top ten list
Perfect Ten: The MMO franchises that can’t count past two
Back in the day, there was a running joke about how Capcom had shown with Street Fighter that the company could not count higher...
Perfect Ten: Why MMOs should never ditch text chat
If you ever want to feel what an MMO is like without any sort of text chat, then spend a stretch of time in...
Perfect Ten: The 10 most utterly bizarre Final Fantasy XIV NPC names
A lot of times when I write these columns, I have either a point to make or a higher concept that I am touching...
Perfect Ten: The weirdest weapons from MMOs of yore
Swords. Staffs. Maces. Spears. Wands. Bows. Crossbows. Double-crossbows. Hammers. Wolverine claws. Daggers. Axes. Deadly? Yes. Fashionable? Not so much. A two-handed sword is so...
End-of-Year Eleven: The MMOs with the most uncertain futures in 2024
As I say every single year and several people ignore every single year: This is not a column about the games that are most...
End-of-Year Eleven: All the upcoming MMOs to watch in 2024 and beyond
We've said it before, but this time we really mean it: The future of MMORPGs looks amazing. Contrary to years when we've seen only...
End-of-year Eleven: The best value MMORPGs at the end of 2023
I have been told that if I start another one of these columns musing on the abstract meaning of "value" as I have for...
End-of-Year Eleven: The best MMO expansions and updates of 2023
If you want to look at the overall health of the MMORPG industry, one vital heartbeat that must not be missed is continual development....
End-of-Year Eleven: The biggest MMO stories of 2023
Some years, it's hard to really cut a distinction between the biggest stories of a year and the biggest surprises. There can be a...
End-of-year Eleven: The healthiest live MMOs at the end of 2023
When it comes to making a judgment call about the "healthiest" MMORPGs on the market at any given time, there are always plenty of...
End-of-Year Eleven: The biggest MMO surprises of 2023
2023 was definitely a year of surprises for me. Not all of them were pleasant! If you've been watching my columns, you probably have...
Perfect Ten: Why I’m grateful to be an MMO gamer in 2023
To me, Thanksgiving is a much-needed reminder to acknowledge and express the gratitude we have for all that is right and good in our...
Perfect Ten: Classic video games that would make terrible MMORPGs
There was a time when MMORPGs were all based on existing storied single-player RPG franchises, and that time was when Ultima Online launched and...
Perfect Ten: The single best expansion from 10 MMOs
Holy crud, do I not know that I'm setting myself up for some major pushback today. Oh, I feel that to my core, friends!...
Perfect Ten: 10 MMORPGs as Saturday morning cartoons
My insane MMO and MMORPG thought experiments do indeed continue: Previously I considered what muffins MMO NPCs are, then I considered what flavor of...
Perfect Ten: Solid MMOs you might be sleeping on in 2023
For today's list, I wanted to take a different approach to recommending MMORPGs to you. I know we often talk about underrated titles, but...
Perfect Ten: Myths about balance in MMOs
For some MMO players, "balance" is a dirty word. And I'm not going to lie, I can hardly blame them. If you're not a...
Perfect Ten: The interesting features EverQuest Next promised before it was canceled
After way, way too long, it looks like an EverQuest 3 may be in the works after all. It's been rumored for years, of...
Perfect Ten: The delicate balancing act of designing MMORPGs
MMORPGs are complicated. We all know that. But one of the things that I think is easy to overlook is how and why MMORPGs...
Perfect Ten: The 10 unsung heroes of the MMO user interface
If we ever think of an MMO's user interface, it's either when we're getting settled into a new game or when a title decides...
