Heading north (Guild Wars Eye of the North (PC))

Member Name: RPnecroranger

Product:	Guild Wars Eye of the North (PC)
Date:	13/09/07 (135 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: puzzles and changing game play

Disadvantages: have to be a level 20 character from one of the previous campaigns

This is the 4th Campaign in the Guild wars MMPORPG saga, and the very first expansion. OK so some would say this isn't a typical 'Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game' down to the fact you gather a group of people to enter a area , and once you enter the area it is 'instanced' - actually created just for that group so you don't see other groups/users in the same area. Unlike Guild Wars, Guild Wars: Factions and Guild Wars: Nightfall, you must have at least one of the previous campaigns to play this one, preferably the original Guild Wars.

As Prophesies is/was based mostly on Europe, factions on china/Japan, Nightfall appears to be based on Africa. Eye of the North can find a lot of its influences from Scandinavian countries like Sweden and Denmark. The setting is north to the original game storyline.

Storyline
Investigating a mysterious opening in the ground near Lions Arch (or Keining Center or Kamadan), you come across a dwarf and a asuran in a dire need to rush away, as they are closely followed by a bunch of Destroyers, prompting you to run after them into a portal to safety. Who are the destroyers? Who is the great destroyer?

On playing Eye of the North you encounter 2 new races, the Asura - a race of technically magical advanced race forced to live above ground by the destroyers and the Norn - a race of giants who can change into bears. You also meet the Ebon Vanguard, a group of humans stuck way beyond the Charr frontline and lead by a character called Gwen, who just happens (if you have a character from the original game) to be a little girl that followed you round in pre searing. Unfortunately 6 years on Gwen is now a rather jaded teenager with a lot of issues.

Game play for Eye of the North is not really for the beginner. You cannot create new characters to start there, and no character can travel there without at least being level 20.
There are some major differences in this campaign to the others. Instead of missions there are repeatable primaries, and there are also dungeons which involve some puzzle play as well as fighting.

Other new additional features include:
10 new Heroes: rather more controllable than the normal henchmen, they are earned through progression on the storyline. 2 are gained via a tournament.
Single player tournaments and quests, such as Dwarven boxing, Norn fighting tournament and Subduing a Ice griffon.
There are also 40 new armour sets, 4 for each existing profession. These can only be bought once you have reliable reputation with the group you wish to buy the armor from, either Deldrimore 'delver', Ebon Vanguard 'stealth', Norn or Asuran. I have to admit the Asuran title track has the most fun titles. At level 3 I have earned the title of 'Not To Smelly' which makes me giggle.
There is also introduced a new concept. 'Consumables' which are perks that can be crafted to enhance your game play by removing death penalty, increasing a team's speed or transferring skill points.
I really enjoy playing Eye of The North, it really does prompt your mind a fair bit rather than being a consistent battling. However it doesn't answer some of the questions I had lore wise from the original game, but has opened new questions. As I mentioned before about the points, I really like the titles on them, and earning the points seem less like a grind than in the previous chapters, with random bonuses appearing every 25 kills that range from set number of points, to rampage bonuses, to 'kill a boss in x time for a bonus' and many more. The dungeons are a nice touch, even if a touch daunting at first! The experience (for me) was a good one, although I do know a number of high end players have been moaning it is too easy. For now, I feel it is just right. I'm sure later Arena net will make a hard mode which will be even more of a challenge!
Eye of the North is supposedly the final chapter for Guild Wars, as Guild Wars 2 is planned for release in 2009

So what are you paying for?
At the end of the day you are basically paying for access to a game server. This game can't be played off-line at all. The actual game software engine can be downloaded from the website

Price £17.98 from Amazon, Amazon also do Guild Wars: Eye of the North Expansion Pack & Prophecies bundle (PC DVD) for £29.98
If you have already got one of the other campaigns you can buy Eye of the North through the in game store for £24.99 by most major credit/debit cards. There is a bonus for buying this way uptil 31st October 2007, in the form of a mission bonus pack, 4 missions that show various battles that make up the lore of guild wars.
You get (in store bought): booklet (well a big booklet really), key reference, access key on collectors credit card
If you purchase in game there are no boxes or paper bits as the game is purchased digitally and automatically added to your account.

Summary: A new threat has arrived under Tyria