Guild Wars 2 is an MMORPG from ArenaNet that takes place in the fantasy realm of Tyria where five civilized races are struggling to survive in the face of internal problems and ravenous dragons. All characters belong to one of five races: the norn, charr, sylvari, asura, or human. Every race and every character has its own story, but they all converge in the fight against the Elder Dragons.Guild Wars 2 has both competitive and cooperative elements. Competitive gamers can choose between arena-based matches with teams of five people, or they can test their skills in the world-versus-world system that pits servers against each other. Cooperative people can go through a long story that takes them from the ravaged cities of Ascalon to the Sea of Sorrows and to many other places in between. They can also take part in dynamic events that stand in for traditional questing. People with an interest in the world's lore can search through a variety of maps to find the little clues about the world. If they make friends when they team up with other explorers, they can form a guild to have an easier time playing together.The PC Windows version requires Windows XP Service Pack 2 or better to run, and its massive, complex universe created on ArenaNet's engine requires 2 GB of RAM. Once you've installed the game, you no longer have to insert discs to play.Guild Wars 2 offers up endless, fresh gaming experiences that still keep an eye to the tradition of the original Guild Wars with references and familiar game elements. If you link together your accounts for the two games, you'll gain access to the Hall of Monuments where you can access special items based on your achievements in the original Guild Wars. Those items are exclusive to people who excelled in the original game, so they make players stand out from the crowd. Whether you start fresh with Guild Wars 2 or are continuing your adventure in Tyria, a wealth of features await.The Guild Wars 2 Collector's Edition comes with enticing bonuses that include exclusive in-game items that range from The Chalice of Glory to The Tome of Influence, but the main attractions are the figurine of the character Rytlock Brimstone, a 112-page book with information about the game's production, and a collection of art assets that include a portfolio, five art prints, and a custom art frame. It also comes with a copy of the soundtrack with songs composed by Jeremy Soule, so people can enjoy the rich soundtrack outside of the game.Thanks to a thriving community of fans for the series, it's easy to create or join your own online guild. Part of the community's size comes from the fact that Guild Wars 2 can run on most computer systems. It offers official support for both Windows and Mac computers, but it's fairly easy to get the game to run on Linux through WINE.GW2 has something for every type of gamer, from competitive arenas to the personal story.