My Top 10 MMORPG's

Ok, I know. I am way too old to be playing online video games, much less Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPG's), right? Wrong. I have discovered, in recent years, that there are MMORPG players out there who are old enough to be my parents. It was a shock, let me tell you. For years, I contented myself with being one of the oldest players in the game, and declining multiple marriage proposals (in game character proposals) because the other player was just too darned young and it wouldn't look right. I played Mom to many of my fellow players, and could always be counted on for just about anything. There have even been times when I have played with my own kids online. Of course, they were constantly defending me, and trying to power level me, so that I could be as skilled as they were.

I guess that given I have played these online video games for many years, I have a sort of unique take on my personal top 10 games of all time. So, without further ado, let me introduce you to the world of Online Role Playing video games.

I think the first game that I really ever got into playing was called Diablo. Diablo has been around for years and is a Blizzard Entertainment¹ game that is still available today. While it doesn't run well on newer computers, when I first played it back in the late 1990's, and we were running Windows 98, it was great. Lots of action packed fun, getting together with others online to eliminate the multitudes of nasty minions. As more and more players advanced to the slaying of Diablo, Blizzard released a second round of fun in Diablo II: Lord of Destruction. This lead to many more hours of online video game fun and does run on the new Windows systems. So at number 10, Diablo is still in the running as one of my top 10 online video games of all times.

Another Blizzard Entertainment¹ game that hits my top ten, coming in at number nine, is World of War Craft. The updated graphical interfaces and vast variety of worlds in which to play, WOW has become a huge sensation in the multiplayer online gaming experience.

Coming in at number eight is Knights Online². Knights online² gives the player a chance to create their own character, join a clan and become part of this online world. Created by the team of K2Network Inc., Noahsystem Inc., & MGame, Inc, this game brings to life times of old. Battle creatures to gain experience, battle other players to dominate the realm. What more could an MMORPG nut want?

Numbers seven, six and five bring us EUdemons, Conquer and Crazy Tao. The creators at TQ Digital Entertainment³ have spent many, many months creating three very unique and different gaming environments.

One aspect of EUdemons that I enjoy the most is the pets. You can purchase or find eggs of a variety of pets, then hatch them and level them up along with you. The stronger they are the better your battles with the monsters become. TQ Digital³ has spent many months at creating a world that is both fantastic and realistic. While EUdemons has only been online for about 5 years, the regular updates brings new aspects to your gaming experience.

Crazy Tao is more anime than realistic in both its character creation and gaming environment. While the interface may be a little daunting when first approached, many gamers find that in a short time, they are running with some of the best online experiences.

Conquer is more about fighting other players than it is fighting monsters. While more realistic than Crazy Tao, but less so than Eudemons, Conquer is a definite "give it a try" multiplayer online game.

At number four would have to be Lord of the Rings online⁴. While the creators, The Saul Zaentz Company, d/b/a Tolkien Enterprises, have tried to recreate the movies and the book and have accomplished a great deal of what you would expect, the fact that this game must be purchased is a huge draw back where I am concerned. If you are a true multiplayer online gamer, then the $9.99 cost of this game may be something you wish to pursue.

Outspark⁵ is a relative newcomer to the multiplayer online gaming world. However, they have proved ambitious in breaking into this market with the creation of six different games. Of the six that they have produced, Fiesta and Secret of the Solstice are my picks. Due to the fact that they are so new to the market, regular large updates occur, but the gaming environment is great. From the newbie quests on, you have plenty of guides to help you on your journey in either of these games. A definite anime feel seems to be what Outspark is trying to accomplish, and with these two games, they have gone far in accomplishing this mission.

The last two that I will review here are from Perfect World Entertainment⁶. Ether Saga, online comes in at number two, only because I am not a huge fan of anime and Ether Saga is definitely anime based. However, the environment that Perfect World Entertainment has created here is top notch, and the quest are both fun and challenging.

At number one on my list, is Perfect World Entertainment's namesake, Perfect World. Server options allow you to enter the gaming environment that most pleases you. You can choose to play quests and battle monsters or you can choose to battle other players. The server you choose dictates which type of game play you will encounter. An extensive ability to create an avatar that looks very much like yourself is a great plus in my book, and choosing your character type does not fall with the norm. Here you have 3 distinct races, all with different strengths and weaknesses that have come together to battle the evil forces. An interesting twist from other MMORPG's, Perfect World has accomplished a near perfect fit in the market.

^{1 Blizzard Entertainment
2 Knights Online
3 TQ Digital
4 Lord of the Rings Online
5 Outspark
6 Perfect World Entertainment}