Guild Wars 2 Is A Big Book Of Fun Activities

From the shooting gallery to bar brawls, Guild Wars 2 will be filled with fun things to do when you’re not sticking your sword in things until your numbers don’t go up anymore.

In the latest post on ArenaNet’s blog, Guild Wars 2 game designer John Stumme explains how the upcoming game goes beyond standard fantasy MMO gameplay mechanics by adding extra activities that help build the illusion of a living, breathing world.

Wait a second-aren’t MMOs supposed to be set in a virtual world? Surely we do more than just go to work or school in real life, so shouldn’t we have options in our games too? In Guild Wars 2, you have those options. In the capitol cities of the five playable races, you’ll find a variety of fun activities that are unique to each location. These are our mini-games, and they cover a wide range of game styles.

While I tend to shudder when I hear the word ‘mini-games,’ it seems like ArenaNet’s definition of the term is a bit grander than most game developers. There are smaller games, like a competitive shooting gallery complete with power-ups and the return of the original Guild Wars’ snowball fights, but then there’s the bar brawl, which sounds like an amazingly involved good time.

It’s just what it sounds like. Players will down bottles of alcohol that grant them various powers, and then break them over their opponents’ heads. They’ll use bottles as blunt objects hurling them across the room or using them as clubs, and should they break, you can even shank people.

Fists can be swung. Tables can be smashed. Boards from those tables can be used as weapons. You can throw a keg at someone’s head.

This might be exactly what every fantasy-themed MMO has been missing.

Of course ArenaNet promotes responsible drinking as well, sort of.

As characters become increasingly more drunk, their chance to land a critical hit rises…as well as their chance to totally miss with attacks.

I see myself spending a lot of time in bars when Guild Wars 2 comes out next year.

Activities – Games Within the Game [ArenaNet Blog]