Guild Wars 2 ages like fine wine. ArenaNet’s MMORPG will turn 6 at the end of the month, marking another milestone for the game beloved by many. For those who have not tried the Guild Wars 2, it’s a great game that for its time, broke barriers and set standards for what MMORPGs should offer players. From systems like PvP to simple convenience UI mechanics, the game pampered players alongside high quality PvE content which made it top drawer. All these years later, much has changed, and we’re listing why Guild Wars 2 is still one of the best MMOs out there.
Leveling To Max Level Is Free
If you didn’t know, Guild Wars 2 made its base game completely free of charge. New players can download the game and play the entirety of the vanilla content FOC. No trial charade, no level 20 only roadblock – the entirety of the base game is free with restrictions. You can just about level a character to 80 and experience the game’s story, zone events and more. The restrictions are not as heavy handed as other F2P MMORPGs like Star Wars The Old Republic for example, so you’ve got nothing to lose. The best part is, opting into the expansions is optional, but we highly recommend them anyway. And down the line, the game gives its content updates – Living World Season Episodes – to players for free for simply logging on when its out. If you haven’t got an account, click here and give the game a free test run.
The World of Tyria Continues To Evolve
GW2 is not a sandbox, and falls under the theme-park MMO category. But the game world does stand out remarkably well because of the scripted dynamic events that happens throughout the various maps in Tyria. The events can vary from a small scale invasion to a large multi-tiered map meta that leads to the slaying of a huge world boss for great rewards. What’s awesome is that it never feels scripted, and it’s a spectacle when it happens thanks to player participation, especially during prime time hours.
It’s the amount of events in addition to how the world is so intractable through exploration and activities that makes it feel very alive, and that’s above and beyond most MMOs that have static worlds that don’t respond to the consequences of a player’s actions on the landscape.
The Grinds Are Optional
And one of the best things GW2 does very well is making sure that players don’t feel the burn that we’ve all felt from other MMORPGs. There are no compulsory gear treadmills and gear grinds, you only craft or get what you want. Take legendary weapons and ascended gear for example – they are a long term progression that undeniably makes your stats better for end-game content. But not by a significant amount from the previous tier. So it’s more of an achievement thing really. And players who don’t do end-game content won’t need it to get through difficult PvE boss fights. Some will like not having a gear grind, while others may want it if they feel like they’re not accomplishing anything.
But what that does for the game is it makes catching up to newer content much, much easier. Ever left an MMO for years only to come back and feel like there’s no way you can get caught up to enjoy the new content? Well that never happens on Guild Wars 2, because there’s no grinding needed that blocks you off from future content.
PvP Is Challenging, Fun and Fair
Most MMOs don’t take the risk of omitting gear effectiveness from their PvP. Players that grind gear for months and even years would obviously like to use it in competitive modes to get an advantage. And why shouldn’t they, it’s their hard work! In Guild Wars 2 however, everyone is balanced and scaled equally, so it’s down to skill and understanding of the profession one plays rather than who’s get the best equipment.
By doing this, PvP becomes a lot more inclusive without entry barriers. That means a lot more people who wouldn’t normally participate in PvP will check it out and get a fair chance in structured PvP, which is why the PvP is pretty popular.
One Of The Best MMO Player Communities
Hands down, Guild Wars 2 has the nicest bunch of players in any MMORPG. Subjective statement, but we play a lot of them, and we have a lot of experience to back that up. Not only are players helpful, willing and just fun to be around – the game fosters that and encourages togetherness. They way world events work, Commander tagging and Mentor tagging operates, creates a dynamic environment for extroverted players to lead, and for introverted and in-between players to find groups of people they belong to. The game is also the first to introduce the 5 guild system – you join 5 guilds instead of one. It just lets you expand your network.
And just this year, we saw the community in action, creating a campaign to help new players integrate in-game. The #WelcometoGW2 was all over the place, and a reflection of how the game and its veteran players takes care of its community.
