For anyone reading this and wondering if it’ll spoil anything about Guild Wars 2’s Living World, Season 3, don’t be worried. You’ll find no details of the plot here and while I might discuss the new zone and how it looks and feels, that’s about as far as I’ll go. Like many, the arrival of the long awaited Season 3 has drawn me back to Guild Wars 2 and I had the good fortune of playing through it last week.

I must stress that these press events are often short, and only give us a taste of what’s being offered, we’re then left to our own devices to explore in our own time. Within the space of an hour and during the playtest I’d quickly explored the new zone, dove into the new structured PvP map that’s due to sail into port (Raid on the Capricorn returns) and completed the newest Fractal of the Mists. Is it all good, I hear you ask? I’d say so.

Raid on the Capricorn looks vastly different.

To start with, I wanted to first talk about the newest Fractal of the Mists, which I suspect will likely divide opinion. Simply put, it’s a Fractal that has been recycled (or up-cycled) using parts of existing Fractals or Guild Wars 2 locations and bosses. These have then been spliced together with some excellent new assets to bring to life a chaotic, disrupted Fractal. It’s all highly recognizable, with the opening section utilizing an alternative Cliffside, while the steps leading away from the opening area are reminiscent of the stepping stones in Uncategorized Fractal. Further sections are lifted directly from the Snowblind Fractal (you have to light campfires as you bypass Jade Maw tendrils) or Urban Fractal as you fight miniature versions of the Uncategorized Golems. It’s very familiar to the point where - I suspect - many will either like it or loathe it. Although it’s tied together nicely with the introduction of a new mysterious character, is it enough for a playerbase wanting new content?

The latest Fractal is familiar but just different enough.

Where Raid on the Capricorn is concerned, it’s a lot of fun. Perhaps I’m only one of a handful who enjoyed the original and while this is vastly different, it’s simple and well thought out. Despite being a “vanilla” map, it has the potential to be one of the strongest in Guild Wars 2 because of that very simplicity. Three Capture Points, a central point that activates for the team to fight over and secure additional points from, on a map that’s fairly large, is probably what Guild Wars 2’s structured PvP needed. The game mode is, after all, all about the nuances of fighting one another and this map lends itself to some excellent team fights. Capture Points are spaced out enough to ensure none are easily stolen and there’s plenty of room for some 1 on 1’s should you find yourself skirting around the edges of the map. While the original Capricorn was small and a little muddled, this is much more focused: the removal of all water a welcome change. I’m really looking forward to seeing just what the community things of the revitalized map and I suspect it’ll soon be picked far more than Legacy of the Foefire. Before I forget, you can also now queue for structured PvP without having to be in the Heart of the Mists - hallelujah!

So what about Living World Season 3? Well, it’s both familiar and as instantly moreish as it has always been. The new zone, Bloodstone Fen, is truly beautiful with the sky teeming with warped portals and electricity. As the epicenter of the explosion that was revealed in the teaser trailer, it’s your responsibility to discover the cause and why the White Mantle are there. Like any good mystery, you'll want to know the answer.

Into the crater of Bloodstone Fen

What I’ve particularly enjoyed about Bloodstone Fen is that it feels a lot like some of the earlier zones in Orr. It’s filled with independent events, not necessarily bound by a chain, that you can dip in and out of. The zone might not be enormous and is roughly the size of Southsun Cove, but it has verticality and a new set of combat skills you can use for your Glider. Due to limited time I rarely got chance to use these skills in an event (dropping bombs has never been unsatisfying), but suspect they'll play a major part in its content. Having another map that’s fun and exciting is never a bad thing. While Bloodstone Fen isn't rewriting the rulebook when it comes to Guild Wars 2’s map design, it’s a welcome addition to the landmass. I’m looking forward to seeing how these new Glider skills eventually play out when hundreds of players (as opposed to our small playtest crew) utilize them.

I appreciate this “impressions” might be skirting over the hard facts of what the Living World Season 3 contains, but I’m very conscious of the fact that revealing just about anything besides the bare bones would spoil it for many. With additional parts coming every two to three months, players are yet again in for the long haul when it comes to concluding this new story line. Should it not be your “thing”, at the very least structured PvP and the latest addition to Fractals of the Mists should keep you entertained. If that doesn’t, there’s always a set of patch notes that promise to make some sizable balance changes to most professions. “Rise!” is being nerfed, Venom Sharing is becoming baseline, there are some tweaks on hand for the Guardian sword and the Tempest will see some of its cooldown bonuses reduced (among many other things!).

With Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns still with 50% off its retail price there has never been a better time to dive into the game. I'm glad I'm back.

Ten Ton Hammer would like to thank ArenaNet for allowing us to participate in their preview event.