Guild Wars Eye of the North

The ground roars and rumbles, opening deep and wide into the bowels of the earth. The shield is tucked a little closer the body, the grip on the sword’s handle unclasps, seeks a firmer grip and pulls tighter.

The farmer said he thought he saw shapes moving in the darkness beneath the ground, and like the hero you wish to be, you offered to help explore the opening. Perhaps it was foolish to bring a young troupe of warriors with you; armed with skills and weapons barely capable of defeating the fauna of the Far Shiverpeaks, let alone the supposed demons you now seek. But there is a constant here – the land is rent, evil flows freely and it is up to those who possess the skill and spirit to make it right again.

And now here, below Lion’s Arch, are columns entwined with snakes, skeletal sorcerers and hell hounds waiting to taste your flesh or steel.

Guild Wars: Eye of the North is a continuation of the story told in the first release of the game back in 2005. This is the third overall expansion, but the first to pick up the original story and move it forward.

For the uninitiated, GW is a massively multiplayer game that plays out in instanced zones. You meet in cities and can team up or gather NPCs to help you. While the game is technically a massively multiplayer title, there is no monthly subscription fee. The price of admission into this fantastic world is simply buying the game. For Eye of the North, though, you will need the base game.

Under Lion’s Arch there is a city of dwarves, making ready to evacuate. A strange bug-eyed creature is supplying the dwarven leader with information. For some odd reason, it keeps calling you ‘bookah.’ ‘The destroyers are nearby,’ it intones, a voice soft but masculine.

‘What are the destroyers,’ you ask, and then add, ‘and for that matter, what are you?’

‘There is no time to answer, though, for the destroyers are nearby and you have moments to escape.’

If there has been any constant in the Guild Wars universe it has been the strength of its graphics. Yes, the world is buffered with invisible walls, and the pathing through the game is very linear, but that does not preclude the fact that the game abounds with gorgeous scenery, and it has been a progressive journey, from the devastated lands to the snowy passages. The story has propelled it along.

The original game was centered on the devastation that turned the land from pristine valleys to barren waste. It was a tale of unrest in the house of the royals, turning to tragedy when one forsook his own safety to see to welfare of refugees.

But even at the game’s start, there was tragedy. When the player first ventured from the safety of the starting village (Ascalon), there was a young girl (Gwen) playing in the fields. She had lost her flute and asked you to find it. During the course of the early quests, you would find it and return it to you. Then the Charr caused the catastrophe that destroyed the land. Amid the ruins of what was once a serene land, you find Gwen’s broken flute and no sign of the little girl. The one that idolized you and wished to follow you. It was a heartfelt moment.

GW expansion have come along – there was Nightfall, and Factions, both solid in their own right. They introduced new classes and new lands, but never truly picked up on the thread of the story that was introduced in the original release (which came to be known as Prophecies). The expansions also introduced a hero class, which were essentially NPCs that would journey with you and help in the battles. They would level up and become friends in the game.

And that has also been one of the great things about Guild Wars, as a title. You didn’t need to always find those to journey with – you could, instead, find NPCs in the towns that would accompany you. The AI, while not perfect, was still pretty good and they would behave well, playing their roles better than some players might.

Ok, so the game is called Eye of the North, and has been referred to as GWEN. That is only appropriate because you will find that young girl and learn of her fate. Now a grown woman, Gwen is one of the heroes you can now call to join your journey. There are nine heroes and they will be instrumental in the tasks ahead. This is a game made for level 20 players (the level cap) and the quests are tough going without the right party. There are new lands to explore and new monsters to battle. There is the main quest as well as side quests.

There are new skills incorporated into the game, that players will be able to add to their list of talents. You cannot have more than eight active as you venture forth, but the new skills are a nice reward for working hard.

The story is compelling, that much is certain. There are new NPC classes and the new skills and heroes are unlocked as you move through the game.

The game itself follows the same control elements and overall gameplay mechanics of other GW titles. Nothing has been changed in that regard. However, there seems to be new music that is orchestral and grand, and the new environments are superb.

Your former enemies are now your allies, for there is a new threat to us all.

Henchmen came in different skills and sizes. The heroes also span a wide range of styles. But while that is all good, what is the best thing about this expansion is the pacing. ArenaNet has that nailed. You are driven along with cinematics that are good, but take a backseat to the game action and the environments.

GWEN is truly the best expansion in GW’s run. It is geared for those who have achieved the level cap, but the adventure is superbly told. If you own Guild Wars, you owe it to yourself to purchase this game.

Gameplay: 8.3
The same game mechanics trace through this game as through the rest of the titles in the franchise. It is solid keyboard-and-mouse action with just a few minor hiccups.

Graphics: 8.9
The new environments are wonderful. The cut scenes are a little flat and two dimensional, which act to give the main game elements more impact.

Sound: 9.0
The musical score is terrific and the voices are also well done.

Difficulty: Medium
You will need to be level 20 to play this expansion.

Concept: 8.8
It’s about time that ArenaNet returned to the original storyline. Excellent story-driven gameplay.

Multiplayer: 8.0
Getting a question answered from the community is a bit hard. The community online seems to be focusing on established groups and so forth, making it hard to get into a group or to get help in terms of tips. However, ArenaNet supplies a lot of the help through in-game guides and NPCs.

Overall: 8.5
The game still is linear in the path you take through it, but GWEN is terrific fun. You will need to learn squad management skills a bit better, but you are driven to do so by the flow of the story. Great graphics, great sound, great adventure – GWEN is a first-rate expansion.