There are precious few PC exclusive titles which attract the boxed retail treatment these days, and even fewer that make this big a splash.
Guild Wars 2 is an MMORPG which has been in the works for over five years, originally being planned as the next in a series of expansion packs for the original game, but requiring a full sequel when the developers at ArenaNet realised that their ambition outweighed the scale of an expansion pack project. Significantly so.
So, with GW2 first being announced in 2007, it is now finally on the market in Australia and New Zealand today, following on from a prequel which garnered over 100'000 units in sales when it first hit.
What makes the series stand out is its unwavering concern with bringing legitimate player choice regarding the storyline into a multiplayer environment, allowing people to have a genuinely different experience even while playing alongside one another.
The sequel is no exception, with the plot kicking off as the Elder Dragons have seized control of the world of Tyria, and long-dormant guild Destiny's Edge has re-emerged to combat the menace.
The game sports a completely new engine, now capable of real-time 3D environments, and has quadruple the level cap of the previous game.
Guild Wars 2 is also unique in having a persistent, full world PvP system, where the battles which take place on a large scale in Tyria have an effect on the entire game, with full wars being waged in real-time.
As the second major PC exclusive title to hit retail this year, and coming out of the slow period over winter, Guild Wars 2 could be a heavy hitter over the coming weeks. It's landed on PC today for AUD$89.95 or NZD$119.95.
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