Guild Wars Eye of the North – PC – Review

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.

Review Scoring Details for Guild Wars: Eye of the North

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.