Guild Wars 2 Review

Set on the diverse continent of Tyria, Guild Wars 2 is an ever-expanding MMORPG that doesn’t really force you to do anything you don’t want to do. ArenaNet, the creators of Guild Wars 2, set out to make a game that doesn’t require you to spend hours preparing to have fun rather than just having fun. And you’ll see that philosophy in all aspects of the game.

MMORPGs typically end up becoming about one thing: the gear grind. Always chasing that slightly better piece of gear, so you can play the content you really want. Game designers spends countless hours coming up with ways to make the grind feel a little less tedious. Guild Wars 2 just removes it entirely. If you want to stop working and start playing an MMORPG, then Guild Wars 2 might be the refreshing alternative you need.

The premise of the game is this: Elder Dragons are awakening throughout Tyria, upsetting the balance of the world and creating some continent-sized problems. With large-scale problems (and the Elder Dragons are often the size of mountains) comes the need for an indomitable hero. That’s where your story begins.

Combat

The combat in Guild Wars 2 is not monotonous or repetitive. It’s fast-paced, active, and requires you to pay attention. You don’t mindlessly cycle through hotkeys while watching a health bar slowly shrink.

There are constant visual cues to watch out for, combos to be performed with your abilities and those of other players, and a dodge skill which can be used at critical moments to avoid death.

There is no competing with other people for loot. Instead, the game is designed to bring people around the map together to complete events and missions too tough to tackle alone. And at the end, everyone gets rewarded.

You might find yourself battling an elite water djinn in the Crystal Desert. He’s strong and you’re only just hanging in there, slowly chipping away at his health. But then you slip up, he lands a big hit and downs you.

Just then, another player runs up and distracts the djinn while a third picks you up. Together, you continue the fight and take him down. That feeling of accomplishment and collaboration is Guild Wars 2 at its finest.