By Jessica Heitzman
SC Staff Writer
Every game design company always strives to be the best. However, there’s always competition that may get in the way of this objective.
Sony Playstation has consistently been butting heads with Xbox. Which console is going to make the best new game of the year? Just like console systems, computers have their own competition: MMOs.
Massive Multiplayer Online games have been the thrill of a lifetime since Everquest. Now, thirteen years later ArenaNet has created one of the most anticipated games of the year: Guild Wars 2. The MMO was first announced five and a half years ago and now as of August 28th, thirsty gamers can finally snag their hands on the game.
Guild Wars 2 is a completely separate game from Guild Wars 1. However, the game shares similarities with its prequel such as some professions, acquiring achievement points, and control layout among countless other things.
Of course the game has to differ from its prequel or else it wouldn’t be considered a sequel and would just be another added expansion. In Guild Wars 2, the story continues from the “end” of Guild Wars 1. Players find out that Tyria has changed dramatically over 200 years, realizing that the heroes of Guild Wars 1 are now legendary beings that can only be remembered.
Although professions have remained the same, there have been slight changes. In Guild Wars 1 the player could choose between ten professions depending on game expansions. In Guild Wars 2 players are able to choose from only eight professions: Warrior, Ranger, Necromancer, Elementalist, Mesmer, Thief, Engineer, or Guardian.
Another exciting addition to the game is players are now allowed to choose between one of five races.
These races include: Norn, Charr, Human, Sylvari, and Asuran. Norn are the people of the Northern Shiverpeaks who worship the Spirits of the Wild (i.e., Bear, Wolf, Snow Leopard, Raven). Their entire goal in life is to be a true legend, a hero, to be known throughout Tyria. The Norn were forced out of their homeland from the great dragon Jormag.
As a Norn you are compelled to defeat this terrible ice creature and reign over your home again.
Charr are the wild beasts (cat-like creatures) of Tyria whom were brought up to fight and that’s all they know. Their army consists of three legions: the Fire Legion, the Ash Legion, and the Iron Legion.
Although they are brutal killing machines, they are also loyal to their allies. The Charr homeland is infested with defeated ghosts of Ascalon, who are only trying to get their home back.
Humans have become the lower race of Tyria. They were once the dominators of the land before the Charr pushed them out of Ascalon, forcing the humans to live in a small community in Kryta. The humans have lost their six Gods, but they have not lost their faith in the once higher beings. The humans must now try to fight back against the Charr and claim the land that was once theirs.
The Sylvari are not people, they are organic beings of nature. They walk in the land of the Tarnished Coast and are all born from the Pale Tree. The Sylvari are new to Tyria, now making them the youngest race.
Not only are the other races still learning about who these plant-like creatures are, but so are the Sylvari themselves.
The Asurans are gnome-like creatures of Tyria, but don’t let their small size fool you. They are the intellects of Tyria, and they perfect the use of machinery and magic.
The Asura dwell in Rata Sum, but they have not always lived on the surface world. They were underground creatures before the Destroyers pushed them out. Their focus now is to fight the Great Destroyer, Primordus, and reclaim their caves.
Guild Wars 2 has held up to a lot of its expectations from its hardcore fans that have been through the adventure from the beginning of Guild Wars 1.
These dedicated players who have put in a tremendous amount of hours of online gaming are able to combine their Guild Wars 1 accounts to their new Guild Wars 2 accounts.
More than 1 Million players have bought the game before it was officially released ( Eurogamer.net). Ultimately, the game is thriving in the gaming world, and gamer satisfaction continues to rise as players get closer to reaching the level cap of 85.
For more information about Guild Wars 2, please visit guildwars2.com, and for those interested in playing Guild Wars 1, please visit guildwars.com
Email Jessica at:
jmh2643@live.esu.edu
