Halloween really is in the air. No matter where you look, the holiday is invading games, from Slender: The Arrival to Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate. Hell, even Conan O'Brien is getting in on the action, and this being one of my personal favorite holidays, I'm just fine with that.
MMO fans should pleased that along with these games, ArenaNet is ensuring that its MMO Guild Wars 2 is no different, having recently launched the game's own Halloween styled update, Blood and Madness.
It's the second of three content drops planned for the month, and we have all of the new features for you right here, as well as a teaser trailer. Check it all out below.
New Events
- Mad Realm Doors: Players can trick-or-treat at haunted doors across Kryta. Beware: Knocking isn't without risk.
- Mad King's Labyrinth: Bloody Prince Edrick has taken over parts of the Mad King's Labyrinth and is controlling the undead armies in the Mad King's Realm. The Skeletal Lich, Grand High Viscount of Candy Corn, and the Labyrinthine Horror lie in wait.
- Mad King's Clock Tower: Tyria's most maddening jumping puzzle thrilled players during last year's Halloween event and returns better than ever. Only the most skillful will navigate the insanity of the Mad King's Clock Tower to reach the top in time.
- Lunatic Inquisition: Players can put their PvP skills to the test in the Mad King's Labyrinth. Play as a villager trying to survive the night or a lunatic courtier intent on destruction. Survival tools and hidden secrets are waiting to be discovered.
New Features
- Combat Quality of Life Fixes: Improvements to combat include new ground targeting options, better targeting, and a new, optional way to display condition damage numbers.
- Trait and Skill Tooltips: Updates to the tooltip system for traits and skills mean traits will now display numbers, and skill tooltips will show how skills are affected by equipped traits.
- Balance Updates: Existing skills and traits have received a balance pass with a focus on improving support builds in all parts of the game for all professions.
New Rewards
- Sweet Rewards: Players completing the Blood and Madness meta achievement will receive a Mini Candy Corn Elemental, while following the storyline can earn players a Candy Corn node for their home instance.
- Candy Cornucopia: Players can trade Candy Corn for new Halloween items like a Mini Bloody Prince, a 20-slot Halloween Pail and special crafting items needed for Halloween weapons.
- Mask of the Night: Players can earn a Mask of the Night by proving their abilities to obey the maniacal monarch in rounds of Mad King Says.
