Top 10 MMORPGs: A Guide to the Ones You Shouldn't Miss

Below is a list of the Top 10 MMORPGs based on popularity, longevity and my personal experiences among their respective communities. MMORPG, which stands for massively multiplayer online roleplaying games, is a type of video game which combines the Internet and literally thousands upon thousands of gamers to create an interactive, highly social and often competitive environment.

Top MMORPG: World of Warcraft - Few gamers have intentionally avoided the MMO powerhouse that is World of Warcraft (WoW), and it has the distinct honor of being the only game on MMORPG.com with a score of 9 or better. This video game is quickly becoming the poster child for all MMOs, especially among gamers inexperienced with this online genre. As someone who has revisited this title twice, I don't really understand the massive appeal; the game is easy, with toonish graphics and limited customization. However, if you are looking for a huge community WoW simply can't be overlooked.

Top MMORPG: EverQuest - EQ was one of the first massively popular MMOs, and its legacy continues even to this day. Formerly on the cutting edge of graphics and new game dimensions, EQ continues to be favored by gamers partly for nostalgic reasons. Many of the EverQuest die-hard fans argue that the sequel, EverQuest 2 strayed too far from the original formula. However, EQ2 is still available for play, with a fairly strong fan base.

Top MMORPG: Dark Age of Camelot - The MMO I cut my teeth on, DAoC was phenomenal in its prime. In recent years, Mythic has made impressive strives towards regaining the original influence of the game through free older expansions, a massive server merge and an active community relations staff. The unique version of Player vs. Player-called Realm vs. Realm on DaoC-pit players against the other two factions or "Realms" of the Camelot world. Based in Arthurian legends, Norse mythology and Celtic lore, players choose which of the three lands to patron.

Top MMORPG: Anarchy Online - Another older MMO, Anarchy Online is now free-to-play, making it a highly popular-and affordable-choice for many gamers. New players are greeted with a community full of active, lower level characters; many experienced fans opt to make new characters regularly, probably due to the unique setting and refreshing change of pace.

Top MMORPG: Eve Online - This Sci-Fi MMO remains highly popular, probably due to the minimal amount of Sci-Fi mmorpgs available. Limited to space ship play, unlike in Star Trek Online which combines characters in ground combat with aerial maneuvers, Eve Online is all about the ship-oriented activities. A bit slow in terms of level advancement, I found Eve Online to be lacking in the world exploration and toon interaction I enjoy in an MMO. However, with a large community and frequent updates, Eve Online is worth trying at least for the 14-day trial.

Top MMORPG: Runescape - An extremely popular free-to-play game which offers membership benefits with subscription, Runescape is a Java-based mmorpg with less emphasis on groups and raids than many MMOs. I reviewed Runescape for MMORPG.com in January, and I would recommend it as the best of the free-to-play MMO options. Set in a medieval world full of magic, the game is rather repetitious but boasts a wonderful task-based system.

Top MMORPG: Dungeons & Dragons Online - Based loosely on the 3.0 D&D roleplaying guidelines, DDO is unsurpassed in character customization and specialization. If you want to play a Halfling Bard with high strength and zero intelligence you can; it might be unadvisable, but it's possible to do. Frequent updates full of free content have always been a draw, but when DDO converted from pay-to-play to free-to-play it gained a whole new following.

Top MMORPG: Guild Wars - Lacking a monthly subscription fee, Guild Wars offers frequent updates and a low investment cost to gain access to the large community of loyal fans. The fun graphics and gameplay, paired with little cost and no subscription, makes Guild Wars an extremely enduring top mmorpg.

Top MMORPG: Lord of the Rings Online - It is difficult to guess whether LotRO is popular due to the quality of gameplay or due to the enduring huge fanbase the book series from J.R.R Tolkien has generated. This is the second MMO on this list from Turbine, the former being DDO, and the company is increasingly associated with a high volume of quality content for reasonable-or low-fees.

Top MMORPG: Final Fantasy XI - The Final Fantasy franchise has been extreme popular ever since the original game released on the Nintendo Entertainment System in the 80s. Fans that have followed the series over 10 subsequent chapters flocked to this mmorpg version, and FFXI continues to be exceedingly popular among both FF fans and MMO enthusiasts alike.

Sources,
MMORPG, "Reviews"