Guild Wars

 PC
  • Publisher: NCSOFT
  • Release Date: Apr 26, 2005
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 503 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 403 out of 503
  2. Mixed: 52 out of 503
  3. Negative: 48 out of 503
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  1. GeorgeS.
    May 4, 2005
    8
    Guild Wars sports _the best_ fantasy PvP bar none. It takes a little bit of time to figure out your prefered playstyle or even how to play effective PvP but once you have got it the game just clicks. Tons of action and very little downtime. PvE can be taken at your own pace. Heck if you're feeling anti-social you can invite some decent NPC's to help you quest. The fetch quest Guild Wars sports _the best_ fantasy PvP bar none. It takes a little bit of time to figure out your prefered playstyle or even how to play effective PvP but once you have got it the game just clicks. Tons of action and very little downtime. PvE can be taken at your own pace. Heck if you're feeling anti-social you can invite some decent NPC's to help you quest. The fetch quest PvE content is sometimes bland but the main storyline quests are very good. The music is good enough but the sound effects sometimes are wanting. *clang* doesn't always cut it these days. Graphics are very good and GW runs well on older computers. The interface is great. You can make your own to suit your needs in game with very little hassle. ArenaNet makes updates, patches etc, very painless and you hardly notice. The technology behind the game is quite awesome. There are some gripes. Targeting needs to be improved. And sometimes you can get tripped up on invisible geometry. No jumping sadly. If you enjoy PvP there is no reason you should not check Guild Wars out. Everything else is icing on a very sweet cake.… Expand
  2. Noah
    May 27, 2009
    8
    This game is a game i could play for hours because the world in which you are in is quite big, and has gotten bigger over the years via expansions. The dual class system is a really good idea for an mmo and the PvP isnt as bad as people say it is, they just need to discover the PvP server. This MMO is by far one of the farthest from being like WoW, which to me is a good thing because all This game is a game i could play for hours because the world in which you are in is quite big, and has gotten bigger over the years via expansions. The dual class system is a really good idea for an mmo and the PvP isnt as bad as people say it is, they just need to discover the PvP server. This MMO is by far one of the farthest from being like WoW, which to me is a good thing because all newer mmos are either WoW related or crap. The reason why the game is so cool (for me anyways) is that theres no one to steal kills while you are on your high adventure, the entire game is instanced, you dont have to go alone, there are henchmen you can chose from, or just go with a group. Awesome game.… Expand
  3. matteldstrom
    Feb 12, 2005
    8
    extremely good game. how ever i have not yet seen anything that resembles a p2p marketplace, bazza, or even a auction house. everquest has one and its deadly for getting new weapons and armor etc. graphics are awsome, gameplay is awsome, tournament style gameplay is REALLY awsome, i wasn't able to figure out how to make anything however. But of course i have only played theextremely good game. how ever i have not yet seen anything that resembles a p2p marketplace, bazza, or even a auction house. everquest has one and its deadly for getting new weapons and armor etc. graphics are awsome, gameplay is awsome, tournament style gameplay is REALLY awsome, i wasn't able to figure out how to make anything however. But of course i have only played the beta-verison but hopefully they will spend more time on building up the tradeskills department. im excited for the release of this game!… Expand
  4. TheEssence
    Aug 13, 2005
    8
    Pros: This game is well made. From an engrossing story, to the beauty of how well balanced the professions are I must say Im impressed. Being this the first chapter in the GW series ArenaNet is headed in the right direction. Unlike many other MMos admins, GW admins not only pay attention to their player base but also support their fans too. some people have commented here: "After hours of Pros: This game is well made. From an engrossing story, to the beauty of how well balanced the professions are I must say Im impressed. Being this the first chapter in the GW series ArenaNet is headed in the right direction. Unlike many other MMos admins, GW admins not only pay attention to their player base but also support their fans too. some people have commented here: "After hours of playing, and reaching high levels, ur just doing the same s**t u did when ur a lvl 1 character, only in a different area and with different spells." Perhaps they may have a point however: Is it not the same with ALL games? WoW you do the same thing over and over again. Same thing with such hits like Grand Theft Auto, it might seem like you do diffrent things but in truth you do the same thing over and over again. This is something that is always present in all games, this is therefore nothing new. I must then disacknowledge such comments. However... Cons: The game could use more skills, harder bossess, more items, more story line to it (it has a great story line but itis quite short) and a better economy. Such things like having trades would also make the game more fun. Adding gamble houses, fishing and/or hunting or other menial but immersive activities for the PvE part of the game could also make this game much better. Having towns with houses or inns to go in and fool around are also a good idea, in other words make towns more immersive and the combat maps more interesting with more items, monsters, etc. PvP coiuld make use of even more expanded combat options like Battle Quests where teams compete for quests in a PvE like map filled with monsters and must race each other to complete quests. or perhaps more of the competitive style missions where Teams are pit against each other while doing missions. In other words more PvP options for more variety in the PvP area of the game. All in all it is still a great game and does accomplish what it has set out to do. I aplaud ArenaNet's efforts and hope the consequent chapters make this even better. NOTE: Due to not being an MMo combat maps may get a tad bit boring when you solo and even when you party with 8 members if you are used to MMos open map style.… Expand
  5. JesseM.
    Dec 27, 2005
    8
    Everyone here and beyond has thier opinions, I know, but I believe this is the best MMORPG on the market. I have had a little experience with Ever Quest, and a WHOLE lot of experience with World of Warcraft. Guild Wars should continue to be better with updates, fixes, balances, and expansions, just like every other persitent online game. Guild Wars sets itself apart in a few good Everyone here and beyond has thier opinions, I know, but I believe this is the best MMORPG on the market. I have had a little experience with Ever Quest, and a WHOLE lot of experience with World of Warcraft. Guild Wars should continue to be better with updates, fixes, balances, and expansions, just like every other persitent online game. Guild Wars sets itself apart in a few good respects: -The updating is painless. No need to download huge patches. It patches small parts of the game as you load different areas. Very nice. Nothing worse than jumping on to play a little of your game to realize that you have to spend the next 30 - 60 mins downloading and patching before you can jump on and play like in WOW. -The gameplay is fun and tailored more toward skill. You do have to spend some time leveling up your character if you want the best of the best, but it is the same in ANY MMO out there, it's the whole point of giving you something to keep doing and goals to achieve. One of my favorite things is the rewards for completing quests. You actually get skills for completing quests. This to me helps get rid of the desire to "grind" for levels. As in WOW, it is actually quicker to just "farm" or "grind" in a specific area for experience to level than to do the quests. All you get from the quests in WOW is weapons , armor, or items that are most likely (%90 of the time) worse than what you already have. Also with GW it is nice not knowing when or where you will actually be getting your next skill from. I know that sounds wierd, but in WOW you get "new" skills ("new" is usualy just upgrades for the skills you already have, you will have %60 of all the skills you will ever learn by lvl 20, %80 by lvl 30, and %95 by lvl 40) every "even" level. And it could take a good 3 hrs to get to the next level, if all you do is grind. So you play for about 6 hrs killing the same thing over and over again to get small upgrades. And you keep doing it cause you know you have to to get that new item, armor, skill, etc. With GW since you don't have that whole level crunching to get what you want thing, you are enticed to explore the world. -And the world is nicely detailed. It could use a little more fleshing out, but over all it is nice. It really is no different than any other MMORPG. The land is vast with small pockets of towns, and is sparsely populated with NPCs. The same with WOW. But what is nice with GW is that once you get to a main town/outpost, you can teleport thier instantly. In WOW you might spend 20 mins just flying/running to get to where you need to be, and that is only once you hit lvl 40 and buy a mount (wich is no small feat or small amount of cash). With WOW before you are lvl 40 you could easily spend 30 - 60 mins. Depending on whether or not you have gotten the right "Flight Paths" to get to where you need to be. -The Quest sytem is nice in GW. It's easy to understand, and you get a friggin green arrow that tells you where you should be going next, what instance to go into, and where on the map you need to be. In WOW, good luck, you will probably be looking it up in an Online Database, or asking around. Wich is not such a big deal, but you will be amazed at how much more time is spent actually playing instead of runing around looking for stuff, and how more efficient you can plan your questing adventures. A few mins spent in GW you can see how many quests are in a certain area and plan to do those so that you can kill more birds with one stone. Thank you for that Anet. -Once you get to the lvl Cap and have gotten all your skills (there are "elite" skills which you can only get by learning them from enemies) you can do the PvP portions of the game, wich are fast paced and action packed. I've read a lot of things about how hard it is to compete in PvP because you can't find a good group of people to play with. Well it's the same in ANY online game RPG or FPS or RTS. It takes some time to find good people to play with, but once you do it can be a lot of fun. At least in GW you have the options to join a PvP game by yourself, or with a group you're with, or do guild vs guild. And the system matches you up with like experienced/leveled/Rank people. You can kind of do the same thing in WOW, with the battle grounds addition (wich was just added about mid year 2005), but the long que waits (about 20 - 45mins depending on server population) might be kind of tedious for you. Especially if your lvl 60 with not a whole lot to do otherwise. And with GW if you don't want to do the questing part of the game you don't have to. You can imediatley create a PvP only character. Your PvP only character will not have all the perks of a character that got to lvl 20 by questing, but you can still have a lot of fun, you just won't be the best of the best. At least you have the option. -As far as GW not being considered a MMO: GW in my opinion is more MMO than any other MMORPG. With WOW you pick a specific server to build your characters on. You can have many characters on several different servers, but if they are on different servers you can't play with people on other servers. Wich might not be a big deal, but if you find you like the people better on a certain server or want to play on the RPG servers or PvP servers, you have to be lucky enough for them to offer transfers from your server to those servers. Wich they don't seem to do until a specific server is being over populated. Where as with GW you are automatically logged on to a specific "district" and at your whim you can change districts. Even internationally. This way ANYONE that plays GW can hook up with ANYONE else that is on at the time. That to me is closer to "Massively Multiplayer" than the server specific variety of MMO's. -In relation to the whole MMO thing. Everything outside the main towns/outposts is instanced for every specific group. I love this. As in all MMORPG's there is a lot of quests that require you to spend time traveling in the unknown wilderness to get something, kill something, etc. Few things are more bothersome than going to do such a quest and finding several like powered individuals doing the exact same thing. I thought I was supposed to be unique, I thought my quest was uniqe. WOW fails misrabley here. You will always be on the same quest as someone else, if not many people. You might even have to wait around while the enemy critter(s) respawn, or even fight with someone else over who gets to kill what, or just get ganked. This is not an epic experience to me. So what if I'm a powerfull "Hero" there are going to be thousands of the exact same type of hero out there with you. The "World" of Warcraft is populated more by "heroes" than normal peole. In GW it may be the case as well, but at least you don't have to see them all the time. -There is not a lot of emphisis on item collection for other than profit/sales. This I know a lot of people dislike, but in my opinion it adds to the gameplay. Instead an endless struggle to get a new axe with a +2 to strength instead of a +1, it doesn't really matter in GW. You will be just as effective, and they are there for the item needy person, but the game doesn't revolve around it. It's all WOW is about really, getting a better version of what you had before. -The skill system is really nice in GW. You only get to take 8 skills into battle. Wich can be frustrating at times, where you wish you would have taken another skill instead, but over all it forces you to be specific on what type of character you are playing. Wich is also nice because there are more than one use/roll for your character now. The duel class system is cool, you get to choose from two sets of skills, but only the first class you choose lets you alter thier main attribute, wich does make a difference in you character. And the abillity to change you attributes at will is very nice. Now you can only change skills/spells and attributes in main towns/outposts, but the frustation is minimal for the freedom to tailor your character so many ways. -The rank system for new items is nice to me. It gives the long term player something to shoot for. And it is no better or worse than WOW in my opinion, both are a pain for the casual gamer and a pain for the consitent gamer. It rewards time spent gaming. Same with WOW. -I really like the story of GW. It could be a little deeper, but it's nice. I also like you the land changes with the story. Right now there is only the two settings, or time periods, but at least I felt that I went a long with a change in time for the game. I also like how the main characters of the story are also interactive with most of the main quests. When you are called to help the prince with pushing back the enemy, he is there with you fighting along side. Also seen in many of the "side" quests with the everyday folk. Or when you complete a quest that called you to kill a Leader or find a group and lead them back, if you go back to the same spots later the people or leader are gone. Giving you a sense of actual accomplishment. Good luck in WOW to see any of this in WOW. Very few NPC characters actually physically come along with you, and if they do then that means someone else can't interact with them, and vise versa for you. Not one time in my whole WOW career did I ever see any piece of land change or NPC character good or bad change, wether or not I completed a specific quest 10 times. How epic is that. The biggest reason for this is because there isn't a whole lot to do than the same thing over and over again in WOW, that's why so many people have logged in so many hours in WOW. They took half a game, spread it out over twice as many levels as they should have, and charged people for it. Wich leads into my biggest rant. -GW is free to play online. They update it regularly, with new content as well as fixes. WOW charges you $13 - $15 per month to play (depending on whether you pay monthy or in 6 month blocks, both reacuring automatically), wether you play at all or all day everyday. And that's not the worst part. WOW was released before it was complete. So you payed $50 for half a game, I already said that I know, but one of the biggest reasons Blizzard said the cost was so high per month was because they would be updating it constantly for free. Well guess what, a year later they are finally to the point the game should have been when it was released. This is not an opinion. You can't honestly tell me that such big things like the PvP ranking/honor sytem was something they just came up with, or the battle grounds addition. These where things they had planned that just didn't get in to the release. And there is more updates comming. Now for some numbers. 5 million people have active accounts on WOW, most are paying accounts, some are trial accounts. Lets go back a bit and cut the number in have just to be conservative. Lets say 2 million people have been playing and only half of those were paying customers, and lets say they all payed in 6 month blocks at $13 a month. 1 million times $13 a month = 13 million dollars a MONTH, with equals 156 million dollars a year. If that isn't absurd to you then you have a bigger problem than what video game to play. There is no way that it cost that much to keep WOW servers running or fix bugs. And that number is not including the original profit from the sales of the game, (remember each paying active account also bought the game) or the profit from the merchandise they sell, and there is a whole lot of merchandise to buy and or being bought. So with all that cash they are just finishing a game and guess what, they are going to charge you another $20 - $50 to buy the expansion 1st quarter 2006. This is the main reason I quit WOW, I can not support such a greedy company for a product that is lower in quality than one that is of higher quality from a company that does just as much if not more for thier game. -On some less positive notes for GW: Jumping would be nice. I know it doesn't really do anything for you and would mess up the PvP arenas (they could disable it there) it is just nice to jump, small con in my opinion. A little more content on the RPG side of the game would be nice. More scripted quests with NPC's would be nice. Over all just small cons that could be or will be changed/fixed with updates and expansions. All in all this is a very good game and has shown it is impoving. It is the best MMORPG out there in my opinion, but that doesn't mean it will satisfy everyone out there. And another game is sure to come alone to take your time elsewhere. At least with GW when the time comes for that other game you will still have some cash in your pocket :)… Expand
  6. MattE.
    Apr 23, 2005
    8
    Awesome game. ive played all the beta's. just needs a little more..."i don't know" to push it over the top. a player to player marketplace or a auction house would be cool. but ya very good game. no monthley fee! Woooooooooorrrrd uuuup!!
  7. syrik
    May 19, 2011
    8
    I had previously scored this game a 0, which was a bit hasty of me. Now, after having spent much more time with this game I have found it to be a very good game overall, with a very very bad death penalty system. Taken as a whole this game and all its additions (3 campaigns, linked as smaller parts of the bigger story and one expansion to the larger story) is very well done. The engineI had previously scored this game a 0, which was a bit hasty of me. Now, after having spent much more time with this game I have found it to be a very good game overall, with a very very bad death penalty system. Taken as a whole this game and all its additions (3 campaigns, linked as smaller parts of the bigger story and one expansion to the larger story) is very well done. The engine is old, 6 years and counting, yet the graphics are still decent and when compared to the king of MMO's (Warcraft, terrible game that it's become) they are better. Landscapes often look like art, as if you are exploring a giant painting. The characters are very nicely modeled and no two look alike. This game allows a player to fully customize their appearance through the use of gear and dyes so you can look exactly how you want to. There are also optional costumes for purchase should one so desire. The quests are typical of any MMO or RPG and should be easily recognizable to anyone who has ever played one. One thing I particularly like about this game is the monsters, of endless varieties, are not pushovers. Combat is actually challenging. You have to think before you pull, do it wrong you die. But, then enters the worst thing about the game...the death penalty. You die 15% is taken off your health and mana. That pretty much stays unless you kill A LOT of mobs or have some potions (which I'm told exist, but have yet to see one). Kill a world boss, you get 2% taken off the 15...not much and the bosses are that much harder. Death in what are called "missions", the larger quests that actually tell the story reset the entire mission and could waste an hour or more of your time. Dieing in this game sucks, period. The abilities and different "builds" you can create are vast, allowing you to choose from a pool of tens, if not hundreds of combat moves and spells. The possibilities are really endless. The guild and communication interfaces could use a modernization and the UI doesn't give as much info as I would like, but those are minor things. The game would score a 9 or best MMO type game available from me, except the death penalty really really pisses me off. Played carefully, its a great game. Oh, and for around $40 you can get all the content the game has and there's no extra cost necessary, ever. Best MMO style game value in the industry, hands down.… Expand
  8. Vladdisblue
    Jun 1, 2011
    8
    The reasoning behind my score for this game is simple. Firstly, the game itself is great fun and a blast to sit down and play no matter how much time you have. 30 minutes? No problem, there's a lot you can get done, even if you feel like at the time you didn't. Gameplay is very good, and the scenery is breath taking. I used to play this game when everything first came out in 2005-2006The reasoning behind my score for this game is simple. Firstly, the game itself is great fun and a blast to sit down and play no matter how much time you have. 30 minutes? No problem, there's a lot you can get done, even if you feel like at the time you didn't. Gameplay is very good, and the scenery is breath taking. I used to play this game when everything first came out in 2005-2006 before I got really really into WoW. I gave up WoW for a year and went back but I have finally said no to WoW and decided it was time to play this game again. When I first played this game I wasn't all that great at it because I didn't try to link skills together, I just used what I felt was the most powerful skills. Now I have sat down and really looked at the skills and I have to say it is way better that I have taken the time to because honestly, I kill things that much faster. The instanced hunting grounds yes are boring with no one else there but I don't care. Crank up my music and turn me loose and I can hunt for four hours and not get bored once. Meeting people is easy if you are willing to go out of your way to try to get to know some of the people around you in town. Quest are a breeze, and with a mini map that guides you to the quest, why would you complain about not being able to jump? WoW, good luck figuring out where the crap you are supposed to be heading. Yeah some of the NPC's tell you a general direction, but that could be a huge swath of the zone if you're not careful. I can't speak for the PvP in this game because I have never actually tried it out. I do enjoy the PvE a lot but that is because I am determined and dedicated to getting what I need, no matter the ammount of time required to get it. No need for teir whatever gear to hunt? Oh yeah, that's what I'm talking about. No monthly fee's? Yes please. Ability to mix two classes together to become an even more deadly fighter than you already were? Sign me up now! Downsides are yes it can be difficult to trust someone you meet on the game because there is a high potential that they will be a dick or try to scam you. It can be monotonous doing the same thing over and over, but that is to be expected with every game you play, so everyone can stop griping and get back to playing the game. No jumping. Yeah okay, I know I said it's not a big deal but it is true, who in the world can't jump? I say it for believability and natural ability of a human being, not because I want to be able to jump. Those are the only two major complaints I have for this game, and the jumping I view as a minor thing because it seems pointless to jump when your playing the game to go in and hack things to pieces. And trusting someone over a game you may never meet in real life? Not a reason the game lost points either of these things, it lost the points because I think that while the instanced hunting grounds are awesome maybe allow a few other people into the same one as you. A minimum of 20 so that way if a group of people hunt together that means there is still room for 16 others. I think the chance of seeing someone else out there doing the same thing as you also would give you incentive to team up and compare what quest you both need and that would form a bond of trust and a friendship that would allow you to know you have a friend in the game you can look for to hunt with. So over all I rate this game an 8 because yes it has a lot of plus factors, but there are still a few things that could really potentially be improved, even with the greatness that this game already is. On a more personal level for comparison, WoW and GW are nothing alike. They are two completely different games that were developed by two different companies. WoW has it's own perks, one of which is not graphics. GW to me is better than WoW because of the pure individuality that you can have with the 8 skills that you put on your bar that allow you to play however you want and not only that but the ammount of skills that you learn means that you never run out of combinations and chains of skills that you could potentially set up to use for a very very long time. Great game, and to be honest, so very glad I gave up WoW to get back into this amazing game.… Expand
  9. JimCorbett
    May 26, 2014
    8
    My first foray into the MMO scene and I was not disappointed in the slightest. No subscription fee, awesome gameplay, great story, and just an overall wonderful experience.
  10. Wynnyelle
    Mar 7, 2012
    8
    I played this game a few years back and for the life of me, could not get into it. Recently I decided to give it a second chance when I was offered the opportunity to play it again, and I'm glad that I picked it up for a second go. Once I got into the game, I became immersed in the story and the characters. The gameplay is slightly awkward for somebody who isn't used to it, but once II played this game a few years back and for the life of me, could not get into it. Recently I decided to give it a second chance when I was offered the opportunity to play it again, and I'm glad that I picked it up for a second go. Once I got into the game, I became immersed in the story and the characters. The gameplay is slightly awkward for somebody who isn't used to it, but once I started to get the hang of things I really began enjoying myself. You don't have to party up with people if group work isn't your thing, and I like that a lot. I can play with friends if I want to, or I can just do things alone. I don't have to team up with total strangers that could potentially ruin my experience. Granted, I have met some nice people and the community seems to be nice overall, which is a good thing. Really looking forward to finishing up the campaigns in this game, and especially looking forward to the sequel.… Expand
  11. SilentHightimes
    Sep 12, 2014
    8
    Fantastic fun world to play solo or with friends beautiful graphics and gameplay.

    Solid fun with epic pvp and clan/Faction building very guild oriented.

    Awesome Rpg i don't consider it a MMO.

    Worth $50
  12. Aeryx
    Aug 2, 2017
    8
    Still by far one of the best MMORPGs I've ever played. The graphics back at the time were gorgeous and made me feel very much part of the world. Roaming the crystal desert in solitude was such a hauntingly beautiful experience. The concept art, music and vistas took me away so much I dreamed about this game in my sleep. Compared to today's MMORPGs that harass you BS monetization, backStill by far one of the best MMORPGs I've ever played. The graphics back at the time were gorgeous and made me feel very much part of the world. Roaming the crystal desert in solitude was such a hauntingly beautiful experience. The concept art, music and vistas took me away so much I dreamed about this game in my sleep. Compared to today's MMORPGs that harass you BS monetization, back then, once you bought the game, everything was yours to earn via in-game effort. Getting ectos was critical and the difficult areas, like Hall of Heroes required immense team work to pull off and luck to finish with an unstable internet connection. The PVP and multiplayer were also very enjoyable. Unfortunately Mesmers never found their place in this game, and were rejected by teams for difficult dungeons as they were poor in PVE although good in PVP. Jeremy Soule's music was a masterpiece for this, and I wish for him to return in GW3.… Expand
  13. E.Grin
    May 4, 2005
    7
    This is *not* a MMORPG. This game is like Diablo II but in first person. Consider each town area like a Battlenet chat room. That being said, I still think the game is fun to play.
  14. AdamL.
    Nov 30, 2005
    7
    Totally Awsome...Until My Guild Went out the window! It's one of the best games in the buisseness until your guild stops being active or it boots you. Get this with some friends or else it'll suck!
  15. BrodieS.
    Jul 14, 2005
    7
    Guild Wars is alot of fun at first..beautiful graphics, some cool story elements and definatly some very cool quest concepts that are not so much completly different, but a creative variance to the way most quest work in your standard MMORPG. That being said, its fun for what it is..but its not a WoW replacement or whatever your favorite MMORPG is.. it just doesn't have the depth Guild Wars is alot of fun at first..beautiful graphics, some cool story elements and definatly some very cool quest concepts that are not so much completly different, but a creative variance to the way most quest work in your standard MMORPG. That being said, its fun for what it is..but its not a WoW replacement or whatever your favorite MMORPG is.. it just doesn't have the depth that will keep you coming back for more or the character development that really makes you care about your character...honestly i can't even remember my characters name or what he looks like. If they could take some of those amazing interactive quest that make you feel like your making a difference in the gaming world..(like the catapult quest against the Charr for those of you, who have played the game) and blend them with more of the exploration, discovery and character development of WoW...I'd be sitting there now playing it, not writing this review.… Expand
  16. Fox
    May 4, 2006
    7
    great game with loads of pvp. for those saying this game sux because its not an mmorpg...just go outside and get some air. stop playing mmorpg damn retards arethe ones paying a monthly fee to play a game you already bought. just go hang yourself. and for those that says this game is the best game ever made... your fucken retarded. this game is great but not greatest ever made. overall i great game with loads of pvp. for those saying this game sux because its not an mmorpg...just go outside and get some air. stop playing mmorpg damn retards arethe ones paying a monthly fee to play a game you already bought. just go hang yourself. and for those that says this game is the best game ever made... your fucken retarded. this game is great but not greatest ever made. overall i give it a 7 all because of the controls,gameplay,and pvp.… Expand
  17. AnonymousMC
    Apr 20, 2008
    7
    I got this game at a great price 20bucks and no monthly payments and the game can be very 1 person thing with crew members you can hire and marked quest objectives, it makes the game fast and fun, I dont see why people like pvp so much not that good... The bad things is that you have like 6 skills at a time, the game gets very lonely when questing(and boring somtimes). Everybody assumesI got this game at a great price 20bucks and no monthly payments and the game can be very 1 person thing with crew members you can hire and marked quest objectives, it makes the game fast and fun, I dont see why people like pvp so much not that good... The bad things is that you have like 6 skills at a time, the game gets very lonely when questing(and boring somtimes). Everybody assumes that its not your first time playing and if the7y know it is they will try to rip you off, its easy to get into but hard to learn fully. Im not saying the curve is big, it is small, but people can be hard to commutate to and be mean, but all games have people like that.. overall Id say get it for 20bucks and play it casual, really no fee's.. You could get a pc game for 20 and play for about 2 weeks or play GW for year and still not run out of fun! I gave it a 7 because the games does get dull and long. Dont try to compare this to any other game too it is soo different to WOW and other games!… Expand
  18. JoeS.
    May 22, 2008
    7
    It feels a lot like a neutered World of Warcraft. The graphics and the world are beautiful, much better than World of Warcraft has ever been. Unfortunately, that's where the superiority ends. The lack of true multiplayer is kinda lame since you can only interact with real people in towns unless you've got a couple of friends playing with you. The fact that you can't just It feels a lot like a neutered World of Warcraft. The graphics and the world are beautiful, much better than World of Warcraft has ever been. Unfortunately, that's where the superiority ends. The lack of true multiplayer is kinda lame since you can only interact with real people in towns unless you've got a couple of friends playing with you. The fact that you can't just walk anywhere you please makes the world feel like one giant sidewalk. The spells and effects are lackluster and the quests are pretty boring. It is, however, free of the monthly fee that WoW has, which is a huge bonus.… Expand
  19. aatassi
    Mar 3, 2014
    7
    Best RPG in 2005.
    Good things : story lines, missions, graphics, fights with mercenaries (NPC) like in RTS games, attributes, skills, leveling up, exploring, traveling by map, elite skills capture, different regions in Tyria, towns, fights with final boss Khilbron, class specific armors.
    less : CORP, looking for guilds, craft, auction houses, cities, 1 playable race, 1 starting point    Best RPG in 2005.
    Good things : story lines, missions, graphics, fights with mercenaries (NPC) like in RTS games, attributes, skills, leveling up, exploring, traveling by map, elite skills capture, different regions in Tyria, towns, fights with final boss Khilbron, class specific armors.

    less : CORP, looking for guilds, craft, auction houses, cities, 1 playable race, 1 starting point for pve

    Game play : 7/10, graphics : 6,5/10, back ground : 7/10, lifetime : 7/10, sound : 7/10, community : 8/10, world : 7/10    … Expand
  20. TashaB.
    May 8, 2005
    6
    The game really does have stunning graphics, and takes out most of the tedious walking that accompanies most MMORPGs but that does not make up for its many pitfalls. First if you are in a party and travel by map (one of the major pluses) you get removed from your party and may end up in a different disrict than your friends making you have to change districts (more load time) plus invite The game really does have stunning graphics, and takes out most of the tedious walking that accompanies most MMORPGs but that does not make up for its many pitfalls. First if you are in a party and travel by map (one of the major pluses) you get removed from your party and may end up in a different disrict than your friends making you have to change districts (more load time) plus invite your friends into you group all over again. There is no quest sharing. The maps are awful. Virtually impossible to solo missions for you casual gamers. PvP is not worth doing unless you have your own lvl 20 customized character that you will fight with because available templates will get you nothing but a good ass whipping. But pluses are stunning visuals, fast paced combat (even for casters), easy to follow quests with helpful arrows on the minimap to guide you on each adventure and you can play with all your friends, even those in other countries.… Expand
  21. DemonicAngel
    Aug 14, 2005
    6
    Before anything else is said, I must applaud NCSoft for putting together what seems to be an extremely robust and reliable online game (especially given the total lack of fees). The visuals, for a game with such relatively low system requirements, are utterly gorgeous. Sound is, well, fairly nondescript - the music is pleasant but unmemorable, and effects are fairly generic for the genre. Before anything else is said, I must applaud NCSoft for putting together what seems to be an extremely robust and reliable online game (especially given the total lack of fees). The visuals, for a game with such relatively low system requirements, are utterly gorgeous. Sound is, well, fairly nondescript - the music is pleasant but unmemorable, and effects are fairly generic for the genre. Now, onto the game itself. Guild Wars has garnered widespread critical and public acclaim for its skill-based gameplay, instanced PvE areas and (most of all) the lack of monthly fees, and I kinda enjoyed the beta weekend, so I picked it up shortly after release. Since then, I've played it about 6 times in total - I reckon I can't have put in more than a few hours in total. But that's only because the game seems so directionless that it's difficult to feel any motivation to play. Admittedly I'm a solitary gamer and tend to have an unfairly biased view of MMORPGs, but NCSoft claims there is incentive for single player play. If there is, it certainly didn't rear its head within the crucial first two hours. The gameplay is reminiscent of Diablo - click on an enemy to start attacking it, and you'll slug it out until one of you is dead. Whilst you're attacking you can use your various skills by pressing the hotkeys - typically these will deal extra damage, heal your wounds, or work in combination to produce even more powerful effects. The profession and skill system undeniably adds a huge amount of depth, but the system is intricate enough to totally put off RPG virgins such as myself. The game seems built around a mission structure of sorts, where you talk to people to receive quests as is standard for RPGs. Thus far, most of the quests I've done (I haven't really touched on the main story arc at this point) have been "go here, kill these monsters/rescue this attractive young woman/recover this artifact, then come back to me and I'll give you this item/these items/this amount of experience". If this is the standard by which MMORPGs are judged, then it's a genre I do not ever want to go near again, ever. I'd say rent first, but this isn't an option, so instead I'd suggest playing at a friend's for at least a few hours before you make the decision. I wish I had, in retrospect, then I wouldn't have wasted my money. That's not to say Guild Wars is a bad game - it's clear that a great deal of work has gone into creating it. It just doesn't appeal to me in anything more than a very superficial way. (Besides which, people are scary.)… Expand
  22. EvanC
    Nov 28, 2008
    6
    I've payed this game for 3 years and still think its good, but it has not aged well which is why there is not a 9 or 10. The problem is there is no one playing and the pvp is so hard to play if your not "good" enough to get into a team, in any case ican't find a guild anywhere that guildbattles anymore. If your thinking of buying guildwars i think you would do better waiting for I've payed this game for 3 years and still think its good, but it has not aged well which is why there is not a 9 or 10. The problem is there is no one playing and the pvp is so hard to play if your not "good" enough to get into a team, in any case ican't find a guild anywhere that guildbattles anymore. If your thinking of buying guildwars i think you would do better waiting for guild wars 2. When it comes out guild wars will probably lose nearly everyone playing it.… Expand
  23. St33rpike
    Jul 18, 2012
    6
    Admittedly, I'm not a huge fan of MMORPGs. The only other one I've played extensively is World of Warcraft, and I preferred that game by a large margin. Why? Well, Guild Wars always seemed like a more limited version of WoW. The level cap is lower, the possibilities for playing without being in a party are more limited, and the items are less varied and interesting. None of that wouldAdmittedly, I'm not a huge fan of MMORPGs. The only other one I've played extensively is World of Warcraft, and I preferred that game by a large margin. Why? Well, Guild Wars always seemed like a more limited version of WoW. The level cap is lower, the possibilities for playing without being in a party are more limited, and the items are less varied and interesting. None of that would matter very much if I really wanted to spend my time playing with other people, but there's nothing I find more frustrating than sitting down to play a video game and instead spending the next hour trying to get a group together, only to finally give up and turn it off. WoW offers gamers a lot of options for playing without depending on other players, and that is why I preferred it to Guild Wars.… Expand
  24. Bas
    May 8, 2005
    5
    Pretty much sucks. Why? Well, the standard roleplaying game is boring, and just like every other MMORPG out there. So that leaves PvP mode. Guild Wars isn't like other MMORPG's, since you can only choose 8 skills at a time to use, so you need to choose your skills carefully. However, here's the main issue I quickly sold my game again: to unlock good skills for PvP only Pretty much sucks. Why? Well, the standard roleplaying game is boring, and just like every other MMORPG out there. So that leaves PvP mode. Guild Wars isn't like other MMORPG's, since you can only choose 8 skills at a time to use, so you need to choose your skills carefully. However, here's the main issue I quickly sold my game again: to unlock good skills for PvP only characters, you STILL need to play through the abysmal RolePlaying mode. So that means, even though the official site says otherwise, that you still need to invest lots of time into this game to become better then the others. Skill doesn't play as big a part as everyone wants you to believe sadly. I wanted to give it a 3, but ended up giving it a 5 because of the nice graphics and the lack of monthly fees, both of which are very good points of this game.… Expand
  25. FelixJ.
    Oct 8, 2007
    5
    It's really wierd. You can't jump. Kinda screwed up there. And WoW is better. Because you can jump. And swim. And fall to your death. hmm...
  26. GH
    Jul 26, 2005
    5
    Its a real nice game in the beginning when ur just learning to play and getting ur character started, and it has some great graphics too. But the game isent rewarding enough to keep u interested. After hours of playing, and reaching high levels, ur just doing the same s**t u did when ur a lvl 1 character, only in a different area and with different spells. I agree on Palli N's point Its a real nice game in the beginning when ur just learning to play and getting ur character started, and it has some great graphics too. But the game isent rewarding enough to keep u interested. After hours of playing, and reaching high levels, ur just doing the same s**t u did when ur a lvl 1 character, only in a different area and with different spells. I agree on Palli N's point a couple of posts down, that the creatures u have to fight "feel" the same. Creature drops arent rewarding and later on in the game it gets seriously boring. Guilds are fun to make and invite other players to join urs is great fun. When u raise enough gold u can buy a guildhall and play guild vs. guild battles. When finished the main story line in the rpg part of the game, this is the only interesting way to go. Tho after a couple of fights this gets boring too and ull just be logging in to check whos online and chat with ur buddies u can just as well talk to on msn. Again; the game is unrewarding and it SUCKS.… Expand
  27. SlybriM.
    May 2, 2005
    4
    LIke Star Wars Episode I or Heather Graham...Pretty to look at but BORING!!!!
  28. RedB.
    Jun 10, 2005
    4
    A game with a lot of potential that fails to deliver. For example, the designers wanted to reduce travel time, so introduced teleporting. Butthe cities are large and boring and you have to walk back again and again to mission sites so the travel time that is there is a worse experience than most games. A limit of 4 characters? Come on! The levels are structured so linearly you have to A game with a lot of potential that fails to deliver. For example, the designers wanted to reduce travel time, so introduced teleporting. Butthe cities are large and boring and you have to walk back again and again to mission sites so the travel time that is there is a worse experience than most games. A limit of 4 characters? Come on! The levels are structured so linearly you have to fight the same darn mobs again and again, you cant scale the shallowest hill or jump down the shallowest depression. And the fantasy is humorless and lifeless.… Expand
  29. OliverK.
    Jun 10, 2005
    4
    Really weak role playing part. Its hard to get a group of 4 people together and go on quests, so that u r left to do things alone (With the help of AI NPCs)(I talk about European Servers) The PVP might be good, but not as good as games that are designed exclusively for this. the fact that they dont have seperate servers for different language areas makes it worse. (Again, european servers)
  30. C4K3
    Jan 15, 2011
    4
    It was a great game. Sadly one day arenanet decided to go "hey, let's completely destroy all PvP in the game, and then make the PvE grind the primary interest of the game" Now PvP is filled with unskilled noobs that think grind = skill (I just recently watched a couple of obs, not a single person in any of them knew how to qstep) You are forced to either use builds fully automated bots canIt was a great game. Sadly one day arenanet decided to go "hey, let's completely destroy all PvP in the game, and then make the PvE grind the primary interest of the game" Now PvP is filled with unskilled noobs that think grind = skill (I just recently watched a couple of obs, not a single person in any of them knew how to qstep) You are forced to either use builds fully automated bots can play better than you, or end up being significantly weaker then your enemy. Arenanet entirely fails at balancing the game, only if a skill is so unbalanced it literally gives permanent immortality (Shadow Form) is it even fixed, and that's after A WHOLE YEAR of people abusing it. I don't think I need to say much about PvE, it's fun the first time you complete it, but after that it's just pure grind. It was a great game 5 years ago, and probably would have been now if PvP wasn't destroyed. I've spent a lot of fun hours in this game, RIP original Guild Wars… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

7
#7 Best PC Game of 2005
12
#12 Most Discussed PC Game of 2005
16
#16 Most Shared PC Game of 2005

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 53 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 52 out of 53
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 53
  3. Negative: 0 out of 53
  1. Inside Gamer Online
    90
    It’s impossible to describe the joy playing Guild Wars offers. It isn’t particularly deep, but it’s highly rewarding nonetheless. A friendly design and interface, and the simple, elegant combat, are bound to appeal to a wide range of gamers.
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  2. GameSpot
    92
    It innovatively and successfully combines many of the best, most addictive properties of action RPGs, online RPGs, and competitive multiplayer games in one beautifully produced package, which offers a tremendous lasting value yet none of the monthly fees typically associated with online-only games.
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  3. Yahoo!
    90
    If tedious leveling up, dull combat, or uninspired player vs. player gaming are your quibbles with today's massively multiplayer offerings, Guild Wars is the cure.
    Read full review
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