We have all been there. You’ve been gaming in your standard comfort MMOs when one day you hit that wall of burnout. You feel like you’ve done all of this too much — and you need a break. You’re in a gaming rut.
When that happens, it’s only natural to start looking around for alternatives. The “Big Five” are obvious candidates, but chances are you’ve already played or tried those. You want something different, something to jolt you out of your rut. You want a fresh experience in a game that isn’t completely dead or seriously hard to learn. But where to go?
In today’s list, I’m going to give you suggestions for 10 MMORPGs that are perfect when you want to get out of your game routine and when you’re looking for a specific experience. Hope this helps!
Dungeons and Dragons Online: For when you want dungeons that are more than beat ’em ups
So what I’m going for in this list isn’t necessarily obscure or unknown MMOs but rather ones that tend to get overlooked when people are fishing around for a new game to try. And if there’s one game that gets overlooked way too much, it’s Dungeons and Dragons Online. The incredibly well-designed dungeons of this MMO are its key selling point, with puzzles, traps, stories, and surprising designs. But this community also love the ability to develop a complex character with multiclassing and more skill trees than you would expect.
Project Gorgon: For when you want skills to actually matter
I’ve often seen player’s call for “skill-based MMOs” (versus level-based), and they usually fail to see one standing right in front of them: Project Gorgon. With tons of skill lines available, characters can be grown according to the imagination and whims of the players. It’s also a weirdly funny world that is a spiritual successor to Asheron’s Call, a sadly shuttered MMO that walked the path less traveled.
Villagers and Heroes: For when you want a charming WoW clone
If you like the visual aesthetic of World of Warcraft but want to see that in a different world that just so happens to include housing and a great crafting system, then get thee hence to Villagers and Heroes. There’s a lot of personality lurking in this MMO — and it also offers a mobile edition for when you want to play your adventurer on the go!
Dungeon Fighter Online: For when you want to play an insanely popular MMO that nobody you know plays
If you follow our monthly coverage of SuperData’s industry earnings report every month, you might have noticed that there’s almost always one MMO that’s pretty high on the top 10 list that we never talk about: Dungeon Fighter Online. I’ve only rarely heard of anyone I know actually playing it, but hey, a whole lot of people must be for this game to be so consistently high in revenue. Maybe it’d be a good option if you find great comfort in high populations and activity?
Wakfu: For when you want to experience a very cute turn-based MMO
Wakfu might well be the most “out there” suggestion on this list, but I think it might be perfect for certain people with discerning tastes. From its tile-based isometric format to its turn-based combat, this isn’t your typical MMO. But it’s also one that gets good word-of-mouth praise from those who have tried it — and the studio pours a lot of development effort into it, too.
AdventureQuest 3D: For when you want to pick up a tablet and play online
There’s a lot of great things to say about AdventureQuest 3D — our own MJ is an unapologetic fan girl of the MMO — but perhaps one of its greatest features lies in how accessible it is. While you can certainly play it on a computer, the mobile edition is slick and engaging. It’s perfect if you want to raid while you’re in the can, is what I’m saying.
Champions Online: For when you want a superhero MMO but totally forgot this existed
There’s definitely a hunger for the next great superhero title, but for those antsy to don spandex and punch out mutant villains, Champions Online already has you covered. With actual development in recent years and a huge amount of content and costumes to enjoy, this might well be the MMO that your mind slides right past when considering options — but shouldn’t.
Wurm Online: For when you want to build a homestead from scratch
It’s one thing to get into “crafting” in online games, where you’re making some armor or potions before calling it a day. But serious homesteaders should get thee hence to Wurm Online, where building everything from the ground up is the name of the game. It’s perfect for when you want that deep satisfaction of looking over a farm and thinking “I built all of that!”
Wizard101: For when you want to indulge your inner child with a candy store of options
If you’ve been dismissing Wizard101 because you think it’s just for the kiddies, you really shouldn’t. A surprising number of teens and adults have found this magic-themed MMO to be a blast, especially with a wide array of options including card collecting, housing, minigames, and PvP.
Guild Wars: For when you want an awesome blast to the past
Sometimes shaking yourself out of a deep gaming rut is as simple as going back rather than forward — back to an old favorite. Let’s not forget that ArenaNet has left the original Guild Wars up and running with hundreds of hours of challenging and exciting content waiting. Plenty of people love returning to this RPG, so why not you?
Everyone likes a good list, and we are no different! Perfect Ten takes an MMO topic and divvies it up into 10 delicious, entertaining, and often informative segments for your snacking pleasure. Got a good idea for a list? Email us at justin@massivelyop.com or eliot@massivelyop.com with the subject line “Perfect Ten.”
