MMORPG Gaming

With the recent release of the new World of Warcraft expansion, I thought I would cover a topic that a lot of people either know A LOT about or nothing at all about: Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games.

The basic concept:  you create a character in an online world, decide what the character can do (use a sword, use magic, etc.) and join up with thousands of other players fighting monsters, beastmen, and just about anything you can think of.  Here are a few of the ones you can get yourself into, starting with the big one, World of Warcraft.

WORLD OF WARCRAFT (WoW)

Release Date: Nov 2004

What you'll pay: $14.95 US Monthly plus the cost of the software.

This is the game that took EverQuest's formula – what most would call the original MMORPG -  and turned it up. Holding the title for the fastest selling PC game in history (twice), WoW is responsible for cutting worldwide productivity by about 20%. You probably know someone who plays it. There's even a solid chance it's you, and that you are playing it right now.  There was also a South Park episode about it. 

Version/latest additions: World of Warcraft: Cataclysm has changed the core game almost entirely, making for a much more streamlined and rapidly enjoyable experience.

FINAL FANTASY XIV

Release Date: September 2010 on PC, Playstation 3 version 2011

What you'll pay: $12.99 Monthly – except it’s currently completely free other than the cost of the software (more below)

Final Fantasy XIV Online is probably the most gorgeous MMO in existence. The graphics are simply beautiful, as is the music.  The environments are nothing less than spectacular, and the animations are fluid and realistic. The game includes a class system that varies depending on what weapon you have equipped. Knight?  Put on a sword.  Want to cast spells? Cram a staff all up in your hands.  That being said, the game’s launch was a huge success from day one, but in the weeks after, gamers noticed it was all graphics and no gameplay.  It should not have been released in the state that it was.  People left in droves and the current landscape that was once so laggy due to thousands of players on at once has become almost barren. 

That being said, two major patches have been released as a response to complaints.  The game is far more playable now, but the audience may have moved on.  If they boot it back up they would see quite a change, but it may be too late.  Square Enix, the makers of the game have vowed not to charge for it until it’s of the Final Fantasy standard.

FINAL FANTASY XI

Release Date: October 2003

What you'll pay: $12.95 US a month.

Square Enix's first MMO was and remarkably still is enormously successful, though not on the level of WoW. Having the Final Fantasy name helped pull people in, but the world they created, cut-scenes and clever dialogue kept them coming back. The graphics by today’s standards are not up to par, and the menu system is oddly thought to be dated (I personally find it far easier to use than WoW’s), but this is the MMO that won’t fizzle out.  Just when you thought it was going to fade away, Square Enix announced and released 3 expansion packs drawing gamers back. 

In addition, this is the ONLY MMO you can play on the PC, Xbox 360, and PS2, not just a PC!

Version/latest additions: With the release of the Final Fantasy XI Ultimate Collection and the release of Final Fantasy XIV, there was some speculation that Square Enix would begin winding down content for their flagship MMO. Instead, they began raising the level cap and introducing new quests and items, along with the 3 new expansion. More content is planned for the indefinite future and it’s not going away anytime soon (I would bet FFXIV disappears before this one).

Guild Wars

Release date: April 2005

What you'll pay: Just the price of the game (and any expansions).

Rather than simply earning dozens of usable abilities as you leveled up, players are limited to eight from a pool of over a thousand, and your ability pool greatly determined how powerful your character could be. The system has been compared to trading-card games like Magic: The Gathering.   In addition, Guild Wars used a series of instances rather than a single world filled with thousands of players.

It also sold very well, and is the only game to give World of Warcraft a run for its money.

Version/latest additions: Eye of the North, the only true expansion to Guild Wars, was released in 2007, although there are a couple of stand-alone titles in the series that were released earlier. Hearts of the North, a content update, helps bridge the gap between Guild Wars and its upcoming sequel.

DC Online Universe

Release Date: Early 2011 for PC and Playstation 3

What you'll pay: Price of the game, plus $14.99 US a month for the subscription.

DC Universe Online, in development by Sony Online Entertainment, is one of the few MMORPGs you can play on a console (Final Fantasy XI is currently the only one, Final Fantasy XIV is coming to the PS3). Players will be able to interact with the big names from DC comics and create their very own superhero persona. The combat is much more action-based than most games, and looks quite exciting.

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