Ranking mmorpg games

After making several games exclusively for the Korean market, Gameforge has finally released Elsword to the rest of the world, breaking it out from 4 long years of exclusivity for our Asian counterparts.

The game follows a fairly linear plot, with lightweight gameplay that’s just entertaining enough for beginners without the demands of complex gameplay or narrative. Starting up, you choose from six characters who must immediately go off in search of fragments of the El stone, a powerful crystal that brings life and prosperity to the land.

The gameplay itself is a mix of action and side-scrolling platforms where, within various dungeons, you’ll punch up monsters with a flick of your fingers across the keys.

Graphically, the game puts up a cheery disposition but really lacks in detail, appearing more like a badly animated comic strip than an actual 3D game up to the standard of modern titles.

Elsword is a game that’s lightly fun but far from excellent, catering mainly to those who are happy to make do for free and spam punches at any beast or human within reach. You know what they say - without infamy and without praise.

Eudemons Online is a classic 2.5D MMORPG that offers traditional gameplay and a unique feature involving pets. Players will acquire, level and raise numerous Eudemons alongside their main classes to be effective in combat. Eudemons have their own skills and abilities that makes each class playthrough unique. The game utilizes traditional browser-like features like auto-pathing, grinding and RNG gear upgrading to name a few. For a free to play title, the cash shop is very influential which is to be expected. Eudemons Online's strength is in its classic gameplay, giving fans of 'Asian Grinder' games a solid game to get hooked onto. It's weak points are the aging engine and graphics, plus the advantageous cash store. Overall, Eudemons Online is a great window into the classic non-3D MMORPG titles of the past, and is worth a look if you're a fan of what it offers.

➔ Main points:

• 2.5D MMORPG with classic gameplay
• Fun and interesting pet system
• Free to play title with optional advantages
• Plenty of classes to choose from

Choose your character from a number of unique classes in Fiesta Online and develop their skills to complete a range of progressively difficult tasks and missions. Polish your passive skills to gain an edge all the time and get a momentary boost by unlocking various temporary active skills.

Manage your finances as well by selling items and completing missions to buy unlockables and upgrades which also enhance your character's performance. Engage with other players in a variety of ways, form allies and make enemies on your way to become the best!

➔ Main points:

• 2006 MMORPG by Gamigo (formerly gPotato).
• Four available classes.
• Active, passive and alchemy skills to improve your character's performance.
• Manage your money to get new items.

Game of Thrones: Ascent is a new browser game developed and published by Disruptor Beam. The game chronicles your “ascent” to the throne of one of the eight royal houses of Westeros.

Ascent is a very story driven game, much like the original series. Unfortunately, where the game differs the most from the TV show is in the action. This isn't to say that fans of the show will not enjoy the game; fanboys and girls who feel the need to engage themselves in more GoT lore may find Ascent to be the perfect way to get their fix in between episodes.

Standard RPG fans may also take interest in the unconventional take on the combat system (if you could even call it that). The game also has the typical western RPG conversation based cutscenes, allowing you to align your character towards good, evil or somewhere in between.

Game of Thrones: Ascent has many attractions to many different types of gamers. Quintessential RPG gamers will appreciate a new take on the traditional combat system and more story driven gamers will love this game. Ascent even offers something for RTS gamers! There's plenty of resource gathering and “base-building” to be found in the game. And of course, GoT fans will find themselves right at home with the storyline.

Ascent is a game that reaches for the stars and all in all, it's a great use of the Game of Thrones license.

Prepare to team up with friends and take on the world of Tyria in Guild Wars 2, a fantastically unique MMORPG.

With its first major expansion, Heart of Thorns, release in late 2015, ArenaNet’s highly acclaimed Guild Wars 2 has finally implemented a free to play option.
Making it easier than ever to experience the game’s gripping player driven story and visceral action based combat.

So strap in and prepare to experience one of the great MMOs of the last ten years, Guild Wars 2.

➔ Main points:

• One of the most succesful commercial MMORPG recently converted to free to play.
• Dynamic random events during PvE sessions.
• Different PvP modes, including an original World vs World.
• No PvE raids.

Hunter X Hunter began its life as a modest manga that soon exploded in popularity. Its first anime series premiered in 1999 (and then another in 2011). The manga was also adapted into quite a few video games. Now it’s a free-to-play, browser-based MMORPG. Fans of the manga and anime will surely find a lot to like here, and if it’s their first MMORPG of this nature, it will feel fresh, but this is definitely not a fresh formula. Almost everything in Hunter X Hunter Online has been seen elsewhere. Fortunately, though, HXH Online (as it will henceforth be called) does it all well.

➔ Main points:

• Browser-based RPG
• Lots of customization
• Based on the popular manga/anime property
• Flash-based graphics and low system requirements

League of Angels is an acceptable turn-based MMORPG on rails for the casual player. Everything is clearly explained and marked and there is virtually no learning curve. There are plenty of things to do, including the usual daily events, dungeons to explore, world bosses, various PvP modes and mini-games along the lines of Bejeweled and Farmville – but not much original thought has gone on here.

The graphics and music are of reasonable quality, but while the game runs well the gameplay itself leaves much to be desired. The automated play style means that the main game pretty much plays itself, and the combat mechanics determine battle outcomes from gear and character skill sets rather than any strategy on your part.

Furthermore, the game places paying players at a distinct advantage over the free to play crowd, who will soon hit daily limits and won’t get access to the best weapons, armor and mounts. Serious gamers up for a challenge may want to look elsewhere.

League of Angels 2 is a beautiful new follow-up to the highly popular League of Angels. It’s a highly traditional MMO with a glossy new paint job and a few new mechanics. Playing through the game's story kept me entertained, and combat is a spectacle to behold.

Though not particularly engaging, the combat animations and visual effects are of high quality. Progressing through the story is similar to many other Browser MMO’s. In fact that seems to be the game’s biggest fault. It’s so reminiscent of other games, especially its predecessor, the original League of Angels. This however doesn’t ruin the fun, the experience is still engaging because the mechanics of the game are solid and the game is well made.

➔ Main points:

• Improved Angels
• Return of AFK gameplay
• Beautiful Graphics
• Sub-par Voice Acting

League of Angels III is the third installment in the popular League of Angels fantasy MMORPGs based primarily on web browsers and is free to play. The world is about to be destroyed by an ancient threat, and players are sent back in time to collect legendary weapons and recruit powerful companions to prevent this catastrophy.

The game features full 3D graphics that looks excellent on any browser. Questing remains largely unchained from the second game, whereby players follow a theme-park style quest chain that is tied to the main story. Along the way, players will unlock more gameplay mechanics such as manual combat, mounts, dungeons and more.

Combat and progression has been given a face-lift and feels significantly better than before. You will need to collect heroes that joins your party in formation during turn-based combat sequences that feels strategic and fun. At end-game, there are high level world boss fights and other content to do, which makes the journey there worthwhile. While the in-game cash shop may be attractive, plenty of things on sale serve to speed up progression and are not necessary for purchase to play the game effectively.

➔ Main points:

• Free to play fantasy MMORPG and is the third installment of the franchise
• Excellent graphics and presentation that surpasses other browser games
• Intuitive party combat system that utilizes companion collection system
• Very linear PvE gameplay that offers mediocre challenge

MapleStory 2 is a free to play hack and slash MMORPG featuring cute anime cartoon graphics and art style. The game offers an incredible amount of PvE and PvP content from questing to intuitive Mini Games and even a Battle Royale mode without a content paywall. While there is an in-game cash shop, it sells mostly cosmetics and convenience, although one great thing about it is you can sell your own custom designs on there as well using the User Generated Workshop.

➔ Main points:

• Free to play anime MMORPG
• Amazing amount of content that are actually fun and rewarding
• Players can create and sell their own designs with UGC Workshop
• Fluid ARPG hack and slash combat with three control options