A Sneak-Peek Into Janthir Wilds

The world of Guild Wars II has been through quite a few close calls and dire straits. Even with the events of the Secrets of the Obscure expansion taking place in another realm, the heroes and champions of Tyria have had little in terms of rest and neither have the players! Though the newest expansion, Janthir Wilds, will bring with it many threats and dangers, it also gives the world a moment to breathe, as we saw in our sneak-peek session! Though brief, we were given the absolute pleasure of seeing how the newest expansion kicks, what the areas will look like, and what players can expect to see once they are let loose in the wilds, including a new race to ally with, old enemies risen again, and the long-awaited introduction of Homesteads.

Our session began with us returning to the familiar lands of Tyria, stepping foot on the edge of the titular Janthir Wilds in an area called the Lowland Shore. Here we looked for missing allies and met a most majestic creature, a wild Warclaw! If the player has, somehow, missed taming one of these mighty felines, this fluffy mount will now be a part of the main quest and offers completely reworked skills and Masteries. Along with the ferocious kitties, we also meet a new race of possible allies, the Kodan. Of few words and stoic, this ursine clan may be the key to figuring out the wilds.

Just look at this beautiful creature!

A strong theme in this early part of the expansion is to allow players to take a breath while moving from the end of one expansion to the start of another; the Kodan village is as calm as its Nordic and Icelandic inspirations, offering little in the form of dire conflict. The area is not without its challenges, however, as the Kodan value the building of strength both within and without. They also look very huggable and I want to befriend them all.

After spending some time with our new companions, we soon ventured off to remind ourselves how a Wayfinder’s work is never really done. Venturing into an area called Janthir Syntri, we ran into a very surprising foe, lesser Titans! Though a new foe for our character, fans of the series may recognise these three-legged beasts from Guild Wars. While the lesser monsters were already quite the challenge, we were treated to a match with one of the larger specimens, towering over the Janthir trees! The fight was quite chaotic, requiring quick legwork and manoeuvring on our loyal Warclaws.

This is a very serious meeting... but can... can I pet you?

After hanging out with the Kodan and fleeing for our lives from Titans, we were almost done with our time with the Janthir Wilds team, but they had one more ace up their sleeves to dazzle us and leave us wanting more: the Homesteads. Hopping into a summonable portal, we were taken into the hang-out dimension! Featuring a corral with your mounts in their current skins (you can pet them), a little garden to tend, a crafting centre for all your DIY needs, and the titular Homestead itself, this little area had a lot more to offer than we imagined.

While in your private Homestead (or visiting a friend who has given you privileges) you can add decorations to your home, including items and trophies from your past adventures! You can show off your best gear, unleash your inner decorator, or simply enjoy a few moments of quiet between adventures. The most interesting feature of this home away from home, however, was that it is account-wide and features all of your heroes! Yes, if you have many different characters on your account, you may find them hanging out, working the land or petting your loyal mounts. While they won't say much, you can command them to follow you around, which is already pretty fun. I’m not sure if other MMOs have had a feature where you can interact with your own characters but this certainly felt like a first! Oh, and you can also turn into a bee and fly around your home, making for easy building.

beeeee mooooooode

Our small jaunt into the Janthir Wilds was both pleasant and exciting. Only time will tell what the expansion will bring with it, but if this is anything to go by, we certainly are looking forward to seeing more! We also want to tame every Warclaw now.

Guild Wars II: Janthir Wilds is set to release on 20th August 2024.