Guild Wars provides a multiplayer RPG experience that's unlike anything else.
As you start Guild Wars, the game focus is rather narrow - do these quests, complete this mission, level up - standard fare. It was a while after I hit level 20, that maximum level, that I realized just how much the game opens up late-game. There's so much to chase after: elite armor, rare weapon skins, elite skills, titles, high-level dungeons...and this is not counting the varied options for PvP, either.
The strategy available and necessary in Guild Wars is unlike any other game I've played; it's like a mix of Magic: The Gathering and Diablo. You have a whole ton-and-a-half of skills, but can only use 8 at a time. Some skills play off each other, and even those that don't can be combined in beneficial ways.
With level 20 being the level cap, and elite armor being just for looks since the much cheaper max armor has the exact same stats, success in this game comes down to the players ability to find and perfect a series of skill builds that suits his play style.
And it's not that you can find just one build and rely on it throughout the game, as the design is smart enough to keep you having to change your tactics on a regular basis.
The graphics are fantastic, considering the system specs necessary to max them out. Spell and environment effects are done well, but you'll notice some nice visual effects early in the game that sadly don't show up again.
The few problems I have with this game show up most in combat. Clicking to select AND to move isn't a good idea, and battles often get confusing as everyone bunches up inside of each other. Fortunately all the information you need to fight is displayed on the UI, but it would still be nice to actually see what is going on.
It would be hard to compare this game to anything else, because it isn't quite like anything else. It certainly isn't your traditional MMO, but what it offers can be just as enthralling.
This game is definitely worth your money.