Saturday, July 21, 2012

Hating on Guild Wars, Again.

I’m not sure what it is, but I have this tendency to dislike things based on them being extremely popular. It’s not always the case, but on occasion it does happen. One of those things I truly dislike is Guild Wars. I guess more specifically Guild Wars 2. See, I played GW back a long time ago, back when MMO actually meant something and not the generic term it is today. I enjoyed GW for about six hours, and then I was over it. I’ve tried a few times to give GW a chance, but I just don’t like the game.

My issue with GW2 has nothing to do with the game itself – I haven’t even seen or played the game. No, my issue comes from the notion that GW2 is the second coming, best thing since sliced bread, the savior of the MMO genre as it were. In all honesty it may very well turn out to be a great game, but I highly doubt it’s going to bring anything new and exciting to the genre.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I like the game, but I have to agree with you, the amount of hype over GW2 is a little scary. It's a fine, fun MMO with elements that are different, but I wouldn't say it's the second coming. Those talking it up like it is aren't doing the game any favors either in the long run.

Jayedub said...

Wow, thanks for commenting, a nice surprise.

I agree with you, there is a massive amount of hype for GW2.

pitrelli said...

Hmm I kind of agree but I also disagree.

Let's face it gw2 is gonna create a massive shake up, the fact its buy to play with no sub is going to make it very interesting to see how the market reacts. Will people still want to pay for inflated sub fees ala the secret world?

As for the game itself, it doesn't recreate the wheel, it does however make enough changes to feel very different from other mmos on the market. With regards to the hype its pretty much the same for every MMO that launches....in gw2s case however I can honestly say I think most of the hype is merited.

Jayedub said...

Interesting points. I'm not looking for MMO's to evolve or revolutionize the genre, as long as they take something that's been done before but put a specific spin on what it is they are doing. If that's what GW2 is doing then great, that's all I could hope for. Make no mistake, if the game is good I am going to try it out, that's just what I do.

I don't mind a monthly sub as long as the game can support the model. I liked the little bit of TSW I played from beta and would gladly pay a monthly fee. A game that I still have a sub for that I wish had a f2p model is TERA. Great graphics and fun combat, but everything else is so blah. I have about a month and half left in my sub and I don't see myself sticking with the game after that.

Anonymous said...

I don't know, I have seen the hype rollercoaster rise and fall too many times to believe any of it is ever merited. I really hope GW2 does well, but so far everything I've seen does not lead me to believe it shakes up the scene as massively as people say.

A few weeks ago, I would have said GW2 would be the game to grab me hook, line and sinker. But going back to the game this beta weekend, I realized the stories and quests weren't actually that engaging. Yes, I think I've been spoiled by TSW a little. I've become used to a higher standard of writing and storytelling. That "Hey ho there, adventurer, might you have some time?" thing just doesn't cut it with me anymore.

GW2 is still a great game though, and I'm still just as excited. The combat and class mechanics just can't be beat. If anything, that can fuel my interest in the game for a long time, even if the story and quests do not. I don't expect to be playing GW2 more than casually anyway, being free to play. I'm generally more motivated to play sub games, because I know I'm paying a flat fee every month.

Speaking of which, I don't mind sub if I'm playing for quality, and in many ways it's a lot more honest than nickle and diming the consumer over every single item or service. I prefer the luxury of knowing my monthly fee pays for everything, and that I won't run into any roadblocks that only hitting an item store can solve. I generally want the full experience anyway, and subs save me the trouble of agonizing over "should I, or shouldn't I" in the item shop. Not to mention if left to my own devices, I'll probably spend even more in a F2P than in sub game.

Jayedub said...

If there's anything TSW has done right, it's the questing.