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Guild Wars Factions

EMAIL PRINT pc

8.2 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 39 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 64 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: NCsoft

Developer: AreaNet

Genre(s): Massively-Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game

Players: Thousands

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Release Date: April 27, 2006

Summary

The stand-alone Guild Wars Factions is the second campaign in ArenaNet's massively multiplayer online role-playing game. The Factions campaign, which can be played either connected with the regular Guild Wars or as its own separate game, includes new regions (with an entire new continent), professions, skills, missions, and monsters, along with expanded options for both Cooperative and Player-versus-Player (PvP) play, and enhanced features for guilds. New content includes a number of the skills added to Guild Wars: Factions, including some of the deadly skills of the Assassin and the arcane spells of the spiritual Ritualist. Factions will also introduce a new PvP continent, Battle Isles. Battle Isles will introduce players to new PvP experiences, new and expanded arenas, new quests and a new explorable area as well. [NCsoft]

Also On Metacritic

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Cheat Codes & Hints: GameSpot Hints & Cheats

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

AtomicGamer

Overall, Factions is an excellent package. While players of Prophecies may look at it and see a $50 price tag and complain, the game is truly complete - it isn't just a straight up expansion pack.

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Game Chronicles

The gameplay is now as polished as a new katana and Factions adds plenty of new features to keep players engaged until a third expansion arrives sometime in the next few months.

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Digital Entertainment News

Anyone who can’t see the value in playing such a beautiful game online when there are no monthly fees required needs... therapy.

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RewiredMind

Guild Wars: Factions is a rich, detailed and diverse world with plenty of scope for expansion, and already has me looking forward to seeing Chapter 3 when it comes out. This game can convert even the most ardent Planetsiders (most of my Guild actually) and the fun that both chapters offer is never-ending.

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Cheat Code Central

Fairly balanced and sharp looking, it may lack some of the depth of its competitors but it does more than hold its own by providing an exciting competitive combat experience rounded out by impressive visuals on anyone’s system and the right MMO aspects sprinkled throughout.

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Worth Playing

The combination of setting, graphical tweaks, and additional content have done nothing more than forge the experience into exactly what it should have been from the very beginning.

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GameSpy

On a very meaningful level, it gives complete newcomers access to the most exciting aspect of the game right out of the box. And should those players decide to sample everything that it has to offer, they will not be disappointed.

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1UP

Each module of Factions was obviously overseen by the staunchest of perfectionists, because they work amazingly well. Factions is a must-buy for Guild Wars fans and a must-try for everyone else.

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Yahoo! Games

Committed Guild Wars players will probably have bought it already -- if you haven't taken the plunge yet, it's the perfect opportunity to try this unique and beautiful game.

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GameZone

Allowing players to move Prophecy characters to Factions landscapes and quest streams is a definite plus.

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AceGamez

Once more they've created not only a mesmerisingly beautiful world but also an infinitely playable one to boot.

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WHAM! Gaming

The series could benefit from features such as other playable races or a crafting system, but you'll likely be so busy adventuring that you won't have much time for gathering herbs.

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IC-Games

The interface could have done with some tweaking, as it’s not immediately obvious what everything does, but aside from that there really isn’t any reason why you should give Factions a run.

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Computer Games Online RO

For veteran players, Factions offers little in terms of PvE but more than makes up for it in PvP, especially if you’re a member of an experienced guild.

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Gamer 2.0

Guild Wars Factions not only gives longtime fans a taste of something new, but it allows newcomers to jump right in and start playing.

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Jolt Online Gaming UK

It’s not as heavy on the role-playing as a subscription MMO, and it’s not usually as instantly gratifying as an online shooter, but it strikes a great balance for the casual MMO fan and the achievement-oriented action fan alike.

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Pelit (Finland)

Guild Wars: Factions expands the original game with a new, fresh-looking Oriental-style campaign and new play modes for PvP. Its greatest asset is still the lack of monthly fees, but it is also a good MMORPG with lots of PvP content and a fantastic skill system. [June 2006]

GamerNode

Despite the penalties for dying, and the occasional boring quest or tedious running. Guild Wars is an excellently planned and executed MMORPG. It has the mass appeal of NOT costing you money every month.

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ActionTrip

You get plenty of bang for your buck and if you liked the original, you're bound to like Factions. The "sequel" or whatever you like to call it offers a lot of great stuff, albeit for the more hardcore GW fans.

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IGN

Perhaps ironically, the more you play, the fresher it stays, thanks to unlocking arenas and skills.

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GameSpot

The follow-up to the innovative Guild Wars features a large new fantasy world to explore and enough competitive and cooperative role-playing action to easily keep you busy for weeks.

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Gamers Europe

Of course if you’ve gotten all the bonuses, all the skills for all six character classes and a fancy looking set of fissure armour, then Factions is the stand-alone expansion for you! You get a whole new campaign to play, a lot of new skills to find and a cracking good story to play through, not to mention a case that retains its newness for months. Marvellous.

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Deeko

Guild Wars: Factions is a standalone game instead of being a true expansion pack, so you get 4 character slots and 8 profession to choose from. Luckily, owners of both campaigns can bring over the original 4 character slots and 2 additional ones in Factions.

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PC Format

Solid, and cheap enough to warrant dipping into instead of devoting your life to. [July 2006, p.88]

PC Gamer UK

Fun, but easily forgotten. [July 2006, p.75]

PC Gamer

While it's not a must-have for current players, unlocking Faction's 300-odd new skills and discovering an entire new continent full of missions, monsters, and locales adds a lot of creamy icing to an already tasty cake. [Aug 2006, p.64]

G4 TV

Owners of both Prophecies and Factions will eat up the Asian-themed landscapes and ability to travel between both games. For new kids, if MMOs freaked you out because of their overwhelming commitment, Factions will reward for your hard hours quickly.

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Computer Games Magazine

Still, if you were intrigued at all by the PvP aspects of the original design but frustrated by the steep learning curve--or if you're just brand-new to the game--Factions is the best place to jump in and experience one of the deepest and most rewarding franchises in gaming. [Sept. 2006, p.79]

games(TM)

While some may argue that Factions is ‘more of the same’ and nothing greater than a hefty expansion, the sheer amount of fresh content easily makes the title a worthy purchase. [Aug 2006, p.124]

Boomtown

Despite finding the storyline enjoyable, I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was only there to prepare me for PvP action.

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GamerFeed

The lure of playing Cantha and experiencing this world, plus the challenge of playing as either the Assassin or Ritualist are plenty of incentive by themselves to enter the world of Factions.

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Loaded Inc

On the one hand I am greatly disappointed that Factions seems to just be ‘more of the same’ in a different setting with even less missions, yet on the other hand it has reignited my interest in the series and I am once again playing Guild Wars as often as I was once before.

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Eurogamer

There's still some basic things it lacks, most obviously a decent in-game auction house for trading items, and a better teaming system for locating people interested in grouping, but it does keep a count on how long you've been playing and after a long session pops up a "You've been playing for four hours. Take a break".

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My Gamer

Factions really doesn't break any new ground, but it does play well to its core competencies, namely delivering a beautiful world for players that love PvE and exploration, alongside a finely-tuned set of PvP and Arena areas for the more competitive crowd.

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Games Radar (in-house)

And with no monthly fees, Guild Wars Factions serves as an excellent introduction to those unfamiliar with the MMORPG genre or Guild Wars series.

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PC Zone UK

Ultimately, though, it's more of the same, albeit with a new storyline and exotic new setting. [July 2006, p.82]

Strategy Informer

Obviously there are a few limitations such as only having 5 characters, but that’s not too much of a problem. I was personally impressed.

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VideoGamer

While there's no denying that the Guild Wars franchise is both popular and technically superb, unless you're after dedicated PvP thrills, it's hard to see it genuinely competing with games like World of Warcraft in the long term.

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The Onion (A.V. Club)

The campaign feels rushed: you'll be halfway to your maximum level before the story proper even starts, and the plot, about a mysterious illness that plagues the land, is clichéd.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 8.2 (out of 10) based on 64 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

William G gave it an8:
I happen to own each expansion of Guild Wars and have to admit that Factions is probably the most enjoyable one that I have played so far. Not much is really changed from the original but it did add new content but not anything 'new' to the idea. Cool thing is that your characters can travel either expansion that you have. Of course it's not easy to get there in the first place if your not ready. I will say that Factions is the shortest out of the 3 expansions, so hitting cap will be roughly 6 hours or less depending on if you complete every quest on the starting island first and do some hunting mixed with that. Only downside that I found was the lack of skills your character is given. Prophecies allowed your character to gain skills through quests. In Factions your character gets some skills, but the rest have to be bought through skill trainers if your willing to spend some gold. Not the best way but sometimes you have no choice. Graphics did'nt change much, though there is some difference in EOTN than Nightfall and Factions. Overall Factions is an ok place to start and the two new classes, Assassin and Ritualist (a.k.a. Sin and Spirit Spammer), add some spice into the original 6 (Warrior, Ranger, Monk, Necromancer, Mesmer and Elementalist) so I give it an 8. Not perfect, but still worth playing. I would suggest on getting this in retail if available as a platnium edtion so you get the original and one of the mentioned expansions or get the whole triology for one price.

J gave it a9:
Polished game with addictive play elements. The environment is beautiful to look at and the character designs are top notch. The highly customizable avatars and character equipment upgrade options keep players coming back. As a stand alone product, the game provides literally hundreds of hours of entertaintment due to the variety of gameplay options. As an expansion, it is a worthy second chapter to the Guild Wars series. Highly recommended as a better-looking, faster-paced, subscription free alternative to the WoW franchise.

Rob E. gave it an8:
This expansion adds, but it lacks the brilliance of the original. New classes, new skills, new quests, but most of it feels like more of the same. Instead of improving on the original formula, it adds new styles of play and makes them the focus. Just because you loved the original doesn't guarantee you'll love this one. If you haven't bought it yet, save your money for nightfall.

MaKRoute M. gave it a10:
Beautiful!

P M gave it a10:
Best MMORPG ever.

V gave it an8:
Great Game, but some frame rate issues cause bad lagging and enemy view is never obstructed. But the game is so much fun, the MMORPG anybody can enjoy, its small in size it doesnt cost money and its not meant for the real hardcore RPG fans. So any average gamer out there can have a lot of fun with this game, Cantha is a big world to explore. But during cinematics the mouths dont move and the quests can get very tedious unless your in a good guild, really it all depends on what kind of gamer you are to how much fun this game can be, its a hard game to rate but the eight seems fair.

Timothy P. gave it a9:
Near perfect PC game!

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