Top 10 MMOs That Run Fantastic On Lower-End PCs
Kanishka Thakur Posted:
Category: Columns The List 0
Gaming has become an expensive hobby due to increasing system requirements and hardware prices soaring. If you are stuck with an entry-level PC or have a laptop that you want to casually game on, there are quite a few MMOs that will run flawlessly on just about any system. Here are ten MMOs that you can play on entry-level PCs and still get the full experience.
Runescape / Old School Runescape
Both versions of Runescape can run on just about any system and you will have no trouble running it even on a decade-old PC. The game is accessible to anyone and it even has a browser-based version that you can play. Many of us have fond memories of the game from the early 200s and it still sees tons of players hop on and play every day. The game still receives frequent updates and you can play both as a free player and as a member.
Guild Wars 1
Despite the success of Guild Wars 2, the developers have decided to keep the original title up and running indefinitely. The game’s Halloween event is ongoing and there will be more upcoming events that you can jump into in the coming months. The instanced combat is pretty fun and it will not tax your system at all. While there are no plans for new expansions or content, the seasonal events keep coming in, making the game feel very fresh. Guild Wars 2 is not that hardware-demanding either and you could give the newer title a shot just in case.
Dungeons & Dragons Online
Dungeons & Dragons Online is the perfect game for older systems. There are plenty of instanced puzzle-based encounters that you can jump into and the community is still alive and kicking. The game does not have the same active playerbase it used to years ago but you will still find a dedicated community that keeps coming back for more co-op action.
City of Heroes
There are private servers and emulators for City of Heroes, that have kept the age-old MMORPG alive.
You can also play the game on some of the more recent emulators that released. While the emulators are recent projects, the system requirements for the game remain the same, which means that if you could run City of Heroes a decade ago, you will still be able to run it.
EVE Online
This is a tricky one to include on this list. Large-scale fleet battles might tax your system if you are on an old PC, but you should have no trouble running the game and exploring the darkest corners of space in EVE Online. The game also runs on Windows 7 and a Dual Score PC will be able to run it. Considering how fun the exploration in the game is, it might be worth hopping on and giving EVE a try using a free account. The player-driven economy can be a little difficult to navigate but once you figure out how to manage your resources, you will be able to get everything that you need to upgrade your ships.
Perpetuum
Created by Avatar Creations, the game was abandoned quite quickly by the developers.
However, the community decided to work on the game and there are plenty of third-party communities that offer a player-operated experience to players. If EVE Online feels a little too daunting for you, Perpetuum offers a similar experience but it is much more beginner-friendly and you do not need to constantly look up wiki pages or ask other players for help. While the barrier to entry is a lot lower, the gameplay does feel deep and you will find yourself hooked if you are into the kind of progression it offers.
Aura Kingdom
If you are into anime MMOs, Aura Kingdom is a project by X-Legend Entertainment that was released in 2013. It has been around for almost a decade and has found its way on Android and iOS as well. There are over a dozen classes and it is on the more casual side of things. You can join other players and head into battle or enjoy the events and other casual activities that the game has to offer.
Trove
The Minecraft-like aesthetic and casual theme of Trove might steer away some players, but at its heart is a fun game that anyone can enjoy.
There are plenty of activities like the Bomber Royale mode, music blocks, and fishing that you can check out. The game manages to mix action combat and sandbox elements within a wonderfully crafted experience.
EverQuest II
EverQuest II came out around the same time as World of Warcraft and we do not need to elaborate any further. While it might not have the same level of success as WoW, the game still lives on and has a budding community that hop on every single day. It is a game that can run on almost any system and you could play it alone if you wanted to as well thanks to the different kinds of casual and endgame activities the game offers.
Adventure Quest 3D
Adventure Quest is a 2D browser-based game and its 3D remake offers a cross-platform experience spanning Android, iOS, PC, and Mac. The game allows you to change up your playstyle on the fly as you keep unlocking more classes to tinker with. The 3D version of the game came out in 2016 and Atrix Entertainment is still pushing out regular content, events, and more to keep the player base engaged.
Closing Thoughts
These are just some of the MMOs that you can check out if you do not have a current-gen PC. Even some of the mainstream titles like World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy XIV are also not particularly hardware demanding and a lot of lower-end systems are able to run them just fine with some compromises to graphics quality. MMOs are meant to be enjoyed by everyone and if you do not have the best hardware, you can still find quality games that can offer meaningful experiences.
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Top 10 MMORPG of All Time
Top 10 MMORPGs
You’ll never feel alone again. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 MMORPGs.
For this list, we limited ourselves to one game per series. We ranked the titles based on quality of play and replay value.
#10: “RuneScape” (2001)
The Guinness Book of World Records recognized this browser game as the world’s largest free MMORPG, and it’s easy to see why. Easy to access from any web browser, and requiring very little processing power, Players travel through the fantasy world of Gielinor on foot, in ships, or via magic spells. There’s no goal in the game, so its up to the players to decide their own fate.
#9: “Lineage II” (2004)
This title’s predecessor was one of the largest MMORPGs ever when it was released, but the sequel managed to dwarf it. You’ll love exploring the three massive kingdoms as one of six races. The intense siege warfare and in-depth leveling system ensure that you won’t run out of things to do. Best of all, the game recently went Free to play if you’re curious to check it out.
#8: “Guild Wars 2” (2012)
This title distinguished itself from other games in the genre at the time, including the original, by featuring a storyline, which responded to players’ actions.
Your goal is reunite the adventuring guild Destiny’s Edge to fight undead Elder Dragons. The giant weapons and deadly spell effects make that feat all the more doable. Unlike the class-based play of normal MMORPGS, you’ll act as multiple classes combined into one.
#7: “Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn” (2014)
Square Enix brought the classic RPG series onto the current generation of consoles with this title, and … well … it wasn’t always a smooth run. The original version of FFXIV was so bad that Square-Enix literally scrapped the game and started again. Rather glad that they did though, because you’ll love discovering the beautiful wonders of Eorzea, the land that you fight to save from the Garlean Empire.
#6: “Lord of the Rings Online” (2007)
Middle Earth has been explored in of different forms, but with the success of WoW, the one format everyone was surely waiting for was an MMO. Even if you weren’t a fan of the series before this title, you’ll love banding together with other citizens of Middle Earth to fight the evil Nazgul, orcs, and other enemies.
Of course If you need a break from fighting, enjoy professions like weapon building and woodworking.
#5: “Dark Age of Camelot” (2001)
You can’t let a little thing like a king dying get you bent out of shape. In this game, the death of King Arthur sets off a war between Albion, Hibernia, and Midgard. You’ll choose which realm you want to fight for, and your realm determines which of the game’s many races you can as. Amazing PvP and siege mechanics garnered the game enormous amounts of devoted fans.
#4: “EverQuest” (1999)
Don’t like the blocky graphics fool you. Ultima: Online may have been one of genre’s biggest pioneer’s but Everquest was the first MMO to put in you in a 3D world to explore. Huge, complex, deep and punishing, Everquest was not for the casual player. But that didn’t stop a legion of devoted subcribers from ever-questing the heck out of all 20 expansions.
#3: “Star Wars: The Old Republic” (2011)
Whether you associate with the Jedi or feel that you’re more of the Sith type, this game’s got what you need.
. Taking a page out of Bioware’s Mass Effect series, the morality spectrum allows you to pursue your own goals in fully voiced conversations, a big deal in an MMO. And aside from the usual open adventure, you can also take part in PvP dogfights in spaceships.
#2: “EVE Online” (2003)
Here’s a game that emphasizes “Massive” in MMORPG. The 7,500 star systems make for a seemingly limitless galaxy filled with wormholes, asteroid belts, moons, and more. Unlike other titles in the genre, “EVE” functions as a single universe instead of multiple realms, so you’ll never run out of players to interact with. Also Fun Fact, in the city of Reykjavik(Rey-kev-ick) Iceland. There’s now a monument dedicated to this game, with all the active players name etched in the base.
Before we get to our number one, let’s take a look at some honorable mentions:
#1: “World of Warcraft” (2004)
Was there ever any doubt? The most successful MMO of all time resulted from Blizzard applying their signature perfection-over-innovation style to the Ever quest moddle.
By slowly introducing elements to new players and removing a lot of the more frustrating genre tropes, Warcraft hooked millions of subscribers and hasn’t let go. And thanks in part to South Park, it also allowed for Machinima style short films to receive mainstream recognition.
Do you agree with our list? What was your favorite world to get lost in? For more massive top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.
Top 10 MMORPG Games for PC
Topster. Edition
MMORPG games combined 2 classes: role-playing and massive online applications. Interaction between gamers takes place within the framework of the created virtual world. When developing projects, companies take stories from science fiction or fantasy.
Most MMORPGs involve the development of the character received by the gamer. When interacting with other players, he gains experience, extracts artifacts, improving performance.
Users can resist the bosses created by the developers, join clans and guilds. nine0003
The popularity of projects of this type is high. Every year, MMORPGs are played by tens of millions of gamers. The TOP contains the best games of this genre.
The start of development became known in 2001. After 3 years, the game was launched for mass use. The action takes place in the world of Warcraft. Each gamer is given one character that can interact with other players.
The company releases paid add-ons every year. They add new areas to the map, characters. By 2019year Blizzard launched 7 add-ons. The game itself is available for a paid monthly subscription. The eighth expansion was announced in 2019. However, the final release date is still unknown.
There is no single world in Warcraft. Gamers have access to several dozen small worlds united in one Universe. If necessary, the player can move from one location to another. There are no restrictions. Sometimes developers themselves unite sparsely populated worlds.
In 2014, 100 million accounts were created in the application. There were 12 million players in Warcraft at the same time. nine0003
ArenaNet created this project. The gameplay takes place in the fictional world of Tyria. From the actions of gamers, the universe can change in an arbitrary way. The main difference from most classic MMORPGs is the lack of warrior, healer, and tank classes. Characters can take healing skills regardless of race or profession.
In 2007, the company announced the start of application development. The game became available to users after 5 years. Initially, the project was distributed only on a paid basis. However, since August 2015, developers have moved away from this practice. The base game is now free to play. If desired, users can buy different add-ons. nine0003
The main message of the developers is to improve interaction between the players. To do this, the creators of the project introduced a system of dynamic events. Situations arise spontaneously in the game world, but their outcome depends on the actions taken by gamers.
There is also a system of battles between players. The result of the battle depends on the skill of the gamer, his chosen tactics and battle strategy. Each profession has its own unique set of skills and weapons. The player can use and improve the found things and artifacts. nine0003
The application was created specifically for Windows. Final Fantasy XIV is not connected with the previous parts of the game. The action takes place on the fictional continent of Eorzea, divided between several countries. The states are forced to leave their former feuds and disagreements to confront the threat from the Harlean Empire.
Gamers can explore the game world, complete different tasks or interact with each other in any of the available ways. Players have a choice of 5 races. The developers allow you to customize the character’s avatar, change the hair color, pick up certain facial features. A feature of Final Fantasy XIV is a balanced storyline. Most of the missions players can complete on their own without asking for help from other gamers.
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The game was announced in 2009. The game enjoyed interest, but was often criticized. Gamers pointed to the poor quality of the application. After the start of Final Fantasy XIV, the developers supported the project for 2 years, but then they refused to release add-ons.
This multiplayer game is designed in the fantasy genre. In South Korea, the company released a project release in 2012. Since the start, the peak number of participants has reached 1 million people. Later, a new record was set in China. The game was played simultaneously by 5 million gamers. However, the company could not confirm these figures. The Russian version became available in 2016. nine0003
Initially, 4 classes were available in the game. In subsequent updates, their number was increased to 12. Among gamers, Blade and Soul won positive reviews. Critics reacted to the application cooler.
The creators of Blade and Soul focused on the eSports component of the project. Moreover, the developers reduced the confrontation to 1v1 or 3v3 formats.
There are arenas in the game that allow 6v6 fights. However, there are no competitions for such fights.
The game was released in South Korea and Russia in 2015. In other countries, Black Desert became available later for 1 or 2 years. In the Russian Federation, the application is distributed free of charge. nine0003
The fantasy world of Black Desert is more reminiscent of the end of the Middle Ages and the transition to the Renaissance. There are more than 6 races in the game. At the start, gamers are invited to choose any of the 19 game classes. Moving around the world is carried out with the help of pets or on ships. Portals are only used to besiege cities.
All classes have their own unique skills and abilities. Characters also receive their own energy. Since the release, the developers have made 5 updates. The creators of the project implemented a phased change in the time of day and weather conditions. nine0003
The Elder Scrolls Online was developed by ZeniMax.
The developers originally released the app for PC in 2014. The game was available for Windows and macOS computers. The console version appeared a year later. Feature of the game — personification. In addition to race, the player can choose the appearance of the character and even his voice. The character’s skills and belonging to any alliance depend on the chosen race and class.
First or third person view available to gamers. Switching between the presented review options is instantaneous. Additionally, you can improve not only combat skills, but also craft skills. There are 7 professions available in the game. Learning a specialty will help the player create their own weapons, armor, potions or food. nine0003
Gamers can fight both with computer characters and with each other. PvP mode includes duel battles, team and mass. In battles between alliances, players will have to defend fortified buildings or resources. The capture of an object adds points to one alliance and takes away from another.
The victory is awarded to the team that has won the maximum number of points.
The plot of the game describes a classic internecine war taking place on the Tamriel mainland. The strife begins after the death of the legitimate monarch and all his heirs. The situation is exacerbated by an external invasion carried out from another mainland. nine0003
User interest in Lost Ark arose immediately after the announcement in 2014. A few years later, the company launched the project. The Russian-language version was released under the auspices of Mail in 2019.
The plot of the fantasy world is based on the search for the lost ark. Only this artifact is able to stop the hordes of demons and save the universe. Gamers can explore the world around them or complete quests. Bosses in Lost Ark are divided into 3 types: world, guards and story. Each type has several levels of difficulty. You can fight enemies both independently and as part of a group of players. nine0003
The developers have implemented the PvP mode.
Wars can be waged both between guilds (associations of players) and between individual gamers. The creators of the game periodically declare their desire to expand the available modes. However, so far, the matter has not gone further than talks.
CCP Games released EVE Online in 2003. The events of the game world unfold in space. Mankind discovered the space-time tunnel and began to actively explore new worlds. However, later this possibility ceased. The colonies were left alone, communication with the Earth was interrupted. 4 factions formed in new places. At first, associations existed in the world, but then conflicts began. nine0003
The newcomer is invited to join any one faction. The player can choose the gender and appearance of the character. After that, the gamer will be given a ship and offered to take a basic training course of management. The player is then given complete freedom of action. He can participate in militia battles, engage in trade, diplomacy, or rob merchant ships.
There is no hard binding of a player to a class. A gamer can upgrade a character in a variety of ways, giving him several roles. The game is distributed both paid and free. In the latter case, restrictions are imposed on the maximum level of character development and the equipment used. nine0003
The development of World of Warcraft: Classic became known in 2017. The project was presented to the public in August 2019. The game is available along with the main version. Gamers can enjoy the original Warcraft before the first expansion. The gameplay and mechanics are the same.
8 races and 9 classes are available to users. However, when choosing a character, you need to consider their compatibility. The warrior class is suitable for any race, but the paladin class is only available for humans and dwarves.
Development of World of Warcraft: Classic started due to user request. Gamers wanted to play the original version of the famous game. The launch was accompanied by a lot of laudatory reviews from players and critics.
Rating magazines gave the project 80 points out of 100 possible. nine0003
The plot of The Lord Of The Rings Online is built around Tolkien’s novel of the same name. The project was developed by the American company Turbine. The game became available to users in 2007. The version for the Russian Federation appeared after 12 months.
Gamers have access to 5 races and 9 game classes. The disadvantages of the races are manifested at the first levels of character development. However, then they smooth out. The beginning of the game coincides with Frodo’s exit from the Shire. At the same time, each part of the Universe is in its own game time. The character’s health level is called morale. To achieve formal death is impossible. nine0003
The game has been a hit with fans of Tolkien’s books and fans of the PvE genre. Players can carry out fights with computer monsters both independently and as part of a group. The PvP mode is represented by single duels, made by prior arrangement.
No bonuses are awarded for defeating another gamer.
Even more ratings in the Games section
Best MMORPGs for Android — TOP 10 MMORPGs for Android
There was a time when massive online games were mostly only available on PC. Occasionally came across nuggets, such as Warspear Online (which, by the way, is still alive), but otherwise — all more or less large online projects could only be pulled by personal computers. Now the line between mobile and PC games has been erased, most smartphones in 2021 are many times more powerful than computers at the beginning of the 2000s, and therefore, in a small pocket gadget, something that could not be imagined running on ten years ago could fit and be quite digestible. mobile platform. Huge open worlds, thousands of quests, different development paths, socialization and teamwork — all this can now be accessed wherever there is Wi-Fi or mobile Internet. nine0003
But so many projects have been released on Android by this time that it becomes very easy to drown in a swamp of low-quality crafts without noticing the brilliant nuggets.
We have selected for you gems from the world of mobile MMORPGs, which are worth spending at least a few free evenings on.
Adventure Quest 3D
Distribution — Free to Play
AQ3D is a rapidly developing MMORPG built according to the classic scheme of games of this genre: gradual leveling, new opportunities that open up as the character grows, many quests, dungeon trips and, of course, socialization. So that users do not produce twinks, the developers made the characters multi-class, i.e. on the same spell, you can pump completely different and, as it sometimes seems, class skills that are incompatible with each other. The game is cross-platform, which means that while at home, you can run AQ3D on a PC, and away from the computer, use your smartphone. Fortunately, the system requirements of the project are not very high, and on most devices the game works without technical complaints. nine0003
Arcane Legends
Distribution — Free to Play
Arcane Legends — the game is no longer young, but still in demand.
And durability is the key to quality. Perhaps the game is stable precisely because it consists of classic and time-tested components. The player can choose from three standard classes with their own skills. Big world, tons of quests and instances, active PVP and cooperative PVE modes. Updates are released constantly, which means that the content becomes more and more every time. nine0003
Aurcus Online
Distribution — Free to Play
For a long time this game remained in the shadow of other projects, but now it is coming into the light. Aurcus Online is pretty standard: leveling, lots of quests, cooperation with other players, dungeon crawling and PVP. The peculiarity of the game is in character control: it seems to have migrated from slashers. No tons of skills — attacks are fast, and animations are juicy and beautiful. The only major drawback in the game is the balance, which is still far from ideal.
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Black Desert Mobile
Distribution — Free to Play
BDM is not a PC port, but a standalone game with some modifications. If you have played Black Desert Online before, then, in general, the impressions of the project will be about the same. Leveling, wide customization, pets and mounts, building, PVE and PVP activities, many of which can be played using the autoplay button. Among other things, the game has excellent graphics and good optimization, thanks to which BDM can be run even on average smartphones. nine0003
Grow Stone Online
Distribution — Free to Play
GSO is a retro game rendered in beautiful 2D pixel art. Top view and seemingly simple graphics do not prevent the game from being a full-fledged MMORPG with all the necessary components: a huge world, socialization, a bunch of various activities in PvP and PvE.
At the same time, the game is one of the easiest to master on this list. nine0003
Era of Legends
Distribution — Free to Play
Era of Legends is very young compared to other games in this TOP. The developers have moved away from the standard MMO system of monotonous quests, in which you need to kill 10 bandits / orcs / skeletons and bring twenty acorns / ears / stones. Quests for the most part are very different, and to complete them you need to explore the world. Otherwise, all the activities from the gentleman’s MMORGP set are present here — battles in dungeons, PVP, collecting mounts and more. Auto-battle mode is provided. nine0003
Lineage 2: Revolution
Distribution — Free to Play
It is also quite a young game that will please not only those who in ancient times flirted with the old Ruler and devoted most of their free time to it.
It has updated graphics, a huge amount of diverse content and other things that define the game as a representative of the MMORPG genre. Among other things, there are epic sieges with a large number of players — up to a hundred in one location. LA2:R is a great example of a mobile MMO. nine0003
Old School RuneScape
Distribution — Free to Play / Subscription $10.99 per month / $99.99 per year.
OSRS is one of the best mobile MMORPGs out there. It is distributed free of charge, but for greater comfort it is recommended to use a subscription — this way you can get an order of magnitude more content than in the free version. One way or another, you can immerse yourself in a very thoughtful world with a rich game economy, thousands of different quests, participate in PvE and PvP activities, enjoying old-school (as the name of the game implies) graphics.
And if you get tired of playing on your phone, you can always switch to a PC, because OSRS is cross-platform. nine0003
Perfect World Mobile
Distribution — Free to Play
PWM has everything that is present in the PC version, only everything, of course, is polished for playing on mobile devices. The leveling process is standard for Eastern MMORPGs: long leveling, a lot of activities, although sometimes monotonous, a huge game world, epic lore, PvP and PvE. Let’s not forget that Perfect World positions itself as a super-social game where you can chat, make friends, get married / get married, and so on, with tons of cosmetic items, mounts and emotes. Also pleased with the excellent graphics, not inferior to those in the computer version of PW. nine0003
Warspear Online
Distribution — Free to Play
Perhaps the oldest and most respected MMORPG on this list — it could still be played on old feature phones that support Java.
