I have been playing Guild Wars 2 for several years now, ever since my father recommended it to me after returning to the game himself, and during that time it has become my favorite game of all time.
One of the things I love most about Guild Wars 2 is that the core game is completely free. It allows new players to experience the main mechanics, world, and story without having to spend any money upfront. I also appreciate the fact that there is no monthly subscription fee. I can take a break for several months and return whenever I want without feeling pressured to keep playing just to justify a subscription.
Another feature I love is the game's horizontal progression system. Unlike many MMORPGs, older content remains relevant years after its release. Top-tier gear stays useful instead of becoming obsolete whenever a new expansion launches.
I originally started playing Guild Wars 2 because my father recommended it to me after returning to the game himself. He had been playing again for a while before convincing me to give it a try. What impressed me was that despite his account being nearly a decade old, he didn't need to spend weeks grinding for new gear just to become relevant again. We were able to jump into content together almost immediately, which is something I rarely see in other MMORPGs.
My biggest complaint involves account management between ArenaNet's launcher and Steam. I originally started playing through ArenaNet's launcher and progressed quite far into the main story. Later, when I decided to purchase the expansions through Steam, I discovered that Steam accounts and ArenaNet accounts are separate. Instead of linking to my existing account, Steam created a new Guild Wars 2 account tied to my Steam profile, meaning I had to start over from the beginning.
Fortunately, this wasn't a dealbreaker for me because I genuinely enjoy the story, and the Personal Story offers a surprising amount of replayability. The choices you make early on can lead to different experiences and outcomes, making a second playthrough enjoyable rather than tedious.
My other complaint concerns the Living World seasons. At least when I purchased my expansions, it wasn't possible to buy the individual Living World seasons directly through Steam without purchasing the Elder Dragon Saga Complete Collection. Since I had already bought Heart of Thorns, Path of Fire, and later End of Dragons separately, buying the collection would have included expansions I already owned. As a result, I had to purchase the Living World seasons through the in-game store instead. This may have changed since then, but it was frustrating at the time.
Overall, I have completely fallen in love with Guild Wars 2. Even if you're unsure whether the game is for you, I can easily recommend giving it a try. The core game is free, and the amount of content available without spending a single cent is already massive. If you enjoy MMORPGs, there is a very good chance you'll find something to love here.
