Last week ArenaNet invited me to check out an early build of Guild Wars 2 that included this week's new Dragon Bash content. It had been a long time since I'd last played Guild Wars 2 since most of my MMO time has shifted to Elder Scrolls Online, but I was happy to sink back into what felt like a comfortable pair of sweat pants or some sort of digital video game comfort food.
It's been years since Tyria last had a Dragon Bash. Now, after the defeat of Mordremoth and Kralkatorrik, as well as the ascension of Aurene, it's time to party again in Hoelbrak, the Norn capital.
The two main features of this year's Dragon Bash that really stood out to me are the Dragon Arena, which is like a parade of intense PvE fights against enormous, hulking holographic beasts, and the mount races that pit players against one another dashing through gates all around the map.
Other activities include busting open dragon pinatas for candies that can be traded in for rewards, betting on moa races (complete with the ability to take the point of view of a mid-race moa,) as well as marveling at all of the festive decorations—such as the massive Kralkatorrik hologram above it all. There's also a Hologram Stampede that happens in other zones surrounding Hoelbrak to keep the action spread out. There are some really nifty rewards planned if you take part in the festivities.
