Chris InglisGuild Wars 2: Janthir Wilds, the fifth expansion pack for the popular MMORPG from ArenaNet and published by NCSoft, launched on August 21 offering a captivating and immersive experience for players of all levels. This expansion introduces a beautifully crafted new landmass, rich storytelling, engaging gameplay events, and a host of exciting new features.
One of the standout aspects of Janthir Wilds is its emphasis on story without initial stress of a big cataclysmic world event. Coming from Secrets of the Obscure last year being combat heavy with kryptis rifts, the expansion begins with a slower-paced introduction, allowing players to delve into the lore and history of the Tyrian Alliance. This deliberate approach provided a more immersive experience and a chance to hear from races we haven’t seen in a few expansions. Each quarter into 2025 will see some further content updates including new challenging group content like a 10-player raid and large open world events, new fractals, combat system updates, and more.
The new zones, Lowland Shore and Janthir Syntri, are filled with a heap of dynamic events and opportunities for teamwork. Lowland Shore is brimming with events popping constantly that I never stopped to wonder what to do next. If anything, they could be a little too dense at times and some overlapped. I particularly liked the beehive jumping puzzle as it has been a good year or two since I last engaged in that side of the game, it was a fun challenge. There are also several tiered hearts which offers a rewarding progression system, encouraging players to explore and complete various activities in similar areas.
Normally I would complete each heart for map completion and move on, often not returning. However, the tiered hearts mean I am returning for good reason, and it doesn’t feel like a waste of gameplay time. Some hearts can be cumbersome (pomegranates anyone), but overall Janthir Wilds adds some great new varieties of events, enemies and champion spawns, providing challenging encounters for players of all skill levels. There was often commander player who would swoop in with a large team and I always like to hop on their trails as they will help me gain achievements and complete events that I cannot do solo.
A notable addition to Janthir Wilds is the warclaw mount, which provides a thrilling new way to traverse the expansive landscapes. Investing in this mastery line allows you to negate fall damage, jump mid-air based on your stamina, do extra damage while atop the mount, and use chains to grapple enemies or fell trees for wood. The expansion also introduces races like the salmon run and barge run, some of the more unique mini games I have played in Guild Wars 2 that adds a fun and challenging element to the gameplay.
I have been playing my Guardian since release in 2012 and basically once I hit level 80, I have been using the exact same greatsword this entire time. I still haven’t worked my way towards a legendary weapon, and I have tried other weapon types but the AoE gameplay of the greatsword has never been beaten for me, until now. The new above-ground spear weapons for each class offer a fresh combat experience, with a variety of skills and abilities that cater to different playstyles. The guardian’s spear abilities are also AoE oriented, and the spell effects are fresh and vibrant that it has now become my primary weapon to use.
Certain guardian spear skills will cause the subsequent spear attack to be illuminated, which glows green on your skill bar and makes them stronger or grants them additional effects. While you can only empower one skill at any given time, those skills can in turn grant the illuminated status to your next skill, allowing you to chain multiple illuminated skills together with precise positioning. For example, the Helio Rush skill charges into an enemy dealing damage and healing allies. The illuminated version increases the healing and grants resolution allowing you to go through enemies and allies at the same time.
The introduction of personal homesteads is another long-awaited feature, allowing players to customise their own private instanced space and engage in various activities. After some initial story quest lines, you will have free reign to be able to build and decorate using some precise controls that make you feel somewhat like a game environment developer. New and existing decorations will be craftable through the new personal scribing crafting discipline though I can see this being an expensive time sink. You can also harvest resources, catch fish, and heaps more. This feature adds a layer of personalisation to the game and provides a relaxing and enjoyable experience.
Overall, Guild Wars 2: Janthir Wilds is a fantastic expansion that delivers a compelling narrative, engaging gameplay, and a host of new features. Whether you’re a long-time fan or new to the series, this expansion offers something for everyone. The combination of beautiful landscapes, engaging storytelling, and challenging gameplay make Janthir Wilds a must-play for fans of the Guild Wars 2 franchise and will only get better with the upcoming quarterly releases from ArenaNet.
This review utilised a key provided by Zebra Partners and Guild Wars 2: Janthir Wilds is available now from Steam and the official website.
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