When the people in charge at NCSoft announced during the investors’ conference in March that they were working on Guild Wars 3, MeinMMO editor Karsten Scholz’s wife danced in a circle out of joy. The MMORPG series from Arenanet has some strengths that no other online role-playing game offers in this form.
Right off the bat: Not only my wife Susanne was excited about the announcement of Guild Wars 3. I would also love to explore a modern version of Tyria. However, she is the much more passionate fan of the entire series, while I have “only” logged considerable playtime in Guild Wars 2.
However, it is true for both of us that we appreciate the MMORPG from Arenanet because of some strengths that are simply unmatched anywhere else. At the same time, you can tell that the current installment of the series shows its age and the comparatively low budget of recent years. But one step at a time.
Oh, beautiful Tyria
I still vividly remember how Guild Wars 2 blew me away with its audiovisual quality during the pre-launch in August 2012. The fantasy world of Tyria, which was previously unknown to me, seemed as if it had sprung directly from a painting. The entire interface, the infinitely zoomable map, and all the effects seamlessly blended into this unique style.
Along with the beautiful reflections in the water, the detailed models, and the impressive panoramas – I felt completely at home in Divinity’s Reach and all the other places in Tyria. So much so that I developed serious wanderlust during the first years when I lacked the time for Guild Wars 2 for weeks or even months.
Mounts like the Sky Scale are among the highlights of Guild Wars 2:
Guild Wars and the best mounts in the genre
If you ask my wife about her best Guild Wars memory, she will rave about the titular Guild Wars of the first installment. About the camaraderie of the community, the exciting PvP battles, the hard-earned successes on the guild world ranking list, and the shared moments in the guild hall.
We are both big fans of the fantastic mounts that have been introduced over the years in Guild Wars 2. The currently nine mounts differ significantly from each other, noticeably enhance the player experience, and feel wonderfully “real”. For us, GW2 still offers the best mount system of all MMORPGs.
The curse of missing success
Overall, Guild Wars 2 is still a solid representative of the genre today, which can be wonderfully enjoyed as a second MMORPG or for casual players with little time, thanks to horizontal progression. The wonderful mounts are the cherry on top.
However, the visuals of Tyria have become dusty despite the artistic style. Unlike Blizzard with WoW, Arenanet did not have the money to continuously modernize the engine or to release extensive expansions every two years.
On the contrary, large content updates that affect (almost) all areas of the game have been in short supply for years. Nearly five years passed between Path of Fire and End of Dragons. The most recent expansion, Secrets of the Obscure, offers only a fraction of what Heart of Thorns brought. Specifically, all fans of PvP and raids had to struggle through harsh drought periods.
Potential for Part 3
The restart with a third installment could address these signs of aging and at the same time tackle some of the other issues of Guild Wars 2. For example, my wife still does not understand why the titular Guild Wars and associated features were removed for the sequel. At the same time, the WvWvW replacement never really excited us.
It would also be great if the designers would make dungeon content more accessible and less toxic. The attached dungeons of WoW and the “Side by Side” system from Final Fantasy XIV demonstrate how this can work: with instances that can optionally be completed with a team of AI fighters.
Long story short: We would love to see a Guild Wars 3 that builds on the strengths of the first two installments, eliminates the weaknesses of GW2, and throws us into a modernized Tyria full of new content. What do you think?
If you want to take a shot and try Guild Wars 2 in 2024, you can find countless guides, tips, and aids for getting started in the following article:
Guild Wars 2: All guides, beginner tips, and builds at a glance
