MMO games are virtual worlds unlike anything else in the gaming world. These are social hubs for people to interact with one another, run around in doing quests or party up and create guilds for hundreds of people to help people progress. These games have been some of the most valuable assets to their developers, earning millions of dollars in revenue. They are also some of the most uniquely designed virtual worlds to explore, with hundreds of things to do and lives to live.
7. STAR TREK ONLINE
While the films and television programs of Star Trek have either halted or been lackluster, Star Trek Online is the one game which quenches your thirst for Star Trek content in this current age. Fans of the MASSIVE MMO know what I’m talking about when I say it is one of the best social hubs for getting to know more of the kindest people in the MMO community. The game’s only annoyance is its overly complex UI and the amount of systems this game has, it takes a solid while to get a grasp of the main game. Once you’re in, however, the game hooks you unlike anything else. There’s a reason why it’s been one of the most played MMORPGs since its release a whole decade ago in 2010.
6. GENSHIN IMPACT
Genshin Impact is one of the latest MMORPGs in the fantasy genre. The game features a variety of options in terms of gameplay and customization, you even have a choice of which platform you want to play this one be it your PC, PlayStation 4 or your mobile devices! The game has a beautiful design, with a colourful JRPG-like art style but more on the cartoony side, the world of Teyvat feeling like a fresh take on Breath of the Wild. Aside from the colourful aesthetic, there are so many different things in this game that the player can choose to do! Filling your roster with a ton of playable characters with unique weapons and fighting baddies with them, exploring the world, doing the story or just simply goofing around, the game offers a ton of choice. Once you’re rank 16 and the tutorial is done with, the world is open for you to play with your socials.
5. EVE ONLINE
Eve Online is probably unlike any MMO you have ever played. This game is full of political trickery and world-building, possibly being one of the best space-based MMOs ever made. It isn’t for everyone though, long journeys from one corner of the universe to the other, the very unfriendly user face until you eventually get used to it and the slow gameplay experience are a problem for some, they are exactly the reason why others play the game. This is a space simulation game unlike any other in its genre, and the MMO aspects of this game are what make it so intriguing. The game features a massive arsenal of weaponry and ships to collect, bases to build and treaties to be broken. The amount of political dealings this game has to offer is insane, and they usually depend on player-to-player, with each new alliance, comes to a new avenue of being betrayed by players.
4. PHANTASY STAR ONLINE 2
Phantasy Star Online 2 is one of those games that you glance over while browsing what MMO to invest your time into but once you do choose this gem, it never let's go. Having spent hundreds of hours in this game, I think it is safe to say that Phantasy Star Online 2 is probably one of the best mecha themed MMORPGs in the market. It has a beautiful mix of futuristic and fantasy in its art style and design, and soon is about to get a complete overhaul in terms of graphics and combat with the release of New Genesis. In its current state, Phantasy Star Online 2 offers a variety of different classes to choose from and these classes offer a ton of varying gameplay when it comes to combat. You have options of being a close combat fighter or a long-range shooter, depending on your class and your weapons of choice. The quests are numerous and the journeys are fun, bringing exploration as one of the centre points, fighting through herds of enemies provides immense entertainment. Not to mention the game has one of the largest populations in gaming currently, even overtaking Runescape in numbers. These are some of the nicest people in the MMO community and there are no criticisms I can say for this game.
3. ELDER SCROLLS ONLINE
The Elder Scrolls Online has got to be one of the biggest names in the MMORPG community. The game is set in the world of Bethesda’s insanely well-structured Elder Scrolls universe, featuring multiple regions and races in a world of many different terrors lurking. You choose to play as one of the nine playable races, finish the short tutorial and are given full freedom and control right off the bat. The game looks and feels exactly like an Elder Scrolls game, however receiving constant updates to its systems with new features being added in semi-regularly, the game remains fresh. The combat is quite easy to learn, but it does take time to master, especially when it comes to spell-casting as the melee combat in itself is quite a self-explanatory block and hit. The UI is easy to understand and use, the character progression is rapid and the game isn’t heavily reliant on micro-transactions either. This makes the Elder Scrolls Online a solid competitor for one of the best MMOs in recent times. The world is just absolutely massive, and it is so fun to explore!
2. WORLD OF WARCRAFT: SHADOWLANDS
World of Warcraft got its eighth expansion with Shadowlands. This expansion has brought in a ton of changes, completely redesigning the levelling system and changing how legendary items are forged. They also made new changes to healers which have drastically changed how people play Mythic+ and Raids, all in all, while introducing a brand new area; The Maw. The Maw features a plethora of opportunities for skinning, cosmetic and power levelling, a brand new story quest and Torghast. Torghast is the biggest dungeon ever created in WoW to date, and with the increase in content that Blizzard has promised, Shadowlands will only grow more and more.
1. FINAL FANTASY XIV: A REALM REBORN
Final Fantasy XIV had a bad launch; honestly, it was a terrible launch. The game was riddled with bugs, the combat was shoddy and uninspired, the cosmetics were boring and the world felt boring to explore. Over the years, with a solid development team and a complete rework, Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn was created. The game is massive in scale and size, the UI is beautiful, the graphics are, dare I say, untouchable and even combat is flashy and satisfying. The classes were increased in numbers bringing more variety for players, the world was filled with overhauled side quests and main quests were increased. This game in particular features one of the best stories in the MMORPG genre in its entirety. Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn is a must-play whether you’re an MMO veteran or an RPG fan.
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This was our list of the best MMORPGs to completely immerse yourself in. Whether you want to join epic 1000 player space battles in EVE Online, or roam the treacherous lands of Torghast in World of Warcraft, or simply enter the living breathing world of Final Fantasy XIV, there are a plethora of options to look into when picking the perfect MMO world for you!