10 best MMOs that reinvented the genre
Varying widely in scope, theme, and purpose, MMOs have now firmly entrenched themselves in the public consciousness. Whether big or small, MMOs have created countless memories among a multitude of players, whether it’s hunting a “chompy big bird”, endless battles between orcs and humans, or trying to steal the most beautiful treasures of the country.
While many MMOs have stuck to tried-and-true formulas, others have branched out in various ways, from perspective to set-up to even just launching a new monetization idea – some to genre-defining success and others less. However, they all have something to teach and a story to tell.
ten World of Warcraft offers a large homogeneous world
World of Warcraft can now be considered a fairly standard MMO, but that’s only because it set many standards that are now commonplace. With an open and transparent 3D world as well as fast-paced content, World of Warcraft was groundbreaking when it launched and would influence the genre for years to come.
The overall design had very flashy effects, but the small details were also surprisingly unique. While there were quests that guided the player from place to place, there were no real walls preventing them from going wherever they pleased. However, high profile crowds could still prove a threat.
9 Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning was ahead of its time
With “kingdom versus kingdom” gameplay as its central theme, warhammer online embarked on a path distinct from other MMOs of the time. Although it still featured many quests to complete, the main focus was PvP and ever-changing control over areas of the world.
PvP may have been the goal, but warhammer online also paved the way for many PvE features that would become commonplace in years to come, from detailed map markers to “public quests” – world events that any nearby player could participate in for various rewards.
8 Meridian 59 was the first first-person MMO
Literally offering a new perspective on the genre, Meridian 59 is one of the few first-person MMOs as well as the very first 3D MMO. Rather than a class system, a player can choose to level up any skill they want, from sword fighting to conjuring fireballs.
Originally called a “massively multiplayer role-playing game” when it was released in 1996 rather than the now ubiquitous “MMO”. Meridian 59 would see itself shuffled between companies over the years before falling back into the hands of its original developers from 2012 and seeing a Steam release in 2018.
seven Runescape launched the indie MMO
Created by the Grower brothers and originally run from their home, Runescape would quickly take the world by storm and revolutionize the market with the concept of a free-to-play MMO in addition to being one of the first indie games to receive great popularity.
While it had a simple beginning, Runescape would continue to grow over the years, adding more quests to do, more Gielinor to explore, and still holding a passionate playerbase of over a million to date and showing no signs of stopping anytime soon.
Drawing inspiration from the entire series, elder scrolls online has created a colorful mix of gameplay that is sure to please any fan of the series looking for a new Tamriel to explore, albeit tweaked to work in a bustling multiplayer game.
It’s not just the fight for elder scrolls onlinewith parallel stories such as the Thieves Guild Where dark brotherhood encouraging stealth rather than combat, and systems such as housing and even a card game in Tribute Talesa newly added feature from high island.
5 Guild Wars 2 offers incredible freedom of movement
While the original guild wars would launch the concept of selling an MMO for a lump sum in 2005, that would be Guild Wars 2 which really worked with it, adding thrilling action gameplay to the mix as well as a personal storyline for each player character.
Guild Wars 2 also emphasized mobility more than most other MMOs, with plenty of parkour puzzles, acrobatic aerial challenges that use the detailed flight system, and even dedicated underwater gear and skills to use when diving.
4 Dungeons And Dragons Online does a good job of translating the tabletop into an MMO
Originally based on version 3.5 rules for Dungeons and Dragons, Dungeons and Dragons Online sought to introduce a classic dungeon-crawling experience to the MMO world, with not only extensive character customization, but also fully-told dungeons with a handful of hidden doors to spot and traps to overcome.
Originally known as Dungeons & Dragons Online: Eberron Unlimited, Dungeons and Dragons Online would eventually drop the title as the game grew to encompass more than its original setting, now featuring worlds like the classic fantasy of Forgotten Realms and the gothic horror of Ravenloft.
3 Kingdom Of Loathing Mixes Stick Figure Graphics With Quirky Humor
With its hand-drawn stick figure graphics, kingdom of hate immediately stands out from more standard MMOs, and it has a delightfully surreal sense of humor. Originally released as a joke after a week of development, kingdom of hate would surprise even its developers with its sudden popularity.
Set in the titular Kingdom of Loathing, the game sees the player using classes such as the Magical Pastamancer or the Skillful Accordion Thief in their quest to defeat the dreaded “Naughty Sorceress” who “imprisoned” the King in a prism he a long time ago.
2 Habitat is where MMOs started
Launched in 1987, LucasArts’ Habitat would have an impressive legacy as the very first MMORPG, albeit relatively obscure today. While similar to older, generally text-based MUDs, or “Multi-User Dungeons”, it brought graphics into the mix in an exciting new way.
Simple by modern standards yet revolutionary for its time, Habitat controlled like a standard adventure game, with the player moving and interacting with the world via a cursor. With its unusual setting, Habitat focused more on social interaction than the more combat-focused MMOs that would come in later years.
1 Dungeon Fighter Online is an ode to classic Beat ‘Em Ups
It’s rare for a fighting game to mix with a traditional RPG, let alone an MMO, but dungeon fighter online has been bringing beat ’em up action to the genre since 2005, though it would take a decade later for it to hit the mainstream outside of Asia.
fight in dungeon fighter online takes place in a side-scrolling 2D format, where the player must fend off hordes of enemies with an arsenal of attacks. Although abilities can be bound to a hotkey, they suffer some penalties compared to executing them manually.