So I went back to Guild Wars 2 for the new expansion: End of Dragons. There were regrets. Maybe it’s the fact that when the game first started, the roleplay community was different? But going back now just … it didn’t feel the same and did not leave me with good feelings. The new content also wasn’t as amazing as I was anticipating. Especially now that they’ve announced there will be ANOTHER expansion instead of working towards Guild Wars 3.
Some part of me thinks that I should break this one up into multiple posts, but the other part of me really doesn’t want to put that much energy into it. I’m leaving SO many games off this list right now. I guess in general, I’m just going to give a short rundown of the games I’ve actually played…
TESO: The Elder Scrolls Online
Release Date: April 4, 2014
Developer: Zenimax Online Studios
Payment Model: Buy-to-play with DLC
I’ve played this game for so long. We got the game early on and it wasn’t interesting for me. I had never played any Elder Scroll games before. I’d gotten through the intro for Skyrim, but that’s it. So I wasn’t invested in the lore. They added houses. And made you able to go to any region despite your faction. And a bunch of other quality of life changes that got me really addicted. I have to say that their crates are a pain in the butt and encourage a sort of gambling issue. They release items you can only get by buying said crates and it SUCKS. If you want to get the feeling you get from playing the one-person Elder Scroll games, then this is not the MMO for you.
Release Date: August 28, 2012
Developer: ArenaNet
Payment Model: Buy-to-play with DLC
My friend gave me a copy of this game after it launched because they accidentally bought two digital copies. I met my SO through this game. I had a lot of really good roleplay here, but it’s sadly been one of those things that I wish I could return to but never can find the same feelings. If you are brand new trying to hop into this game, it’s really rough. Even if you buy a max level token, there’s just SO MUCH STUFF that you need to do. Masteries and leveling beyond getting your character leveled. A lot of stuff is time-gated in this game. You have to play and you have to keep coming back to get your widgets. *sigh*
Release Date: November 23, 2004
Developer: Blizzard
Payment Model: Subscription with paid expansions
(╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻ If I have to tell you things about this game. You’ve probably been under a rock. I played back in the day. Way, way, way back in the day before Burning Crusades. I wasn’t highly invested in this game, but I watched friends play this game religiously. I still remember spending an entire summer watching one friend grind through levels during one of the expansions. This game raised levels then cut back and did the “Classic” thing. My SO was replaying this for a bit. He got some satisfaction from playing it again, so if you love WoW, you might too? (The art style really just never drew me in.)
Release Date: August 27, 2013
Developer: Square Enix
Payment Model: Subscription with paid expansions
I hate subscription games. I love Final Fantasy games, but the MMO just killed me. I had friends who bought me the game and tried to help me through it. I just never can get beyond the starting area. I think if it’s that hard to get interested in the game, it’s probably not for me. When devotees of the game tell you that the leveling of the game is a grind, but you’ll enjoy the stories and content once you max level… that’s a big nope for me. It’s really pretty and very anime-ish. So if you dig that sort of thing.
SWTOR: Star Wars the Old Republic
Release Date: December 20, 2011
Developer: BioWare
Payment Model: Free-to-play with DLC
I played a big back in the past, and it wasn’t for me. I had trouble leveling. I’m such a filthy casual. I loved Star Wars lore, before the movies. I read the books as a kid. I was obsessed with the original trilogy. I’ve even played Star Wars tabletop before. I’ve redownloaded the game, but I’m hesitant to get into playing. Burned by so many MMOs, but I have a few friends over there so I’ll see if they can help me sludge through the game!
LOTRO: Lord of the Rings Online
Release Date: April 24, 2007
Developer: Daybreak Game Company
Payment Model: Free-to-Play
I shared a post on this one the other day. Urgh. I just could not get into it. The graphics really let you know that it was from 2007. I briefly saw Frodo during my intro. Sadly. I just could not overlook how bad the graphics were to get into the game. I did love how easy it was to make it through the missions. That much I will give it.
Release Date: NA: September 1, 2009; AUS: September 10, 2009
Developer: Cryptic Studios
Payment Model: Free-to-Play
I played this one during Beta! It was so amazing at the time. But they took away the writers for the game and never really expanded on any content. My SO even got the lifetime subscription. The graphics are very cartoonish on purpose, so you had to really like the style. Like superhero comic books without playing the Marvel or DC games. It expanded where City of Heroes/Villains didn’t on letting you pick and mix two powersets. It’s still alive, surprisingly. It holds a near and dear place in my heart.
Release Date: NA: February 2, 2010; EU: February 5, 2010; AU: February 11, 2010
Developer: Cryptic Studios
Payment Model: Free-to-Play
I had to add this one because I did briefly play and roleplay in this one. I loved watching Star Trek and hoped to capture those same feelings in a video game. It’s one of the few games you can do ship combat. Besides maybe Eve Online? But I’ve never touched that one. There’s also some fun planetside combat that you have to do for missions. They actually took most of the writers from Champions Online over to this game. I didn’t stay here too long though, but it was amusing. I honestly was more involved in Tribble breeding…
So yes! That was my VERY brief rundown of some of the MMOs that I’ve played. I left a bunch off that I did not even play long enough to really gather any perspective on. My SO actually saw this post as I was writing it and kept throwing names out for games. We played RIFT, BDO, Fantasy Star Online, Wildstar, City of Heroes/Villains, and then my brain starts to melt as I go down the list even more.
I haven’t been able to find very many “good” MMOs lately. It seems like we are at the end of an era. New ones aren’t really being developed. I know there are a few being made, but I’m skeptical and not even slightly optimistic. Does anyone have any recommendations? Some secret diamond in the rough? Let me know! I’ll be your new best friend. Anywho, thank you so much for stopping by today. So much nerdy.
Atelier Whootique 