But what is an MMO anyway?
These oddly used letters refer to hundreds of games and is an abbreviation on Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games. There are several free PC MMOs that many users enjoy worldwide. Looking back at the past 10 years, there have been some awesome and terrible developments in the MMORPG genre. There were many things that were spot on and loved by gamers and several others that were criticized as being horrible.
The world witnessed free MMOs like Blade and Soul and classics like World of Warcraft. Be it spells to sling and demons to slay, there have been endless newcomers in the industry. And now as we step into the new decade, I think it’s safe to say that online gaming and uber audio visuals have changed the face of video games. And MMORGPs have always topped this list. Although the genre has been around for some time ( how can we all forget Everquest)
Before we look at our favorite MMORPGs let’s discover the secret sauce that makes them a user favorite. Well, looking at it from a gamers POV, these games offer players with several options that gives them a sense of freedom. Be it conquering a spooky dungeon or completing a quest, there is so much to look forward to -and all this will thousands and millions of other online players who either play with or against you!
Without further ado, let’s take a quick look at few MMORPGs that stole the hearts of millions of gamers worldwide in the past decade.
Star Trek Online
If you missed Star Trek on TV then this MMO can just take you back in time so you don’t miss out on anything. The game has several quests and each of them embodies a mission with an occasional filler episode. There is simply so much to do out here. You can either practice your diplomacy or battle spaceships with the Romulans. And in no time, your play devolves into a neat combat. This MMORPG is shiny, fun and full of storytelling. With better options popping up, this MMO has definitely fizzled in the last few years and struggled to keep it’s audience.
Despite the fact that the things started of as a bit rocky, but STO has somehow managed to grow into a very compelling and gargantuan free MMO. And how is this game still different from all the others out there?
With unique missions and ships you not only level up a hero but also get yourself a starship to customize and a crew to manage.
The Elder Scrolls Online
This B2P (pay once) MMO is very similar to Guild Wars 2, Black Desert Online and Tera. At this stage, Elder Scrolls Online gave gamers a very big edge over the previous game. Although during its launch it seemed to be like another other online multiplayer game, but the reviews and sales bounced back pretty quickly.
With the online version, you get to experience an entirely action based combat system and this emulates the traditional single player system in the game quite well for an MMO. This means that you can only hit what you aim along with blocking, dodging and sneaking around just like the game.
There are several factors that made ESO stand out from others in the market. The most important beings its new freeform character progression systems. You can pick any class when creating a character with any 3 ability trees. And 0ther powers, weapons and armour are unlocked with faction quests and skill progression. You can also match and mix your gear as you feel like. Be an apprentice or a sorcerer with great sword skills or unleash lightening bolts of of the fancy staff of the Dragon Knight.
Neverwinter
If dragons and dungeons float your boat then you ought to check this MMO out. Although gamers can find ample choices within this segment with excellent CRPGs, but the neverwinter realm has seldom disappointed a MMORPG fanatic. This MMO is just similar to World of Warcraft (WoW) meaning you can find yourself a lot of dungeons and raids to participate in. But the combat is action oriented and quite fast paced unlike WoW. If you have quick reflexes then you must try out this MMO. Choose from different races when creating characters. You can be a human, dwarf or a dragonborn even.
Lord of The Rings Online
Believe it or not, but this MMO comes with more than a decade of history attached to it. Experience Tolkien’s lore fantasy come to life in this story focused MMORPG. If you play the game you will see the efforts that the developer (Turbine) put in to make sure that the end products and visualization match the source material.
So, you can march through Mordor or take a spree in the streets of Bree. When it comes to game play, you can expect dungeons, raids and miscellaneous trade skills. However, these are not the things that make it famous somehow.
Gamers and critiques love the quirky side activities, immersive environments, thematic playable classes and unique story conquests. So if you want to experience the life of a hobbit burglar like Bilbo then there cannot be a better MMO around. This MMO is the holy grail for LOTR fans and is somehow very well suited to solo players.
Final Fantasy XIV
This version of the famous MMORPG brings forward a heartwarming redemption. Fans did not like it much when it came out initially. And so the developer company, Square Enix came out by hiring a brand new team to remake this version in its entirety.
And the outcome was amazing! Everyone loved and adored Eorzea for its flashy cutscenes, amazing environments, good and evil vibes and over the top characters. Players have also loved the flexibility that they get out here. Once you clear level 10, you can switch to any of the 8 combat classes as you switch the weapon.
Do check out the Shadowbringers expansion that now comes with new jobs and races. The ‘Vows of Virtue, Deeds of Cruelty’ patch allows you to revisit any previous quests with high performance players that you unlock later on. Very rarely has any MMO seen such advancement, expansion and quality updates as the FFXIV.
By Karen Watson
Karen Watson is a tech writer with a knack for science and technology, health and wellness, and pop culture. As a journalism degree holder, Karen likes trying different approaches to her pieces to make them not just informative but also entertaining for readers. She likes eating Korean barbecue whenever she’s not writing.
