It's been roughly one week since Guild Wars launched, and if it were any other MMO, that span of time would find a player still very much in the teeth-grinding stage. But the more we play Guild Wars, the more we can appreciate just how radically it diverges from other games in this category. As much as we enjoy saying that games like World of Warcraft and EverQuest II have done much to streamline the MMO experience, Guild Wars handily trumps them in this regard. In fact, given the baggage associated with these kinds of games, it's with some hesitation that we'd even call Guild Wars an MMO. Sure, you create a character, hop into a (sometimes) persistent world, and engage in cooperative and competitive gameplay with other players, but due to the game's unique focus, it manages to have a feel all its own. There are also no monthly fees for playing it, which is a fairly big deal.

That being the case, I find myself surprised that I've been spending much of my time in Guild Wars just as I would in any other MMO. I've been primarily focused on leveling up my character and completing the game's story missions, instead of engaging in a lot of PvP activities. Players who are inclined to do the opposite are provided for -- you can create a max-level PvP-only character the minute you install the game, and jump into the fray immediately. In that case, your options are limited -- you'll only have access to a fraction of your class' skillset -- but, especially given the game's relative youth, it's a safe bet that most of the players you'll be up against will be working with similar limitations.