Would You Trust A Talking FishSnack?

Total Biscuit of Cynical Brit is at Gamescom.  He has put up some excellent footage of both TOR and GW2.

First up, a good 25m in TOR.

I have to say this is the very first video where I actually had some excitement build up about the game.  I’ve already preordered but until now my reaction to the game has been lackluster at best.  The UI looks polished, I like the features I’ve seen so far but it doesn’t look like, combat wise, it is breaking any new ground.  While the melee combat looked excellent, I was disappointed seeing TB’s toon take a few blaster bolts and not react one bit.  I don’t know why it stuck out so much for me but it did.  Though I am certainly willing to give it a go after seeing this video and I’m sure, in time, I won’t really care about that slight immersion breaker.

Next he spent 40 minutes driving GW2.

40 minutes of pure excitement, right there!  First off I giggled when I saw how the weapons worked.  Skills changing based on the weapons you wield?  Awesome! Learning new skills for those weapons as you use them, and not tied to your level at all?  Sweet!  Then he showed the quest system.  Show up to a location, talk to a guy, get several tasks which, in aggregate, complete the quest.  Want to farm items?  Sure.  Combat?  Ok, too.  A little of both?  Have at it!  Now that I’ve seen it I will be disappointed in any MMO which does not have such a wonderful system in place.  But really, the whole 40 minutes I was just giddy.

Of the two games I am still far more interested in Guild Wars 2.  I’m positively beside myself with anticipation now.  I still need to give TOR a fair shake.  Fortunately their relative releases will allow me to do that.  But, seriously, I so need a time machine now.

10 Reasons To Be Interested In Guild Wars 2

No, not my video but a great overview of what GW2 is trying to achieve.  They’re trying to break the mold.  To review the systems that we have come to consider standard and pull the essence from them which is fun while leaving the cruft behind.  To address oddities based on the conventions we’ve let fester for the better part of a decade.  To do all that and make it look damn sexy to boot!

I have been nominally following SWTOR’s progress via MMOGC‘s musings upon Bioware’s weekly updates.  As I mentioned before, I just can’t seem to muster much enthusiasm for what is ostensibly one of most beloved fictional universes from my childhood.  But GW2 videos like this just get me every time.  SWTOR will come in its own time.  GW2 cannot come soon enough.