Glad to see ArenaNet hasn’t lost their innovative spirit. Besides introducing a rather linear leveling curve (as opposed to exponential like in most RPGs) the studio has opted to add some personality to player characters. This will really add to the role-playing aspects of the game if it is done right.
For most MMORPGs (and even a few single-player RPGs), we typically take the role of a rather nondescript hero. In many cases, said hero generally has next to no real backstory; conversations with NPCs are dull, predictable, and pretty much one-sided (when was the last time we said more than a sentence to / grunted at a NPC? 
). Wouldn’t it be nice to give a tongue-lashing to characters you hate? How about flirting with those that you love?
Throughout 'Golden Sun: The Lost Age', this is pretty much the only time Felix talks. The rest of the time he just nods 'yes' or 'no' and may occasionally give a '...'. But hey, at least he has a compelling backstory! 
Personality in GW2 isn’t set in stone either, apparently. Maybe a life-long jerk will suddenly have an epiphany and decide to change his ways, or a tragic incident will turn a paragon of light into a cynic. This sounds great, so long as it actually takes a bit of effort to reform (a personality isn’t a personality if it can change on the spot). It would even be better if NPC interactions have permanent effects on relationships, though that typically falls out of the realm of MMORPGs. (Imagine a persistent world where certain characters will avoid you outright, where decisions are not clear-cut and could leave you agonizing for a good period of time.)
Anyway, that’s my current stream of thoughts on the subject. Now to get back to burying my head in books…
Tags: Guild Wars 2