Fans of MMORPGs, or massively multiplayer online role-playing games, have likely explored their fair share of Azeroth as adventurers in World of Warcraft or at least heard of it at some point or another. Unfortunately, not everyone has the means to keep up a subscription to enjoy a massively-immersive online gaming experience. However, does this necessarily mean that there's no good free-to-play MMO out there?
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As it turns out, players might be able to find a multitude of free-to-play MMOs with a lot of compelling features to actively compete against the likes of World of Warcraft. However, players need to do a bit of digging and trial and error to find the perfect free-to-play MMO that meets their needs.
10 Dungeons And Dragons Online
Players who want an alternate take on Dungeons & Dragons outside Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights will appreciate Dungeons and Dragons Online. This MMO enables players not just to play D&D with friends, but have a complete 3D environment for them as well. Granted, the game hasn't aged well since its 2006 release. Moreover, its usage of the D&D 4e mechanics made raids and skill challenges more dice-reliant. However, fantasy fans will love DDO's story-driven dungeons.
As with a D&D campaign, DDO takes place in its iteration of a setting, this time, in Eberron. Characters can play as signature D&D races such as Humans, Dragonborn, and Elves. They can also choose from one of 14 playable Classes, as well as a Multiclass to create a more unique character.
9 Adventure Quest Worlds
Despite its anime-style graphics and rather simplified 2D MMO format, AdventureQuest Worlds expanded what browser-based MMOs can do since its 2008 release. In AQW, players take on the role of the Hero as they join Good and Evil to fight the forces of Chaos. This MMO builds upon Artix Entertainment's AdventureQuest brand.
Characters also have more freedom in their progression, as unique classes come in the form of armor, allowing players to switch classes (and their abilities) at almost any point in the game. Unlike more serious MMOs, AQW boasts a rather light-hearted take on the Hero's journey. Players often take part in funny and entertaining questlines while participating in the main story.
8 Champions Online
With Champions Online, players can live their superhero dreams. In this MMO, can explore a huge open world of various cities and towns with unique heroes, villains, and organizations. Players can partake in questlines that expand the world's lore or even save random people they meet in the streets.
Interestingly, perhaps what makes Champions Online so appealing has to do with the sheer customization it offers to players. While players can only choose from around 24 powersets (called Frameworks), players will love the sheer amount of customization with costumes. Not only do players have multiple costume slots, but they can add and customize bits and pieces such as cowls and capes.
7 Secret World Legends
Players who want a more grounded MMORPG will appreciate the modern horror feel of Secret World Legends. This MMO brings players to a version of the real world where sinister monsters lie in dark corners, with various organizations having a stake in their impact in modern society.
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Moreover, despite the game's tab-target setup, Legends has a unique take on its specialization system. Instead of traditional character classes, Legends has a weapon specialization system. In turn, players can forego the traditional sword, stave, and wand with revolvers, assault rifles, and SMGs. Players who want a mix between being Nero in Devil May Cry and becoming a member of the Illuminati will love Legends.
6 Star Trek Online
Sci-fi fans who want to boldly go where no man has gone before will enjoy Star Trek Online. Interestingly, the MMO also has an official storyline that takes place 30 years after the Star Trek: Nemesis film. In it, the Klingon Empire officially declare war with the United Federation of Planets. Meanwhile, the Dominion and the Romulan Star Empire has begun to regroup, and the Borg Collective has re-established itself as a major threat.
However, players will probably enjoy the fact that they play as a captain of their very own ship. Moreover, the game features both ship management and combat as well as player missions. In turn, players always have the opportunity to experience ship combat and actually going into planets - sometimes both! - in the MMO.
5 Lord Of The Rings Online
Fans who want a more accurate iteration of Middle-earth will appreciate Lord of the Rings Online and its approach to both its visuals and overall themes. Essentially, players can partake in a unique storyline via Epic Quest Line that further expands Middle-earth affairs during Frodo's journey. Meanwhile, players can expand their knowledge on Middle-earth with questlines specific to a particular region.
Gameplay-wise, character races hail from franchise classics such as Men, Hobbits, Elves, and Dwarves. Even classes have a Tolkien flavor to them, such as Minstrel, Lore-master, Hunter, Guardian, Champion, Captain, and Burglar. In turn, players who want a relatively familiar MMO experience with a Tolkien twist will love LOTRO.
4 Star Wars: The Old Republic
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away lies the Old Republic, a time of representative democracy before Supreme Chancellor Palpatine established his Galactic Empire in the main Star Wars series. In Star Wars: The Old Republic (SWTOR), players take the role of a warrior in either the Galactic Republic or the Sith Empire. However, players of the game don't just become Jedi and Sith, as they can play the MMO's 1,600 hours' worth of content as classes such as a smuggler, a bounty hunter, a Republic Trooper, or an Imperial Agent as well. It also has a morality system that allows Sith-aligned individuals to make "good" decisions and Jedi-aligned players to make "bad" decisions.
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Despite its rather dated graphics, SWTOR boasts an experience rich with Star Wars lore that further expands the non-canon Legends side of the hit franchise. Franchise fans will love the level of depth the MMO takes in terms of questlines and lore in general.
3 Guild Wars 2
While not totally "free" in the strictest sense, Guild Wars 2 does boast one of the most expansive free content for an MMO. In Guild Wars 2, players need to reunite the members of an adventuring guild called Destiny's Edge in the world's fight against the undead Elder Dragon Zhaitan. Despite its tab-target combat system, Guild Wars 2 boast a dynamic leveling system with deep lore that will hook fans for hours.
Unlike other freemium MMOs, Guild Wars 2 gives free players full access to most of its content. This means that players can level up to maximum and experience a majority of the game's story free of charge. If they opt to pay, players gain access to expansion content, something they should do if they enjoyed the story available so far.
2 Lineage 2
Fans of old-school MMOs will remember the iconic Lineage, and Lineage 2 serves as its prequel, taking place 150 years before the first game. Unlike other fantasy MMOs, Lineage 2 follows a story organized into a fictional history of "Sagas," a massive story plot organized in chapters. As expected from a 2003 title, Lineage 2 relies on a tab-target system and adopted a F2P model in 2011.
Aside from its deep lore, fans will also appreciate its in-depth skill and class system. Race choice will affect class availability, and the in-game lore also explains the correlation between these roles and the races associated with them.
1 Runescape
The Guinness World Records recognizes Runescape as the MMORPG that's the world's most-updated and the largest as well. This MMORPG began way back in 2001 when Jagex created this 3D browser MMO with Java. Now on its third iteration, Runescape runs with C++ and remains as free-flowing as ever. Like with most MMOs, the game takes place in a fantasy setting. In the world of Gielinor, players make a name for themselves as adventurers.
Players of Runescape can go the typical adventurer's route and level up their combat skills as they fight enemies and do quests. Likewise, they can live a normal life and rely on things like fishing, mining, and leatherworking to make a living. Interestingly, more technical players can "do the hustle" and make tons of gold in the MMO's rather huge auction house. In Runescape, players can pretty much live a second life in a fantasy world - and it's something worth coming back to.
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