I’ve always had a slightly odd relationship with Guild Wars 2. On the one hand it’s a beautiful game, its combat is fun if a little constrained, and most importantly it is extremely easy to play with a busy schedule. But, the thing I like most about it which is its easy to pick up and play design, is also the thing which fails to hold me very long.
I played the game at launch, and levelled up to around the early 70s before getting into Eve around that time. Since I stopped playing Eve for a while about 6 months ago, I have played Guild Wars 2 in bits and pieces, again levelling up to 70 something. But, I always seem to get so bored of levelling in that game. I find the heart/event/story path a bit tedious after a while, and really its just questing by another name.
It’s worth noting here that I’ve never got to 80, so I have no first hand experience of the end game, but I’ve found that the games ability to be very easy to play and understand has always left me crying out for a bit more depth and complexity. The best way I’ve heard Guild Wars 2 described is that it’s a snack and not a meal.
It’s interesting though that I felt drawn to the game after I stopped playing Eve, as it can almost be said to be the anti-Eve really. It represents the complete other end of the spectrum in terms of time invested to fun had. I think this is the key to why the game bookended my time in New Eden, particularly after I left when it served as a great pallet cleanser. The thing I like most about the game; it’s extremely casual and low commitment approach to MMOs, is also the thing I like the least about it; a fairly shallow experience that doesn’t draw me in for the long haul.
Ultimately, I think Guild Wars 2 totally succeeds at being the sort of MMO it was always designed to be. Something which largely eschews gear grind and raiding type end games, in favour of a more casual and player tailored experience. I will continue to dip in and out of it every week or two, but I suspect I’ll never play it full time. There’s just not enough to grab me and keep me there.
Gaming Conjecture 
Interesting thoughts. It’s on sale again, and I was wondering about finally getting it. The argument against that to my mind was “Why spend money on another MMO when I’m not finding time to play the ones I already have and already like?” If it makes for good snacking it might still have its place for me I guess.
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I think it’s a fantastic game for low commitment playing, and there’s a lot to like about it. I like my games complex if I can find them, but Guild Wars 2 is definitely a great game, and with its b2p model, a sound investment.
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It really is a game that is best enjoyed like a fine, dark chocolate. Progression is lateral and many of the rewards are very cosmetic in nature with a minimum of stat gains. The PvP aspect of the game has been described as shallow whereas WvW can be fun for a while until it gets stale and the lack of updates starts to show. There’s depth to the mechanics of the game if you take the time to get into them – but that’s the thing: they can be hard to get into if they don’t “hook” you or otherwise give you a good reason to care about what’s going on.
For someone like you who isn’t personally deeply invested into the game I think popping in every now and again is just fine. Lots of people do it. And there’s no subscription fee.
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Yeah I think that’s fair. I probably should have mentioned the b2p aspect of the game, which of course adds to its pick up and play nature.
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hehe, it really does give that feeling which is a shame.. I smelled a delicious four course meal brewing but all i’ve had so far is the entre. The smells are making me hungry for more but I’m left wanting more because of what I’ve had. Now that urge can keep you waiting, or a long time as I did but eventually you get fed up and even angry at not having the full experience, even though what you did have was delicious… it just wasn’t enough to satisfy.
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Exactly! I like what’s there, it just leaves me a bit…unsatisfied.
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