https://massivelyop.com MMORPG news and opinions Mon, 18 Dec 2023 14:18:37 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.1.1 https://massivelyop.com/2023/12/19/a-fresh-first-impressions-checking-out-palia-for-the-first-time-on-switch/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/12/19/a-fresh-first-impressions-checking-out-palia-for-the-first-time-on-switch/#comments Tue, 19 Dec 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=472259 Outside of MMORPGs, life sims are probably the most-played genre in my household. I originally bought Stardew Valley for my wife a few years ago as something we could do together that would help her de-stress from her grad school work. Little did I know that it would likely become her most-played game of all […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/12/19/a-fresh-first-impressions-checking-out-palia-for-the-first-time-on-switch/feed/ 4 https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/14/flameseeker-chronicles-five-guild-wars-2-event-farms-to-combat-your-labyrinth-letdown/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/14/flameseeker-chronicles-five-guild-wars-2-event-farms-to-combat-your-labyrinth-letdown/#comments Tue, 14 Nov 2023 16:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=467322 My favorite thing about Guild Wars 2’s Shadow of the Mad King Halloween event is the Mad King’s Labyrinth. There’s nothing quite like it, even at the game’s other festivals. It’s just so much fun to switch your brain off and run around, following a commander tag and mowing down multitudinous mobs for masses of […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/14/flameseeker-chronicles-five-guild-wars-2-event-farms-to-combat-your-labyrinth-letdown/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/07/flameseeker-chronicles-hands-on-with-guild-wars-2-through-the-veils-inner-nayos-and-convergences/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/07/flameseeker-chronicles-hands-on-with-guild-wars-2-through-the-veils-inner-nayos-and-convergences/#comments Tue, 07 Nov 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=466162 Guild Wars 2: Secrets of the Obscure was a bit of a different expansion in that it wasn’t one big chunk of content dropped on us all at once, but rather, much of it was promised to us in future updates over the course of the next year. We got an updated roadmap of upcoming […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/07/flameseeker-chronicles-hands-on-with-guild-wars-2-through-the-veils-inner-nayos-and-convergences/feed/ 2 https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/15/flameseeker-chronicles-hands-on-with-guild-wars-2s-secrets-of-the-obscure/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/15/flameseeker-chronicles-hands-on-with-guild-wars-2s-secrets-of-the-obscure/#comments Tue, 15 Aug 2023 13:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=453102 It has been a weird time to be a Guild Wars 2 fan, with a lot of ups and downs lately. End of Dragons was, in my opinion, the best content ArenaNet has ever produced, but it was followed up by a lackluster year, with very little to do aside from the rereleases of Season […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/15/flameseeker-chronicles-hands-on-with-guild-wars-2s-secrets-of-the-obscure/feed/ 9 https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/18/flameseeker-chronicles-secrets-of-the-obscure-has-me-concerned-for-guild-wars-2s-future/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/18/flameseeker-chronicles-secrets-of-the-obscure-has-me-concerned-for-guild-wars-2s-future/#comments Tue, 18 Jul 2023 15:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=449073 If you haven’t picked up on it by now, I really like Guild Wars 2. It is my favorite MMORPG of all time and the one I have spent the most time in by far. But just because I love this game doesn’t mean I always agree with the calls that the developers make. They […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/18/flameseeker-chronicles-secrets-of-the-obscure-has-me-concerned-for-guild-wars-2s-future/feed/ 18 https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/06/flameseeker-chronicles-guild-wars-2s-skyscale-changes-are-great/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/06/flameseeker-chronicles-guild-wars-2s-skyscale-changes-are-great/#comments Thu, 06 Jul 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=447399 So here’s a funny story: I was literally in the middle of writing an article titled “The time to make the skyscale more accessible is now” when the embargoed PR for Guild Wars 2’s new Secrets of the Obscure expansion hit our inbox. Amid story details and combat system additions, I saw the words I […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/06/flameseeker-chronicles-guild-wars-2s-skyscale-changes-are-great/feed/ 13 https://massivelyop.com/2023/06/21/mmo-burnout-lessons-mmos-can-learn-from-the-legend-of-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/06/21/mmo-burnout-lessons-mmos-can-learn-from-the-legend-of-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom/#comments Wed, 21 Jun 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=445012 Like most MMO players, I am, first and foremost, a PC gamer. However, like many gamers born in the ’80s and ’90s, I also have a deep love for Nintendo and its various properties. It is also probably no surprise that 2017’s massive open world entry to the long-running Legend of Zelda series, Breath of […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/06/21/mmo-burnout-lessons-mmos-can-learn-from-the-legend-of-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom/feed/ 6 https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/23/flameseeker-chronicles-wrapping-up-the-end-of-dragons-era-with-what-lies-within/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/23/flameseeker-chronicles-wrapping-up-the-end-of-dragons-era-with-what-lies-within/#comments Tue, 23 May 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=441095 It’s the end of an era: Guild Wars 2’s End of Dragons era of content comes to a close with today’s episode, titled What Lies Within. Last time, the Jade Brotherhood dug too greedily and too deep in the Gyala Delve region of the Jade Sea and awoke the Oni, shape-shifting demons who can tap […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/23/flameseeker-chronicles-wrapping-up-the-end-of-dragons-era-with-what-lies-within/feed/ 5 https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/09/flameseeker-chronicles-what-we-learned-and-didnt-from-guild-wars-2s-spring-2023-roadmap/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/09/flameseeker-chronicles-what-we-learned-and-didnt-from-guild-wars-2s-spring-2023-roadmap/#comments Tue, 09 May 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=438909 The most nerve-wracking thing about being an MMORPG player is uncertainty. MMO players don’t like change, and when a change is teased, many of us tend to rush to assume the worst. That said, it is no more wise to assume that change is always good; just ask Star Wars Galaxies players about that one. […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/09/flameseeker-chronicles-what-we-learned-and-didnt-from-guild-wars-2s-spring-2023-roadmap/feed/ 10 https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/28/flameseeker-chronicles-guild-wars-2s-what-lies-beneath-the-next-end-of-dragons-story-has-launched/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/28/flameseeker-chronicles-guild-wars-2s-what-lies-beneath-the-next-end-of-dragons-story-has-launched/#comments Tue, 28 Feb 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=428441 Happy anniversary to Guild Wars 2‘s End of Dragons expansion! Can you believe it has been a whole year? In some ways I feel like I’m still learning what End of Dragons has to offer, but in other ways it feels like it’s been ages, given the lack of new content in the game; the […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/28/flameseeker-chronicles-guild-wars-2s-what-lies-beneath-the-next-end-of-dragons-story-has-launched/feed/ 19 https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/06/guild-wars-2-is-revamping-mesmer-and-firebrand-mantras-again-in-next-weeks-balance-patch/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/06/guild-wars-2-is-revamping-mesmer-and-firebrand-mantras-again-in-next-weeks-balance-patch/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=425447 Over the weekend, Guild Wars 2 balance lead Cal Cohen and associate game designer Roy Marks swung by the ArenaNet Twitch channel to show off the game’s upcoming balance changes. According to the stream, the nerf bat will applied only sparingly to PvE, with updates mainly focused on quality-of-life changes for each class, such as […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/06/guild-wars-2-is-revamping-mesmer-and-firebrand-mantras-again-in-next-weeks-balance-patch/feed/ 10 https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/08/flameseeker-chronicles-wrapping-up-guild-wars-2s-s1-reboot-with-episode-5-the-battle-for-lions-arch/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/08/flameseeker-chronicles-wrapping-up-guild-wars-2s-s1-reboot-with-episode-5-the-battle-for-lions-arch/#comments Tue, 08 Nov 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=413472 It’s finally here! The most memorable, most important part of Guild Wars 2’s Living World Season 1 story. The moment we’ve all been waiting for: the introduction of Taimi! Oh, and the battle for Lion’s Arch or whatever. But also Taimi! Yes, Guild Wars 2’s Season 1 reboot reaches its conclusion today with the release […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/08/flameseeker-chronicles-wrapping-up-guild-wars-2s-s1-reboot-with-episode-5-the-battle-for-lions-arch/feed/ 2 https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/13/flameseeker-chronicles-first-impressions-of-guild-wars-2s-restored-s1e4-tower-of-nightmares/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/13/flameseeker-chronicles-first-impressions-of-guild-wars-2s-restored-s1e4-tower-of-nightmares/#comments Tue, 13 Sep 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=405096 Here we are at the penultimate episode of Guild Wars 2’s restored and retooled Season 1 content! The pieces are finally starting to fall into place, as Scarlet gathers more allies and monologues more of her evil plot at us. The titular tower plays host to an instance that’s an interesting artifact of Guild Wars […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/13/flameseeker-chronicles-first-impressions-of-guild-wars-2s-restored-s1e4-tower-of-nightmares/feed/ 9 https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/30/flameseeker-chronicles-standout-moments-from-10-years-of-guild-wars-2/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/30/flameseeker-chronicles-standout-moments-from-10-years-of-guild-wars-2/#comments Tue, 30 Aug 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=403165 Time sure flies when you’re slaying Elder Dragons, doesn’t it? Is it really possible that it has been a decade since our characters first set foot in locations like The Grove, Rata Sum, and The Black Citadel? I thought I would take this opportunity to reminisce about some of the highlights (and some lowlights) from […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/30/flameseeker-chronicles-standout-moments-from-10-years-of-guild-wars-2/feed/ 6 https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/29/hands-on-with-multiversus-how-wbs-new-brawler-stacks-up-against-super-smash-bros/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/29/hands-on-with-multiversus-how-wbs-new-brawler-stacks-up-against-super-smash-bros/#comments Fri, 29 Jul 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=398651 Like most of the readers of this site, I spend the majority of my gaming time in MMORPGs, or I wouldn’t be here. But platform fighters are my second love. The Super Smash Bros. franchise was the pioneer of this genre and the one everyone has heard of, so much so that many gamers aren’t […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/29/hands-on-with-multiversus-how-wbs-new-brawler-stacks-up-against-super-smash-bros/feed/ 5 https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/19/flameseeker-chronicles-hands-on-with-guild-wars-2s-s1e3-clockwork-chaos/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/19/flameseeker-chronicles-hands-on-with-guild-wars-2s-s1e3-clockwork-chaos/#comments Tue, 19 Jul 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=396895 Ask veteran MMO gamers who the star of Guild Wars 2’s first living world season was, and you’re not likely to hear names like Braham, Marjory, or Mai Trin. The most memorable character from Season 1 was definitely Scarlet Briar. She has, thus far, been absent from the story, but with today’s release, Clockwork Chaos, […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/19/flameseeker-chronicles-hands-on-with-guild-wars-2s-s1e3-clockwork-chaos/feed/ 7 https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/12/flameseeker-chronicles-what-could-guild-wars-2s-fourth-expansion-be-about/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/12/flameseeker-chronicles-what-could-guild-wars-2s-fourth-expansion-be-about/#comments Tue, 12 Jul 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=395816 Ever since ArenaNet’s studio leadership came out early in the year and confirmed that planning has begun on a fourth expansion, players have no doubt been mulling over in their heads what that expansion could look like. Thus far, every Guild Wars 2 expansion has, in some way, revolved around Elder Dragons, and now that […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/12/flameseeker-chronicles-what-could-guild-wars-2s-fourth-expansion-be-about/feed/ 13 https://massivelyop.com/2022/05/27/guild-wars-2-trolls-are-blocking-others-access-to-new-legendary-weapon-skins-by-causing-events-to-succeed/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/05/27/guild-wars-2-trolls-are-blocking-others-access-to-new-legendary-weapon-skins-by-causing-events-to-succeed/#comments Fri, 27 May 2022 13:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=389887 Guild Wars 2 players are failing to succeed at failing because other players are trolling them by forcing them to succeed. Hang on, let’s start over. The achievement to unlock the new Zhaitan variants of the generation 3 legendary weapons, released alongside the Sky Pirates patch earlier this week, requires players to defeat a specific […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/05/27/guild-wars-2-trolls-are-blocking-others-access-to-new-legendary-weapon-skins-by-causing-events-to-succeed/feed/ 32 https://massivelyop.com/2022/05/24/flameseeker-chronicles-touring-guild-wars-2s-restored-living-world-season-1-sky-pirates/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/05/24/flameseeker-chronicles-touring-guild-wars-2s-restored-living-world-season-1-sky-pirates/#comments Tue, 24 May 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=389203 Ready for another trip down Guild Wars 2’s memory lane, or, perhaps, to experience more of the game’s long-lost stories for the first time? Chapter 2 of Living World Season 1 Returns is now available, and this time it’s all about pirates! And not just boring old water pirates; we’re talking sky pirates, the best […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/05/24/flameseeker-chronicles-touring-guild-wars-2s-restored-living-world-season-1-sky-pirates/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2022/04/20/flameseeker-chronicles-first-impressions-of-guild-wars-2s-restored-living-world-season-1-flame-and-frost/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/04/20/flameseeker-chronicles-first-impressions-of-guild-wars-2s-restored-living-world-season-1-flame-and-frost/#comments Wed, 20 Apr 2022 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=384564 Where were you nine years ago? I don’t know about you, but my life looked very different in 2013 when Guild Wars 2 first released Flame and Frost, its first official Living World update. The game has been through a lot as well, and, while future Living World releases became a part of the game, […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/04/20/flameseeker-chronicles-first-impressions-of-guild-wars-2s-restored-living-world-season-1-flame-and-frost/feed/ 14 https://massivelyop.com/2022/04/14/guild-wars-2-gives-update-on-the-jade-sea-meta-wvw-and-directx-11/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/04/14/guild-wars-2-gives-update-on-the-jade-sea-meta-wvw-and-directx-11/#comments Thu, 14 Apr 2022 18:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=383505 Guild Wars 2 studio ArenaNet promised more frequent communication in its recent post-End of Dragons roadmap, and today it delivered on the promise. Highlights include an update on the Jade Sea meta event, which many players have been unhappy with since launch (us included). ArenaNet cites internal statistics showing that the final boss was downed […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/04/14/guild-wars-2-gives-update-on-the-jade-sea-meta-wvw-and-directx-11/feed/ 39 https://massivelyop.com/2022/03/30/flameseeker-chronicles-guild-wars-2s-open-world-is-not-the-place-for-hardcore-content/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/03/30/flameseeker-chronicles-guild-wars-2s-open-world-is-not-the-place-for-hardcore-content/#comments Wed, 30 Mar 2022 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=380917 If you’re paying any attention to Guild Wars 2, you have, by now, no doubt heard the debate over the Battle for the Jade Sea meta event. On paper, it seems like a fairly standard meta event: It runs every two hours, requires a significant number of players who need to split up into groups […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/03/30/flameseeker-chronicles-guild-wars-2s-open-world-is-not-the-place-for-hardcore-content/feed/ 54 https://massivelyop.com/2022/03/29/flameseeker-chronicles-unpacking-guild-wars-2s-post-end-of-dragons-producers-letter/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/03/29/flameseeker-chronicles-unpacking-guild-wars-2s-post-end-of-dragons-producers-letter/#comments Tue, 29 Mar 2022 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=380072 Last week, we got a tsunami of good news from Guild Wars 2 studio ArenaNet. Studio directors Colin Johanson and John “JT” Taylor, along with executive producer Amy Liu and game director Josh “Grouch” Davis, penned a letter letting players know what is coming for Guild Wars 2. And let me tell you, it is […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/03/29/flameseeker-chronicles-unpacking-guild-wars-2s-post-end-of-dragons-producers-letter/feed/ 5 https://massivelyop.com/2022/03/09/interview-talking-guild-wars-2-end-of-dragons-soundtrack-with-lead-composer-maclaine-diemer/ Wed, 09 Mar 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=378316 Maclaine Diemer is the long-time lead composer for Guild Wars 2, with soundtrack credits going as far back as the very first Living World season, and most recently for the gorgeous score of End of Dragons. Music is an incredibly important part of setting the tone for a world like Tyria, and it adds so […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/03/01/flameseeker-chronicles-spoiler-free-first-impressions-of-guild-wars-2-end-of-dragons/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/03/01/flameseeker-chronicles-spoiler-free-first-impressions-of-guild-wars-2-end-of-dragons/#comments Tue, 01 Mar 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=377104 Remember when “Cantha confirmed” was a Guild Wars 2 meme? I, along with many other players, never thought we’d actually see Cantha in the sequel. And yet, End of Dragons is here and we can finally visit Cantha for ourselves! ArenaNet recently offered press the chance to play the expansion early, so of course I […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/03/01/flameseeker-chronicles-spoiler-free-first-impressions-of-guild-wars-2-end-of-dragons/feed/ 26 https://massivelyop.com/2022/02/28/flameseeker-chronicles-what-to-do-first-in-guild-wars-2-end-of-dragons/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/02/28/flameseeker-chronicles-what-to-do-first-in-guild-wars-2-end-of-dragons/#comments Mon, 28 Feb 2022 17:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=377099 Happy launch day! Guild Wars 2: End of Dragons is finally here! A big, meaty chunk of content the likes of which we haven’t seen since 2017. Guild Wars 2 plays host to a wide variety of content types and numerous playstyles, and just about everyone should have something to look forward to in this […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/02/28/flameseeker-chronicles-what-to-do-first-in-guild-wars-2-end-of-dragons/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2022/02/25/the-most-important-reveals-from-the-guild-wars-2-end-of-dragons-influencer-sneak-peak/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/02/25/the-most-important-reveals-from-the-guild-wars-2-end-of-dragons-influencer-sneak-peak/#comments Fri, 25 Feb 2022 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=376771 Guild Wars 2 fans are so close to Cantha, they can practically smell the incense wafting out of Shing Jea Monastery. And yet there are still many unanswered questions in many fans’ minds. The gates to Cantha – and the formal media embargo – won’t open for most players until February 28th, but ArenaNet is […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/02/25/the-most-important-reveals-from-the-guild-wars-2-end-of-dragons-influencer-sneak-peak/feed/ 12 https://massivelyop.com/2022/02/23/flameseeker-chronicles-everything-youve-missed-if-you-havent-played-guild-wars-2-since-path-of-fire/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/02/23/flameseeker-chronicles-everything-youve-missed-if-you-havent-played-guild-wars-2-since-path-of-fire/#comments Wed, 23 Feb 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=376381 There are a lot of great MMORPGs out there, and even if you enjoy Guild Wars 2, maybe it’s not your main game. Maybe you got excited for the expansions but haven’t found time for every Living World release, perhaps even not any of them. Now the siren call of End of Dragons has drawn […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/02/23/flameseeker-chronicles-everything-youve-missed-if-you-havent-played-guild-wars-2-since-path-of-fire/feed/ 12 https://massivelyop.com/2022/02/08/hands-on-with-guild-wars-2-end-of-dragons-newly-unveiled-jade-bots-mastery/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/02/08/hands-on-with-guild-wars-2-end-of-dragons-newly-unveiled-jade-bots-mastery/#comments Tue, 08 Feb 2022 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=374172 With the launch of Guild Wars 2: End of Dragons less than a month away, and the release date finally revealed, ArenaNet has held out one last secret to unveil before launch day, and that is its final mastery track. ArenaNet recently invited us to take a tour of New Kaineng City and get a […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/02/08/hands-on-with-guild-wars-2-end-of-dragons-newly-unveiled-jade-bots-mastery/feed/ 7 https://massivelyop.com/2022/01/19/flameseeker-chronicles-touring-guild-wars-2s-end-of-dragons-guild-hall-echovald-wilds-and-strike-mission/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/01/19/flameseeker-chronicles-touring-guild-wars-2s-end-of-dragons-guild-hall-echovald-wilds-and-strike-mission/#comments Wed, 19 Jan 2022 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=370982 With Guild Wars 2: End of Dragons expansion set to launch some time in February and the beginning of that month looming on the horizon, excitement from the Guild Wars 2 community is building. Cantha has been a long-requested destination, and it’s almost here! Earlier this month, ArenaNet invited us to take a guided tour […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/01/19/flameseeker-chronicles-touring-guild-wars-2s-end-of-dragons-guild-hall-echovald-wilds-and-strike-mission/feed/ 6 https://massivelyop.com/2021/12/02/flameseeker-chronicles-hands-on-with-guild-wars-2s-siege-turtles-and-updated-end-of-dragons-elite-specs/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/12/02/flameseeker-chronicles-hands-on-with-guild-wars-2s-siege-turtles-and-updated-end-of-dragons-elite-specs/#comments Thu, 02 Dec 2021 18:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=365309 We are finally in the home stretch for Guild Wars 2’s upcoming End of Dragons expansion! With less than three months to go, ArenaNet is currently treating us to one last beta to try out all of the elite specs, as well as the two-seat, hovering, cannon-toting siege turtle mount. I’m a little disappointed we […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/12/02/flameseeker-chronicles-hands-on-with-guild-wars-2s-siege-turtles-and-updated-end-of-dragons-elite-specs/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2021/11/18/guild-wars-2-teases-end-of-dragons-hovering-cannon-wielding-new-siege-turtle-mount/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/11/18/guild-wars-2-teases-end-of-dragons-hovering-cannon-wielding-new-siege-turtle-mount/#comments Thu, 18 Nov 2021 18:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=363455 On Earth, turtles are known for being slow-moving, land- and sometimes water-dwelling reptiles with tough shells. In Guild Wars 2’s upcoming End of Dragons expansion, however, they will be known for carrying giant laser cannons on their back and hovering with their jump jets. I am not making this up. A new video released today […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/11/18/guild-wars-2-teases-end-of-dragons-hovering-cannon-wielding-new-siege-turtle-mount/feed/ 11 https://massivelyop.com/2021/11/15/no-guild-wars-2s-end-of-dragons-wont-have-playable-tengu/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/11/15/no-guild-wars-2s-end-of-dragons-wont-have-playable-tengu/#comments Mon, 15 Nov 2021 14:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=362697 Have you ever returned to an old park or neighborhood that you haven’t been to since your childhood and found it simultaneously super familiar but also completely changed? Get ready to feel that way in Guild Wars 2: End of Dragons when you visit Echovald Forest, which is just as beautiful and dangerous as ever, […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/11/15/no-guild-wars-2s-end-of-dragons-wont-have-playable-tengu/feed/ 22 https://massivelyop.com/2021/11/09/flameseeker-chronicles-should-guild-wars-2-delete-leveling/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/11/09/flameseeker-chronicles-should-guild-wars-2-delete-leveling/#comments Tue, 09 Nov 2021 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=361446 Leveling is one of those things that you just have to have to count as an RPG, right? It’s expected. At this point, the concept of XP and levels has pervaded virtually every genre of games, from shooter to strategy. You may even encounter it at your job if you have a supervisor who’s into […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/11/09/flameseeker-chronicles-should-guild-wars-2-delete-leveling/feed/ 34 https://massivelyop.com/2021/10/28/flameseeker-chronicles-hands-on-with-guild-wars-2s-specter-untamed-and-mechanist/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/10/28/flameseeker-chronicles-hands-on-with-guild-wars-2s-specter-untamed-and-mechanist/#comments Thu, 28 Oct 2021 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=359949 It seems like just yesterday that we were getting hyped for the Guild Wars 2: End of Dragons’ reveal stream. While we still have a few months to wait and likely a few more surprises in store for us before the expansion finally releases, the theorycrafting and character planning can begin because the third elite […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/10/28/flameseeker-chronicles-hands-on-with-guild-wars-2s-specter-untamed-and-mechanist/feed/ 6 https://massivelyop.com/2021/10/25/what-we-learned-from-guild-wars-2s-specter-untamed-and-mechanist-elite-specs-stream/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/10/25/what-we-learned-from-guild-wars-2s-specter-untamed-and-mechanist-elite-specs-stream/#comments Mon, 25 Oct 2021 13:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=359376 The final round of Guild Wars 2 End of Dragons elite specializations was demonstrated for viewers on ArenaNet’s Guild Chat stream this past Friday – medium armor wearers, rejoice, for now is your time in the spotlight! This stream included the Thief’s Specter, the Ranger’s Untamed, and the Engineer’s Mechanist. The first spec the devs […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/10/25/what-we-learned-from-guild-wars-2s-specter-untamed-and-mechanist-elite-specs-stream/feed/ 9 https://massivelyop.com/2021/09/22/flameseeker-chronicles-test-driving-guild-wars-2-end-of-dragons-vindicator-bladesworn-and-catalyst-elite-specs/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/09/22/flameseeker-chronicles-test-driving-guild-wars-2-end-of-dragons-vindicator-bladesworn-and-catalyst-elite-specs/#comments Wed, 22 Sep 2021 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=354762 It’s time again for another End of Dragons elite specialization beta! It’s an exciting time for Guild Wars 2 players, who are learning what elite specs they will be playing as and alongside in this highly anticipated expansion. This time around we have the Revenant’s damage-support hybrid Vindicator spec, the Warrior’s totally-not-a-Final-Fantasy-XIV-Gunbreaker Bladesworn spec, and the Elementalist’s […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/09/22/flameseeker-chronicles-test-driving-guild-wars-2-end-of-dragons-vindicator-bladesworn-and-catalyst-elite-specs/feed/ 18 https://massivelyop.com/2021/09/18/guild-wars-2-stream-previews-end-of-dragons-vindicator-bladesworn-and-catalyst/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/09/18/guild-wars-2-stream-previews-end-of-dragons-vindicator-bladesworn-and-catalyst/#comments Sun, 19 Sep 2021 00:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=354308 Guild Wars 2 players are getting no shortage of new expansion info lately, between last week’s fishing and skiff stream and last month’s preview of the first three elite specs. If you are still waiting on info for your favorite class’s new elite spec, perhaps you will see it in this week’s Guild Chat stream, […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/09/18/guild-wars-2-stream-previews-end-of-dragons-vindicator-bladesworn-and-catalyst/feed/ 16 https://massivelyop.com/2021/09/14/flameseeker-chronicles-everything-we-learned-about-guild-wars-2-end-of-dragons-fishing-and-skiffs/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/09/14/flameseeker-chronicles-everything-we-learned-about-guild-wars-2-end-of-dragons-fishing-and-skiffs/#comments Tue, 14 Sep 2021 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=353668 Fishing is one of those weirdly ubiquitous RPG systems. Nobody picks an MMO based on how good its fishing skill is, and nobody complains when a new MMO launches with no fish to catch. Yet, with the launch of End of Dragons, all of the “big five” MMORPGs will have it, and countless other MMORPGs, […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/09/14/flameseeker-chronicles-everything-we-learned-about-guild-wars-2-end-of-dragons-fishing-and-skiffs/feed/ 9 https://massivelyop.com/2021/09/11/guild-wars-2-details-end-of-dragons-fishing-and-boat-mechanics-and-masteries/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/09/11/guild-wars-2-details-end-of-dragons-fishing-and-boat-mechanics-and-masteries/#comments Sat, 11 Sep 2021 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=353385 Ever since ArenaNet announced that fishing – and its companion fishing boats, skiffs – would be a major feature of End of Dragons, Guild Wars 2 players have been anxiously awaiting more information and speculating about how skiffs will be functionally different from the skimmer and what fishing will feel like. Yesterday, on its Guild […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/09/11/guild-wars-2-details-end-of-dragons-fishing-and-boat-mechanics-and-masteries/feed/ 11 https://massivelyop.com/2021/08/18/flameseeker-chronicles-hands-on-with-guild-wars-2s-new-harbinger-virtuoso-and-willbender-elite-specs/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/08/18/flameseeker-chronicles-hands-on-with-guild-wars-2s-new-harbinger-virtuoso-and-willbender-elite-specs/#comments Wed, 18 Aug 2021 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=350197 One of the most anticipated features of any Guild Wars 2 expansion is unquestionably the addition of new elite specializations. We got our first peek at the first elite spec for End of Dragons, the Mesmer’s Virtuoso, less than a month ago, with teases and details for Harbinger and Willbender in the intervening weeks. ArenaNet […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/08/18/flameseeker-chronicles-hands-on-with-guild-wars-2s-new-harbinger-virtuoso-and-willbender-elite-specs/feed/ 22 https://massivelyop.com/2021/08/03/flameseeker-chronicles-the-end-of-dragons-reveal-didnt-wow-people-and-thats-ok/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/08/03/flameseeker-chronicles-the-end-of-dragons-reveal-didnt-wow-people-and-thats-ok/#comments Tue, 03 Aug 2021 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=348096 We finally have our first real peek at the features and story of Guild Wars 2’s third expansion, End of Dragons. It has been a long time since this game got a proper expansion, and hopes were high for what was in store. Could we be getting a new class? A new race? Housing? A […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/08/03/flameseeker-chronicles-the-end-of-dragons-reveal-didnt-wow-people-and-thats-ok/feed/ 14 https://massivelyop.com/2021/07/23/massivelyop-interview-talking-ship-design-with-star-trek-onlines-donny-versiga/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/07/23/massivelyop-interview-talking-ship-design-with-star-trek-onlines-donny-versiga/#comments Fri, 23 Jul 2021 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=346301 If you play Star Trek Online, you know that ship collecting is one of the major pastimes of captains all over the Federation and beyond. As such, Donny Versiga, Staff Starship Artist for STO, has a very important job. He’s a lifelong Star Trek fan, as evidenced by his impressive Starfleet cosplays you can check […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/07/23/massivelyop-interview-talking-ship-design-with-star-trek-onlines-donny-versiga/feed/ 5 https://massivelyop.com/2021/07/20/flameseeker-chronicles-guild-wars-2s-outage-analysis-simplified/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/07/20/flameseeker-chronicles-guild-wars-2s-outage-analysis-simplified/#comments Tue, 20 Jul 2021 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=345601 For my day job, I’m a software developer, and all of my previous jobs have been IT related in some fashion. I still remember some advice that my supervisor at my first tech-related job gave me: “If we’re doing our job right, no one will know we’re here. When something does break, whether it’s your […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/07/20/flameseeker-chronicles-guild-wars-2s-outage-analysis-simplified/feed/ 7 https://massivelyop.com/2021/06/22/first-impressions-diving-into-oblivion-portals-with-companions-in-elder-scrolls-onlines-blackwood/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/06/22/first-impressions-diving-into-oblivion-portals-with-companions-in-elder-scrolls-onlines-blackwood/#comments Tue, 22 Jun 2021 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=340957 Like clockwork, The Elder Scrolls Online has flung wide the gates of its annual chapter release. This time, in Blackwood, we are headed to southern Cyrodiil, where the remnants of the once great empire meet the borders of the Argonian homeland of Blackmarsh. The Elder Scrolls Online loves to capitalize on nostalgia, and Blackwood is […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/06/22/first-impressions-diving-into-oblivion-portals-with-companions-in-elder-scrolls-onlines-blackwood/feed/ 11 https://massivelyop.com/2021/06/08/flameseeker-chronicles-three-better-ways-guild-wars-2-could-have-wrapped-up-the-icebrood-saga/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/06/08/flameseeker-chronicles-three-better-ways-guild-wars-2-could-have-wrapped-up-the-icebrood-saga/#comments Tue, 08 Jun 2021 15:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=339616 It’s easy to be critical of a game when it lets us down. In some ways, it’s equally easy to fall into the trap of denying the flaws in a thing you love. As much as I love Guild Wars 2, I always want to be honest about its missteps, but I also want my […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/06/08/flameseeker-chronicles-three-better-ways-guild-wars-2-could-have-wrapped-up-the-icebrood-saga/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2021/05/18/flameseeker-chronicles-the-disappointing-second-half-of-guild-wars-2s-icebrood-saga/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/05/18/flameseeker-chronicles-the-disappointing-second-half-of-guild-wars-2s-icebrood-saga/#comments Tue, 18 May 2021 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=336404 Welcome to part two of this overview of Guild Wars 2’s The Icebrood Saga. Last time, I talked about how the first half of this Saga was largely about readjusting expectations. Not so much about disappointments, but about feeling out what was and wasn’t going to be included in this new brand of Living World […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/05/18/flameseeker-chronicles-the-disappointing-second-half-of-guild-wars-2s-icebrood-saga/feed/ 15 https://massivelyop.com/2021/05/04/flameseeker-chronicles-recapping-the-entire-guild-wars-2-the-icebrood-saga/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/05/04/flameseeker-chronicles-recapping-the-entire-guild-wars-2-the-icebrood-saga/#comments Tue, 04 May 2021 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=334661 When looking back on Guild Wars 2’s The Icebrood Saga, I think the most noticeable feature was its many ups and downs. If I’m really honest with myself, those ups and downs have been largely about adjusting expectations. I hesitate to use the word “lowering” because in a lot (but not all) of these instances, […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/05/04/flameseeker-chronicles-recapping-the-entire-guild-wars-2-the-icebrood-saga/feed/ 10 https://massivelyop.com/2021/04/20/flameseeker-chronicles-possible-futures-for-guild-wars-2s-strikes-and-dragon-response-missions/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/04/20/flameseeker-chronicles-possible-futures-for-guild-wars-2s-strikes-and-dragon-response-missions/#comments Tue, 20 Apr 2021 16:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=332250 Guild Wars 2’s Icebrood Saga gave us a new type of endgame group content starting with its prologue chapter: Strike Missions. Each episode introduced one or more of these mini-raids, up until the release of Champions, which in turn introduced us to dragon response missions, which became the new formula for delivering both new instanced, […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/04/20/flameseeker-chronicles-possible-futures-for-guild-wars-2s-strikes-and-dragon-response-missions/feed/ 2 https://massivelyop.com/2021/04/08/soapbox-lies-i-was-told-about-world-of-warcraft/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/04/08/soapbox-lies-i-was-told-about-world-of-warcraft/#comments Thu, 08 Apr 2021 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=330020 A few months back, I was feeling restless in my MMO routine. Guild Wars 2 is my MMO “home,” so I’m always in that one, but I like to have one or two other MMOs to play on the side. For a while, that had been The Elder Scrolls Online, but the Greymoor expansion was […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/04/08/soapbox-lies-i-was-told-about-world-of-warcraft/feed/ 20