Guild Wars is an MMORPG “lite,” offering much of the fun of class leaders World of Warcraft and EverQuest 2, but without the bank-balance-draining monthly fee and the must-play-all-week requirement to advance. Consider it a gateway to MMO games, and an excellent introduction to the genre.

The game ships cram-packed with quests and missions that can be undertaken alone or with other players. New content is already being added to expand the huge existing game world. Player-vs.-player gameplay is intense, with options ranging from simple arena combat to king of the hill, capture the flag, and of course, guild-vs.-guild battles. And the graphics are downright phenomenal.

Although Guild Wars bears many similarities to its MMORPG competitors, there are some key differences. Chief among these is the game’s instancing system. Towns and outposts are full of other players, but the moment you leave a public area, you and your group move into a private instance that’s just for you. You’ll never have to compete with other players for the chance to do a quest or mission. The downside to this exclusionary feature is that Guild Wars sometimes feels a bit lonely.

Gamers who have social lives will appreciate that you can play Guild Wars casually and still be competitive. Sure, goobers who play 24/7 will have an advantage, but they won’t be able to dominate players with less playtime. Guild Wars emphasizes earning skills over leveling up, and you can only have eight skills active at any given time.

MMORPG purists may be disappointed that Guild Wars is more shallow than pay-to-play online games. There are no secondary professions (such as tailoring or blacksmithing) for characters to try, there’s only one playable race, and there’s a limited selection of player classes.

Developer ArenaNet plans to release Guild Wars expansion packs every eight months or so. The expansions will be optional, and ArenaNet promises that players who don’t buy them won’t be at a significant disadvantage. We’ll see if that holds true, but even without expansions, Guild Wars is an excellent online RPG that’s easy for casual and hardcore gamers alike to get into.
—Omeed Chandra

NUCLEAR POWER: Rich game world, addictive gameplay, sumptuous graphics, and no subscription fee.

NUCLEAR WAR: Lacks the depth of some competitors, and the instancing system is a mixed blessing.

Month Reviewed: August 2005
Verdict: 9
kickass=yes
URL: www.guildwars.com ESRB RATING: T