05th Oct2017

‘Guild Wars 2: Path of Fire’ Review (PC)

by Paul Metcalf

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I’ve always stayed away from a game like Guild Wars 2 because I’ve known the amount of time I’d have to put into it. The fact I love the “grind” of games makes me a prime target for the style of gameplay that Guild Wars requires. Giving into Guild Wars 2: Path of Fire though, I finally realised what I was missing, while also moving into the future of the game.

Guild Wars 2: Path of Fire is actually the second expansion to the game, and brings interesting changes for the players. The main story features a rogue god Balthazar whose thirst for power is threatening the balance of magic. It is your job of course to stop him, and the tide of terror he is bringing to Tyria.

To prepare for Path of Fire I actually started playing in the week before the release. This meant that I could create my character (a Viking like character who liked to get drunk a lot). This meant that I was able to experience the levelling up progression of the game, and to understand what a grind it can be to get your character powerful enough to defeat certain enemies.

This was something that I enjoyed, with the ability to explore the gaming world to look for challenges, and often find myself outmatched. The fact that I’m a solo player at heart also wasn’t a problem, though it was nice to sometimes find a friendly player ready to resurrect me and join in the fight if I needed it.

What I made sure though was that I was ready to play Guild Wars 2: Path of Fire and understood the basics of the game before I used the levelling up magic that would take me straight to level 80. When this was done (and you are given a trial of this feature to make sure you want to do it) it does change the game. With a different way of levelling up it does lose that feeling of progression, until you fully understand how things work in Path of Fire, but still, be ready for the big jump to level 80 because it does take away some of the magic of that levelling up.

Moving into Path of Fire, when it was released onto the servers things went smoothly. There is often a risk that the servers can’t cope with a new release like this, but in no time, there were people jumping around on raptors and experiencing the new areas to discover. The Crystal Desert is expansive and your mount (be it raptor or other creature) comes in useful for travelling between destinations.

When it comes to the main story, I’m still working on it, because it is big. There is a sizable challenge to it, and plenty of beasts that’ll bring a whole heap of trouble on the beginner, and that is exactly what I am. What I’ve found though is that if you are willing to put the time in and understand the Guild Wars 2 system, the rewards are there. The key is to not rush into things, and to work out what needs to be done. Don’t just rush into each battle like a fool.

What is easy to see in Guild Wars 2: Path of Fire is that many of the battles are made for groups to take care of (which is no surprise as it is a MMORPG). Part of my problem is probably that I’m trying to do it solo, but I am making progress. The key is though that learning how to make progress in Path of Fire is fun, and while it is a challenge, it still is possible to “solo” the game. Though it would be a lot easier to give in and drag a few friends along for the ride.

Whether it be for the new story elements, the mounts or the new elite specialisations, there is plenty for new and old players in Guild Wars 2: Path of Fire. I’ll keep grinding away on the game, and I fully expect to write a second part to this review once I’ve managed to complete the story. What I do know though is that will take time, which is why I’ve written my initial thoughts on the game so far. So, if you are a new player looking for a starting point in Guilds War 2, Path of Fire isn’t a bad place to start off.

****½  4.5/5

Guild Wars 2: Path of Fire is available on PC now.

Review originally posted on PissedOffGeek
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