Metareview - Guild Wars: Nightfall
by Alan Rose 
{ Nov 10th 2006 at 2:00PM }
Nightfall represents the third entry in NCsoft's successful Guild Wars series, and provides the most compelling reason yet for fans of single-player RPGs to try out this subscription-free MMO. While developer ArenaNet continues to push the franchise forward with new professions and exotic locales, some critics expressed concerns over the aging graphics engine and the fact that party formation in the virtual towns remains needlessly difficult. However, there's still the addictive gameplay, and the flexibility of self-contained expansions means you can jump in (or jump out) at any time. How many of you plan on picking up Nightfall?
- 1UP (90/100) thinks Nightfall will appeal to the NWN-Oblivion crowd: "The most noteworthy addition comes in the form of 14 new nonplayer hero characters who -- unlike the addlebrained henchmen of campaigns past -- offer complete customization options to players. It saves a lot of headaches, and makes Guild Wars feel more like a single-player RPG than ever before."
- Gamespot (82/100) appreciates the enhanced enemy AI: "Nightfall introduces many impressive-looking, powerful new enemies to fight, and it also seems to have updated their artificial intelligence to make them even more ruthless -- they'll happily go after your party's soft targets, like your monks and elementalists, not just attack the frontline."
- GameDaily (70/100) had some issues with Nightfall's pacing: "It takes a long time for the story to get started. Unlike previous games, players can't select a secondary profession until level 5. Even so, many players will have made it halfway to level 20 (the game's maximum level) before the story starts to pick up any real momentum. Of course, Guild Wars has never been a game that has put strong emphasis on levels, but it's the only marker players have to see if they've outgrown a particular area."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Okane @ Nov 10th 2006 2:11PM
I own the game guild wars factions and to me its a very good rpg. I havent played this new one but from what ive leanred from magazines etc. Its a very good game, for those people who dont wannt to pay 15 bucks for wow
Josh @ Nov 10th 2006 3:30PM
I say...10 years old.
That said, Metacritic's average score is now 83, if you want to add that.
As for me, I'm not really into the whole online RPG scene -- I just cannot find much fun in trying to basically live another life. I just don't have a reason to. I'd rather live my own. :P
p-diddy @ Nov 10th 2006 4:17PM
Josh, you clearly have never played Guild Wars. It is not a level-grinding persistent world-away-from-the-real-world. I play Guild Wars once a week for about 3 hours at a time with my friends from home and we do just fine.
GW is no more a "scene" than anything else. It's been referred to as another Diablo depending on your preference, that is or is not a bad thing. For me and my friends it's just another poker game/guy's night out. No "scene" at all.
My $0.02 - Nightfall is an 85. Prophecies is a 90, Factions is a 70. It's hard to separate the update they just put out there from what's in Nightfall and the latest update (and heros) are great. Not a huge fan of the classes, but I like the restoration of balanced leveling. Factions is ridiculous. 3000xp for every quest? Blech.
If you liked diablo, try GW. And with heroes now, finding a full group should be no problem.
-p-
James @ Nov 10th 2006 6:02PM
p-diddy, I think you are right on the money. Played Prophecies and loved it; tried Factions and didn't enjoy it as much as Prophecies. NightFall although I haven't played, I believe from the new features I hear about ranks it above Factions. I hear the storyline portion is better in this area as well.
I used to play GW religiously up until Factions, then lost interest. I can't seem to find the interest to get back into it. Life is just too busy and seems to have more value at the moment.
drcolossus of dataleak @ Nov 10th 2006 11:30PM
Excuse me but 'aging graphics engine'?? I think Guild Wars looks graphically like a gold piece compared to WoW, EQ, Second Life or any other current MMO!
CoffeeMan @ Nov 11th 2006 9:55AM
@p-diddy: I totally agree that factions was the disappointment of the bunch, but they included some new aspect to the game, new kind of missions and such, which i liked.
For me i think i'd give prophecies the 85% and Nightfall the 90%, They've improved everywhere, adding heros, better voice acting and story telling. the mouths actually move in cinematics now. And the game feels more open-ended than linear like Factions. Factions you were restricted to the areas you could go by gates, they've removed most of that stuff in Nightfall.
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