Guild Wars 2's new expansion adds two fresh island maps, brings back elite specs

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Guild Wars 2 is, perhaps, my favorite MMORPG. While I've spent hundreds of hours exploring both Azeroth and Eorzea alike, there's something about Tyria that keeps luring me back. End of Dragons holds a special place in my heart, partly because I absolutely adored its fusion of fantasy magic with traditional Asian aesthetics, and partly because the community is easily the most welcoming that I've ever met. And now I'm strapping on my adventurer's boots once more, as the brand new Guild Wars 2 expansion, Visions of Eternity, has just been revealed, and it looks absolutely gorgeous.

Leaving the mainland behind, Visions of Eternity transports us to a lush, vibrant island locale called Castora. Imbued with ancient magic, the land's inhabitants have inherited myriad fantastical powers - we see everything from a giant, coral-covered crab to raptor-like dinosaurs, with the former apparently being able to call in the tides at will.

But all is not as idyllic as it seems. A new faction of Asura, known as the Inquest, has landed on the island, seeking to unearth - and potentially corrupt - its knowledge. Your job is simple: head out to Castora, stop them, and restore order. It's worth noting, however, that the Inquest seems to have access to part-robot, cyberpunk dinosaurs which, while not great for the Tyrian Alliance, is pretty cool. If you've ever wondered why Guild Wars 2 ranks so high on our list of the best MMORPGs, now you know why.

Visions of Eternity brings with it two new maps (four in total over the course of the expansion), as well as an ocean-side Homestead, expanding upon the housing system that was released as part of Janthir Wilds. You'll be able to jump between your sunny new villa and the winter cabin you built in the previous expansion, while simultaneously being able to share your previous layouts so that you can switch your décor around with ease. You'll be able to share these with other players, too, who can replicate your layout one for one so long as they also own all of the relevant decorations.

For those of you who'd rather while away the hours fending of beasties and refining your builds, however, NCSoft has confirmed that elite customizations are returning with the launch of Visions of Eternity. With a new one dropping for each of the nine professions, these superior abilities allow you to entirely change up the game's traditional builds, adding even more customization and allowing you to really refine your playstyle. We haven't seen these since End of Dragons, and there are a few changes to them (elite specs no longer drop specific weapons, for example), so I can't wait to see what this new, modernized version looks like.

The old, reliable skimmer mount is also getting a brand-new Castora-inspired mastery line, adding to its already extensive list of abilities. Its combat and exploration have also been improved; who said you can't teach an old manta ray new tricks?

In addition to all of the above, there's a new ten-person raid set to drop as the expansion progresses, as well as various new legendary gear (a weapon and aquabreather will be available at launch) and plenty of Wizard's Vault rewards. In short: there's a lot going on.

NCSoft has confirmed that Guild Wars 2's Visions of Eternity expansion will be released on Tuesday October 28, and will cost $24.99. If you're interested in trying out the new elite specializations, however, you can participate in a beta, which will run from Wednesday August 20 to Wednesday August 27. 

You can pre-order Visions of Eternity on the game's official website, which will net you a slew of unique weapons and cosmetics, as well as a level 80 character boost and another inventory slot. There are also the Deluxe and Ultimate editions if you're looking to upgrade.

While we wait for Visions of Eternity, check out our list of the best free MMORPGs if you love exploring huge, fantasy universes. Alternatively, if it's the community element of MMOs that draws you in, check out our list of the best multiplayer games.

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