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Guild Wars: Factions

(2006, Video Games - Role Playing Games, Rated T, Play it on: Windows)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 13, age appropriate for kids over 15; suggested age 13.
  • Is it any good?

    4.0
  • Common Sense says

    Fun, fee-free role-playing game for teens and up.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 13–15

The good stuff

  • 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.
  • Messages:

    Promotes teamwork and strategy. Some quests involve helping others.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    Intense but bloodless battles with swords, axes, hammers, and other weapons against computer-controlled creatures as well as other human players.
  • Sex:

    Female and male characters can be scantily clad -- easily found hacks reduce them to underwear.
  • Language:

    Filters block some cursing while chatting. Of couse, players can get around this with a little creativity.
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Players can purchase hunter's ale or win it through quests. Consuming enough blurs the screen, imitating being drunk.
 

What Parents Need to Know

This review of Guild Wars: Factions was written by Jeremy Gieske

Parents need to know that this is a role-playing game featuring constant (but bloodless) battles with enemy creatures and other players using swords, axes, hammers, etc. Characters can be scantily clad. The game does encourage teamwork and strategy. Parents should also be aware that it is played exclusively online; Common Sense Media does not recommend online play for anyone under 12.

Families Can Talk About

Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
  • Families can talk about the future of online-only games. Do you feel that online games are going to become the main way games are played? If so, how do you feel about it? What advantages and disadvantages are there to online-only games? Are there any dangers?
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More on Guild Wars: Factions

What’s the Story?

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

In role-playing mode, players develop a character through quests and battles. 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.

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Is It Any Good?

This game is more family friendly than other massively multiplayer online role-playing games. For one thing, there's no monthly fee, and you don't need to buy the original game to play this installment. 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, cheap alternative to other games in this genre.

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Publisher’s Details

Released on 06/23/2006, price $49.99, not online enabled
ESRB rating: T (for Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol and Violence)

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See all 16 member reviews

Most Recent Reviews

  1. Kid Reviewer Age 9
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 5.0

    If everything is coming your way your on the wrong track

    If you have something wrong which is your problem don't give it to other people to sort out it's family buisness .And if it's your problem but you ask your friend to help it's ok they can but don't give them a whole bag full give them 1 thing to do,they help so you can smile agian it's not fair to give them the problem and leave it's just yours and family's time to talk And if your friend has a problem help them out but dont ask them for you to do everything cause you take the problem and well here comes a bully or anything but give them there bits you do yours and if you done the 1 thing ask them what is left the person or something wants, to give them a re:minder but don't come running to them when you took the problem READ THIS PLEASE TO TELL WHY

  2. Parent Reviewer
    Lives in Nebraska
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 5.0

    Great game for people 13-99!!!!!

    I own all 4 Guild Wars installments and they are fun, imaginitive, have great graphics, and are very immersive! A must own in my opinion. The game does allow you to remove your armor and walk around in underwear. The chat channel allows people to talk freely, but you can set your chat filter to maximum and block any curse words or questionable words. You can also change "districts" in a city to avoid people cursing, or block their individual communications entirely. There is a report feature for obscene language built into the game too. Basically it is very easy to keep the game clean for yourself by easily avoiding vile people. Great teambuilding and friendmaking venue too. I definitely recommend!

  3. Teen Reviewer Age 17
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0

    awesome game!

    this game is great for RPG fans, the sexual content...i mean...yeah the outfits dont actually reveal parts of their bodies....worst i saw were legs or stomachs exposed....THERE ARE NO HACKS FOR THIS GAME...nor is there gore, the violence is really tame...no blood, this game encourages working with other players to complete the mission. Some parts may get frustrating at times because teams wont take you...you can drink hunters ale or spiked eggnog....excessive drinking will make your character "drunk"...which is actually really funny they start saying stuff like "im king of the world" and they sit and kneel....nothing bad there, disregard the other reviewer who said there were hacks for nudity and gore....there are none, this game cannot be hacked, commonsense should really remove the above review as it does not give an accurate review of this game...this game ROCKS!

  4. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 4.0

    Awesome for kids 13+

    Aside from characters having odd names...which I would rather not mention this game is pretty fun. Absolutely no "Hacks" where you can reduce your character to having nothing on. Violence is not an issue, Language..as with all online games there may be a few colorful words here and there. Most quests require team work to get the job done. The PvP is a little annoying at times in "Random Arenas". For example a group of players entering at the same time to create a balanced team. HEroes Ascent battles can be frustrating if you don't have a high rank or "Ventrilo" which enables you to verbally communicate with other players. Other than these few problems this game is awesome.

  5. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title off for age 2 and give it 0.0

    I say I say I say

    This game sucks! it shouldn't be for anyone in their right state of mind! this game sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! People can strip down fully naked with a hack i saw in use! in use! male and female! and with another hack i saw in use! there where limbs everywhere!

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