Only MMO I can play for any length of time!
921194
I am not a hardcore gamer.  I like to play games that are fun and that help me relax, not games that feel like a chore.  I really have enjoyed Diablo 3 and Torchlight 2 recently.  I also have 2 kids and can't get in a ton of game time these days. Over the years, I have tried to get into several MMO's but I haven't really caught the fire.  I tried Warcraft, lord of the rings online, Star Wars the Old Republic, and Star Trek online.  Most recently I tried Wildstar.  None of these games have been able to capture my attention for any length of time.  These other games have boring combat (besides Wildstar), boring quests, take way too long to get anything done, and on top of it you have to pay a monthly fee to play so you feel like you are just renting the game.  Now obviously there are plenty of people who love these games, but for a casual gamer like me, they just feel like a chore.

Guild Wars 2 is different.  The combat is fast and fun.  The visuals are the best I've seen in an MMO (though I do think that some of warcraft's newer content is quite visually beautiful).  The questing is diverse and more interesting.  The story is not the best, but it is pretty enjoyable.  The crafting system is actually kind of fun, though I usually don't spend much time on it.  Dailies rotate to give a little variety.  The dynamic quests that pop up are exciting and make the world interesting and make it feel alive.  And on top of all this, there is no monthly subscription! That alone is wonderful.  There is a real money store, but it is mostly for cosmetic items and maybe some bag space.  I will admit I have spent about $30 on the store over the last 2 years but it was totally because I wanted to.  I like this game enough to support it out of good will.  Besides, that is way less than paying $15 a month.

Some other great things - thanks to the mega servers, there are always lots of players around no matter what zone you are in.  No dead zones here!  The community is very nice and polite compared to other games I have played.  People are helpful and it's easy to get people to run dungeons and help out.  World bosses are cool.  Exploration is strongly encouraged and is rewarding.  Jumping puzzles add some nice variety and can be challenging.  Dungeons are a challenge but are very doable. Pvp is relatively balanced because it isn't really gear based.

I could go on and on.  If you are like me and are a casual gamer looking for a world to explore and get lost in, give this game a try.  If you live for gear grind and need raids then probably look elsewhere.

If you do play, try to relax and enjoy the game.  Don't try to level up and burn through content as fast as you can.  Play it like you would play skyrim.  Explore. Talk to people.  If you just try to play fast, you will get to endgame and feel like there is nothing to do because there isn't raiding.  But the endgame here is to explore and enjoy the world not to just gear grind.

Great game. Hope to see you in the game!
4664584
This was my first venture into MMO gaming and did I pick the right game to do it with. Grant it, it took three days straight of letting my computer run in order to get all the updates and fixes, but that is all forgotten and forgiven- the game is THAT great.
707882
I just love this game! Highly recommends to others!
2320077
This game is truly the greatest MMORPG out there. What it lacks in complexity (such as that found in EVE Online) it makes up for in heart-pacing PvP and a great character system. This game is fun to play whenever you play it or whatever level you are at. "Grinding" is not really a big issue like it is in Star Wars Galaxies. You don't have to grind forever because mobs at your level give your good exp. Items in the game are awesome and the equipment/weapons are really sweet-looking (at least the higher-lvl items do). The game is extremely easy to learn, and you can play it for as many hours as you want, it doesn't require a dedicated gamer to reallly have fun and make progress. If you haven't already, buy this game.
3248160
Got the game yesterday and I didn't want to put it down!  I have played D3 on PC at release, but eventually grew bored of the horrible loot system.  Loot 2.0 helped a bit, but I still couldn't make myself play it longer than a couple days. Eventually I stopped playing it all together (before the expansion came out).

I was a little skeptical about purchasing this, but my love for Blizzard games got the best of me, and I don't regret it! The thing that has me hooked in this game already is playing it on the controller (it was meant to be played that way it seems).  The graphics are decent for a 2 year old game.  Also, I haven't experienced any lag or slowdown at all in single player game.  All your actions happen instantly.

The menu system is a little awkward at first, but I got used to it pretty quickly. I haven't tried co-op or any online features.  Also, please be aware that this is a very addictive game!  Don't ignore your loved ones! Or better yet, have them play with you!

In my opinion, this game gets a 9/10 from me.
3722141
Take a deep breath everyone.

I am an avid fan of the Diablo games. I played Diablo faithfully when it first came out, and I still play D2 to this day, 13 years after its inception. Many of the things I love about the Diablo games are those which make them distinct from other MMORPGs (such as WoW which I have also played).

I generally prefer single player quests, although I have enjoyed my fair share of closed network LAN parties and party play with specific friends. Diablo has historically been a single player friendly game, and I was more hesitant than most to play a game requiring me to be online at all times. The horror stories I hear of the first week of D3's release support this fear.

And yet here I am, months after D3's release, having bought it, played it and now writing a review.

THE GOOD

For $60, this game is worth it. We are not talking about a franchise that requires monthly fees, like WoW. We are talking about a very well constructed game with good stories, enough references to the old games to be nostalgic and enough new things to be entertaining - for a flat, one time fee. If you plan on playing for more than 6 hours, it's cheaper than seeing a couple of movies! I have greatly enjoyed the new character classes, like Demon Hunter and Witch Doctor, as well as the classics (Barbarian, Wizard (a.k.a. sorceress). It is especially nice that you can be either male or female in each class. The graphics are pretty amazing and the game is exciting and flows quickly with enough complexity to quests to remain engaging (No WoW style "kill 12 beasts" quests that are eternally mind numbing). And for those of us who predominately play single player, the game has built in companions for quests (knights, thieves, enchantresses etc). It is a solidly good game, not quite the par of D2, but good and in my opinion, worth the money.

THE BAD

I have only beaten the game in normal mode, and it was too easy for my taste. As much as I would love to chalk it up to my understanding the ins and outs of the Diablo franchise, that's a cop out. D3 is just too easy so far. Seriously, I died all of 3 times, and I didn't even lose my gold or my stuff! I just loss some of the integrity of my armor, which cost a whopping 50 gold to fix. I hear this alleviates as you progress, but there is also the frustration of repetition to deal with. There are only so many times you can listen to game characters describe aspects of a quest you've already done. Also, I do not like the loss of skill trees and the ability to choose/channel your focus into specific abilities. This is one of the aspects of strategy I really liked about D2, and it's gone. We are - for the most part - automatically assigned skills as we level up, which is just a little boring and takes some of the fun and frustration away from the game (like when you focus your skills in a lightning class and then encounter a monster who is immune to lightning). I liked this about D2, and alas it is gone in this game. They added just a little too much WoW flavor for my taste. I really think Blizzard should have kept the Diablo franchise in the hands of Blizzard North instead of disbanding them and allowing the WoW strategists to take over. Yes, WoW is a remarkably profitable and beloved game, but we Diablo players players would play WoW if that's what we wanted. It isn't. The auction house, buying slots in your stash etc; that's not Diablo material.

IN SUMMARY

I agree that D3 is not the quality and ingenuity of D and D2. It has too much of a WoW flavor for that, and thus has lost some of the uniqueness that made Diablo such a great game franchise. However, it is still a solid, entertaining, engaging game that has enough of a salute to its origins to make me smile and keep me coming back for game play. I give it a solid 4/5 and say it's worth the money.
3234056
For a free game, I'm very impressed. I love jumping into this game from time to time. It's a great investment for the casual gamer who likes MMOs. The gameplay is fun and the combat system is on par with most of the other mainstream MMOs. I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys them.
474390
This game is amazing.  It hooked me for over a month, in which time I had no desire to play any other games.  The atmosphere is enveloping and very well designed.  Add that to the fact that you can essentially create any kind of character you want, making the game very different every time you play, and you have a game that more than pays for itself in fun factor.  Anyone who likes video games would do very well to pick this one up!
13272
I started playing Defiance this morning and I must say, I really enjoy it! When it was released at $49.99, I decided to hold off since I end up tiring of MMO's before I end up getting my money's worth. Then, PSN offered it at $9.99 for members and I decided to give it a shot. So far, I'm having a blast!  I am not sure if it is because I had no expectations ( nor a pre-existing opinion).  I debated spending the $20 extra for the Deluxe Edition, but decided to wait for the Season Pass once it is  discounted. Also, since it is a fairly new MMO, I want to be sure it will still be around for the 5 or so expansions that are expected to materialize.

That having been said - the controls feel great. I'm pleasantly surprised with with the gradual learning curve. The graphics are quite decent. I haven't played enough to have an opinion about the in-game trade. I don't want to shell out a lot of cash and am not interested in scoring the spiffiest weapons. As long as I have sufficient ammo to play & a weapon that defeats the bad guys, I am happy. I even like running up to them and slamming them - my WMD being my fist. So much for high tech boy-toys!!

I'm more of a single player type  and so far I haven't been forced to join a group to accomplish missions. I enjoy the fact that I can help out another player who might be momentarily pinned down - and vice versa. I understand why MMO's offer missions to encourage players to team up. But given the fact I am a 55 year old female who doesn't have a lot of friends/peers playing these games, it can be a big challenge to find comrades. I am a fairly adept gamer, but I have run into extremely competitive players  who've been more than a little rude to others (myself included) because we didn't measure up to their expectations. Hey - I am here to enjoy myself - not to be kick a$$!! I don't want to ruin anyone's fun - but give me a break. It is not the end of the world if we need to wait five minutes while another gamer goes to feed his/her kids or while I take my dogs out to water  the closest fire hydrant!  ;)

Anyway - I have NOT experienced any issues with short tempers - so that isn't an concern.  I feel free to do my own thing without being compelled to team up with someone else. It's a great feeling.

My ONLY disappointment - and it is minor - is that the characters are not more customizable. (As I said - it is minor). I also wish the characters SPOKE... I know - it's asking a lot. I've been spoiled by playing SWTOR in that regard... Incredibly nice character customization and great VOICE acting. But I'd rather they spent resources on making the game rock than making the game pretty.

That's about it, so far. I've been playing only a few hours but felt compelled to put my in my 2 cents. That should be a good indicator that I'm quite impressed with the game.
2501929
Amazing game that will entertain anyone for hours and hours! I played it for 30 hours in the first few days I had it!
3298834
This game is pretty amazing. It has had no server side lag issues since launch which is simply amazing given that most games of it's genre are simply unplayable for their first few months.

The graphics are amazing, it's the best looking virtual world you'll find. No cartoon like graphics here. The game is deep with tons of stuff to do, crafting is very deep and intricate, diplomacy is a fun alternative to adventuring and crafting.

The only con is the player base is still underdeveloped so it can be hard to find a group if your not playing with friends. This should change with time.
4111796
I would put this game in my favorite five all time games!  I got it around a month ago and it has put even the mighty Elder Scrolls: Skyrim on the back burner for now.  The game is addictive in multiplayer and is one of the best I've ever played with friends.  I highly recommend it and at the price it is at the point of this review it reiterates to me why I spent my money building a decent gaming PC, BECAUSE THE GAMES ARE CHEAP!!!
If you do buy this, put at least 2 hours into it before deciding whether you like it or not.  You don't get the full feel of the game until you learn the nuances of how it works and begin to progress through the story.  Also, start out as a knight or a wizard or you will have a very hard time progressing through the game.  I made a hunter after I had a high level knight and it made it very easy to get him leveled up.
All in all,  A+ game and the developer continues to produce both paid and free DLC for it.  It's a must own for anyone who enjoys tower defense games.
2087744
best single player RPG ive ever played.

hands down.
4000306
This game will go down in History as one of the best MMORPG's of its time. 4 gigabytes of massively online multiplayer terrain, combat, and role-playing scenarios. I would suggest this game to anyone with a knack for fantasy/midieval, role-playing, or shear love of online games. Account fee is $15 monthly. Each account can support 8 characters between different realms. Decide between 4 Allaince races and 4 Horde races. Pick a classes from Rogues, Warriors, Hunters, Warlocks, Shaman, and the list goes on. Test your skills in multiple Professions including Mining, Fishing, Skinning, Engineering, Blacksmithing and more.<br />
<br />
What are the game's system requirements?<br />
<br />
Windows System 98/ME/2000/XP OS:<br />
<br />
  - 800 MHz or higher CPU<br />
  - 256 MB or more of RAM<br />
  - 32 MB 3D graphics card with hardware transform and lighting, such as GeForce 2 or better<br />
  - 4 GB or more of available hard drive space<br />
  - DirectX 9.0c or above<br />
  - A 56k or higher modem with an Internet connection <br />
<br />
Mac System OS X 10.3.5 OS:<br />
<br />
  - 933 MHz or higher G4 or G5 processor<br />
  - 512 MB RAM or higher; DDR RAM recommended<br />
  - ATI or NVIDIA video hardware with 32 MB VRAM or more<br />
  - 4 GB or more of available hard drive space<br />
  - MacOS X 10.3.5 or newer<br />
  - 56k or higher modem with an Internet connection
3700984
I've heard people say that they played this game for an hour and thought it sucked.  You cannot play this game for any less than a WEEK MINIMUM to have any kind of valid opinion of the game.  I've been playing for a couple months and i've done a lot of stuff.... yet i've only scratched the tip of the iceberg... have not even chipped it yet.  There is so much to do in this game and its so inovative.  So many different jobs you can be (new ones yet to come) each filled with abilities, yet you can sub any other job for a variety of combinations.  Quests and missions up the yin-yang as well as the smartest thing they could have added to the game... the Auction House where you can sell your stuff and buy stuff for better prices than NPC shops.  There is just so much to this game that once you think you've seen it all... you find something new... and while they keep releasing expansions, the world and everything you can do just gets bigger.
178781
When you look back at some of the first MMORPGs (Massive Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Games) it's incredible to see how far they've come along.  There really wasn't too much hype coming from the release of this game, but I can assure you Guild Wars, although it shares many qualities of a fantasy online RPG, distinguishes itself from others.  With a unique skill system, beautiful graphics, a dual profession system, and for the first time, no monthly fee, this game was almost made to be a sure hit.  The game starts you off in the city of Ascalon, pressed by hard times by the war against the ferocious creatures known as the Charr.  Your hero must rise to the challenge of opposing these creatures and save your homeland from complete destruction; however, your journey takes you outside of the realm of Ascalon where you'll visit neighboring cities, explore vast jungles, and even walk Hell's Precipice!  The storyline itself is riveting from start to finish, I never found myself not wanting to know more as the game progressed.  Intricate cutscenes and storyline missions keep you wanting more.  One of the game's most unique systems is how you can choose one primary class (warrior, necromancer, monk, ranger, elementalist, or mesmer) as well as possess the skills of a secondary class from the above list.  Although you must use the same armor as your base class, it gives the game just that much more depth.  With over 150 skills per profession, the character build possibilites seem almost endless.  However, each player can only limit themselves to the use of 8 skills at a time, which provides a more strategic side to this RPG.  The game world itself is gorgeous, characters are presented in high detail the lush land of Tyria is one you'll enjoy exploring.  Ah, that reminds me, you'll be able to venture with allies to your chosen destinations.  You begin only being able to venture with three other teammates but as the game progresses and becomes more difficult you can team up with up to 7 other allies; furthermore, there is also the option of using henchmen at no hiring fee.  Now, crossing over to the PvP part of the game.  It's just as encouraging to play as the PvE portion of the game is.  It's fast, high action scenarios cause you to work cooperatively with your teammates.  I won't get too much into that part of the game as there's lots to learn about it, but much of the style of play is introduced in the PvE portion of the game.  If you're a newcomer to MMORPGs, here's one you might as well give a shot, with no monthly fee there's no real necessary attachment to it, for longtime MMORPG fans here's a game that delivers, it does a fantastic job at putting out all the stops to win you over, although it's not perfect, it sure does it's best to become so.

A bit about the story...

"Ascalon is at war, fighting the Charr invading from the North. The fight is not going well, but the Great Northern Wall always protects Ascalon from the worst of the threat. However, the Charr find a way past the wall, and increase their attacks. It is in this setting the player begins a new character and completes initial training quests."

Pros:

Fast-paced high action gameplay

Beautiful character design and huge explorable world

Epic storyline keeps you wanting more

Over 30 different profession combinations

Hundreds of unique skills

PvP as much as fun as PvE

Will keep you entertained for a long time to come

Cons:

At times, the game can become repetitive

Minor bugs

No race differentation

Sound could have been better

In game cinematics have no lip syncing
2877641
EVE Online is without question the most challenging and difficult MMOs on the market today.  At 13 years old, it has stood the test of time and outlived many other games that have since died off.  EVE has a truly massive gameworld, where you can carve out your own niche and rule with an iron fist.

There are a ton of different gameplay options, so you can be sure there will be something you will enjoy.

I highly recommend you give it a try for free with an exclusive 3-week trial account by sending me a message requesting a link.

After all, why pay for something if you might not like it?  After 3 weeks, you should have a good idea if EVE is right for you.