Guild Wars 2 Review

Arguably one of the most anticipated MMO titles in the last 5 years, NCSoft appear to have finally done the impossible, released an MMO game that feels both innovative and unique. But is it all hype or does it actually live up to the expectations of the millions of fans? As with all our initial reviews here at xmmorpg, we focus on the new player experience. So you can expect a quick glimpse at the character creation, tutorial and other features you'll encounter as a new player.

The character creation in Guild Wars 2 is quite a strong feature in the game and tops the majority of MMO titles out there. It's not quite as expansive as titles like APB:Reloaded but then again it isn't really the main focal point of Guild Wars 2. Players are currently able to choose from 5 unique races, the Charr, Human, Norr, Asura and Sylvari. Each race is unique in terms of appearance, and each also get access to their own individual quest lines and starting areas. During character creation players are able to answer a series of questions that have a drastic impact on their progression through the game, changing the main storyline as well as various NPCs that are involved. This is unique in the fact it allows players to play the same race and class more than once, and get a totally different storyline. There are 8 classes available, each of which is available to every single race. They don't really conform with regular MMO archetypes as every class is capable of holding their own in combat, removing the strict requirements for tank or healers. Every class is unique in terms of mechanics and abilities are attached to weapons, rather than learned through progression, although other skills are available as players progress. The character customization itself is quite in-depth, allowing players to choose from a variety of hair and face styles, as well as clothing and colors.



Probably one of the most unique aspects of Guild Wars 2 is the events system. Unlike other MMO games where you're constantly traveling between NPC characters to collect and hand in quests, Guild Wars 2 has dynamic events scattered across every map. This means you're able to travel around an area and could potentially complete the entire zone without ever having to return to the main town.

The combat in Guild Wars 2 is also quite unique as it relies more on player skill and ability than it does on character skills and equipment. Each class has access to 5 different abilities, but these abilities change with each weapon type, giving players the option of switching weapons for a totally different skill set during combat. The dodging mechanic is also quite important as players have to dodge powerful attacks from enemies and boss monsters.

Overall, the new player experience for Guild Wars 2 isn't far from perfect. The combat is intense, the questing system is effortless and streamlined, and the amount of dynamic events create an ever changing playing environment. NCSoft are definitely onto a winning formula.
Check back soon for our full Guild Wars 2 Review including the awesome WvW PvP.

Rating: 8.0

by Blaine Smith