A New Expansion Cycle With Something to Prove
Guild Wars 2 has been experimenting with a new rhythm for its expansions. Instead of huge drops every few years, ArenaNet now releases smaller expansions once a year, then builds them out over several updates across the following months. It has kept content flowing more consistently, but it has also come with tradeoffs.
The first annual expansion, Secrets of the Obscure, had big ideas that did not fully fit its tighter schedule. Its story reached for epic stakes but felt rushed and underdeveloped. Janthir Wilds did better, especially at launch, with one of the strongest maps the game has seen in a while and some cool new features. Still, it lost momentum as its follow up updates landed with more of a shrug than a cheer.
That is the context for Visions of Eternity, the latest expansion in this new yearly model. It is essentially ArenaNet’s next test: can the team keep this pace without sacrificing the long term punch of each release? Based on the opening act, the answer is promising. Visions of Eternity launches with two dense new maps, a sharp focus on exploration, and most importantly, a full set of brand new elite specializations that meaningfully shake up combat.
A Smaller Story Wrapped Around Great Maps
Visions of Eternity opens quietly compared to some past Guild Wars 2 expansions. No world ending dragons this time. Instead, the villain is the Inquest, the classic evil asuran science guild, who have sailed out to the mysterious island of Castora. You tag along with a deliberately oddball crew of returning characters to figure out what they are doing and stop it before it becomes a bigger problem.
It feels more like one of the old Living World seasons than a massive expansion storyline, and that works in its favor. The plot gets out of the way quickly so you can start exploring the new zones. Dialog is leaner, political subplots are trimmed down, and the game lets you dive into events and exploration without sitting through drawn out cutscenes.
The first new map, Shipwreck Strand, is the star of the show. It is a tropical coastline dotted with shattered ships, bright beaches, and a surprisingly developed society of castaways. Explorers who once tried to reach Castora became trapped by the magical fog around the island. Instead of dying off, they split into different factions. On one side you have the more orderly Hullgardeners, on the other some rowdy pirate freebooters.
This conflict gives the map a natural flow. The eastern side feels like a patched together port town built from scavenged ships, complete with a cozy pub and Canach’s latest business venture. Head west and the tone shifts toward danger with Inquest labs and pirate allies making things more hostile. It mirrors some of what worked in Janthir’s Lowland Shores but with more emphasis on discovery.
Shipwreck Strand also puts a big spotlight on the Skimmer mount. Every recent expansion has picked one mount to upgrade with a new mastery line. Secrets of the Obscure boosted the Skyscale. Janthir Wilds upgraded the Warclaw. Visions of Eternity turns the Skimmer into the star, leaning into underwater exploration.
Beneath Shipwreck Strand is a network of tunnels and hidden coves designed more for exploration than constant combat. Poking around underwater actually feels rewarding again instead of like an obligation. There are enough secrets that you can genuinely stumble onto new areas without being led by a checklist. You can of course just look everything up on the wiki, but the map is clearly built to make wandering off the path feel worthwhile.
The second map, Starlit Weald, swaps beaches for glowing jungle. Guild Wars 2 has done jungle zones before, but Castora’s mystical twist keeps it from feeling like a simple Maguuma rerun. You fight more of the Inquest’s upgraded wildlife and push into ancient Seer ruins that hint at deeper secrets to come.
What really stands out is how busy the zone feels. Events pop up frequently and there is always something pulling your attention nearby. It is a clear step up from Janthir Wilds’ second map, which had plenty of space but not a lot happening inside it. Here, the world feels dense and alive instead of like a big field with scattered enemies.
Both maps share a satisfying reward loop as well. Participating in events gives you key charges, which you then spend on hidden chests scattered around the zones. It is simple, but it ties exploration and event participation directly to loot in a way that feels generous without being overwhelming.
Elite Specs That Actually Change How You Play
The biggest gameplay upgrade in Visions of Eternity is the return of full elite specializations. The last annual expansions only gave each profession a new weapon, which was nice but rarely game changing. Visions of Eternity goes further and introduces brand new elite specs with fresh mechanics, giving players completely new builds to craft and master.
The Thief’s new elite spec, the Antiquary, is a strong example. Early beta tests made it look like a minor tweak on core Thief with random artifact skills that did not matter much moment to moment. In the final release, each artifact now comes with a powerful unique buff. That one change makes the spec more complex and significantly more rewarding to play. It is strong enough that it will probably get tuned down, but right now it feels impactful and distinct.
Across the board, most of the new elite specs seem to have landed well, outside of the usual tuning and usability issues that any MMO patch brings. The standout in open world play is the new Ritualist spec for Necromancer. It hits hard, does not require intense button mashing, and leans hard into the fantasy of commanding spirits.
The tradeoff is visual clutter. If you thought Engineer mechs from End of Dragons filled the screen, wait until multiple Ritualist Necros drop several giant ghosts in one spot. Combat can quickly turn into a wall of flashy effects, which some players will love and others will find overwhelming.
Still, the return of full elite specs makes Visions of Eternity feel like a substantial update to how Guild Wars 2 actually plays, not just where you go and what you see. Combined with the strong maps and focused story, the opening release feels like a win.
The big question is what happens next. Previous annual expansions started strong then coasted to the finish line with smaller, less exciting updates. ArenaNet says this time the next major patch will emphasize quality of life improvements, giving the team more time to flesh out the final two content drops. If that pays off, Visions of Eternity could be the first annual expansion to really stick the landing.
For now, though, what is here is genuinely fun. Two well built maps, rewarding exploration, and elite specs that actually shake up the meta make Visions of Eternity a strong start for another year of Guild Wars 2. As always with this new model, the real verdict will come when we see how it ends.
Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/mmo/guild-wars-2-visions-of-eternity-is-the-mmos-best-annual-expansion-yet-but-the-real-test-is-going-to-be-whether-it-can-keep-up-the-momentum/
