The Guild 2 Renaissance

How would you like to experience life during the Renaissance in Europe? The Guild 2 Renaissance will allow you to do just that. The sequel to the highly acclaimed old-timey life simulator lets you create your avatar and have them live an exciting life in one of the greatest socioeconomic turning points in European history. As you go about living in this age of change and wonder, you’ll develop your character’s abilities, attributes and skills to become the best Renaissance person you can be.

Get your robes ready as we explore everything you need to know about The Guild 2 Renaissance.

Living in Renaissance Europe

The Guild 2 Renaissance takes place during the titular period of Europe’s history in the 15th century. After centuries of being told what to do by nobility and the church, your character and the rest of European society are obtaining more wealth and power through commerce and trade.

On top of the professions available in The Guild 2’s predecessor, you’ll also get to choose from a set of new crafts and trades to take up. Live the life of a street artist by becoming a juggler. Help people get past their loved ones’ deaths by becoming a gravedigger. Take advantage of the new middle class’s fortunes by becoming a banker. These and several other new professions will give you a taste of what it was like living in the Renaissance.

Rise Through Society’s Ranks

Getting good at a profession is only half the battle. In The Guild 2 Renaissance, you’ll need to also gain the respect of your peers and the rest of society itself. Build up your standing with the government by lending your services and assisting the right people. Supply the town hall with regular donations in order to gain a title that will have everyone begging at your feet for your favor. The better your title, the higher your political influence which will enable you to apply for office and own your own set of businesses.

Multiple Modes

The Guild 2 Renaissance offers several different ways to play. The single-player campaign is a great place to start to learn the ropes as well as engage with a variety of nations, such as Germany and France. Dynasty mode is more open-ended where you have no specific objective and can just play The Guild 2 as a full-blow life simulator. Extinction pits you against rival dynasties with the ultimate goal of annihilating them until you’re the last one standing.

Finally, Time Limit can be played by setting a profit goal and a time limit by which you reach that goal. All modes, except for the campaign, can be played in offline single-player and online multiplayer.

Pros

• Plenty of activities to do in single-player as well as many modes to enable replayability
• A nice selection of engaging and quirky professions to try out
• Graphics haven’t aged too badly

Cons

• Tasks can feel repetitive and unvaried which reduces the game’s scope
• Professions don’t feel like they have that much variety in their playstyle