Guild Wars 2 PC
  • Publisher: NCSOFT
  • Release Date: Aug 28, 2012
User Score
8.0 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 2138 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,683 out of 2138
  2. Mixed: 139 out of 2138
  3. Negative: 316 out of 2138

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  1. mromih
    Sep 22, 2012
    10
    Incredible. The only downside is struggling with the addiction to play everyday. Beautiful graphics. Incredible sound effects and music. And you can do sooo many things in this game other than just concentrating on killing monsters for farming xp or entering an instance for 3 or 4 hours and ending without any loot cause you lost all rolls (like ..well.... you know) This is a WELL balanced game. PC gaming always will rule!… Expand
  2. femogiga
    Sep 8, 2012
    10
    This has to be the best game I have ever bought. I had vaguely heard about guid war 1 but did not bother to investigate what genre it was.i stumbled upon a review of gw2 on one of my tech news feed and immediately went to amazon to purchase the game on the Saturday after release. Apparently I was lucky as it went out of stock one hour later.promptly installed and I can say that I have been hooked ever since. Am still learning the ropes , reading guides and getting to know the mechanics of the game. I chose to be a ranger and have levelled to 14 but I have to tell you ,my misses has not pleased at all. I have seen wow in the past and was not impressed.repetitive,cartoonish and childish.not to talk of £10 a month subcription.but this one is just different.watching event and the environment changing right beyond your eyes is just unbelievable. And the beauty of this game on my top range new build ;the graphic is something else. Let just say I have not touched mw3 in the past week. There is something or somewhere to discover everyday.it is also unbelievable that the game is free. I can see guild war becoming the multi billion dollar franchise like call of duty in coming years. This if they concentrate on doing things well and making it bette .rather concentrating on excessive profit. If this game had been sold for £50 , it would have been worth it. They should avoid the temptation of the subscription model.Focus on the community and improve the game . For anybody wondering whether to buy, forget those expert reviews. Buy buy.… Expand
  3. DigitalReview
    Aug 28, 2012
    10
    guild wars 2 is amazing, The worlds are epic, Stunning and open. You can get lost just exploring. World vs World is brilliant, PVP arenas are fun. This is the best MMO to date. I quit my subscription to TOr due to guild wars 2 as it really does point a shinny light to how bad TOR is compared
  4. Enel
    Aug 28, 2012
    8
    A very fine crafted sequel of GW1. It surely is a game that can live up to the hype. The game play is amazing and dynamic. Some people complain about having only 10 skills is not enough but that's because they haven't played the game at all. Actively swapping weapons for different skill sets was hard to get used to at first but now it works like chime. PvP and WvWvW are both exciting and worth trying out for better experience. However ArenaNet made the same mistake Blizzard did - not being able to manage the opening day horde. Also the trading post (GW2 version of AH of D3) is not working yet. The graphics also look a little bit outdated - even with the highest settings. There are several more minor bugs, glitches to be fixed.… Expand
  5. shadow822
    Sep 3, 2012
    10
    The game is amazing. I've put about 40 hours into it already and I haven't had a moment of doubt. Buy this game. Do not listen to any of the complainers that gave the game below a 5 or 6, or even a zero, that's retarded because this game in no possible way deserves a score like that. It is the most fun you will ever have playing an mmo
  6. Conure
    Aug 31, 2012
    10
    When I first logged in, and for the first half hour, I thought this game was just like World of Warcraft - I was wrong.

    The more you play, the more you realise that Guild Wars 2 is a significant step forward for the genre. The music and visuals lend to a highly engaging atmosphere, and I never feel as though I am grinding. The entire world has been lovingly crafted with the type of deta    il rarely seen in games of this scale. The "quest system", if you could call it that, allows you to play how you want, where you want. For example, there are often multiple ways to complete a quest, and should you grow bored of one area (unlikely!) then you can easily go elsewhere. the game has a real sense of exploration which you would find in a game like Skyrim, but with the detail of The Witcher 2.

    After disappointing releases over the past 12 months with The Old Republic and Tera, this game is a welcome and fantastic game. I will give the game a ten, based on the fact that after a weeks play it is the best early/mid game MMORPG that I have ever played.    … Expand
  7. nodq
    Aug 31, 2012
    10
    Really? Really? .... Really? The best MMO since WoW, and this time for SURE people! You can not compare WoW and GW2 but you can compare MMO releases and the fun of it and the feeling it brings at release + bugs etc. and GW2/Arenanet made an awesome job for sure. 9.5! Giving 10 because of 0 rating trolls here.
  8. CravenKnight
    Dec 22, 2012
    0
    Has potential, but one major let down. I bought this game planning to finish it over the course of a week at my grandmother's house, however it turns out that this is a multi-player only game. Whose stupid idea was it to not only make it a multi-player game, but to completely omit any single-player modes?
  9. Busterofwar
    Oct 3, 2012
    8
    I'm not the biggest fan of MMO's. My time with WoW and SWTOR was expensive, time consuming and quickly uninteresting. Guild Wars 2 has changed that. I'm not paying every month for this and can play whenever I feel like it, instead of trying to cram in as much as possible to make the monthly payment worthwhile. There's a lot I could say about how this has raised the bar for MMO's, but this has already been said by thousands of people.… Expand
  10. MornFuin
    Aug 29, 2012
    10
    So many WoW fanboys hating this lol best game ever. The game artstyle, gameplay and music are just amazing. The launch wasn't that bad many mmo games had a much worse launch.
  11. ZeroPhysics
    Aug 28, 2012
    10
    This game is beautiful, fun and very addicting! It has a wonderful personal story, great PvE and stunning PvP. The WvWvW is extremely fun!

    If you are new to the MMO scene and looking for a way in this is the game! If you are an old MMO gamer looking for the next one to play this game will be perfect for you!

    Also, the game is F2P!
  12. KristofER20
    Aug 29, 2012
    10
    Absolutely amazing game, everything from the world, characters, story, gameplay, style, this is truly a piece of art. It was the best 50£ I have ever spent on a game in my life, and I hope that Arenanet will keep up the good work, and will amaze me/us again with new content in the future.
  13. Raeven1301
    Sep 26, 2012
    10
    The finest hour for MMO's, I started playing MMO's with World of Warcraft at launch, I have since played most of the MMO's that have come since and a few that came before also and I feel I speak with some authority when I say that this is by far the best game I've played at launch in this genre. Please feel free to ignore any comments whining about lack of end game content as these people fall into two distinct categories: 1. People who raced to 80 as fast as possible and didn;t even wait for others to join them and didn't try out any of the end content. 2. People who simply haven't played but are upset that WoW servers are becoming quieter these days. Either way, there is plenty to do at end game, far more than WoW at launch which had zero end game content, no raids, no BG's, basically you could do UBRS, help lowbie guildies or save for an epic mount and that was it....oh, or go to Hillsbrad and lag out for 30 minutes. Apologies for comparing so much with WoW but someone needs to counteract all the whining WoW fanboys.

    Thankfully, GW2 addresses the modern day problems with all MMO's, there's no kill stealing, no imbalanced gear-based PvP to deter new players from trying it. No fetch and return quests, no ninja looting, no easy mode levelling where you simply round up as many mobs as you can aggro, not even those rude players who always seem angry and hateful....because there's no need to be angry, no one can steal your kills, loot or even nodes, you can only help fellow players and this makes for a fantastic community where I find myself regularly aided by passers by, healed and thanked, just like the good old days :)

    The PvP is amazing also, would like some CTF maps but again, as a brand new game I am certain more will be added to both PvE and PvP as with WoW. Thank goodness for GW2 because I was sick of MMO's where everything before max level was geared to get you to max level and joining the grind as soon as possible and I was sick of MMO's where end game felt like a part time job. By far the best game I have played and I genuinely cannot recommend it enough.

    However, a small word on new players, the first 3 days or so are confusing, you have to get used to the new way of doing things and learn how things work. I would say they needed a tutorial but finding these things out is a huge part of the experience for me and something you will remember with fondness when you're a seasoned veteran.    … Expand
  14. sektor
    Sep 5, 2012
    10
    Revolutionizing the genre a must play for MMO and Action RPG fans. Miles ahead of similar action MMO's mindless gameplay. After reading most of the negative reviews I realize it comes from a lack of understanding of the game itself as well as a lack of awareness. People who are giving this a low score are coming into the game with a cookie-cutter MMO mindset. Come in with a blank slate and see why this is the best MMO of this year and probably this decade.… Expand
  15. envy
    Aug 28, 2012
    10
    It's a refreshing take on MMO's. Although not revolutionary, it builds upon most old ideas and gives players a new way to play. For all those zero's out there... the game has barely been released, and you are trashing the game for release bugs and server crashes? This is one the of the smoothest MMO launches I'v ever experienced. Definitely not like D3 where i could play for a solid week due to login errors.

    The art style is also gorgeous, and the vistas are awesome. Playing as an Engineer with a flame thrower kit is awesome, and I enjoy the flexibility of this game. I highly recommend it to people looking for something new. Just don't play it like you would a normal MMO, there are many differences.    … Expand
  16. omniblue
    Aug 29, 2012
    10
    I played wow since the beginning. Aion, Rift, Terra, TSW, and SWTOR. I do not recall ever being this excited playing a game in a long time, probably not since wow was released. This game really started to bring back those old gaming excitement I thought may have died quite honestly. This game is about having extreme fun, even for the myself who I would label a Min/Maxer-PvPer. Game art is unreal, the story mode is actually something I like, first for an MMO. The lvling process is great. PvP is fantastic (EX S1,S2,S2,S4 Gladiator btw), finally a game gets CC done right.

    This game does so much right. This is going to be the clone of MMOs going forward, no doubt.    … Expand
  17. midiankomidian
    Aug 29, 2012
    10
    absolutely stunning,full of detail with new possibilities like never before...dynamic events are perfect and they are shifting and changing the world of Tyria. The art style is absolutely gorgeous, I am very excited about the game it is a absolute must not only for an MMO player,but for every gamer out there..10/10 without a doubt
  18. CinderellaMan
    Sep 4, 2012
    9
    I am not a big MMO fan. I did play Age of Conan and LOTRO for about a year... but they could not keep my attention. The reason: some quests require a party. I don't play enough to join a guild; I just want to jump in for 30-60 mins and have fun. I have played GW2 for about 10 hours and have not had to join up with anyone. I can essentially play the game solo with group events occuring randomly... no need to "get organized". I really like this approach that caters to my class of gamer. Now, how well this works in high level zones with smaller populations remains to be seen... but for now I'm very pleased with my $60 purchase.… Expand
  19. JunasLB
    Sep 1, 2012
    10
    This game is just the perfect MMO for me. Why? Because it allows casual gameplay. The game is very polished and despite some bugs here at launch, has definitely been one of the most smooth MMO launches ever. One of the most fantastic things about the game is how it's built to encourage cooperation - not competition - in PvE. Resource nodes are not shared, so it doesn't matter that someone gets to it before you. You can't tag monsters, you get credit for a kill even if you didn't hit first. Everyone gets rewarded simply for helping - and thus GW2 is a much nicer game to play.… Expand
  20. jubjub1277
    Oct 29, 2012
    10
    This game is really amazing considering that it features a 60$ price tag and no monthly subs. The world is huge and is clearly designed for casual player. Hard-Core players may find the game disappointing because its pretty easy to level up and the lack of the end game content. The soundtrack is also amazing and is composed by Jeremy Soule who made the skyrim soundtrack. Overall the game is amazing and different from other games such as WoW and the WoW clones.… Expand
  21. ItaJohnson
    Sep 27, 2012
    0
    Ok, time to finally let this drop. i tried to give them time and it was (fortunately for them) a busy month, but it wasnt enough.

    Guild Wars 2 is the latest in a growing line of mmorpgs (IT IS NOT AN ACTION GAME!) that are severely over hyped and under developed. Despite all their nonsense about not releasing it "until its done" what we have is bugs across every possible system in the g    ame. Almost asif NC Soft said "finish it up or we are not paying you" and they did. From account security (always fun having 200+ emails fill your inbox to tell you that ip addys from china are attempting to log into your account) to quests in general (there is nothing "dynamic" about scripted events sorry kids) bugs bugs bugs. Perhaps if they had done a proper beta test instead of a bunch of B/S hype generating weekends they could have fixed them before launch... but no, the AH still goes down daily, the guilds bug daily... there is nothing that isnt broken on this game!

    Visually it falls short of the mark too, while they assured us it would "support dx10" LIES! the closest thing to this game is honestly AOC, both in the amount of hype concerning it, and the dismal product that got released.

    Gameplay... [tab]1-2-3-4 ever heard that one? well thats all you are getting here too.

    Sound- the sound is really good actually, too bad it is the LEAST important thing about a game! But hey, they atleast got something right... although its kind of stupid to be told you have been poisoned 3 min after it wears off... but again BUGS!

    Over all i would give it a solid 5, meaning that this game is average in EVERY POSSIBLE WAY. It is not above average on ANY level! But seeing all the BULLS HIT 10's i am going to do the right thing and drop it. if anyone actually reads this theyll know the truth, otherwise metacritic is kind of a crap metric since it LETS B/S scores through.. even on such a MASSIVE turd such as guild wars 2.

    i cant express enough what a totally disappointing turd this game is.    … Expand
  22. Katabug
    Aug 29, 2012
    3
    Try this game before you buy it! Borrow a friends account or wait for a free trial or something, but don't spend money on it until you actually know what you're buying into. There's not much more I can say that the other negative reviewers haven't already covered. But this game is simply not worth $60 ($20 maybe). Don't fall for the hype!
  23. Pecheckler
    Oct 7, 2012
    10
    I followed Guild Wars 2 religiously for years. I played every single available minute during the beta tests and stress tests. The PvE is better than any MMORPG overall, especially because it is fun, never frustrating or tedious. Exploration is especially enjoyable. My only dislikes are the lack of public group options, and World versus World PvP. WvW PvP is an unbalanced frustrating mess. I spent over 100 hours over few weeks in WvW, and have since written it off. I have no plans of touching it until it is severely overhauled. However sPvP and PvE is very fun still. There is also a serious problem with hackers... something I've not seen hurt an MMO in nearly 8 years.… Expand
  24. MikeJezZ
    Apr 18, 2013
    2
    This game is average at its best. But when you ding level 80, the game start to be boring real quick with lack of content. There's no progression or any reason to do PvE or PvP.

    I had so high hopes.
  25. insanewicked
    Aug 28, 2012
    10
    So far so good. I absolutely love the art style and the combat, while very shallow at a first glance, is incredibly deep and demanding. The launch has been incredibly smooth and I have had no problems accessing the 3 day headstart. I am very pleased with the game and I am fully happy with my purchase.
  26. tyler_james
    Dec 2, 2012
    6
    I played Guild Wars 1 for 5 years. I was a huge fan and some of the memories I made there will stay with me for a long time. Conversely, Guild Wars 2 is not a game that I can really recommend. I hate to say that, but it's true. The good aspects of the game include the no-monthly-fee system Arena Net has continued, and some genuinely ambitious game-play changes. Unfortunately, even 3-months into launch, the game is incredibly buggy, the market sell/purchase system makes productive enterprise almost impossible (you're taxed 20% just to sell an item), and the controls are disappointingly clunky. On top of that, game-play gets incredibly repetitive and boring. Also, GW2 is a grind-heavy game. I appreciate the extension of the level-cap, however you spend the first 60 levels looking stupid aesthetically, with rewards in the form of items and gold only really coming from intense dungeon runs. There are ups and downs to the game, but in my opinion, and only comparing it to GW1, this game has taken a lot of the fun and a lot of the magic right out of the series. GW2 might compare more favorably to other contemporary MMO's, but I feel that Arena Net took a big step backwards in some critical areas with disappointingly executed new-content that generally detracts from the single most important question of any game: is it fun?… Expand
  27. Ordish
    Nov 7, 2012
    10
    This is a title that has something for everyone...well everyone except grief players. For the grief player, you are not invited. The game is more like an artists canvas that you manipulate. The graphics are simply beautiful, the races are very well done complete with histories, and the classes are perfect. When I say perfect, I truly mean that. You can play whatever you choose and not have to worry about waiting forever to find a pick up group that will let you in. If you want to group you can, or you can just adventure and help out where ever your ADD takes you. No monthly subscription nonsense, no grief players, and you have the freedom to play whomever you want and can still bring value to any group you happen to meet. There are so many more positives about the game it would be impossible to name them all. Suffice to say, If I could score this game higher than a 10, I would.… Expand
  28. Yoshiwol
    Sep 17, 2012
    10
    The game is astonishing, I have played WoW for 6 years and every other MMO I haven't even bothered to try, all of them have been the same. Finally a game breaks the mold. I quit WoW almost a year ago now (DS my final raid after raiding everything since Vanilla). I won't sit and explain what most of the critics have already said, suffice to say, even if you don't like RPG's or MMO's, give the game a go, it has something for everyone.… Expand
  29. Kimomarudotcom
    Sep 11, 2012
    10
    This MMO is amazing. It does ape so many of the mechanics that make MMOs great (and, yes, if you're sole intention is to level up you will certainly be grinding), but it's ambitious in so many ways. Events are dynamic, so in just roaming the country side you'll find yourself joining in on dynamic world events, harvesting resources to craft weapons, armor, and jewelery or even just traveling to all sites marked on world map for the completionist players. I must say, however, that the greatest thing about it is the Black Lion Trading company, GW2's online market. Ever get tired of storing stuff in your inventory just to sell them back in town? Right click on your inventory objects and sell them right away on Black Lion - you'll get money for them later when people buy what you posted. So awesome. Tired of grinding for gold to buy armor on Black Lion? If you're like me, paypaling ten dollars is definitely the way to go - the gold I got in return was more than enough to amp up my character and still have plenty left over for my character bank account. I'm on level 45 so far and GW2 remains one of my favorite games this year. GW2 is a triumph of the genre and you're missing out if you don't pick it up.… Expand
  30. MRGamer
    Feb 3, 2013
    7
    I bought the game during the holiday sales and leveled a warrior to level 80. I completed the personal story, and did a bit of everything else- sPvP, Fractals, WvW. There are many casual/ solo friendly features of the game that make it a great "B2P" game to pick up and play through. The production value is high, and the game looks good and runs well. However, as I continued to log in and play with my level 80 character, I started to feel the impact of the design decisions Anet continues to make that are aimed at herding players toward the TP/ Gem Store. In spite of the famous "no grind" manifesto policy, each of the areas of the game presented me with some sort of time/ gold sink, including the infamous "DR" that prompts so much conspiracy discussion. For every inconvenience the game presents, there is a solution that can be purchased in the gem store. It is a delicate balancing act, and GW2 will continue to run the risk of losing players when the obvious F2P greed drives away customers- like myself. I decided I got my money's worth out of my one play through. The fun of playing the game was not worth the time and effort for me, and I personally will not start buying gems/ gold in order to enjoy the game. I would rather pay a sub or full price for expansions than get continually nickel and dimed to ride all the rides. Still a good game, but I am not going to keep throwing money at it.… Expand
  31. kiwicube
    Sep 27, 2012
    10
    GW2 is a fantastic MMO that has made a great change to how MMO's will operate in the future (at least i hope) . Graphics for this game are amazing, however, needs a good spec PC to run. The game has a wise variety of classes and unique skills for every race. Not necessarily classed into tank, healer, DPS but you are able to customise every class to what you like. Personal story starts off amazing until around level 60 where I personally found it fell off. Questing is made fun and the dynamic events are great fun when in a large group of players, however some areas lacked event number and variety. WvWvW is a brilliant idea, however slightly imbalanced at the moment due to servers starting up. Exp gaining is solid all the way through, grinding is taken out of levelling, however farming materials did become tedious. Dungeons were very difficult, however, were very fun to play through once I found for narrative purposes. Other issues I found is that auction house took a while to fix, some personal story quests were bugged and some hearts quests were very difficult to complete compared to others. Also there is a limited amount of lvl 80 content at the moment which is disappointing, however, they still need to complete the rest of the map. Would love to see flying mounts to show off the scenery more as well as more variety in WvWvW, maybe a few extra weapons and finally more tough dragons.
    Can't wait to play the expansions that will hopefully be arriving!!    … Expand
  32. Singgihsatch
    Sep 25, 2012
    9
    hmm worth to spend buck for this game..
    altough i aint play the first sequel but when im play GW 2 i fall in love with this game..

    best graphic and story make a player enjoy play this game..
  33. 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 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
  34. Dalpian
    Aug 28, 2012
    10
    This game is fantastic, a milestone. Not only the overall level of quality and detail is above almost any other MMO in the market, but it also innovates the genre in many ways. No more single task, static questing, but a living world where events are not waiting for you to click on an NPC to happen: you explore, you see things happening, you join them and your actions have consequences. No more gear grind: both in PvE and PvP, you won't need to farm gear for ages just to be able to join the action. At max level everybody is on the same gear level, the outcomes of the challenge is determined by your skill, finally. No more being pigeon holed within one single class role. Every class can finally be ranged and melee, healing or dpsing. Shift your weapons, manage your countless skills, dodge and parry the incoming attacks. This is finally an engaging combat! No more waiting for a healer or a tank to show up: you want to do that dungeon with 5 warriors or 5 necromancers? You can, it works. No more subscription fees: you by the game and you play it as much as you want, at your pace. Content will be periodically added, and it will be free. You just have to buy the official expansion when they will come out. This game is different in mechanics, is gigantic in scope, is beautiful and intriguing. Do yourself a favour and don't miss it. It's not "marketing" or advertisement. It's how the game is, as a matter of fact. (Final note: I read some of the few "0" rated reviews here and I am appalled by the false information they spread. One thing is expressing opinions, one thing is spreading clear lies. Only 5 skills? False. I cannot play with my friends? False. Give the game a try, you'll see by yourself what's true and what's false..… Expand
  35. Grenzor
    Sep 8, 2012
    5
    Gameplay: 4/10 Why so? Because It's always fun to do some stuff with people around. But harvesting eggs and washing cows is no fun after 80+ hours of playing is no fun at all. Maybe some people enjoy it. Not me. And I also take X and bring it to Y kind of stuff is annoying (90% of quests I've done). There are many games around which makes you to do so.

    Graphics: 5/10. (Textures) Well     it's 2012. And if you ask full price for a game, you must at least try to be good at everything.

    Locations: 9/10 Fact is a fact. Locations are beautiful. They did a good job on this one.

    PvP/PvE: 3/10
    PvP require skill. Because in MOST cases you will be able to take down 1 or 2 enemies and die immediately after. Because of skill system, which is terrible. It just forces you to spam everything what's out of cooldown. If you are not doing so, you're doing it wrong.
    PvE is another weak point of this game. Let's start with "events". In most cases you see a mob, random spells flying everywhere. You don't even feel like you're doing everything. Not a challenge at all. Just be there, make sure to press 1, 2, 1, 3, 1 ,4. And your work is done.

    Audio: 4/10
    Well I don't feel the music. Voice actors are TERRIBLE(!). Spell sounds are fine.

    Also ingame shop? Really? After paying 60    … Expand
  36. Jesperbro
    Oct 20, 2012
    7
    Haven't played the game in a little while, but will write a few thoughts about it anyways.

    First of all it has a gigantic, beautiful world to explore, something I appreciate a lot. Exploring the world in full is rewarded in forms of xp and gear. The quest system is great, as well as the occasional event system. The trading system is very good, although getting materials for making somet    hing can take some grinding. The combat system is good, and I like how they implement a few action elements to it, so you don't feel like you're just clicking on something, and engaging you more into the fight. That if you participate in killing something, all the loot and experience is shared, so there isn't some manical battle for the item drops like in for example Runescape. The only PvP mode I played reminded me a bit of League of Legends, something that I find good. Overall - the game is very good. I liked it a lot the first three weeks I played it. Then...

    I realized how redundant and repetitive the game became. While you get different areas to explore, you're just doing the same quests over and over and over again. Either it's kill this, or fetch a lot of this, and this goes on for EVERY area in the game. I've never really been a gigantic fan of MMORPG's, and this shows why. After a while you'll just get so bored with the game that you won't play it again for a long time. Maybe after a while I'll go back to playing it, but after a while I'll grow bored of doing the same things over and over. This pulls down my score of the game a lot, something that could've been a perfect ten. When I play games I need a bit of variety, and Guild Wars 2 sadly doesn't provide that.    … Expand
  37. chrisbougs
    Sep 1, 2012
    9
    This game is a lot of fun. People who get involved in the story and want to quickly move to the next chapters might get frustrated at higher levels, as the game encourages (forces, rather) non-linear play. Other than that, the experience is unmatched by any other MMO. Rewarding PvE and PvP combat, beautiful environments, clean interfaces, and great voice acting and music.
  38. Yummyzombie
    Sep 20, 2012
    9
    Not perfect, but you finally dont need to pay monthly fees to enjoy the full content!!! This makes WoW both worse and better than GW2. GW2 would be great even if you had to pay monthly fees. Which is what makes it worth your money so much. The graphics are amazing and when the world merges to complete one world event, its epic without any need to create a party. And there are jumping puzzles which were missed so much in other MMOs. If I would have to pick some cons it would be that there are no fractions and the tutorial was a bit too short (how do i craft????).… Expand
  39. Sevvy88
    Sep 4, 2012
    9
    Probably the best MMO to be released since World of Warcraft in 2004. It's been a long time, with alot of wannabes, and in recent years, there have been a couple of games that tried to shake the formula up in one way or another, but not a game that really, overall, produced something special. Guild Wars 2 doesn't completely revolutionize the genre, but if you want a game that perfects idea brought forth in Tera, SW:TOR, Rift, War, and yes, even WoW, and throws them in one pile, polishes them nicely, and improves upon them in almost every way, then Guild Wars 2 is worth a try. The PvE experience in terms of exploration and immersion in a world that always keeps you occupied and always keeps you playing and always keeps rewarding you is unmatched. World of Warcraft's questing system will truly show its age. Things like WvWvW are exhilarating. and for gamers keen on guilds and organized grouping will be rewarded by it. The thing that truly sets the game apart though is how seemelssly the experience flows together. There is a gentle guiding hand in Guild Wars 2, but it's so light of a touch that you won't even notice that you are being led along. It's doing what every MMO before it since WoW has claimed to do: improve the genre in almost every way imaginable. It's not a complete re-imagining of MMO's, but it certainly is the long awaited step towards the future that I think we have all been waiting for. Give it a shot.… Expand
  40. DaChunK
    Jan 11, 2013
    6
    I cant get into it. I really have tried and like the first Guild wars I've only got a character to around lvl 25 and have completely lost interest. I find it a very unsocial game, still to much of a rush to get to the end game or lvl 80. Which is my first big gripe - it takes to damn long to finish the game or reach maximum level. True it's not about the end game, it's the journey. yet I should not have to spend 100 hours or so to bloody well get there, it's ridiculous! Around 30 or so hours is more than enough time to dedicate to one character and a player should be rewarded more appropriately for their time invested.

    As for being in a guild - it's a sense of belonging to something, yet it aside from that, the game does indeed feel like a single player game with other people jumping in and out of it at times. As an older gamer (37) I play for perhaps different reasons than others. One of my main reason for playing while I'm distanced from more interesting things to do (my girlfriend for one), is the social aspect of a multiplayer game. And for me this game has very little meaningful interaction. People jump in, kill, jump out of your area. For all it was promised to be, guild wars is STILL and end level game. That for me makes it rather disappointing as I'll most likely never get there.

    Another BIG mistake they did was make the level's to high - to big of a spread. 40 levels would have been more than sufficient and make it take longer to achieve them. That way more people could have played together, with there being more characters of a similar level. Instead you have a situation where you are pretty well ALWAYS playing without your fellow guild members and by yourself to level. Hence little reason to be a part of a guild until you reach end game... my opinion. :-)

    It was fresh in many ways and combat is fun. Looks pretty and great with no monthly subscription, yet it's far from enough to get me to give in any more of my time until MAJOR changes take place... which they shall not.    … Expand
  41. angryovari
    Aug 29, 2012
    10
    The most immersive mmorpg i have ever played, having played wow and many f2p ones to name a few, Combat is amazing, "questing" (dynamic events, personal storyline) is something i look forward to, never rushed. Graphic and art style is beautiful and unique, sound is great although in game music is hard to notice at times. Engine is optimized heavilly, i can run the game at 110fps on mostly high dropping to the lowest 25fps on huge world pvp battles (hundreds of players onscreen) on an average system. The wow-killer is here
    guy gw2 today    … Collapse
  42. ABNMP
    Oct 7, 2012
    6
    This game is basically an evolution to a higher standard of what has been done before. If you have played an MMO in the last 12 years you will see the similarities. The major areas of failure include open world player versus player and endgame progression. I guess I can summarize the game saying it is like RIFT without the raid element, and with massive unbalanced world PvP. DAOC and Warhammer Online had a better PvP system. If you enjoy a VERY casual game then this is your pick. I was hoping for a REVOLUTION in MMO gaming, but sadly this is more of a "been there done that" experience.… Expand
  43. theNILE
    Dec 8, 2012
    5
    There are some serious problems with this game although for the general casual player it may be very enjoyable. After the rush of players upon release, low levels ran out of quests and events stopped occuring often enough in their maps. They have to go to the alternative areas to level as grinding monsters gives very little exp (even with the points of interest etc). The game doesn't tell you anything. There are no tutorials, you get no guidance in the game and this includes World vs World.

    Now the problem here is that the game doesn't tell you anything and I believe this is partly why 90% of the players do not play WvW or do not really care about playing it. You do get exp and karma from objective in WvW which is nice. The loot you are rewarded for killing players is a joke, you basically get a few trophies. Now, WvW is 24/7, which mean there is not much sense of accomplishment. You're just playing for numbers/stomps. The WvW maps are too open considering the population of participants in WvW - plus it is 24/7. Considering the combat in GW2 itself is somewhat slow-paced, WvW often becomes dull. Siege weapons often result in balanced armies just shifting somewhat becomes two locations and operating these weapons is not particularly interesting. Now the biggest flaw of WvW is that it requires players to respond and lead. That is fine but when barely enough people even play WvW to have mid-sized battles this is a gigantic issue. GW2 is definitely miles below others MMOs in this department. Leveling up is simply and easy once you get a hang of the game but there are three areas in the world which are flooded with....zombies. They all have the same AI and because as you play through the game, enemies require a longer period of time to kill, these zombies become a chore. Reaching the final level itself isn't hard but I didn't feel that a point to put into my traits was really satisfactory for a level. The final gear itself is not even necessary to play this game.

    Rewards from huge world event chains are pathetic. The random crap you get it better than the rewards 99% of the time. There are tons of skins and dyes for you to collect/buy if you are interested in this. Sadly I have to say that it's all just fluff added onto a pretty mediocre core with ridiculous bugs which ruin gameplay and consistently piss you off e.g. random ear-shattering loud sounds, disappearing armies. I really did give this game a second chance, but the huge issues just drove me round the bend. That being said, the graphics are good, the game very rarely crashed and most minor bugs were solved quickly.    … Expand
  44. rideatlga
    Aug 30, 2012
    9
    This has been my return to PC gaming after about a 2 year hiatus. I came in with mixed expectations because people were hyping it up pretty bad. I would have to say that the hype was deserved on most accounts. This game is different from most other MMOs. I find myself just running around from place to place killing with no real agenda, which is great. Dynamic events are fun, but they are a little bit overcrowded due to the high concentration of players at my level due to the recent launch. There are a few glitches currently being worked on by Arena Net, which is to be expected. The only reason it does not get a 10 is due to the trading post being down for launch.… Expand
  45. Brezhnev
    Aug 30, 2012
    10
    In reality worth a 9 but gave it a 10 to balance the WoW kiddies who gave it a zero.
    Tho many quests are redundant, just like in all MMO's. I have been challenged by many others.
  46. kendrickdk
    Sep 2, 2012
    9
    I've now played the game for a couple days and have to say it's really good. The character creation is top notch, the game mechanics are smooth and the graphics look great. The game seems to run really nice but did have to put it in windowed mode to clear up a pixalation issue. I also like how you don't have to reset key binds every time you make a new toon. The quests was confusing at first but now I get it. I also like how a quest automatically will add people to it, kind of like rift. This have is well worth $60, especially when you don't have any monthly fee's.… Expand
  47. nguthomas
    Nov 14, 2012
    10
    Why the hate, haters? I haven't played Guild Wars 1 before, but I've played Guild Wars 2! Gameplay is amazing and there is NO monthly fee! Money well spent!
  48. tazzon22
    Jan 14, 2013
    3
    GW2...really? its not even close to gw1. The story is lame, the dungons are easy pvp is dying on the vine, wvw3 and des are a zerg fest , with the additional bonus of lagging out . The classes dont even feel diffrent from one another, and its entire no-trinity system hase made it a dps fest with no skill involved. Grats anet you took a great games title and @##$ all over it. Oh yea get ready to get dinged into the cash grab trading post, pfft ..and no farming, free to play is still to expensive, it feels like SWTOR all over again with all the problems they fail to adress.… Expand
  49. HunterZolomon
    Sep 11, 2012
    8
    This is a near perfect MMO. Incredibly well polished and rich in content. All systems, combat, crafting etc. are all well thought through and beats every competitor out there. The PvP, WvWvW etc. is awesome. Excellent sound (Soule score!) and graphics top it all off. So, why an 8/10? Guild Wars 2 lacks something the original game had in spades, an exciting storyline. The first Guild Wars pulled me into the world of Tyria and refused to let go. I'll never forget fleeing across the Shiverpeaks with the survivors of Ascalon exploring the world as we went. Guild Wars 2 has none of the excitement that went with the original game storywise. The first 20 levels are about hunting random bandits and centaurs! No sense of urgency, excitement or scale at all, despite the stunning environments and vistas. The game would have benefited greatly from a much stronger story hook from the start.… Expand
  50. GamerUntouch
    Aug 28, 2012
    9
    I've played to 30 twice now, once in the beta and now once at launch, I enjoyed beta because it was less chaotic. Here are my opinions.

    I'll start with PvP because that'll be shortest, I don't PvP much in MMOs. I did find it enjoyable though, it's more than just spam your keys, but 8v8 can and will turn into a **** Anyone who takes PvP seriously should try 5v5, the maps are DESIGNED for     5v5. WvWvW is fun too, but can become a zerg, even if you don't want to zerg you'll find yourself following it, I know that actually splitting up is better and I hope people actually start to split up.

    I've played PvE a lot more though.
    I really like the DE system, makes the world feel alive and is MUCH MUCH more fun than going to X, killing Y and returning, damn even if babies think "Well you still gotta kill things, it's the same!", it really isn't, you have to look at the big picture. My only issue is some of them respawn too quickly.
    Exploration is rewarding, while there's POIs and vistas, some you actually gotta look for, and I actually want to look for them, it's fun, sometimes you get carried away and get lost, more games need to do this.
    Some people are upset about the skill system, but I disagree, I enjoy having all my abilities at once. (By the way, there are builds still, people don't realize this because they probably haven't unlocked traits and most skills". Eventually you start to learn how to play your weapon, it makes a lot of classes play different, a sword mesmer and a greatsword mesmer plays very different. My real only issue was how slow EXP can come in, people can rush, and some people can go really slow, it's all based on time, if there's dynamic events going on, etc.    … Expand
  51. GrayGhost79
    Aug 28, 2012
    10
    10/10 definitely. DE's are an awesome change from the traditional questing system. Combat is more tactical, skill based and fun than any other MMO. WvWvW creates a setting for meaningful PvP. The game is one of the better looking MMO's on the market. It's got some issues atm though, traders down and the overflow system is a massive pain... but with that said, it's still a 10/10. Most fun I've had in an MMO in a very long time.… Expand
  52. requiamer
    Aug 29, 2012
    10
    The game is absolutely gorgeous, they are tons of stuff to do in this game and very varied ones, you really are never bored playing it and want to stay a bit longer each time you have to go to bed :p One of my best mmo and i'm a computer gamer since the first apple c. Thumbs up to Anet and thank you for that great game.
  53. kcomeby
    Aug 29, 2012
    4
    New record, i got tired of a MMO in 2 hours.

    PVE is non-existence. PVP is no better than Tera. There are some useless things like dodge, environmental weapons as feature an they are not enough.

    If you have few friends who will join tournaments with you, maybe you can enjoy it.

    I can't understand people who gives this game a 10.
  54. McGamor
    Sep 25, 2012
    10
    Finally a game that combines the best features of the good mmo's while adding new mechanics and ways to play the game. It will be a long time I think before a better game than GW2 will be made.
  55. Dianoia
    Aug 30, 2012
    10
    Guild Wars 2 is WoW mashed with WAR, SWTOR, FFXIV and Tera in all the right ways. There are innovations, certainly, but it really is just borrowing a cornucopia of great ideas and perfecting them.
  56. Hobnobb
    Aug 29, 2012
    10
    Awesome game. Everything just falls into place. Nothing bad to say about it. I like everything from the PvE content, to the WvWvW, to the sPvP. Even crafting is exciting.
  57. Triggerhappy
    Oct 28, 2012
    10
    This is a shockingly good game, fully enjoyable either as a massive RPG campaign across a sprawling world, or as a highly challenging MMO with enough content and almost unachievable endgame goals (getting legendary gear or 100% dungeon completion is a worthy challenge). PvP offers an absolutely unforgiving environment to E-sport geeks, while World v World offers environment to fight enemy players that is easily accessible to everyone including newcomers. The world is rich, graphics amazing, engine flawless, character development has a distinctly fresh touch to it. If you have ever at all enjoyed the MMORPG genre, you absolutely owe it to yourself to try this one. There are people everywhere, whether to group up for PvE, or to compete with in PvP. No lag, no waiting time. Oh, and, you know... no subscription. Amazing. After a 100 hours, this game remains a source of ever-fresh enjoyment, and a lasting credit to its creators.… Expand
  58. Stormie
    Aug 29, 2012
    8
    A solid and innovative piece of work, in a genre where it's rare and pleasing to see a game that is either of those two things, let alone both.

    I admire the fact that there is a real focus on encouraging players to enjoy the game together, rather than via a carrot & stick approach of forced grouping. Game mechanics appear to have been designed by a genuine design effort, it's hard to po    int a finger at any mechanics which simply ape what has been seem frequently before. Art direction is excellent. Gameplay is free-flowing and has a definite ability to make you lose track of time.

    My main negative is the poor writing and voice-acting on the personal stories. It's easily the weakest aspect of the game, and really unnecessary in an MMORPG - save the single-player stories for single-player games. Additionally, while I don't want to be one of the raging ranters that give a game 0/10 due to server problems, there HAVE been plenty of them. We still don't have a functioning trading post five days after launch, and guilds have been plagued with errors inviting players and with players trying to use guild functionality.    … Expand
  59. Dusty_Hayes
    Sep 14, 2012
    10
    Guild Wars 2 is one of the best MMO's to be released in many years, its skill based mechanics is superb creating a really fun and addictive PvE PvP and WvWvW content and environment. ArenaNet has crafted their game very well, the aesthetics have been carefully crafted and fitted together, coupled with Jeremy Soule score it makes Guild Wars 2 look, sound and feel amazing while still setting its grim yet beautiful tone within the Guild Wars lore. Guild Wars 2 innovates the genre with very simple and yet very effective innovations and sets new high standards and mile stones for future MMO and all this with no subscription fees, ArenaNet as just not only put everything else in the genre to shame, but most of the MMO developers and their publishers too deep shame.… Expand
  60. 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 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
  61. Warfist
    Sep 5, 2012
    8
    Not the revolutionary genre changing game many of GW2's more zealous fans tried to tout pre-release, but a very solid, very good MMO with plenty to do and best of all no subscription fee.
  62. 200mg
    Sep 9, 2012
    9
    This game is NEXT LEVEL. Absolutely fantastic graphics, gameplay, everything....You can tell the devs really paid attention to detail, it's the little things like auction from your backpack, instant mail, the robust travel system, the list goes on and on and on. This is an MMO milestone!!! If you like MMO's you will love this game!
  63. 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 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
  64. runefromoslo
    Aug 29, 2012
    10
    First off, as usual, don't believe most of the negative user reviews. They are by and large written by so-called "fanboys" of other competing MMORPGs. You will find the same phenomenon going on with all of those types of games, as well as "COD" vs "BF" fans etc.

    Guild Wars II is, in one word, refreshing.

    I'm someone who has been playing MMOs since the mid 90s when they first came on     the market as graphical MUDs, like Sierra's The Realm. I've played great games like Lineage, EverQuest, Dark Age of Camelot and many others. The first breathe of fresh air injected into MMO's came with the highly polished and now legendary World of Warcraft. But it's now 2012 and even legends get old and dull when you've played them for several years, let alone 7-8. Other major MMO releases of late have never been able to compare to WoW. Until now.

    Guild Wars II is a breathe of fresh air, and sets entirely new standards for graphics, environments, combat, and flexibility of game systems. The game lets YOU decide what you want to do. No grinding involved. The PVP is massive and very well balanced and enjoyable even for non-PVP fans like me. The PVE system has no real quests per se apart from your personal story which is based on your character race, and a 'task' system where you go around helping certain NPCs how you see fit. But where Guild Wars 2 really shines is in dynamic events. The world changes according to player input. And the result feels... massive.

    Best of all: No subscription.    … Expand
  65. JoeCool
    Sep 27, 2012
    10
    I doubted between a 9 and a 10, but given the fact that some people manage to write this game off with scores that would put it below SW:TOR, I'm going to go for a 10 even if there are no perfect games. This is probably the best MMO I ever played. Graphics and Sound are great but gameplay and game mechanics really take the crown. Casual friendly, no gear grind, the perfect MMO to just go and have fun with. It might not meet the expectations of some hardcore gamers that expect the world to bow down to them because they have nothing better to do than play a game all day long. However the vast majority of people playing this game all agree on one thing: this game is one of best, if not the best, MMO ever.… Expand
  66. Shadamehr
    Sep 8, 2012
    9
    This is what WoW should have been if Blizzard had the courage to do a revamp. I'll be honest, my first opinion wasn't great, just so much to take in with no idea what I was doing. Played for an hour then didn't come back to it for a few days. Then I found the more I got into it, the more depth I found. The amount of detail is amazing. If you are an explorer type like me you're going to have a blast, this game encourages exploration. Finding and completing secret areas are real achievements. My only worry is that a lot of players, PvP players in particular, who don't like challenges while leveling or taking too long to get to end level (its the reason why WoW's ezy mode leveling is so popular), will force leveling nerfs on Arenanet. As a 5 year player that gave up on WoW last year during the B Team's Cataclysm, I thought I'd found my WoW replacement in SWTOR, but their stupid choices of adopting a game engine that wasn't theirs and a rigid led by the nose main game questing has dulled my enthusiasm for it. GW2 has none of the stunlocks or flopping around for the best part of minute while the game loads up graphics that SWTOR suffers from (eg. exiting Corellia, Alderaan spaceports, Tattooine, Balmorra etc.).
    The game actually has elites (called Veterans) roaming the countryside. It encourages grouping up (you don't have to be in an actual party, you all get credit so long as you participate) to defeat them, or you can try soloing them for a greater challenge. It also encourages rezzing fallen players, they show up as icons on your minimap, and you earn xp for doing so. The only downside I can see is its crafting system, out of the 3 MMOs I'd rate SWTOR's the best and GW2's the weakest. You are always starved of mats. I have a sneaking suspicion this is to encourage impatient players to buy gems (an in game currency) from their online store. Apart from that 9/10.    … Expand
  67. shingoukieh
    Aug 30, 2012
    9
    This game was very confusing at first. You just dont know what is going on and what everything means. after a while you will learn what and where things are and it will grow on you. This is a mmorpg where you will actually take your time and level and talk to townspeople and explore. I played games such as Perfect World, Aion, Tera, EVE, SWTOR and wow up to burning crusade. I can honestly tell you that this game is downright better than all the ones i listed above. Its not perfect but it is quite enjoyable to play. With each profession you have a vast amount of skills to use. Most professions can do melee ,cast range, or magic attacks so you get a little bit of everything with one profession. Questing is also pretty interesting. The dynamic quests are very fun. If by chance you want to go off and fight mobs by yourself you can engage in the story quest. The story quests are entertaining and so far they provide a real sense of adventure. The only downside I can see so far is the lack of tutorial in game. While they do have a tutorial it is very basic and doesnt really explain alot of things. With a little bit of research this can be overcame very fast. All in all this is a great mmorpg and would recommend it to casual rpg and hardcore mmorpg players alike. I didnt pvp much yet but from the chat on the forums and in game channels it is definitly worth checking out its that what you like. Just from the weapon switching mechanics and traitsI can tell the pvp will be very deep with different ways of building.… Expand
  68. Kuse
    Aug 28, 2012
    10
    Definitely the next generation of MMOs and easily the MMO of the Year. World of Warcraft should learn something by Guild Wars 2. You don't alienate your fans just for the sake of the almighty bottom dollar. Guild Wars 2 is a lush, beautiful, vibrant game that takes you in and never lets you go. There is something for everyone here, whether you are a hardcore or casual player. The crafting is robust and fun and there is a reward lurking behind every little thing in this game which keeps you coming back time and time again. Herald in the new King of MMOs cause this bad boy is going no where anytime soon. Best of all its free to play! You have nothing to lose purchasing this game!… Expand
  69. Exastiken
    Aug 28, 2012
    10
    Refreshingly beautiful and dynamic, amazing gameplay and fluid controls. Love the personal story and ability to explore Tyria's vastness. WvW is also captivating because of large scale assaults and cooperation. Friendly community in-game, partly because of game mechanics, partly because there is no frustration to be found as well.
  70. IvanRic
    Aug 28, 2012
    10
    Not sure what game the people who gave Zero's were playing. One person said "Mediocre graphics" lol what?!?! Get a better rig man, the graphics are amazing! A huge lush, detailed World to explore, I absolutely love the way this games looks. The game play is awesome. It
  71. AlexBugella
    Sep 1, 2012
    10
    So, I've been looking for a good MMO for awhile, and I think I found it. GW2 is no doubt a great MMO. The character creation seems to provide players with enough to make their character unique, in terms of looks and even play style. The combat I find to be really interesting. Each weapon type has its own skill associated with them and the more you use these weapons, the more you use the weapon type, the better skills you unlock for the weapon. Fights are pretty strategic at times, especially when fighting higher level enemies and using your various abilities, including the new dodge mechanic. Crafting is pretty much the same as other MMOs, useless, but in GW2, Crafting gives you tons of XP. The in-game world is pretty huge and with a way point system, discover way points and teleport to them later for a small fee. Now, the really reason to play an MMO is to play with your friends and tons of people, which GW2 doesn't disappoint in their new PvP game type, World v World v World. Its really exactly what it sounds like, 3 servers fight each other on 1 map, for 3 days. each server has their own area to defend from the other 2 servers but theirs also an unclaimed section of the map where the servers fight for constantly and which ever server holds this area, pretty much wins the match. But this game type is some much fun, in a flock easily 20 to 40 people heading to an enemy controlled base, clashing with their group of 20 to 40 people, and its all out war and so satisfying when you are slowly gaining ground. I would tell you to get the game just to play WvWvW, but honestly, every aspect of the game makes this a good buy, and hey, you pay the flat 60 bucks and no subscriptions, if you want to put more money into it you can, to get things like XP boosts or vanity items. I wouldnt be surprised if we start to see WoW fade out because of this game.… Expand
  72. elcritico
    Sep 12, 2012
    6
    After about level 15 you will have every weapon skill learned, and after a few levels the rest of the 4 offensive skills you can use, at which point is when the weapon/skill system starts showing its limiting and suffocating side - play like the game tells you or GTFO. The game is great for the first week, and after that you start noticing that it really has nothing to keep you playing. Structured PvP part of the game is disconnected from the rest, and really feels and plays like a separate game with the same engine - it sports its separate level treadmill, items and crafting. The only redeeming quality this game brings to the table is - no subscription.… Expand
  73. Angelic_Dj
    Sep 24, 2012
    10
    I wish i could comment on some of these negative reviews. If you are hitting the same 2 buttons the entire game your doing it wrong. This is the most immersive game i have ever played. The pvp is slightly lacking in the number of maps and gametypes (more content is being made), BUT it is the most balanced pvp in any mmo. The reason some people don't like that is because they can no longer faceroll noobs. If your looking for a $60 game you can spend hundreds of hours on without ever getting bored or frustrated, this is the game for you.… Expand
  74. mephage
    Oct 27, 2012
    9
    To sum up - GW2 is a fantastic and fun game that I have truly enjoyed in an exploratory and exciting way, something I haven't done in ~7 years.

    I spent a good part of 6 years playing WoW after first playing Guild Wars original for a year or so, then on and off after that point. I've played several other MMOs but none of them ever really came close to WoW or original Guild Wars as far as     I'm concerned.

    GW2 has fresh and exciting ways of exploring and traversing the deep and detailed world. For once, an MMO has left the decision "How should I play the game" to the player, rather than boxing them in to stale and linear PvE experiences. As I'm still leveling, I don't know what end game will be like but GW2 definitely deserves a 9 even if end game is crap, considering just how awesome the leveling experience is.    … Expand
  75. DeFrank
    Aug 28, 2012
    10
    Exceeded my expectations in every way. A ton of content with little to no compulsion to grind. PvP and WvW alone will provide months of solid gameplay.
  76. ohtwo
    Oct 2, 2012
    8
    Good game, good graphics, but nothing too amazing. After about 15 levels of leveling it starts to feel very much like WaR. Very boring after level 15 or so.. I'm still playing to try to keep a feel for the game and hopefully something will peak my interest.

    Experience: I've been playing MMOs ever since Meridian 59.
  77. skeith
    Sep 20, 2012
    10
    This is the best MMORPG I have ever played so far. It doesn't suck your money like a hungry vacuum. Leveling is at ease. Full voice acting in main story. Exploring is also fun and actually rewarding. Very soothing music. Please, try the game, it doesn't even need monthly subscription to play.
  78. Tinsoul
    Sep 28, 2012
    1
    I seriously don't know what people see in GW2 I must be missing something. It's an okay game, but nothing amazing. At best it's average. A very safe vanilla amusement park like game, take you from one attraction to the other. No matter how dull and pointless that attraction is. GW2 doesn't live up to the fun GW1 was, and within 30 minutes of playing GW2 I couldn't wait to log off simply out of bordom. Check the weather was more interesting. I've played 3 hours in total, and I had to force myself to play that much. There simply isn't anything new here, and oh soooooo boring.… Expand
  79. BrokenPipe
    Sep 16, 2012
    9
    Game in which everyone will find something for you. No matter how much time you can dedicate to game, you can fully enjoy it. I think this is what make it completely different from other MMO games.
  80. Kamidutten
    Sep 2, 2012
    5
    Im sorry, i really reallt tried to like this game, but i just cant bring myself around to like this "revolutionary" mmo. The combat is stale at its best, the term "Dynamic combat" may be something cool for a WoW player, but if you have played a game with a true dynamic combat system (TERA) you will find the fighting in GW2 just as autonomous as in for exampe Warhammer online.

    Speaking o    f Warhammer online, this game has to be compared to that game, leave out games like WoW. GW2 has taken alot of the things from the Warhammer game and tried to make it better, the result is a lukewarm mix where nothing really feels thought thru. The exploration part is uninspired and offers little to the game, im Warhammer Online, you were also encouraged to explore and more then often you were rewarded with some unique cloack, title or decoration for your armor. In GW2 all i get is a xp boost and a camerashot of something the devs are perticulary proud of. Shure, you get a chest when you complete all the different Heart quests, points of interest and vistas in an area, but the journey to that reward is long and tedious. Another feature lifted from the Warhammer game is these "Dynamic events". You get to an area where an event is happening, you participate in this event and get a reward upon completion. On some events there are maybe two three stages, with new rewards for each stage completed. Warhammer did this to, but had a problem with scaling depending on the amount of ppl there. Most of the time you would get nowhere since the event dident scale down and the world was fairly empty. GW2 sees to fix this issue and does it pretty good, most events are managable no matter how many are participating, but the reward system is a joke. I once came to an event, shot one spell towards one mob and got a Gold Medal for my role in the event. One time six out of eight cubs i was set to protect died, still got a gold medal. In Warhammer, the event would count the acctual amount of work i did (dmg, tanking, healing, mobs killed) and add that amount to a random dice roll, the higher the score the better the loot. This was a system that encouraged people to do their role and do it well for the phattest loot. In GW2 i can just afk thru the whole event and still get a great reward.

    The mentioned combat is very chaotic. In events with more then five people attending im having a heard time figuring out who does what, what spells are hostile towards me and what my character actually is doing. This is part to this "role-less class system" where there are no clear "Tank" or "Healer", everyone can do everything and they all do it equally bad. Insead of having clear class-roles that you need to protect (help the tank, heal the tank, make shure healer is not getting killed) the GW2 approach seems to be to "zerg" everything. Shure, it looks pretty awesome when 20+ people cather at one spot to do an event, but in the end it feels like none of us have a real identity. I cast some spells, i gave some buffs and debuffs, but so did everyone else. Playing GW2 feels to me like beeing an ant. Im a small insignificant person with generic abilities and skills. Im in a huge world with tons of stuff to see but when i do get to that ellusive mountain top, all i get is a nice view and then have to face the long walk back down again. The world keeps on going without me, events will keep on happening and quests will be solved. I dont feel like a hero, i feel like me, an ant in a big world that manages to go on just fine without me, and thats not what i want.    … Expand
  81. Whookares
    Nov 30, 2012
    1
    Played this game for a couple of months and found that its just too buggy. Many dungeons to not work and the new fractals dungeons crash constantly (usually toward the end). The game is full of cheaters and its just a very bad game would not recommend it to anyone. Give it a year or so for them to work out the bugs and stop the blatant cheating.
  82. rebelyankee
    Aug 29, 2012
    9
    This is a dang fun game. The graphics are great (don't listen to the naysayers who compare MMO graphics to single-player games; these games are made for a wider audience, online at the same time).
    There's plenty to see, plenty to do, the mechanics are engaging but not impossible to figure out. Almost all aspects of this game are fun, starting with a very in-depth character and story creat    or. I feel as if I'm rambling, but this game really does have a little bit of everything, tossing out some of the junk of "classic MMOs" in a "why does an MMO have to have that" philosophy.
    My only complaint is that some things ARE more complex than they need to be, or are broken (the auction house - known as the Black Lion Trading Company). PVP is kind of messy to figure out. In many games, you hit a hot button, bring up the pvp panel, and click to join either a random event, a specific pvp map, and always with the option to join up your entire group.
    That quibble aside, this is a game I'm going to enjoy playing for some time (provided the content gets udpated in a reasonably timely fashion).
    And did I mention there's no sub fee? Once you buy the box, you don't need to buy anything else to play Guild Wars 2.    … Expand
  83. Barua124
    Nov 10, 2012
    8
    I personally like the game, however I can see why some people don't. The game can get a little repetitive, especially with spells and abilities. There's a cash shop but it's not necessary as you already have full access to everything ingame. I never felt pressured to buy anything from the cash shop. The price for the game is a little steep as all new games are. It's not a $60 game. Not worth that price. Maybe for $40.… Expand
  84. Lionhearted
    Sep 13, 2012
    8
    GW2 did what the last 7 years (and 100+) of mmos haven't really successfully, and thats innovate over WoW. The question is does it matter? The game is much better than other mmos gameplay-wise, and has "some skill", it's terrain complexity is a 10 of 10 also. The questing isn't rat race driven ect. I gave GW2 an 8 and that is rated on a curve, the amount of sheer creative input in this game is impressive. GW2 is also the best MMOPVP I have played except maybe Champions online Zombie apocolypse, it's tailored largely like Lotro. But still, is this what weve been waiting for? It still has most of the immersion breaking mmo qualities, it gives you ability to "do your own thing" but the carrot on the stick has simply been switched from quest completion to "map completion". Is that better? A little, but I think only because it's newer. Also the dynamic events and pulling the social "level" walls enhances the game greatly. but again does that make mmos worth your time? I think it is finally with GW2 that we can see MMOs are deeply and fundamentally flawed, and it isn't just the trinity, it isn't just a lack of story of combat immersion. It's a lack of everything else, environments that are intelligent, personal social roleplay, all this replaced with cartoony mass media appetite filler, ect. online games need to be brougt back to the drawing board .. back down to why nerds actually played social games in groups 30+ years ago (and no they weren't addiction based every-night-entertain-me games). Because even 13 years after EQ began the first farm questing, we have still been seeking some actually engaging "imagination play". And it is simply not possible under mmo business as usual gameplay function. We need to start understanding what makes a game a game roleplay ~ roleplay~ and simple online interactive media .. just media and not a game~ After having said all that I can still say I "enjoy" the game and wish Arenanet even more success.. they did themselves proud ~ for a mmo. (and PS innovated many more things beyond whic a single post can hold)… Expand
  85. Footstick
    Sep 23, 2012
    9
    Very refreshing mmo, and with no monthly fee, it's a winner! The "quest" system is what i liked most and why I find it so refreshing. Great job Arenanet, can't wait to see where you take this game.
  86. lilioups
    Sep 3, 2012
    10
    best mmo in recent years and i dont i have to explain why

    all i can say its im playing mmo's since wow vanilla and gw2 simply crush it with eaze and style..i wont bother to mention other mmos since 90% of them are all wow clones.

    Proudly gw2 isnt and thats what make it the best mmo since wow:LK exp
  87. JadeZodiac
    Aug 29, 2012
    10
    Amazing game. The amount of detail that was put into this game is impressive and breathtaking. The combat is fluid. So many things were nailed on the head with this game that were stumbling blocks in previous MMOs (the crafting system, the gathering system, bank storage and collectibles, dynam. Was never a huge fan of Guild Wars 1, but this game has me and my wife completely hooked.
  88. wizegamer
    Sep 21, 2012
    10
    with a decent machine you can play this game with almost max graphics and it looks amazing. small things make a big diffrence birds and small forest animals cover the forests you never feel alone even in big zones. the events and collecting are made so that you are not competeing with other people which is a plus can tell you how many times ive run for a tree or collection spot to have another person beet me only to realize that hey i get to collect to. when you die you get a grace period to bring your self back or others to raise you. and dont get me started on the fact that its FREE TO PLAY best mmo as of right now.… Expand
  89. Mogul
    Aug 28, 2012
    9
    Super early review time! After only a few days of being released, it isn't really appropriate to review an MMO, but I'm going to give it a shot. Let's start with the good news. Guild Wars 2, for me, basically grabbed a lot of the best ideas from other MMOs, and threw them all together, while adding a couple new things of it's own. You have dynamic events like Rifts, you have a quality personal story like you get in SWTOR, and you get "builds" and considerable class freedom like in the Secret World (although Guild Wars 2 does still have distinct classes). The biggest innovation is the "exploration" style gameplay. GW2 does not have quest hubs at all. You just run around the map exploring, tasks pop up on your screen, you do them if you feel like it, and then you run over to the next part of unexplored map, joining in dynamic events along the way (when they appear and if you feel like doing them). Even crafting has an explorer feel, as you mostly just make stuff and discover recipes through the "making stuff" process. In terms of running around wasting time, GW2 has mostly eliminated this. There's no flying around on a gryphon for 5 minutes in this game. If you want to go to a waypoint, you just click the icon on your map, and you go there. This is fantastic, and the game goes out of its way to not waste your time in most areas. This is probably linked to the wonderful lack of a subscription fee. Big points for that. Now for the bad news. Like the Hangover movies, in GW2, it's all just the same thing. Gameplay is very, very repetitive. In each zone, the scenery changes, but you're basically doing whatever you did in the previous zone. Your character also feels powerful at level 1, and doesn't really feel much more powerful as you level up and gain abilities. The feeling of "progression" seems a bit absent from this game. Also, in the "kind of bad" category, this game is addictive. It's really, really addictive, more so than other MMOs. This stems from the lack of natural breaks in the game (things like ok, I just cleared this quest hub, lets stop for today; GW2 lacks break points like this, it's just go go go). Even the standard pvp matches continually re-load new zones when your previous match finishes, and you have to actively quit to stop playing. This is great for not wasting your time, but bad for limiting the amount of time you spend in this game. You've been warned! On the whole, though, this is one of the best games of the year, and a must play for anyone that likes MMO style gameplay.… Expand
  90. Hersiras
    Aug 28, 2012
    10
    Having played Lineage 2, WoW, Guild wars 1 and other F2P MMO's i can say, that this is the best MMO ever released (IMHO). I give it a solid 10. Great graphics, sound, MUSIC BY JEREMY SOULE, the gameplay is extremely hooking and awesome aswell.
  91. 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.
  92. TheVindelator
    Sep 13, 2012
    10
    Loving this game so far. You'll see Guild Wars 2 clones in the coming years. WARNING: You need a really good computer to run this. The minimum system specs aren't going to cut it. This game is more demanding on your comp than anything I've ever seen.
  93. andvaree
    Aug 30, 2012
    10
    Amazing game. So much stuff to do. Loving all the additional activities, art direction and music. I've actually uninstalled all other games from my PC and left only GW2, cause that's all I'll need for the months to come. And the biggest advantage over other AAA MMOs is the lack of subscription. You don't feel any rush to do anything, and you play when you want and have the time for it. No feeling of wasted money if you're busy and can't play. I absolutely love it!… Expand
  94. squidbiskets
    Aug 28, 2012
    10
    This game is amazing. It is not in anyway your typical MMO game. It does almost everything differently. Play any character you want, however you want. You don't need to rely on people to tank or heal you. For PvP you can jump in right away with a max level character and gear and start pvping right away, as It is skill based not gear based.
  95. Wynnyelle
    Aug 29, 2012
    10
    So far, so great! it's a solid game, and a very solid MMO. I normally get burned out on MMOs fairly quickly, so it's up in the air whether the feeling will last, but all of the other MMO releases the past couple of years have just felt stagnant compared to this. It's not your typical MMO and I can understand why some people wouldn't like it because it doesn't have the traditional instanced raiding, but the game pretty much delivers on everything that it says it does, so if you like what you read, give it a shot! You'll get your money's worth.… Expand
  96. 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     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
  97. graphite
    Sep 3, 2012
    2
    This is one broken piece of software. So many events and dungeons are broken, preventing you from completing areas ... but you will throw away a couple of hours before you realies you have waisted your time. No AUCTION house, well there is one but it's broken too. SHUT forums wtf? Bots, hackers and the list goes on. Worst of all, it's the same wolf just in different clothing
  98. rubin
    Dec 28, 2012
    3
    My, my, ArenaNet surely did it's homework in researching "things that every MMO fan seems to want". Beautiful graphics, excellent music, huge open world, no subscription fees - all of that you can find in Guild Wars 2. Too bad that in their pursuit for a perfect MMO formula, ArenaNet forgot to add one critical element to this otherwise perfect equation - fun. No argument for PvP balance can overrule the fact that restricting your class to only a handful of skillsets (as opposed to hundreds in GW1) was an absolutely horrible design choice that doomed the entire experience from the start. The new questing system is also vastly overrated. It really doesn't matter if I have to walk to the NPC or have the quest activated on the go, when it's still the same kill & fetch bullsh*t every other MMO has already done to death. Biggest disappointment of the year.… Expand
  99. pedro3113
    Aug 28, 2012
    10
    In my opinion this is the best MMO ever! The soundtrack is amazing, it's very addicting and it has beautiful graphics! My friends, here we have INNOVATION, it's quite rare nowadays. You just have to pay one time, no monthly fees.
  100. Jadagar
    Sep 21, 2012
    8
    After some time with Guild Wars 2, I can safely say that we're not looking at anything new here. Although, there -is- an absence of annoying quest-givers, questing is still essentially a hub-to-hub grindfest of tedious errands made occasionally interesting with zerg-dependent events and world raid bosses. PvP has about the same level of depth, lots of zerging involved with WvWvW with a handful of amusing tournament-based ordeals involving fewer players. I won't lie that I keep hoping for something revolutionary and GW2 doesn't necessarily exceed (or even meet) those lofty expectations. HOWEVER, for all its shortcomings, Guild Wars 2 does set the bar a little higher in a few ways, the foremost being is that it is executed very well. Shaky start notwithstanding, great depth is incorporated into the interface mechanics. In fact, I would argue that GW2 has taken from mainstream MMO's that which we love and trimmed the fat in an effort to minimize tedium. The result is quick and easy auctioneering, fun and rewarding crafting, and great variety in terms of sorting and customization. It is very clean, easy to manage, and altogether fulfilling. Sadly, while all the streamlining may appeal to the majority, the handful of dungeons and short list of pvp options will not be adequate fodder for the hardcore audience. Flaws aside, the sheer vastness and relative splendor of Guild Wars 2 is well worth $60, and that's really all you have to pay to keep playing; the game is easily playable without having to spend a dime on the micro-transactions, which are essentially non-vital extravagances you can purchase with in-game money given a little time and effort. All things considered, this is a good start, and the fact that Arena.net has promised more and more free features as time goes by makes the one-time payment for GW2 all the more worthwhile. 8/10.… Expand
Page:

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
90 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 69 Critics

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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