Anyone thinking of the future of MMORPGs will certainly have the big ones like Guild Wars 3 and the LoL MMORPG in mind. In this list, genre enthusiast Karsten Scholz presents a few promising online role-playing games that are set to be released on Steam and are currently flying under the radar of many MMO fans.
What are these MMORPG tips? If you have seen my Tier List of the 69 MMORPGs of the future, then you already know: In the S and A tiers, the usual suspects such as Guild Wars 3, the LoL MMORPG, Aion 2, and others are featured. I will elaborate on the reasons for my choices under the Tier List.
To keep the scope of the article manageable, this justification is missing from the B tier onwards. After all, a total of 69 officially confirmed MMO projects have landed in the Tier List. That’s a lot of content.
Especially considering the lesser-known yet promising games from the third tier, I want to change that now. There are indeed reasons why I am more or less sure that they can provide a lot of fun in their targeted niches and can be successful.
In the following, I will take the time to introduce you to 6 of these relatively unknown MMORPG projects of the future. If you have more insider tips, feel free to share them in the comments.
More about the best genre in the world can also be found on the YouTube channel of MeinMMO. Recently, a video about 8 current hope-bearers of the genre went live. Check it out:
Apogea – Anyone who loves the old MMO classics should take a look
The key facts:
- Developer: Trinitas
- Genre: Medieval fantasy MMORPG with top-down perspective and pixel art graphics
- Monetization model: Free2Play with “No Pay2Win” promise
- Status: In development, you can sign up for a playtest
- Target release: Unknown
- Product page on Steam
What sets the game apart? Apogea has already hinted at a gaming experience in previous playtests that nostalgically recalls great classics like Tibia, EverQuest, or RuneScape. Additionally, there’s the charming retro atmosphere created by the graphic style and the top-down perspective. The developers at Trinitas really know how to push certain nostalgia buttons.
This nostalgic gaming experience includes the fact that Apogea hardly holds your hand. The independent exploration of the world and its secrets plays a vital role. Quests often have multiple stages and require some brainpower. The developers themselves warn: The journey is tough; if you like challenges, you are in the right place.
The old-school adventure is supplemented by modern options such as the customizable UI or nice features like player housing directly in the world. There’s also character development through the three base classes Knight, Mage, and Rogue, as well as a talent tree that allows you to develop various abilities and techniques.
However, the developers still have some work ahead of them before the final release. The entry is currently unnecessarily frustrating. In the first hours, you quickly feel lost or hit a wall. Additionally, Apogea could still use some of the established comfort features that have been around for years. Some standard actions such as trading or inventory management feel far too tedious.
Lastly, Apogea still lacks the visual representation of your character progression. Apart from weapons, your hero’s appearance doesn’t change when wearing stronger equipment. This can demotivate. Nevertheless, for fans of classics like Tibia or RuneScape, this may still be the right MMORPG.
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