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The 13 Most Underrated MMOs in 2024

The 13 Most Underrated MMOs in 2024

The same names always come up whenever we discuss MMO games. Today we will forget about the big names. Instead, we will concern ourselves with MMOs that aren’t exactly critically acclaimed.

Some are old, some are new, and most of them are free-to-play. You know how it is with MMOs, there’s one to suit each taste.

Is your next MMO patiently waiting on this list? Only one way to find out!

13. Anarchy Online

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Anarchy Online is a classic sci-fi MMO.

Funcom’s Sci-Fi MMO is a full-course meal that comes with a side dish of frustration as Anarchy Online has an incredibly complex character system. The character creation screen throws four races and 14 classes at the poor unsuspecting newbie.

As you level up, you will use nanotechnology and implants to customize skills and abilities. This is where it gets complicated. All the more reasons to praise those anonymous guide creators.

World-building and open-world gameplay are what make Anarchy Online shine. Despite the outdated graphics, we still get a futuristic vibe from the game world.

Quests, PvP guild wars, and player housing complete the gameplay.

12. Uncharted Waters Online

  • Developer: Koei
  • Release Date: October 30, 2004
  • Platform: PC
  • For fans of Pirate MMOs, Anime MMOs
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Uncharted Waters is a complex and rewarding game.

Set in the Age of Discovery, Uncharted Waters Online appeals to one’s naval spirit. If you’ve ever wanted to take the helm of a ship and sail the seas, this is your game.

Will you become an explorer, a merchant, or a pirate? More than 75 professions and 100 skills serve as the backbone of character customization.

A captain is nothing without their ship. UWO offers more than 500 types of historic ships. Vessels have their own customization as well.

Most of the game content can be completed in a five-player party. UWO is free-to-play.

11. Therian Saga

  • Developer: Virtys
  • Release Date: 2012
  • Platform: PC
  • For fans of Casual MMOs
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Therian Saga offers a unique experience.

Therian Saga stands as proof that idle MMOs can be entertaining and interesting. The people at Virtys set on a quest to build a free-to-play asynchronous RPG with substance. Judging by the positive game reviews, it seems that they’ve nailed it.

Therian Saga allows players to set up tasks and behavioral patterns for their characters. That way, characters can complete missions when players are offline. You can always leave in the middle of an activity – even when playing with fellow humans – as your character is capable of unsupervised combat.

Therian Saga provides a flexible and casual adventure.

10. Fallen Earth Classic

  • Developer: Little Orbit
  • Release Date: 12 Oct, 2011
  • Platform: PC
  • For fans of Post-apocalyptic Games, Fallout
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Fallen Earth Classic is great for fans of games like the Fallout series.

This post-apocalyptic MMO takes place in a not-so-far-away future. The year is 2156. Chemical and nuclear warfare have made Earth pretty much inhabitable. Except for the Grand Canyon and a few other locations, humans don’t have many safe spots left.

The game world measures more than 1,000 square kilometers.

Fallen Earth is all about survival and player freedom. The classless character system goes hand in hand with this philosophy. Players traverse the huge game world as they complete story missions, gather resources, craft items, take down monsters, and engage in PvP.

Fallen Earth doesn’t push players in a certain direction. It has quests, but most of the time you captain the adventure.

9. Dark Age of Camelot

  • Developer: Mythic Entertainment
  • Release Date: October 9, 2001
  • Platform: PC
  • For fans of Old School MMOs
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DAOC was once the king of PvP MMOs.

Dark Age of Camelot is one of those GOAT games everyone holds in high regard, yet somehow you never hear anything about it. Yes, DAoC still exists. It’s not exactly kicking, but it’s alive thanks to a bunch of die-hard fans. The game caters to PvP enthusiasts, specifically those who like large-scale wars.

The three Realms of Albion, Hibernia, and Midgard are locked in a struggle. Players pledge their services to a realm of choice. Each realm has unique race and class combos. You will fight members of other realms in RvR battlegrounds.

When not PvPing, players spend their time in PvE adventures, crafting items, and tending to their homes.

8. Swords of Legends Online

  • Developer: Wangyuan Shengtang Entertainment
  • Release Date: June 16, 2021
  • Platform: PC
  • For fans of Martial Arts MMOs
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SOLO has flown under the radar for a while.

Swords of Legends Online launched without much fuss in the Summer of 2021 at a time when the fresh meat deprived MMO player base was too busy tunnel-visioning Amazon’s New World.

Initially, a buy-to-play title, SOLO transitioned to a free-to-play model six months later. As a result, more players decided to give it a try.

SOLO has beautiful graphics, fluid combat, solid class selection, character customization, and lots of content. The background music allows players to immerse themselves in this captivating game world.

You can progress without investing real money and that’s just what we love to hear.

7. Dungeons & Dragons Online

  • Developer: Standing Stone Games
  • Release Date: February 28, 2006
  • Platform: PC, Mac
  • For fans of Dungeons and Dragons
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DDO is still great, many years after its initial release.

Dungeons & Dragons’ incursion into the MMO market can be cataloged as slow and steady. More than 15 years after the release date, we can firmly say that slow and steady wins the race. DDO passes the test of time. It’s all thanks to the gameplay.

Seventeen races and 15 classes provide numerous ways to build unique characters. Stories, missions, adventures, and dungeons keep players busy.

D&D is a well-respected name in the fantasy RPG world. However, getting into this universe is not easy. DDO offers a simple and free way to check out the famous franchise.

6. Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis

  • Developer: Sega
  • Release Date: July 4, 2012
  • Platform: PC, Playstation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
  • For fans of Anime MMOs
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PSO2NG is filled with fast-paced action.

Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis is an offshoot of the 2012 Phantasy Star Online 2. PSO2NG is neither a revamp, nor a sequel. It has different gameplay, story, and content.

The game is set on the fantasy planet Halpha. Thanks to the next-gen graphics engine, the visuals are better than the original. PSO2NG offers a beautiful open world that allows parties of up to 32 members.

The character creation system has rich customization options. The action combat is fun. Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis runs in parallel with the old game.

5. Final Fantasy XI

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FFXI is the older brother of the more popular FFXIV.

FFXI is a veteran MMORPG that saw the light of day in 2002. Twenty years later, the game manages to retain a buy-to-play subscription-based business model.

Final Fantasy XI has a wealth of content. As a new player stepping into Vana’diel for the first time, you might feel disoriented and overwhelmed. When in doubt, go questing! Final Fantasy XI has some great stories to tell.

The job selection numbers 22 choices. The hybrid-job system allows players to use skills from two jobs.

If you are familiar with Final Fantasy XIV, you will discover the origin of some of its systems.

4. Fallout 76

  • Developer: Bethesda Softworks
  • Release Date: October 23, 2018
  • Platform: PC, Xbox, Playstation
  • For fans of Post-apocalyptic Games
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Fallout 76 has come a long way since launch.

Fallout 76’s launch created a ruckus mainly because it was far from being good. A few years later, we are glad to see that the game changed for the better. After years of updates, Bethesda finally delivered a decent Fallout MMO.

Borrowing the character system from the single-player games was one of the best ideas. You can design whatever class or play style you have in mind using the S.P.E.C.I.A.L system.

The main narrative does the job, but you’ll find side quest stories and NPCs more interesting and captivating. The C.A.M.P is Fallout 76’s approach to player housing. The premium subscription is not needed, unless you want to go hardcore.

3. New World

  • Developer: Amazon Games
  • Release Date: September 9, 2021
  • Platform: PC
  • For fans of Horror MMOs
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New World has made a glorious return after a messy launch.

New World had one of those launches that publishers love and gamers hate. Millions of players assaulted the servers in the first days. Aeternum, the freshest MMO playground, was the place to be in October 2021.

With each passing month after the release, the player base became significantly smaller. The lack of end-game content stands in the way of success.

New World has gorgeous graphics, good gameplay, and a little bit of PvE and PvP. The leveling experience alone is not worth the full price, but if you manage to grab it during a sale, you’ve got yourself a great game with massive potential.

Amazon can still turn things around and make NW a full-fledged MMORPG.

2. Return of Reckoning

  • Developer: Mythic Entertainment
  • Release Date: September 18, 2008
  • Platform: PC
  • For fans of Warhammer, PvP MMOs
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Warhammer Online returned as a private server.

Return of Reckoning is a community-driven project that brings back Warhammer Online. In 2013, the license agreement with Games Workshop came to an end depriving the world of the only Warhammer-based MMO.

Return of Reckoning is a Warhammer Online re-implementation on a private server. It has been up and running since 2014. It’s completely free-to-play. There is no cash store and no donation button.

Return of Reckoning keeps Warhammer Online alive and then some. The people involved in the project are committed to squashing bugs, adding new content and events, and doing a better job than the original developers.

1. DC Universe Online

  • Developer: Daybreak Game Company
  • Release Date: January 11, 2011
  • Platform: PC, Playstation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
  • For fans of Superhero MMOs
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DCUO is one of the best superhero MMOs.

DCUO gathers the most popular DC Comics characters under one big roof. You join in the fun as a superhero or villain.

The game features more than 40 story-driven episodes. Two of the main game writers are comic book authors well-known for their work on Superman, Aquaman, Cyborg, Deathstroke, and more. The scenarios have you siding with or fighting against Wonder Woman, Batman, The Joker, and many other iconic DC characters.

In your travels, you will journey from Gotham to Metropolis as you catch bad guys and/or run from the good ones. Emblematic DC Universe locations, such as the Justice League Watchtower and Arkham Asylum, are recreated in DCUO.

Got any underrated MMOs that missed the list? Share them in the comments below!

dexinition

Wednesday 30th of November 2022

And Mortar Online 2 ????? Never ? It’s the most underrated MMO actually on live ..