MMORPG stands for Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game. That’s quite a mouthful. This genre of game is responsible for quite a lot. It’s one of the ways that gamers can gather together and work towards a common goal; we can go on a shared adventures with our closest friends or total strangers. There are countless missions to pursue from leveling up, searching out the best loot, to continuing a constantly updating and seemingly endless storyline. These games are a massive undertaking to create and maintain so it’s quite a feat to create one that not only functions, but is memorable and fun to play for hours on end. Here are ten of some of the best of the best MMORPGs.
10 Neverwinter (Score: 74)
To kick off our list, we start with Neverwinter. This game takes place in the realm of Neverwinter, a prominent and important location in Dungeon and Dragons lore. In fact, this a video game version of Dungeons and Dragons. You create a character then pick a class and leveling and combat proceeds very similarly to the way it works in the 4th edition of D&D blended with the standards of the MMORPG genre. If you find yourself wanting to play D&D but can’t find a group, this is a decent way to get your fix. There’s no dice rolling involved and the whole system is based on an outdated edition, yet it is a great way to familiarize yourself with the lore.
9 Black Desert (Score: 75)
Some people take the role-playing role of MMORPG genre rather seriously. They want to live the game, they want to live as their character as a small escape from the real world. There is a subset of games known as a living world. These games put a painstaking amount of detail into everything. Your character becomes a cog in a multifaceted world full of moving pieces. You need to eat and drink, you can get a job, a house, and even make a family. These sort of games often come with choices and consequences as the world doesn’t stop moving for you and events unfold whether you are present for them or not. Black Desert implements all of this and it works quite well.
8 DC Universe Online (Score: 75)
Superheroes captured our imaginations from a very young age. At some point or another we’ve all pretended to have superpowers and used them fight off evil or had the colorful images of our favorite heroes plastered over everything we own. DC Universe Online brings those childhood dreams of being a superhero as well as your idols to life. You get to create your very own superhero, choose your powers, and are released into the DC world as a junior member of the Justice League. It’s put into your hands to protect the world with your fellow player heroes and aid some of the biggest names in the hero industry. Your options might be limited but overall it’s still a fun experience for your inner child.
7 TERA (Score: 77)
Upon first glance, TERA seems like your average, high-fantasy MMORPG. You get a big beautiful world to run around, lots of quests everywhere you turn, weapons and loot to horde; just your average experience. However, upon playing it further, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. The game has its own aesthetic, putting its own spin on the fantasy setting and making it seem almost otherworldly. The races available to you are also a unique take on your standard fare of fantasy races as well, so you’re not going to spend hours staring at another boring elf. Most important of all, the game blends dynamic, active combat that you might find in a hack and slash into the RPG experience.
6 World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth (Score: 79)
This is one of the most iconic MMORPGs made with one of the most recognized game developers in the industry. Blizzard has proven time and time again that they can put out a game that plays well, looks good, and they’ve shown they are not content to rest on their laurels. This latest expansion was released in 2018 and comes with plenty of new things to see and do. There’s new levels, new races, and a new experience of managing the battlefield as your faction struggles to maintain control of the realm. There are also new raids and loot for you and your crew to work towards as well as a level cap increase to level 120.
5 World of Warcraft Classic (Score: 80)
World of Warcraft is one of those games that is synonymous with MMORPG. Blizzard has created a culture, a cult following, and great revenue stream off of this game. The game has continued to improve and expand over the years, getting better and better with time. The latest iteration was in the previous section of this list but World of Warcraft Classic is a whole other ball game. It does count as a separate game as it is sold separately. It’s referred to as the vanilla version of Warcraft as it’s the original version of the game with slightly remastered graphics. Many of the bells and whistles from the regular game are not here and players new and old can re-experience the beginnings of the story as well.
4 The Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset (Score: 83)
The Elder Scrolls is a long-running RPG series that has only gotten better and better with each installment. The most recent, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is the most successful to date, having been ported to so many different consoles, it’s become a running gag. So, when The Elder Scrolls Online was rolled out, it was met with joy and great reviews. All of the elements that made the main series great were translated well and paired nicely with MMORPG factors. Being able to roam the realms with friends and strangers makes the world come alive in the way that many critics often feel is lacking in normal open-world RPGs.
3 Star Wars: The Old Republic (Score: 85)
Star Wars is one of the most popular franchises of all time. Its appeal has spanned generations of fans, sometimes being beloved by entire families. It’s still going strong too as the next movie comes out in December of 2019. There are plenty of video games, novels, toys, and everything else you can imagine. However, the most valuable part about Star Wars: The Old Republic is that it allows you to experience parts of the lore that are not widely known. Generally, the movies are what most fans draw their knowledge from but as mentioned, there are novels and even comic books that this massive world draws upon and presents for you to play through.
2 StarCraft: Remastered (Score: 85)
StarCraft is the other side of Blizzard’s creative, award-winning coin. Instead of traversing a medieval fantasy world, you are traversing a futuristic, high-sci-fi world. This remastered version was released in 2017 and included the much loved Brood War expansion. You’ll need to move carefully and employ plenty of strategies if you want to not just survive, but excel. The three campaigns give you three different experiences and even conflicting goals. While there were sequels to the first Starcraft that were released back in 1998, this particular edition touched up the original and packaged it with the expansion to tighten everything up and put that final layer of polish.
1 EVE Online: Special Edition (Score: 88)
Long before No Man’s Sky came into the world with its big ambitions and even bigger scandals, there was EVE Online for the PC. This edition was released shortly after one of the expansions to give players a complete, cohesive package. This game puts you in charge of your very own spaceship that you can customize and upgrade. You traverse the vastness of space, carrying out missions and fighting in epic battles with other ships. It’s extensive, in-depth, and just plain fun to live out your fantasies as the captain of a high-tech spaceship, cruising through the final frontier of outer space.
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