Great follow up, but lacks the "addictiveness" of the first in the series. Did ArenaNet spend enough time on it?
First, the storyline. For new players who haven't played the Guild Wars series before, the storyline is probably interesting and addictive. Despite playing the original, I can see that if you haven't played it, Factions would be interesting and thorough. However, for those players who loved the first storyline, Factions is a bit of a let down. It is cliche in almost every way and the storyline holds true to that in a normal RPG - which Guild Wars is not.
The gameplay, however, remains as fast and furious as ever. If you are not in the game for the story, you won't be disappointed by the carefully done, fun combat and the thought required in choosing skills. In this aspect as least, Guild Wars: Factions lives up to its predecessor.
The new features and skills are, in my opinion, great. The new alliance, PvP battles are a thing to admire - they are highly addictive and great fun, even for me who is usually a PvE player. The new classes provide a well needed breath of fresh air and complement the new skill set very well.
In all, Guild Wars: Factions is still great fun. However, if you are into the storyline at all, you will find that is lacks the addictive depth that makes Guild Wars what it is. Did ArenaNet spend enough time developing it? Hard to say. Whatever your opinion, though, no one can say Factions isn't fun.