'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAf/xAAVAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACBP/aAAwDAQACEAMQAAAAnU9LR//EACEQAAAEBQUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwQABQYSEwcRIUFi/9oACAEBAAE/AKK1ICV0w5lq0pbrAVvju8wu9K4WUWsEmQwntKPBd+o//8QAGBEAAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIDETH/2gAIAQIBAT8AWNdo/8QAGBEAAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIAAyH/2gAIAQMBAT8AexjhM//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
ArenaNet is capping off Guild Wars 2's Janthir Wilds storyline with the Absolution update, and it is somehow ambitious and very restrained at the same time. Recently, I got to experience Absolution and all of its offerings firsthand, and I have to say that the studio has definitely learned from the Secrets of the Obscure.
Janthir Wilds - Absolution has a mix of everything that players have come to expect from a major Guild Wars 2 update. There's an adequate amount of exploration in the new Bava Nisos map, the final storyline of Janthir Wilds to discover the secrets of the Mursaat and Titans, a new legendary piece of gear to acquire, a new Fractal of the Mists to conquer, and a plethora of challenging fights to engage with.
Trending
Yet, Absolution is returning to a three-lane meta for Bava Nisos, a casual-friendly Fractal design for the Kinfall island, revamping combat systems, introducing extremely useful quality-of-life features, and a thematically sound Legendary backpiece. It's the quintessential Guild Wars 2 experience, and it's good.
Absolution is the perfect endpoint for Guild Wars 2 - Janthir Wilds
Janthir Wilds has been extremely well-received by the playerbase after the mixed bag that was Secrets of the Obscure. While ArenaNet wanted to experiment with their content style after a decade-long Elder Dragon saga, Secrets of the Obscure failed to stick the landing with an uninspired final zone and an equally uninspiring final boss.
This time around, the developers have done something different, offering the players a lot of breathing room throughout every update of Janthir Wilds. The expansion started with a diplomatic mission into the Lowland Shores, where the players encounter the Lowland Kodan. And like clockwork, they get themselves embroiled in another potentially cataclysmic situation involving the Titans and the now-extinct Mursaat.
Absolution is the culmination of last year's storyline and exploration, coming to a head when the players delve into the heart of the Mursaat's extinct brilliance, the golden city of Bava Nisos. Long heard in Tyrian apocryphal texts and whispers among the White Mantle, the city has fallen from its ancient glory. It is, however, rife with danger as the Mursaat have left a Mists gate open, from which Titans are pouring into Tyria from the Realm of Torment.
Bava Nisos is a medium-sized area with various exploration routes baked into it. The Mursaat Mirrors, introduced in the Repentance update, are present in the Mursaat capital. The map is somewhat structured around a three-lane configuration to accommodate the new Meta-event. Personally, I haven't experienced the story missions, therefore, I cannot comment on the conclusion of the year-long storyline.
Also Read: Guild Wars 2 Absolution patch notes
The highlight of the update is the Kinfall fractal, which is centered around the Kodan of the Shiverpeaks. These Kodans are fighting against a mysterious voice who wishes to engulf them in darkness; you know, standard Guild Wars 2 story up in the frozen north. The developers explained their decision to make this fractal easier so it is accessible to more players. Kinfall will also have a challenge mode, making it a staple in daily Fractal runs.
The Convergence mode is getting a new and final Titan on its boss rotation. Steamshrieker Ura is joining the fray and will punish players with an amalgamation of abilities from the story and the Mount Balrior Raid. Absolution will also introduce the Challenge Mode for the Mount Balrior Convergence, which will undoubtedly be a proper battle for even the coordinated teams.
Absolution is also bringing a plethora of new rewards to Guild Wars 2, the best of which is the new Legendary Backpack. Named Orrax Manifested, the Backpack is themed around a mysterious entity from the mists. Apart from a fully customizable Backpack, Orrax Manifested will feature a unique Glider skin. Other rewards include the Lightborne weapon sets, which will come in a slumbering and normal variant. These weapons can drop from any event in Bava Nisos.
The Wizard's Vault is also getting a refresh and will offer a new Stone-Growth weapon skin set, the final pieces of the Ward Knight armour skins, and the Enchanted Roller Beetle skin.
In a way, Guild Wars 2: Janthir Wilds - Absolution is akin to the Dragonfall update of Living World Season 4. It delivers just enough new content and appropriate balance changes to older mechanics to keep players engaged for the next expansion, which remains unnamed for now. ArenaNet aims to unveil the next part of Guild Wars 2's journey in July.
