Guild Wars 2 is a well-known MMORPG, but it has never received the media attention it deserves. MeinMMO editor Alexander Leitsch believes that many underestimate GW2 and presents to you 5 special features of the game.
What is special about Guild Wars 2? When the MMORPG was launched in 2012, it brought many features that were later introduced in many other games. One example is the dynamic scaling in the areas, which can now also be found in WoW or ESO, and which have been further developed by them.
However, there are also other aspects of Guild Wars 2 that I believe many do not appreciate. I have compiled 5 of these special features for you.
The absence of Quests
How do Quests work in GW2? Guild Wars 2 does away with the traditional quest log and NPCs that you have to run to in order to accept and turn in your tasks.
Instead, fixed heart tasks and spontaneous events appear in the open world. The actual storyline is told in fixed instances every 10 levels or, in the endgame, in chapters in the form of story missions.
Why is this good? The hearts on the map resemble quests in that they have a task to complete and a bar to fill. However, you save yourself tedious running around, unnecessary dialogues, never have a full quest log, and usually get multiple options to complete the heart. For example, you can:
- Kill enemies to protect the farm
- Feed the animals on the farm
- Grow food for the animals
Sure, the tasks repeat eventually, but the system offers, in my opinion, much more freedom, is more dynamic, and fits a more immersive world.
The story episodes, in turn, are not fragmented into individual quests, which can sometimes be interrupted by pointless tasks like leveling reputation or completing certain side quests. A storyline can be played all at once.
A modern combat system
What is different about the combat system? Guild Wars 2 has classic tab-targeting, but gives it a modern twist. You can move while casting almost all of your skills, which is expected since some attacks require flanking the opponent.
Additionally, there is a dynamic dodge roll that must be used in many places to avoid strong attacks from enemies.
Why is this good? The dodge roll and the combat system in general had made it so I could hardly play another MMORPG for a long time. I miss the dynamism of using skills while moving and dodging in danger.
If you also don’t enjoy tab-targeting, you can use the so-called action cam. This is a tool developed by the creators that was introduced later. With it, you get a crosshair and have to aim with many of your skills instead of automatically attacking a target. This makes GW2 even more dynamic.
No item spiral and no new max level
How does the item system work? In November 2012, ArenaNet released the ascended trinkets, and a few months later the ascended armor and weapons. These are still the highest gear level in the game.
New content, new dungeons, and raids do not bring you better gear but only partially new attribute combinations and new skins. If you create a legendary weapon, you can choose any combination of attributes as long as you are out of combat.
Additionally, the maximum level of Guild Wars 2 has not been increased since its release. It still only goes up to level 80.
Why is this good? A return to Guild Wars 2 is always possible because you never fall behind in terms of gear or levels. The system is also easy to understand and does not overwhelm newcomers.
The MMORPG instead relies on a different kind of progression:
- With new content, new “masteries” are added. Through these, you learn to glide, new mounts, the use of special skills, or useful means of transport on certain maps.
- There are also regularly new skins added to the game that change your appearance. This is why GW2 is often affectionately referred to as Fashion Wars.
There is some criticism of the system because some players find it too boring and feel that they lack goals. They are used to grinding for new gear all the time.
However, I enjoy being able to take a break or not having to rely on luck to obtain good gear, as is often the case in Black Desert.
The mounts
What is special about the mounts? In Guild Wars 2, mounts are not just there to help you move faster. Each animal has different skills:
- The raptor can leap particularly far
- The springer can jump particularly high
- The jackal can teleport
- The roller beetle is the fastest mount rolling downhill but particularly slow uphill
- The skimmer glides over water while you would otherwise be dismounted
- The griffon glides through the air
To make the most of every mount, you first need to unlock it and then level it, one of the forms of vertical progression.
Why is this so good? Besides the special properties that make the mounts interesting in their own right, these animals also move very realistically.
They need to gain momentum to reach their maximum speed and also have many natural animations, such as shaking, sniffing, or shaking their heads.
This makes the mounts feel really alive.
The wardrobe system
How does the wardrobe system work? In Guild Wars 2, appearance plays an important role. The wardrobe system is helpful in this regard. All equipped or recycled skins can be stored in this wardrobe and applied to any armor and weapons.
For this, you only need transmutation charges, which can be earned or bought with in-game and real currency.
Additionally, Guild Wars 2 has a rich portfolio of ready-made clothing sets that can be worn over armor, as well as more than 550 different colors with which armors, gliders, and even mounts can be dyed.
Why is this so good? If you frequently want to customize your character or give them a special outfit, Guild Wars 2 has a lot to offer.
This versatility is also used for many good causes in Guild Wars 2. For example, during Tyria Pride, many players gathered in the most colorful hues to support the LGBTQ+ community.
