I've played countless MMOs, but GW2 is the only one that I keep coming back to. It is one of the few MMOs with a horizontal progression system. This means that the level cap has stayed at 80 and ascended/legendary gear is still the best after 10+ years. I played heavily when GW2 launched in 2012 and then took a 6 year break. When I returned, my level 80 characters were still geared for most content in the game. GW2 is the only MMO where taking an extended break doesn't punish you and invalidate your progress.

So what is the point of playing? First of all, fully gearing a character still takes time, especially when playing multiple builds and classes. Secondly, there is no shortage of goals to grind for (it is an MMORPG after all). The goals simply aren't all tied to character power like vertical progression games. Lastly, the answer depends on the player because GW2 caters to so many different audiences. Some of my favorites are listed below.

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With 5 playable races, 5 Living World seasons, 4 expansions, and more to come, GW2 truly has a decade of content. Almost all of it is fully voice acted including minor NPCs. The quality of the story varies but is good overall. The Personal Story (base game) and Icebrood Saga (LW season 5) are lackluster in my opinion. Everything else ranges from good to amazing. LW season 4 in particular was an absolute joy to experience for the first time.

Each race has a wealth of history to discover. The Sylvari (plant people) are my favorite. Their aesthetics are very creative, and they have the curious perspective of only existing for ~35 years in the game's timeline. Every race has a dedicated male and female voice actor which keeps things fresh when playing through the story as a different race or gender. There are also plenty of non-playable races with their own lore and culture such as the Tengu (bird people), Kodan (polar bear people), Choya (cactus rascals), Skritt (rat-like hivemind), etc.

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GW2 makes exploration feel natural. It is very fun to explore a zone for the first time. Every zone is filled with discoverable points of interest and dynamic events. Many zones also have jumping puzzles and meta events that can span the entire map. Transitioning between these activities is seamless and usually lead to undiscovered portions of the map. Level scaling, achievements, and meta events mean that zones stay populated beyond leveling.

The dynamic/meta events are top notch game design. If there are players doing an event, you can simply follow them. You don't have to worry about picking up a quest, backtracking to turn it in, or forming parties (though you can if you want). All you have to do is participate to receive credit. This makes it incredibly easy to aid other players you come across, and has helped foster GW2's notoriously friendly community. One example of this is world bosses. These are massive bosses that spawn in specific zones on a timer. There are usually a few Commanders ready and waiting to lead 50+ people to kill the boss, and anyone in the area can join in. Stumbling across a swarm of players attacking a world boss while leveling really captures the "massively multiplayer" in MMO.

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How will you show off to your friends without an endless supply of equipment with bigger numbers? By styling on them with superior fashion sense of course! GW2 has an insane amount of skins to collect. Once unlocked, skins are available in the account-wide wardrobe forever. The only cost to reskin an item is a Transmutation Charge which can be obtained in game or bought with real money. I've never bought a single one and have more than I can use. If you're up for the grind, one of the perks of legendary items is that they can be reskinned for free. Unfortunately, many cosmetics are gem store exclusive (real money), but that is a trade off of a non-subscription MMO. However, you can farm gold and exchange it for gems in-game, and many skins are tradable on the auction house. Additionally, there are lots of cool skins that can only be acquired through gameplay.

But wait, there's more! There are also account-wide unlockable dyes. Changing dyes is unlimited and completely free, so swap colors as much as you like. There are currently 636 dyes in the game that range from basic colors to dyes with special effects such as a vibrant glow or metallic finish. With the exception of weapons, most skins are dyeable including mounts. Many skins have multiple dye channels which greatly expands customization. To my knowledge, every dye is purchasable on the auction house, even ones bought from the gem store (although those can get pricey). Dyes can also be obtained through gameplay, crafting, and birthday gifts.

The community has created some excellent "cosplays". Whether you want to be a cute, pink princess, a battle-hardened war veteran, or a gloomy goth, it's all possible. I've even seen a shockingly accurate Optimus Prime out in the wild.

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The main format of "Structured PvP" is Conquest, a 5v5 capture point mode. Shorter 2v2 and 3v3 deathmatch leagues are run between Conquest leagues. All equipment is standardized and skills are balanced separately to PvE and WvW. Characters are set to level 80 which means a new character can jump straight into PvP! The only exception is elite specializations which are locked behind expansions.

The combat in GW2 is so satisfying. It is action combat oriented with dodging and a little tab targeting thrown in. What makes it work so well is that there aren't any global cooldowns and most skills can be used while moving. Every class has its own identity and multiple playstyles. All of this results in fast paced, fluid combat that is engaging and fun to learn.

Unfortunately, PvP has been neglected and only receives balance patches every few months. It desperately needs new content or refreshed rewards. I and many others continue to play PvP because we genuinely find it fun. The combat is just that good.

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WvW combines the best parts of GW2. It is a 24/7 territorial siege between three "worlds" (3 gigantic teams) with PvE and PvP objectives across multiple maps. There can be hundreds of players battling over control of a keep, roaming groups looking for skirmishes, and even solo players sneaking around flipping camps. Playing WvW with a good Commander is some of the most fun I've ever had in any game. There are plenty of Commanders who lead public groups as well as dedicated WvW guilds. It's also great to play casually with friends. Even getting steamrolled by a massive enemy zerg can be fun. To top it off, WvW has good rewards and loot drops like candy in battles. The only downside is that maps fill up quickly during peak hours and can feel dead other times since WvW never ends.

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Mounts: GW2 has the BEST mounts of any game. They aren't just designed to get from point A to B. Each mount feels like a living animal and behaves differently. There's nothing quite like sky diving on a Griffon or drifting on a Roller Beetle.

Achievements: ArenaNet lumps anything from small easter eggs to epic quest lines in the achievements. Many of GW2's best goals and rewards are buried here. If you're unsure of what to do next, make sure to dig through the achievements.

Guild Halls: A guild hall is a huge time and gold sink, but it has many benefits and can be decorated. It is even possible to make Roller Beetle racing tracks. Gradually upgrading a guild is perfect for a group of friends.

Festivals: There are 6 annual festivals for various occasions. They have special rewards and are an easy way to farm gold.

Raids/Strikes/Fractals: These instanced encounters are the hardest PvE content in GW2. The tiered progression of fractals is simple to get started with.

I've played countless MMOs, but GW2 is the only one that I keep coming back to. It is one of the few MMOs with a horizontal progression system. This means that the level cap has stayed at 80 and ascended/legendary gear is still the best after 10+ years. I played heavily when GW2 launched in 2012 and then took a 6 year break. When I returned, my level 80 characters were still geared for most content in the game. GW2 is the only MMO where taking an extended break doesn't punish you and invalidate your progress. So what is the point of playing? First of all, fully gearing a character still takes time, especially when playing multiple builds and classes. Secondly, there is no shortage of goals to grind for (it is an MMORPG after all). The goals simply aren't all tied to character power like vertical progression games. Lastly, the answer depends on the player because GW2 caters to so many different audiences. Some of my favorites are listed below. [hr][/hr] [h2] The Lore [/h2] With 5 playable races, 5 Living World seasons, 4 expansions, and more to come, GW2 truly has a decade of content. Almost all of it is fully voice acted including minor NPCs. The quality of the story varies but is good overall. The Personal Story (base game) and Icebrood Saga (LW season 5) are lackluster in my opinion. Everything else ranges from good to amazing. LW season 4 in particular was an absolute joy to experience for the first time. Each race has a wealth of history to discover. The Sylvari (plant people) are my favorite. Their aesthetics are very creative, and they have the curious perspective of only existing for ~35 years in the game's timeline. Every race has a dedicated male and female voice actor which keeps things fresh when playing through the story as a different race or gender. There are also plenty of non-playable races with their own lore and culture such as the Tengu (bird people), Kodan (polar bear people), Choya (cactus rascals), Skritt (rat-like hivemind), etc. [hr][/hr] [h2] Exploration [/h2] GW2 makes exploration feel natural. It is very fun to explore a zone for the first time. Every zone is filled with discoverable points of interest and dynamic events. Many zones also have jumping puzzles and meta events that can span the entire map. Transitioning between these activities is seamless and usually lead to undiscovered portions of the map. Level scaling, achievements, and meta events mean that zones stay populated beyond leveling. The dynamic/meta events are top notch game design. If there are players doing an event, you can simply follow them. You don't have to worry about picking up a quest, backtracking to turn it in, or forming parties (though you can if you want). All you have to do is participate to receive credit. This makes it incredibly easy to aid other players you come across, and has helped foster GW2's notoriously friendly community. One example of this is world bosses. These are massive bosses that spawn in specific zones on a timer. There are usually a few Commanders ready and waiting to lead 50+ people to kill the boss, and anyone in the area can join in. Stumbling across a swarm of players attacking a world boss while leveling really captures the "massively multiplayer" in MMO. [hr][/hr] [h2] Fashion Wars 2 [/h2] How will you show off to your friends without an endless supply of equipment with bigger numbers? By styling on them with superior fashion sense of course! GW2 has an insane amount of skins to collect. Once unlocked, skins are available in the account-wide wardrobe forever. The only cost to reskin an item is a Transmutation Charge which can be obtained in game or bought with real money. I've never bought a single one and have more than I can use. If you're up for the grind, one of the perks of legendary items is that they can be reskinned for free. Unfortunately, many cosmetics are gem store exclusive (real money), but that is a trade off of a non-subscription MMO. However, you can farm gold and exchange it for gems in-game, and many skins are tradable on the auction house. Additionally, there are lots of cool skins that can only be acquired through gameplay. But wait, there's more! There are also account-wide unlockable dyes. Changing dyes is unlimited and completely free, so swap colors as much as you like. There are currently 636 dyes in the game that range from basic colors to dyes with special effects such as a vibrant glow or metallic finish. With the exception of weapons, most skins are dyeable including mounts. Many skins have multiple dye channels which greatly expands customization. To my knowledge, every dye is purchasable on the auction house, even ones bought from the gem store (although those can get pricey). Dyes can also be obtained through gameplay, crafting, and birthday gifts. The community has created some excellent "cosplays". Whether you want to be a cute, pink princess, a battle-hardened war veteran, or a gloomy goth, it's all possible. I've even seen a shockingly accurate Optimus Prime out in the wild. [hr][/hr] [h2] PvP [/h2] The main format of "Structured PvP" is Conquest, a 5v5 capture point mode. Shorter 2v2 and 3v3 deathmatch leagues are run between Conquest leagues. All equipment is standardized and skills are balanced separately to PvE and WvW. Characters are set to level 80 which means a new character can jump straight into PvP! The only exception is elite specializations which are locked behind expansions. The combat in GW2 is so satisfying. It is action combat oriented with dodging and a little tab targeting thrown in. What makes it work so well is that there aren't any global cooldowns and most skills can be used while moving. Every class has its own identity and multiple playstyles. All of this results in fast paced, fluid combat that is engaging and fun to learn. Unfortunately, PvP has been neglected and only receives balance patches every few months. It desperately needs new content or refreshed rewards. I and many others continue to play PvP because we genuinely find it fun. The combat is just that good. [hr][/hr] [h2] World vs World [/h2] WvW combines the best parts of GW2. It is a 24/7 territorial siege between three "worlds" (3 gigantic teams) with PvE and PvP objectives across multiple maps. There can be hundreds of players battling over control of a keep, roaming groups looking for skirmishes, and even solo players sneaking around flipping camps. Playing WvW with a good Commander is some of the most fun I've ever had in any game. There are plenty of Commanders who lead public groups as well as dedicated WvW guilds. It's also great to play casually with friends. Even getting steamrolled by a massive enemy zerg can be fun. To top it off, WvW has good rewards and loot drops like candy in battles. The only downside is that maps fill up quickly during peak hours and can feel dead other times since WvW never ends. [hr][/hr] [h2] Honorable Mentions [/h2] [b] Mounts: [/b] GW2 has the BEST mounts of any game. They aren't just designed to get from point A to B. Each mount feels like a living animal and behaves differently. There's nothing quite like sky diving on a Griffon or drifting on a Roller Beetle. [b] Achievements: [/b] ArenaNet lumps anything from small easter eggs to epic quest lines in the achievements. Many of GW2's best goals and rewards are buried here. If you're unsure of what to do next, make sure to dig through the achievements. [b] Guild Halls: [/b] A guild hall is a huge time and gold sink, but it has many benefits and can be decorated. It is even possible to make Roller Beetle racing tracks. Gradually upgrading a guild is perfect for a group of friends. [b] Festivals: [/b] There are 6 annual festivals for various occasions. They have special rewards and are an easy way to farm gold. [b] Raids/Strikes/Fractals: [/b] These instanced encounters are the hardest PvE content in GW2. The tiered progression of fractals is simple to get started with.