An excellent and addictive game, combining a very historical Medieval setting with strategy and RPG. Highly recommended, you will not regret buying this game.

Even in the beginning of 2013 the graphic works great. The gameplay is entertaining and addictive. However, check out "The Guild II Renaissance" which has everything and more for better price.

Get The Guild 2: Renaissance. I purchased this and looked up tutorials on youtube after playing for a dozen hours and found out that there is a stand alone version that has all of the features in each of these games and more improvements on top of that.

I enjoyed this game for quite a few hours, at which point my main character was kidnapped. After acquiring enough money to free him, he lingered in the dungeon despite being released, then became stranded in a no-man's land not on the map, and eventually was killed (again, not on the map) by bounty hunters after missing a court date. This was on Venice, which was supposedly less bug-ridden than the previous versions. I've not gone back to the game since.

This is a great game, even in 2012 if you consider that the game itself is already quite old. The gameplay is well balanced and gives a lot of challenges in the beginning.

In the long run, the game however loses it's attraction fast because from the second generation on competitors start to die out. Moreover, further progress after a certain stage does not yield too many results anymore. In general, I think the value and cost of the production items is not well balanced, particularly the third stage of many production workshops does yield too little benefit compared to the second, mainly because the achievable price per work minute stagnates or even declines.

Overall, however, a nice middle-age simulation!

The Guild II (Platinum) is fun, but it has very little re-playability, and eventually becomes quite boring. As fun as it is at first, it just becomes overwhelmingly repetitive. That said, I would love to see another Guild title, with more of an end game in mind and more objective oriented. Noble families, or those that aspired to be, had goals in the past, and I would like to see that sort of thing in the Guild series. To make one's mark and to turn one's family into a legacy recorded in history should be the goal of the game, not just momentary achievements of power at a more municipal level.

Interesting game that mixes elements from multiple type of games. It can appeal to most, the learning curve given the scope of the game isn't too hard and you'll quickly get the hang of it. The only reason why I didn't rate this game higher than 3 star is that it gets quite repetitive and after a while it is a little hard to find yourself new challenges even though the game could go on for a long time.

This game is great! Think of The Sims, but with more detail, more options, more freedom! If the prospect of creating a legacy (dynasty) appeals to you, then this is definitely a game that is worth checking out. If you enjoy games that simulate commerce and crafting, then this is a game worth checking out. If you enjoy a game that will let you simulate several lifetimes, over generations, tied together through common elements such as persistent relationships, family heirlooms, and the pursuit of prestige and wealth, then this game is worth checking out!

My daughter and I both love this game! It is not perfect, and some things like combat etc leave a lot to be desired, but overall it is a very unique experience that touches on many different genres of gameplay. It truly is a hybrid in that it's a simulation, a roleplaying game, and has genuine replay and lasting appeal. In our opinion, it is quite simply worth checking out!

I just couldn't get into this as a player primarily of space trading games like spaceforce, freelancer and the X series.

The primary reason was that it's not very suggestive on a straight play and possibly my own fault for not sitting down and looking through the faqs, wiki's and manuals that an in depth trading game like this one (supposedly) in all honesty probably requires.

As a mature aged gamer even without the time limits associated for most people my age I personally think a more rewarding experience comes from other trading games.

The graphics look good even if the game is starting to age and no doubt there are some people who will enjoy the style but for a lone beginner it unfortunately will likely rest idle on the gaming shelf.

Very fun game if you are into building things from scratch... I suggest this game to anyone who enjoys simcity type games. The mechanics of this game clearly separate it from the SimCity type gameplay but it is similar once you get your businesses running well. Make babies and have a war with another faction! Fun game to get addicted to for sure.

I sooo wanted to love this game! I really enjoyed The Guild 1. But sadly, this game is just not as good as the first. It has better graphics, much better. But the game play is just lacking and extremely confusing. Also some tools that the first had to help you manage your empire are missing in this one, so you feel blind when running for office. I gave this game a huge chance, buying each add on hoping it would fix it, but alas no.

I love city-building games and build-your-own-business games, so I wanted to try The Guild 2.

It struck me that this game is quite different than other games I have played in this genre. In a good way, though.

It is simple, yet advanced and that is quite an accomplishment. I discovered new ways to expand my business and destroying the competition all the time. It just gave me more and more interesting strategies to try out.

One of the key features of the game is the council. Unlike other games it combines politics with business and social aspects. Great idea!

So, if you love these types of games as much as I do do not wait any longer!

9/10

The Guild 2 is a strange renaissance/late medieval era Sims/small business simulator hybrid. Its not a bad game as the trading, politics, and relationship sections are competently made, but it does seem a fair bit buggier than the first game. The interface is also a bit worse than the Guild 1, but it is still serviceable. I do not think it is worth buying at full price unless you really enjoyed the first game and wanted something similar with better graphics. It is worth buying during a sale if you like small business simulators.

I loved the original, and the Guild II simply adds to my love of the series and the genre.

But what is the genre? Life-sim? RPG? Economic sim? Who knows! The graphic improvements, recent bugfixes and patching, and the sheer amount of options available to the player make this worth buying!

A must have for anyone who loves people simulators like The Sims franchise.

First of all this pack does come with everything! The Guild 2 with the pirates add on expansion and the stand alone game Venice.

So you get your moneys worth with this set.

A great combination of politics, trade, and the ability to span your success over many generations.

Its graphics are nice enough to keep you interested and it does have a very addictive gameplay.

There are a few good mods that improve this game i suggest 2 Mods for guild2 gold that make this game perfect! One called "Back To The Roots" and the other is "Sovereign".

Both combine to make a host of improvements to the game and are easily found on web searchs.

Best thing about this game is its so easy to modify game settings in your Config file..its all there. Make the game super hard or super easy or just right :) Game gets 5 stars because its got great replay value.

This is an odd blend of trading, Sims, and a little tiny bit of RPG elements added in. It doesn't do each role well, put together and it's an ok game. I play it every now and then but it's not a primary attention getter type of game. Worth it if on sale, and much better than the first game.

This game is one of the best games for me as RPG game, the game the perfect political and economical convination. You start single, with a few coins, but then you can start your own business, you can apply for political job or you have married and built your own family, or you can do all this together. The game is very complete with diferent type of goverments (depends the size of the city). A lot of economical stuff and different resources to win money. And a ingenius system to get merried (like the sims). I give to his game a 8.5/10.

"The Guild" is a strange mix of real-life sim (somehow similar to the popular game series "The Sims") and a trading game. You play as a small-scale merchant in one of many european cities during the 15th/16th century, and your main objective is to lead your family to power, both in economics and politics. You start out as a small trader, with many paths open at the beginning, and then try to expand your business with additional buildings and activities; also, keep in mind that you're not immortal, which means that, sooner or later, you'll have to find a wife and create descendants that will carry your family's name on. If you don't appreciate trading games, you can always use the auto-management function of your buildings and do something else in the meantime, like engaging into politics or piracy. Lots of options and game modes are available to you. The game itself is overral well designed, but it has quite a lot of bugs; and while most are totally harmless, some will CTD your game or corrupt your saves, so remember to save often. I'd give this game a 7.5/10 for it's innovative ideas and good replayability value.