Ascalonian Catacombs, the first dungeon, is initially a brutal place, where ghostly enemies will tear into thin ragged strips an unsuspecting group used to the lenient events in the outdoor world. Instead, every class can restore health, something ArenaNet implemented to break down the need to collect a healer, tank and damage dealers before heading into a dungeon. There’s no dedicated healing class in Guild Wars 2. You’ll see cut-scenes with recurring characters throughout each dungeon played in the initial story mode, and you can return later to take on a dungeon’s more challenging explorable mode, where the strengths of Guild Wars 2’s flexible class system become apparent. Story also extends to the numerous dungeons built for five person groups, making each instanced set of challenges feel less like some separate, random pocket of enemies and more threaded together with the rest of the world. There’s so much in Guild Wars 2 that it wouldn’t be too difficult to level another class to the cap and see numerous new zones and events and interact with different characters. Such a setup lends a sense that no matter how you decide to play, you’re missing content. Goofy, eccentric characters are developed in a way that engenders more sympathy than the serious and stoic types, making the irritable inventors of the Asura far more interesting to listen to than the predictable Norn warriors, and making story missions where you’re taking on pirates in drinking contests much more fun than some of the needlessly drawn-out climactic encounters.Įven though the story may not draw out tears or shouts of joy, it’s structurally impressive, with unique sequences for all five races and plenty of opportunities to choose a path forward as you join specialized orders and frequently select one of multiple mission objectives. ArenaNet seems most comfortable setting a humorous tone instead of one of compelling heroic idealism. That’s not true of all those met along the journey. They’re mostly plain, flatly drawn characters constructed solely to move the plot along, lacking the kind of depth and warmth that might otherwise trigger a significant emotional response. The sheer volume of content here is impressive and the inclusion of world-threatening dragons, huge battles and near constant treachery should make for an entertaining tale the whole way through, but the personal story quests never reach the same heights as the world events.ĭespite the enormous amount of time you’ll spend listening to characters talk throughout the main story’s fully voiced dialogue sequences, few personalities are memorable. Instead of infrequent reminders that yes, there is a main story, these quests occur often, usually pose a challenge and can each last for a surprising, sometimes unnecessary amount of time. These personal story quests form the spine of Tyria’s tale, from the opening moments where you deal with the more localized issues of your selected race to the point where you’re up against the world’s greatest evils. This style is applied to every part of the game, including the enormous amount of in-game cinematics that tell Guild Wars 2’s main story. Even the interface is artfully constructed, designed to convey a painterly look with brushstrokes along its borders instead of hard lines. Even though ArenaNet works with familiar fantasy ideas, such as that of a pirate port town, the results transcend the confines of convention, like the city of Lion’s Arch, where hours can be lost screencapping its dense beauty like a wide-eyed tourist. The main cities in particular are designed with an unbelievable amount of detail. From the rickety wooden planks of vast underwater structures to glowing cube-like Asuran fantasy machinery to boiling lava lakes inside towering mountains, Tyria is one of the most visually stunning virtual worlds in existence provided you have a machine capable of running it at its highest settings. Guild Wars 2 is a staggering triumph of original world design, one that even without the generous rewards would be worth exploring simply to gawk at the sights.
Along with Guild Wars 2’s incredible visuals, this generates a powerful sense of adventure.
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