~1~
Tera Online
After converting from Pay to Play over to Free to Play in early 2013,
TERA Rising has shown itself to be one of the premiere MMORPGs
available. Showcasing expansive and impressively detailed visuals and a
huge variety of wonderfully designed creatures, the open action combat
of TERA allows players to have full control over their character while
in combat, no more tab targeting here. Although the game does suffer a
little from the typical grind of MMORPG questing, there is the option to
participate in 5 player dungeons, an upcoming 20 man raid, Guild PvP,
and open world PvP to mix it up. TERA also introduces a very unique and
intricate political system, that allows a whole zone to vote on a player
to become the zone’s matriarch, who can then influence various
properties of the zone itself (power trip anyone?). So If you’re tired
of dated graphics, repetitive monsters, or even tab targeting, TERA
Rising may be the medicine to fix what ails you.
~2~
Neverwinter
Steeped in the rich lore of Dungeons and Dragons, Neverwinter is the
newest addition to the open action combat MMORPG family. Based on The
Forgotten Realms world of D&D 4.0, Neverwinter offers players a
world full of quests, epic dungeons, and beautiful landscapes. What
really elevates Neverwinter above most MMORPGs is an amazingly intricate
dungeon bulding system, called The Foundry, that allows players to
design, share, and participate in their own custom adventures, just like
the pen and paper version of D&D. If you’re looking for hours of
customizable action filled combat with, or against, your fellow
adventurers, make sure you try this one out!
~3~
Rift
Rift is another prime example of a particularly above average P2P MMORPG
converting into a stellar Free-to-Play one. While on the surface Rift
may appear as your average tab-target “WoW Clone”, underneath is a
dizzying array of depth and uniqueness. Rift’s main claim to fame is its
diverse Soul system, which allows a player to combine multiple roles
into one class. While Rift only offers 4 classes, each class has access
to 10 diverse souls with three active at any time. Questing in Rift is
average, but made more interesting with dynamic events such as Rifts. In
any given area, multiple Rifts may spawn which spew out progressively
harder mobs. If left unattended, these Rifts can eventually overrun
nearby encampments preventing players from turning in quests or using
its vendors. Players may also participate in random group adventures
which span entire zones with their own separate quest lines and special
rewards. Rift boasts an impressive amount of end-game PvE and PvP
content, spanning from small 2 player instances to 20 man competitive
raids. Overall, Trion has done a good job with the conversion and has
shown they are committed to updating the MMORPG continuously with more
innovative free content.
~4~
Aion: Ascension
Aion was released in the west as a pay-to-play game and quickly fell out
of the limelight due to the games incessant need to grind for level
progression. However with the release of the 3.0 update and the switch
to a free to play model, Aion has gone from a traditional Korean grinder
to one of the most promising and enjoyable F2P MMOs around with true
depth and diversity. Players now have access to all content in Aion with
no restrictions allowing them to enjoy the full range of the game. The
MMO features breathtaking visuals, air combat, large scale PvP, raids
set atop sky fortresses, competitive dungeon runs and much more. One of
the most notable features is the large scale keep assaults players can
participate in where players must deal not only with the imposing raid
bosses within the keep but must also fight off players from the opposing
faction who are also fighting for control. With Ncsoft continually
updating the game with huge content releases players can expect a long
and enjoyable MMORPG experience with Aion
~5~
RaiderZ
MMORPGs have begun moving away from the classic hotbar style of combat
to a more open action combat system which focuses on aiming your skills
rather then have your character automatically lock on. RaiderZ has one
of the best action combat systems currently available, allowing players
to join others in large dynamic confrontations against some of the
largest and most varied open world bosses in an MMORPG. Players are also
not bound to a specific class, but instead are free to choose among
different weapon and skill types, allowing the player to choose what
style of combat best suits them. All of this combined offers a
refreshing experience for players looking for a more skill-based MMORPG.
~6~
Vindictus
Vindictus was probably the most hyped free MMORPG ever when it released.
The combination of stunning graphics and an action-based battle system
that still retained the RPG elements we all know and love had gamers
giddy with excitement. While the hype surrounding Vindictus has now died
down somewhat, it still remains an enjoyable and unique game, with some
thrilling combat. And those graphics… (drool).
~7~
Dragon Nest
Dragon Nest is an action RPG published by Nexon where some of the
greatest visuals ever seen in a free MMORPG go hand in hand with
charming anime
characters and exciting real time combat. There’s a lot to be amazed
at in this game, an all-round polished offering that any self-respected
fan should try.
~8~
Allods Online
It’s easy to make the comparison to World of Warcraft when looking at
Allods Online. The graphical style is eerily similar, though the art
direction is actually quite original, and melds fantasy and sci-fi
elements like few other MMO’s on the market. Allods features two
distinct races in conflict with each other, and this conflict spills
over into the game’s PvP mode. Humorous writing and scenarios are
another hallmark of this charming little game. Don’t be put off by the
WoW look, and give this one a shot.
~9~
The Lord of the Rings Online
LoTRO went free-to-play recently, and surely stands as one of the best
free-to-play games on the market. A massive world, challenging combat,
haunting music, and beautiful graphics await all those who wish to enter
the enchanted realm of Middle-Earth. Player-owned houses and mounts, a
unique monster-play PvP system, epic raids and gear, legendary crafted
gear, and much more exists in Turbine’s masterpiece.
~10~
Dungeons and Dragons Online
DDO seemed to have everything going for it upon its initial release, but
never seemed to find an audience. It had great graphics, a unique play
style, and the pedigree of one of the best MMO developers behind it in
Turbine. Despite its failure as a pay-to-play game, don’t be fooled into
thinking that was due to the quality of the game. Though it suffers
from some of the repetition that other instance-based games suffer from,
it’s still an incredibly challenging and enjoyable experience.
No comments:
Post a Comment