Tremors shake the lands, unleashing a new evil from deep underground. Heroes step forward and confront this new menace, called the Destroyers, in an attempt to stop them from taking over the world. So starts Guild Wars Eye of the North (GWEN), the first true Guild Wars expansion. Previous games like Factions and Nightfall were full of stand-alone campaigns that played independently of each other. In order to get to the Eye, players will need at least one campaign along with a level 20 characters.

Eye of the North takes place on Tyria, the continent introduced in the first game, Prophecies, with a plot that directly connects to the original storyline and answers many of its lingering questions. Even though players can get to the Eye from any campaign, Prophecies players will benefit the most from its story and gameplay. But don't let the term "expansion" fool you. This isn't just another "caves in box" expansion, although it includes plenty of caves. The game includes almost as much content as a full campaign, with three separate storylines that culminate into one greater one. The first includes trying to get the Norn, a race of half-giant Viking-like fighters who inhabit the frozen wastes of the Far Shiverpeaks, as allies against the Destroyers. Another branch introduces a diminutive, yet magically brilliant race called the Asura, who were driven from their underground homes by the Destroyers. Lastly, a group called the Ebon Vanguard continues the battle against humanity's greatest foe, the Charr, but players must enlist them to help battle against the Destroyers. Plus, each hero has his or her own personal storyline to follow, which usually links directly to the story branches. All this gets introduced within the first twenty minutes of reaching the Eye of the North, a massive structure with mysterious origins.

With a ton of work set before them, players embark on a lengthy campaign that takes them from the frozen Shiverpeak Mountains to the caves leading to the molten Depths of Tyria. The Hero system is brought over from Nightfall, enabling players to acquire, level and equip characters of different classes to fight by their side. Those who own only the Prophecies and/or the Factions campaign will benefit tremendously from the introduction of heroes, while those who progressed through Nightfall will get more characters to choose from.