Post by Gilvan Blight on Mar 20, 2006 10:06:48 GMT -5
A disclaimer: only I am only level 8 or so and in the 'pre-scourge' world, so this info is only based on my gameplay up to that point.
Summary: a MMORPG somewhat. Actually more like a big multiplayer Diablo where everyone hangs out in city areas and then team up to go on intanced missions and quests. You have a usual set of fantasy jobs to choose from: Warrior, Elementalist, Monk, Ranger, Mesmer, or Necromancer, plus you very soon into the game get to pick a secondary profession from the same group. This makes for a good mix of character types and from what I could see there are favourites but none of them appeared to be totally gimped (unlike most MMO's where there are totally useless combos). Each profession has a set of skills (150 of them I am pretty sure they claim). In town you pick from your set of skills so that you only have 8 to chose from when out questing. You get new skills through quests and missions, starting with a set of standard ones and eventually getting elite skills. Combat constist of attacking and the using these skills. It's real time, but you don't have to litterally 'swing your sword', so it's not that action oriented. A big part of this game though is the PvP play. You can play non PvP (PvE) and do quests all you like, or you can join in ranked arena battles. This is a huge draw for many players and the ladders for these tournies are posted online for the world to see.
The good: intuitive controls. Nothing was hard to do, and realy only haveing to move, attack (space or click) and use 8 skills it wasn't at all overwhealming. The look of this game is fantastic. I would definately call this a next generation MMO based on looks alone (okay next generation when it came out, I guess it would be this generation now). I found myself distracted by scenery quite a bit. No jump! Okay not really a good, just a realy bad I have found in more recent mmos. I hate platforming and it doesn't belong in a rpg, thankfully GW agreed. The skill system. I really like the skill system and the way that system is what customizes your character. It's also what separates the good player from the bad and that's a cool thing. The quests are interesting and there are a ton of them. This really hit me at first, just the sheer number of them, but I learned to love it as there was always something to do (no sitting for 6 hours lfg just so I can gain some xp). The quests were also interesting, they wern't all just go kill this, though most were, there was a good variety. Also thus far the escorts in escort quests weren't total idiots. Movement: the teleport system is awesome. This should exist in every game (and all newer games I have played DDO and AA have had it). Save a ton of useless walking time. People I know play it, okay this does mean the game is good, but really this could be any online game. The fact that I have friends playing it does give this a big bonus... now if I could just convert people to Auto Assault... And of course the last and most important: No monthly fee! Though you will probably want to pick up the $70 expainsion coming soon, though 70 a year is much better then $15 a month.
The Bad: Money. The economy appears to be broken in this just as it is in every MMO I have played. Camping for things seems easy enough, but the npcs pay nothing for the stuff, and for some reason the players pay alot. This seems to be the case in every game where rare items are monster drops and the items npcs sell are useless. The level 20 cap. Okay no I haven't gotten there, but I know it can be done in a week or two. I know this is a draw for most players, but I like the level treadmill myself, at least when done right so there is always something to do at my level that will advance me forward. Jumping in this late in the game. I have found it a bit hard to get oriented and figure the game out when everyone else out there has been playing for a year or two (can't remember how old this is). Sure everyone is willing to help, but anyone that plays something that long is going to take things for granted (like how to sell stuff, or how to colour your clothes). Most people are just like 'follow me, get this quest, okay lets go kill X, there you got a good weapon!" Sure this is great for leveling and getting good gear but it's not explaining the game at all.
The Ugly: Instances - guild wars takes this to a higher extreme then I have seen in other mmos. When you are on a quest, you and your group alone are there. You will never run into another player not in your group except in one of the 'city' area. Well this eliminates camping, MPK etc, I just found it made it feel like I wasn't playing a MMO, and that the world was empty (sure there are lots of npcs and they act rather realisitcially but it just didn't have that feel). This also means there is no Call for help. This is something in Other MMOs I have enjoyed both in receiving the help and getting it. In this you are litterally out on you own.
Lag - okay this is a constant in any MMO game, and it wasn't really bad on this game at all, but it does happen, and it always happens at the worst time.
Overall: actually a ton of fun. Better then I expected. Not really a traditional MMO, it feels like a solo game with other people playing. The only time you work with other players is outside of town and it feels more Diablo like then other MMOs. The no monthy is a huge draw and I definately think you will get your money's worth for the purchase price.
Summary: a MMORPG somewhat. Actually more like a big multiplayer Diablo where everyone hangs out in city areas and then team up to go on intanced missions and quests. You have a usual set of fantasy jobs to choose from: Warrior, Elementalist, Monk, Ranger, Mesmer, or Necromancer, plus you very soon into the game get to pick a secondary profession from the same group. This makes for a good mix of character types and from what I could see there are favourites but none of them appeared to be totally gimped (unlike most MMO's where there are totally useless combos). Each profession has a set of skills (150 of them I am pretty sure they claim). In town you pick from your set of skills so that you only have 8 to chose from when out questing. You get new skills through quests and missions, starting with a set of standard ones and eventually getting elite skills. Combat constist of attacking and the using these skills. It's real time, but you don't have to litterally 'swing your sword', so it's not that action oriented. A big part of this game though is the PvP play. You can play non PvP (PvE) and do quests all you like, or you can join in ranked arena battles. This is a huge draw for many players and the ladders for these tournies are posted online for the world to see.
The good: intuitive controls. Nothing was hard to do, and realy only haveing to move, attack (space or click) and use 8 skills it wasn't at all overwhealming. The look of this game is fantastic. I would definately call this a next generation MMO based on looks alone (okay next generation when it came out, I guess it would be this generation now). I found myself distracted by scenery quite a bit. No jump! Okay not really a good, just a realy bad I have found in more recent mmos. I hate platforming and it doesn't belong in a rpg, thankfully GW agreed. The skill system. I really like the skill system and the way that system is what customizes your character. It's also what separates the good player from the bad and that's a cool thing. The quests are interesting and there are a ton of them. This really hit me at first, just the sheer number of them, but I learned to love it as there was always something to do (no sitting for 6 hours lfg just so I can gain some xp). The quests were also interesting, they wern't all just go kill this, though most were, there was a good variety. Also thus far the escorts in escort quests weren't total idiots. Movement: the teleport system is awesome. This should exist in every game (and all newer games I have played DDO and AA have had it). Save a ton of useless walking time. People I know play it, okay this does mean the game is good, but really this could be any online game. The fact that I have friends playing it does give this a big bonus... now if I could just convert people to Auto Assault... And of course the last and most important: No monthly fee! Though you will probably want to pick up the $70 expainsion coming soon, though 70 a year is much better then $15 a month.
The Bad: Money. The economy appears to be broken in this just as it is in every MMO I have played. Camping for things seems easy enough, but the npcs pay nothing for the stuff, and for some reason the players pay alot. This seems to be the case in every game where rare items are monster drops and the items npcs sell are useless. The level 20 cap. Okay no I haven't gotten there, but I know it can be done in a week or two. I know this is a draw for most players, but I like the level treadmill myself, at least when done right so there is always something to do at my level that will advance me forward. Jumping in this late in the game. I have found it a bit hard to get oriented and figure the game out when everyone else out there has been playing for a year or two (can't remember how old this is). Sure everyone is willing to help, but anyone that plays something that long is going to take things for granted (like how to sell stuff, or how to colour your clothes). Most people are just like 'follow me, get this quest, okay lets go kill X, there you got a good weapon!" Sure this is great for leveling and getting good gear but it's not explaining the game at all.
The Ugly: Instances - guild wars takes this to a higher extreme then I have seen in other mmos. When you are on a quest, you and your group alone are there. You will never run into another player not in your group except in one of the 'city' area. Well this eliminates camping, MPK etc, I just found it made it feel like I wasn't playing a MMO, and that the world was empty (sure there are lots of npcs and they act rather realisitcially but it just didn't have that feel). This also means there is no Call for help. This is something in Other MMOs I have enjoyed both in receiving the help and getting it. In this you are litterally out on you own.
Lag - okay this is a constant in any MMO game, and it wasn't really bad on this game at all, but it does happen, and it always happens at the worst time.
Overall: actually a ton of fun. Better then I expected. Not really a traditional MMO, it feels like a solo game with other people playing. The only time you work with other players is outside of town and it feels more Diablo like then other MMOs. The no monthy is a huge draw and I definately think you will get your money's worth for the purchase price.