The last episode of Living World Season 3 has arrived on the Guild Wars 2 servers! And with this, probably the last release before the next big addon, players receive a new fractal. Enough reason for our author, the Arch Chancellor, to take a closer look at the fractal “Shattered Observatory”.
The Arch Chancellor and his beloved Necromancer had not been seen in Tyria for a long time. But the prospect of a new fractal has piqued my curiosity as well.
If you want to dive into battle without prejudice, I recommend not reading further. While I will try to keep my report fairly free of spoilers, spoilers cannot be completely avoided. All others are warmly invited to explore “Shattered Observatory” with me, as that is the name of the new fractal.
Fractals, Curse or Blessing?
Fractals have always been a point of contention in the Guild Wars 2 community, as these instances are detached from their surroundings. You enter them through a lobby, and their scope is often smaller than that of classic instances. With the epic length of a visit to the Ruins of Arah, for instance, fractals cannot compete. From a developer’s perspective, instances that are not directly connected to the world are, of course, easier to maintain, so we players can occasionally look forward to new fractals.
With my Darksteel Greatsword freshly sharpened, I find myself in Lion’s Arch in front of the portal. For my first visit, I dare the unthinkable and search for group members through the group search function. An unusual decision, as I could dash through the new content with experienced guild members. But of course, the goofballs are all asleep on a Sunday just before eight. But for you, dear readers, I happily walk through fire and throw myself into battle with strangers.
Random Groups, the Best Testing Phase for New Content?!
Those who want to enter the Shattered Observatory can choose between levels 25, 50, 75, and 100. Considering my long absence, I decided to start with the level 25 fractal and joined a group where none of them had experience in this fractal yet.
Once in the fractal, I marvel at the scenery and sense something ominous. I can’t help but think of Alice in Wonderland. Floating ruins and platforms. Once again, I’m aware of how well the graphics of Guild Wars 2 have held up over the last five years. However, there’s not much time to waste, as the Shattered Observatory does not start quietly.
Mindless Trash Mobs Are Hard to Find
After a few hesitant jumps, I find myself in front of Skorvald, and it seems to me that the good guy is not happy. But at this point, the strength of the new fractal becomes apparent. Those who have left their brains and backpacks at home can jump right off the platform. The Shattered Observatory and its bosses are far from the “Tank & Spank” mechanics of other MMOs or earlier Guild Wars 2 instances.
While you always had to move a bit more in Guild Wars 2, what is expected in the Observatory is another good step up.
I didn’t expect a morning without deaths, but being face-down on the warm instance floor during the first boss was a bit of a surprise.
Dumb comments like “Teaching years are not lord years” race through my mind as my Necromancer adjusts her cleavage to charge at Skorvald again. And lo and behold, the old Erzi is still capable of learning. On the second attempt, the boss is defeated.
No Ground, but a Short Story!
After a dreamy cutscene, my Necromancer suddenly stands in outer space. An ungrounded audacity! For someone with a fear of heights like me, not the ideal environment. Fortunately, the developers spare me the jumping puzzles I abhor and send us after a short interlude to the next boss fight. With Viirastra, my “Alice in Wonderland” vibe intensifies, the Shattered Observatory is quirky.
My hope to once again apply what I learned in the first battle dissipates when a red skull appears above my Necromancer’s head. Usually not the international sign for healing.
How right I was becomes apparent seconds later as the entire group is wiped out. It quickly becomes clear that anyone who is not fully alert will draw the ire of their teammates.
Those Who Are Not Attentive Harm the Group.
This also applies to the last boss of the fractal, whom we face right after overcoming the battle against Viirastra. Arkk, as he is named, combines the various mechanics of his colleagues and significantly tortures us.
And it becomes clear to me: Shattered Observatory is not a beginner fractal.
New players will surely curse at the Shattered Observatory at first. For seasoned Guild Wars 2 players, however, it represents long-awaited challenging content outside of raids.
And correspondingly, the reaction in the community is also positive; many players praise the high difficulty level and the intricate boss mechanics. My subsequent instance runs with my guild in Challenge Mode at a higher difficulty level confirm this impression. The bosses are not only sturdier but also feature abilities that were not present in the lower difficulty levels.
The Shattered Observatory: Only Partially Suitable for Beginners.
Arenanet has pushed the idea of fractals to the limit with the Observatory. It partially resembles a PvE arena where we wander from boss fight to boss fight to prove ourselves. Within the framework of a fractal, it is a welcome change. For many players, the Shattered Observatory is considered one of the best and most interesting fractals, surely also because it is new in the game. However, it also shows that Arenanet is striving to provide Guild Wars 2 with new content that does not always follow the same pattern.
My Necromancer and I had a lot of fun in the Observatory. We are certainly not the last to visit this place, especially since I have not yet taken the hungry little cat with me that can be found after completing the fractal.
Have you explored the Observatory yet? And if so, what do you think of the plethora of boss mechanics that this fractal has to offer?
This evening, the next expansion for Guild Wars 2 will be announced.
