Not-So-Massively games are online games that share some but not all mechanics in common with traditional MMORPGs. Generally, their “massive” nature is contested. They frequently include games from subgenres like battle royale, OARPG, MMOFPS, MMORTS, MOBA, lootershooter, mobile, and other pseudo-MMOs that provide single-player, offline, or custom-server support. The Not So Massively column is now written by Tyler Edwards. [Follow this column’s RSS feed]
not so massively
Not So Massively: Gatewalkers has huge potential but isn’t there yet
After years of hilariously wrong recommendations, something seems to have clicked with Facebook's algorithms lately to make it finally start showing me relevant ads....
Not So Massively: My top 10 favorite ARPG classes
I love me some ARPGs, but in any RPG your enjoyment will depend so much on finding the right class. A game that felt...
Not So Massively: I like survival mechanics, not survival games
When I played We Happy Few, one of the things that surprised me the most was how much I enjoyed the survival mechanics. I...
Not So Massively: Kind Words is one of the most intense games I’ve ever played
In these trying times, I think we're all dealing with a certain degree of anxiety and loneliness. For some of us, feeling worried and...
Not So Massively: Exploring the Reign of Terror Diablo II mod for Grim Dawn
Unlike a lot of ARPG fans, I was never a big player of Diablo II back in the day. I enjoyed the story and...
Not So Massively: Comparing online ARPGs, from Wolcen and Diablo to Grim Dawn and Path of Exile
A while back in the Not So Massively column, I did a piece comparing the pros and cons of some of the biggest names...
Not So Massively: StarCraft II has quietly become Blizzard’s best-managed property
While I do think the studio's actions at BlizzCon are encouraging, it still feels weird heaping praise on Blizzard right now. But I also...
Not So Massively: Delving into builds and endgame in Wolcen Lords of Mayhem
A few weeks ago in the Not So Massively column, I gave my initial impressions of Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem. I found it a...
Not So Massively: First impressions of Wolcen, a familiar but fun ARPG
Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem isn't a game whose development I followed super closely, but I'd seen it on Steam aways back and thought it...
Not So Massively: Imagining a true MMORTS
MMOs and RTS are two of the genres of game I play the most. Given that, you'd think I'd be a big fan of...
Not So Massively: Meet the new Torchlight, same as the old Torchlight
Last week brought the bombshell announcement that the MMOARPG Torchlight: Frontiers has been rebooted as simply Torchlight III, a more traditional ARPG with single-player...
Not So Massively: Magic: Legends isn’t at all what I expected – it’s better
When we first got word of an MMO in the setting of Magic: The Gathering years ago, a Diablo-style ARPG probably isn't what anyone...
Not So Massively: Lessons Torchlight Frontiers can take from its predecessors
Torchlight Frontiers is a game I've gradually been developing some genuine hype for - as has our team here at MOP, in light of...
Not So Massively: A wishlist for MMO-adjacent online games in 2020
With the year drawing to a close, my thoughts turn ahead to 2020 and what new gaming experiences it may bring. I am an...
Not So Massively: Kingdom Under Fire 2 is ambitious, unique, and deeply flawed
When I first heard about Kingdom Under Fire II by publisher Gameforge, I wasn't sure what to expect. I'd heard that it combined elements...
Not So Massively: A Year of Rain is a promising RTS with a co-op focus
A Year of Rain sounds like the title of an introspective indie movie about overcoming depression. It also sounds like an accurate description of...
Not So Massively: Overwatch 2 is what Overwatch should have been from the start
Much to my own surprise, the announcement that most excited me at BlizzCon this year was not from any of the franchises I usually...
Not So Massively: Diablo IV is going in all the wrong directions
I remain torn on whether to forgive Blizzard for its "Hong Kong liberation" fiasco. J. Allen Brack has already contradicted his own apology, but...
Not So Massively: Four things Anthem can do to turn itself around
I've been a cheerleader for Anthem from the get-go. I believe BioWare's multiplayer shooter is a good game with huge potential to become a...
Not So Massively: The Blizzard I loved is dead
This week's Not So Massively column was supposed to be a wishlist of things I want from an announcement of Diablo IV. When I...
