If you haven’t tried it already, Guild Wars 2’s latest Living World story, The Icebrood Saga, represents the perfect opportunity to dip into ArenaNet’s epic MMORPG. This exciting new chapter opens up unexplored areas, unfamiliar monsters, fresh masteries, shiny new weapons, challenging strikes, and some terrifying bosses.
But what if you’re not already a rabid MMO fan and have yet to dabble in the genre? What if your only experience of an open world is choosing where to drop? Or if your combat abilities were honed back at headquarters as you sent your units into battle? Or, for that matter, if you’re more used to motors than mounts?
Well, fear not, because we’ve managed to get hold of a race log belonging to a driving game character who crossed into Guild Wars 2 from their own genre, and the results are surprising. So, crack open a bottle of ancient Orrian wine (if you don’t have one, brewing a cup of tea will do), pop your feet up, and learn from the best as they take their first steps in Tyria.
Race log of a driving game character
Race report 1
Found a new place, but got no car, no bike, no sled – got to run but can’t go faster, need more speed.
Race report 2
Other people are sitting on animals, on birds, on dinosaurs, on bugs. I was an engineer and hoped I could build a car, but apparently not – switched to a thief ‘cause they run fast, go hard, and jump about.
Race report 3
Trying to outrun angry animals and other people running about, they won’t cooperate with me, need to win, need to race.
Race report 4
Someone said they could hit level 80 before I could, yes finally a challenge, will be right back.
Race report 5
Hit level 80 my opponent is only at level 37, I’m the fastest.
Race report 6
I can get mounts to ride? But which one, skimmer is fast on water, griffon is fast in the air, raptor is fast everywhere, but roller beetle is the fastest. Only in straight lines but everything is a straight line if you believe hard enough, if you have the will to win and to go and be the best.
Race report 7
Started competing in mount races with my beetle – going to be the best and win every race, even the special seasonal races. I’m going to win everything.
Race report 8
I’ve realised that I can switch mounts mid-race to tackle different terrains. I can jump while riding them, too (the springer is particularly good) and even take advantage of sand portals to get ahead of the competition. This is incredible – they feel so good to control.
Race report 9
Won all the races. Looking for a new challenge now.
Race report 10
Started new stuff doing fractals, dungeons, raids, and strikes. Gonna be tanky ‘cause I want to lead the pack, others say I can’t but who cares what they say? Gonna beat them all…
Race report 11
Streamlined everyone’s tactics – they all go for the long way round, trying to “stay alive”. But I can go faster if I optimise everyone’s build, everyone’s rotation, everyone’s tactics
Race report 12
Why pick off enemies one at a time? I say pull them all in one go and zap them down, zap zap zap. I’ve worked my way through signets, traits, and the Swiftness boon.
Race report 13
Gotta be the first one out of every dungeon, every raid, every fractal… If you hang around and say thanks, someone might leave before you and then you’re a loser. Being polite is for slowpokes. GO GO GO.
Race report 14
I hear new content’s coming out. Off to the Shiver Peaks in the Icebrood Saga. Going to need to think about grip in all that snow, but I plan to be the world’s first and clear every bit of it before anyone else. The big question is how do I be the first if I have to do stuff with a team of other people?
Race report 15
I worked it out. I feel so sheepish. The key, all along, was… work together. I know this sounds odd, but hear me out. I’m so used to trading paint on the tarmac, and gunning for the podium alone, that I didn’t think about how much stronger we are as a group. Now, all of a sudden, I’m enjoying the raids so much more, making friends, and gaining stories of adventure to tell.. I still want to be quick, of course, but now I have the Superspeed effect for a whopping 100% increase in movement speed!
Guild Wars 2’s latest Living World story, The Icebrood Saga, is out now and accessible to all owners of Guild Wars 2: Path of Fire.
