Some GW2 Thoughts Thus Far

Some fair warning: If you haven’t played GW2 or don’t want any light spoilers regarding where some mobs are, zone names, or my opinions regarding some lieutenant/champion fights ignore this post. Making a cut for the front page. Also, this isn’t a review or anything just some thoughts, so please ignore the run-on sentences and other ridiculous grammar errors.

First of all, isn’t that an awesome screenshot?! Ben’s computer can run GW2 on ultra like a champ… unlike my machine which runs it on low. I bought a new graphics card and I’m still not cool enough. Bitterness aside, it’s a fun game. Addictive in fact.

For the first two weeks after headstart there wasn’t a night that I wasn’t playing (aside from the day my back decided to spasm terribly) until (at least) midnight. Some highlights: Scaring away The Shatterererererer. Low: because you don’t actually get to kill him. Which is mildly understandable, I mean, you can’t have a one time global event. That’s just not fair to everyone else. Since I usually have to structure my play schedule around my kids and life in general I’d hate to miss something epic only to find out I’ll never see it again.

Yep, forgot to turn off UI. It was a hectic fight! Also, please don’t make fun of my crap build.

Then I had a lieutenant to kill or scare away in my personal story, I don’t know what the result was because there was no body on the ground to loot and all the NPCs that were supposed to be helping me were standing around idle or staring at their feet. So yes, I killed/scared that thing entirely on my own. Felt pretty good.

Then Ben was around in Sparkfly Fen and found out there was a dragon there as well. It was less than impressive compared to The Shatterer fight. I was gushing and ooh’ing and aah’ing when Shatterer would go into flight and swoop around because the camera allowed me to see it. With Tequatl, not so much. It was disappointing that I spent the majority of that battle killing the mobs near the edge and being Fear’d an annoying amount of times without being able to see it swoop and dive and cast with cool effects. Also, it might be more impressive at night rather than during the game day.

Cutest Down Image Ever. Quaggan <3 Though after the 4th or 5th day it was less cute.

There are hearts and events that drag on and zones that obviously were not in beta and needed to be tested more (Timberline Falls, I’m looking at you). For the most part I enjoy doing map completion though some zones felt like a chore by the end. Bear in mind, however, that I chose to do map completion, it was not required of me. Also, those doors/gates/rocks that obviously block off a zone, BOO! Dominion of Winds I want you now. I want to know everything Tengu know about the dragons rising before. LORE!

Now, don’t go saying, “Celeste, why are you complaining so much about a game that you say is so wonderful?! Don’t drink the haterade!” Look, there’s TONS about this game that I love. I didn’t think I’d like Ranger, I LOVE IT. I didn’t think I’d try Mesmer, I LOVE IT. I was really trying to like the Elementalist… I’m still trying. I love the gameplay 97% of the time. I was challenged and felt accomplished after my first run in the Ascalon Catacombs dungeon. It took work, strategy, and was enjoyable once we got past The Lovers. Which I think (hope) has been almost everyone’s experience. If I talked about all the things I love about this game people would say I was a fangirl. So which would I like to be viewed as? Someone who loves the game but sees its flaws; objective, or at least, as objective as someone who co-hosts a fan podcast can be about a game.

Tybalt :’)

Oh, Tybalt, I love you and your apples.

Funny moment: Ben said he found the entrance to Sorrow’s Embrace and my mind filled in with the music from Sorrow’s Furnace. His speakers were off. I guess that’s a reflection of how often I went there to try to pry Rago’s Flame Staff away from his cold, dead hands.

I keep thinking of other things to say, experiences to share, but really if you haven’t logged in and just explored the world nothing I can say will convince you to pick up this game. The experience is immersive, sublime, and nostalgic (for GW1 players) even if you have the graphics set to low.

Shameless plug: If you haven’t already joined, The Collegium Arcana has a guildlaunch page and are at home on Henge of Denravi world.

Second plug: Guild Wars Reporter is now released weekly Thursday’s on the MMO Reporter Network.