The games industry has grown by leaps and bounds, so much so that its yearly revenues exceed the movie industry’s. It’s no wonder then that there are dozens of Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMOPRGs) in development at any given time. The popularity and success of Blizzard’s World of Warcraft game showed what a polished, top tier MMO game with a multi-demographic appeal can do.
Although it’s good that there are so many new and upcoming MMORPGs this year, it can be difficult for players to choose which game they want to play.
Free to play MMORPGs vs Paid Membership
The first thing to think about is whether you want an MMORPG that is free to play or one with a monthly membership fee. While monthly subscription fees used to be the standard model for MMORPGs, nowadays many of the best MMO games are free to play.
What does this mean for you as a player? If you will be regularly playing the game (like everyday) or if you are a hardcore player then a flat monthly fee might be the best choice. Free MMORPGs, on the other hand, are more for casual players or those who will not be playing everyday. Such games typically derive revenue from an item shop or expansion packs. An item shop sells items while expansion packs allow access to certain areas for real life money.
Anyone can play free MMORPGs for as long as they want. Casual players can stick to the free content that is available and they can also buy items or expansions packs whenever they want to. This is a good choice for people who play a lot but irregularly.
For example, during the summer vacation months when students have a lot of free time, a player can spend any amount of money he or she wants on a game. Then after summer vacation when the player might play less, he or she wil not be forced to pay a monthly subscription fee but can still access the game for free.
MMORPG Games with the Best Gameplay
Apart from the issue of free vs paid, the next thing to consider is gameplay. Since most people do not have the time or money to play two MMO games at a time, choosing the right one will mainly depend on gameplay. What do you want to do in a game? Do you prefer cooperative or competitive gameplay? Is PvP a big deal for you? Fantasy or scifi? These are just some of the questions you need to consider when choosing the right game for you.
When it comes to trying out a lot of games to see which one has the ideal gameplay style for you, free to play MMORPGs have a leg up on paid games. Why? Because people can try out the game for as long as they like. In free trials of paid MMORPGs, sometimes the given time is not enough for players to really get a good feel of the game but this is not a problem for free MMO games.
Download a free MMORPG and play it while evaluating the following factors:
Graphics Quality
Immersive Virtual World
PvP and PvE Options
Customizable Characters
Crafting System
Pet or Mount System
Player Community
Social Interaction – Chat, Grouping, Guilds, Clans, Trading, Roleplaying, etc.
Generally speaking, what can really make or break a good MMORPG is the combat and leveling up mechanics of the game. To get anywhere in an MMO game requires time and leveling up. Items, areas, quests, pets, etc. have a level requirement in most games. When playing an MMORPG, you will be spending copious amounts of time leveling up which is often done through combat content in the game. If you happen to like the combat and leveling up in that MMORPG, then you have a winner.
Conversely, even if you like the graphics, quests, guild system and other parts of the game, if you hate the way you need to grow you character then you will probably get annoyed with it sooner or later and quit.
How to Choose the Right MMORPG for You: Conclusion
What you need is to choose paid or free to play and then try out the game for yourself. If you find an MMORPG where you love the gameplay mechanics of leveling up then you have found the best MMORPG for you to play.
If you want recommendations of some good free MMORPGs, check out this list of the Best Free MMO Games for Kids or if you want a combat or war MMO, here is a list of the Best PvP MMORPG 2011.
