Guild Wars: Factions - T

Fun, fee-free role-playing game. Teens and up.

Publisher: Arenanet Category/Genre: Video Games - Role Playing Games Platform: Windows Price: $49.99 Online Enabled: Yes Graphics: High. Impressive landscapes, buildings etc. with quick load times. Playability: Medium. Adding, communicating, and grouping with friends is difficult. Reading Level: Medium Release Date: 06/23/2006 ESRB Rating: T for Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol and Violence

Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that this is a role-playing game in which players constantly battle with enemy creatures and other players using swords, axes, hammers, etc. The violence is constant, but bloodless. Characters can be scantily clad. The game does encourage teammwork and strategy. Also, there's no monthly fee, and the game is a better fit for teens who want to play for short periods of time. Parents should also be aware that Guild Wars is played exclusively online; Common Sense does not recommend online play for anyone under 12.

Families who do purchase this game may want to discuss the future of online-only games. Do you feel that online games are going to the main way games are played in the future? If so, how do you feel about it? What advantages and disadvantages are there to online-only games? Are there any additional dangers?

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Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Jeremy Gieske

As in the original game, GUILD WARS: FACTIONS offers a huge online world to explore, filled with mythical beasts, massive mountains, and cities teeming with other players. In this fictitious world, players constantly battle enemy creatures and other online players.

The game offers two main modes of play. In role-playing mode, players develop a character through quests and battles.

In this installment, play takes place in a new land. There are two additional classes to belong to. The main difference here is that guilds can form alliances, taking sides in a war that's splitting the continent.

Player vs. player mode starts players off at the highest level with decent weapons and skills. Players battle it out in games such as capture the flag. To defeat a rival guild or an opposing team, players must use strategy and teamwork -- rather than depending on superior weapons and armor.

This game is more family friendly than other massively multiplayer online role-playing games like like World of Warcraft or Dungeons and Dragons Online: Stormreach. For one thing, there's no monthly fee. The game also alerts players when they've been playing for an hour, two hours, and so on.

The downside? When navigating to a city, players often lose the other folks they were playing with, and it can be difficult to get back in the same group. Also, some places in the game force players to play with random teams, instead of with known friends.

In the end, though, Guild Wars: Factions is a fun, cheaper alternative to other games in this genre. Families should note that you don't need to buy the original game to play this installment.

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Content		CS	adults	kids
Content
Sexual Content Female and male characters can be scantily clad -- easily found hacks reduce them to underwear.
Violence Intense but bloodless battles with swords, axes, hammers, and other weapons against computer-controlled creatures as well as other human players.
Language Filters block some cursing while chatting. Of couse, players can get around this with a little creativity.
Message
	Social Behavior Promotes teamwork and strategy. Some quests involve helping others.
	Commercialism
	Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco Players can purchase hunter's ale or win it through quests. Consuming enough blurs the screen, imitating being drunk.
	Educational Value Much of the game requires a lot of strategic thinking. Players can even draw on the mini-map to communicate plans with other party members.