only goes so far.
    sPvP is your standard capture points, etc. While the game brings a few new welcome changes to the genre, it in no way redefines MMOs. Dull target/autoattack engine from WoW 2006.

    I spent about a month thinking over whether to buy this game, looking at gameplay, reviews, etc. I finally bought it on sale for $40. I was sorely mistaken. I had more fun with Terraria and I bought it for $2.50.
    Simply put, do NOT buy into the hyped up reviews from 2012 who reviewed it the day after it was released and use all sorts of nice words like "fantastic, amazing, beautiful, game-changer".    … Expand
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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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