Category: MMORPG

Zenless Zone Zero

Zenless Zone Zero is a free-to-play, cross-platform urban fantasy action RPG from HoYoverse that blends stylish hack-and-slash combat with a retro-futuristic post-apocalyptic setting. You play as a Proxy, one half of the sibling duo Belle and Wise, guiding agents through dangerous pocket dimensions called Hollows while running a video rental store as your day job in the last surviving city, New Eridu.

Publisher: COGNOSPHERE PTE. LTD.
Playerbase: High
Type: Action Gacha RPG
Release Date: July 4, 2024 (Global)
Pros: +Exceptional art direction and urban fantasy aesthetic. +Fast, stylish combat with assist parries and chain attacks. +Comic-book storytelling panels and full voice acting. +More generous free-to-play currency than most gacha games. +Runs well on modest hardware.
Cons: -TV mode exploration (Hollow Deep Dive) can feel sluggish and divisive. -Limited open-world exploration compared to HoYoverse siblings. -Combat is too easy early on before endgame unlocks. -Standard gacha rates still sting if you want a specific 5-star.

Where Winds Meet

Where Winds Meet is a free-to-play open world wuxia action RPG set during China’s tumultuous Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. You play as a young wandering swordsman caught up in political intrigue, sect rivalries, and the shifting jianghu, with the freedom to fight, heal, trade, or stir chaos as you see fit. The game launched globally on November 14, 2025 for PC and PlayStation 5, with mobile versions following in December.

Publisher: NetEase Games
Playerbase: Very High
Type: Mobile / PC / Console Open World Action RPG
Release Date: November 14, 2025 (Global PC/PS5)
Mobile Release Date: December 12, 2025
Pros: +Fully free-to-play with cosmetic-only monetization. +Beautifully realized 10th-century Chinese open world with over 20 distinct regions. +Fast, varied combat across many weapons and 40+ Mystic Arts. +Cross-play and cross-progression across PC, PS5, and mobile.
Cons: -Heavy PC requirements, especially RAM. -Frame rate dips in dense city areas like Kaifeng. -Story pacing is uneven and the early hours can feel dense. -MMO-lite live service layer is not for everyone.

Arknights: Endfield

Arknights: Endfield is a free-to-play 3D action RPG with semi-open world exploration, real-time squad combat, and a deep factory-building layer set in the post-Originium future of the Arknights universe. You play as the Endministrator of Endfield Industries on the moon of Talos-II, leading a team of Operators across hostile frontier regions while constructing sprawling automated supply chains that feed your character progression.

Publisher: Hypergryph / Gryphline (Global)
Playerbase: High
Type: Mobile / PC / Console Action RPG
Release Date: January 22, 2026 (Global)
Pros: +Striking industrial-anime art direction and strong soundtrack. +AIC factory system is genuinely novel for the gacha space. +Solid PC and PS5 optimization with reasonable hardware demands. +Cross-platform progression across PC, PS5, iOS, and Android.
Cons: -Combat is flashy upfront but loses depth in the long run. -Story leans on tired amnesiac-protagonist gacha tropes. -Heavy tutorialization and dense UI in the early hours. -Standard gacha pulls and grind-heavy daily structure.

Wuthering Waves

Wuthering Waves is a free-to-play, cross-platform open world action RPG with a post-apocalyptic anime style and a heavy emphasis on fast, technical combat. You play as Rover, an amnesiac traveler exploring the world of Solaris-3 alongside a growing roster of allies called Resonators, while collecting monster-based abilities through the unique Echo system.

Publisher: Kuro Games
Playerbase: High
Type: Mobile / PC / Console RPG
Release Date: May 22, 2024 (Global)
Steam Release Date: April 29, 2025
Pros: +Sharp, skill-based combat with parries, dodges, and swap-cancel windows. +Echo system gives gear progression a fun monster-collecting twist. +Generous traversal with wall running, gliding, and a grappling hook. +Strong production value with memorable music.
Cons: -Standard gacha pulls for the strongest 5-star Resonators and weapons. -PC build is more demanding than rival anime RPGs. -Launch period was rough and some old reputation still lingers.

UNDECEMBER

UNDECEMBER is a free-to-play, cross-platform hack-and-slash ARPG built around flexible character building rather than locked-in classes. You play as a Rune Hunter fighting back against a rising divine threat, and most of your power comes from collecting and linking Runes to create skill setups that feel closer to a buildcraft sandbox than a traditional “pick a class” action RPG.

Publisher: LINE Games
Playerbase: High
Type: Multiplayer ARPG
Release Date: October 12, 2022
Pros:+Strong presentation with impressive visuals and cutscenes. +Story delivery is surprisingly compelling for the genre. +Cinematics are fully voiced. +Flexible classless build system built around Runes. +Boss encounters can be genuinely demanding.
Cons: -Uses a kernel-level anti-cheat. -No direct player-to-player trading. -Monetization can drift into pay-to-win territory. -Auction house revolves around premium currency.

Tower of Fantasy

Tower of Fantasy is a free-to-play, cross-platform open world sci-fi fantasy RPG that blends anime style visuals with real-time action combat. You create your own character, collect powerful weapons tied to Simulacra, and roam a shared world packed with story quests, exploration, and co-op activities.

Publisher: Level Infinite (Tencent)
Playerbase: High
Type: Mobile RPG
Release Date: August 11, 2022 (Global)
Steam Release Date: October 19, 2022
Pros: +Robust character creator with lots of style options. +Strong presentation with sharp visuals and memorable music. +Snappy combat built around swapping weapons. +A satisfying loop of story missions, exploration, and side activities.
Cons: -Gacha-driven progression for many top weapons and Simulacra. -Co-op exists, but some multiplayer offerings feel limited compared to full PC MMOs.

Bless Unleashed

Bless Unleashed is a free-to-play 3D fantasy MMORPG that reimagines the ill-fated Bless Online into a more action-focused experience. It leans heavily into real-time, combo-driven combat and sends players across a large open world packed with regional questing, field bosses, and dungeon runs, while also carrying some of the rough edges that come from its console-first roots.

Publisher: Valofe
Playerbase: Low
Type: F2P MMORPG
Release Date: August 6, 2021
Pros: +Striking visuals with strong world design. +A serviceable main narrative, even if it follows familiar fantasy beats. +Action combat built around readable combos.
Cons: -Pay to win. -Class-locked races. -Clunky UI and controls designed for consoles. -Lack of endgame content. -Forced PvP.

Phantasy Star Online 2

Phantasy Star Online 2 is a hub-and-mission action RPG where you deploy from a central lobby to take on instanced quests against the Darker threat. It emphasizes responsive, combo-driven combat, party play, and the long chase for better gear, with plenty of style and customization for players who like to fine-tune both builds and looks.

Publisher: Sega
Playerbase: Medium
Type: MMORPG
Release Date: July 04, 2012 (JP), May 27, 2020 (NA)
Pros: +Weapon swapping mid-fight keeps battles dynamic. +One character can learn and level multiple classes. +Combat looks and feels fluid thanks to strong animations. +Robust character creator with lots of options.
Cons: -Progression leans heavily on repetition and farming. -Menus and navigation can feel awkward and dated.

Hero Plus

Hero Plus (formerly Hero Online) is a 3D fantasy MMORPG with an East Asian historical, mythic theme. You begin by picking one of five preset protagonists, each tied to specific weapon styles, then branch into job advancements at level 10 and level 50, with a final progression step later on. Combat is quick and grind-heavy, and the game leans into competitive play with duels and faction-based PvP for players who enjoy old-school rivalry.

Publisher: Netgame
Playerbase: Low
Type: MMORPG
PvP: Duels, Faction Wars
Release Date: July 31, 2006
Pros: +Pets and mounts add useful variety. +Dedicated PvP servers/channels for competitive play. +Guilds, player shops, and crafting systems give it MMO staples. +Runs well on very modest hardware.
Cons: -Virtually no character customization at creation. -A lot of the experience is repetitive grinding. -The world and enemy variety feel limited. -Interface and graphics show their age.

DarkStory Online

DarkStory Online is a free-to-play 2D MMORPG that leans heavily into 16-bit era sensibilities, mixing a medieval fantasy setting with familiar MMO staples like dungeon runs, party quests, gathering professions, crafting, and arena PvP. It aims to capture the feel of classic RPGs while still offering long-term goals through progression, collectibles, and light character customization.

Publisher: BraveWolf Studios
Playerbase: Low
Type: 2D Free-To-Play MMORPG
Release Date: May 22, 2020
Pros: +Retro-inspired RPG presentation and straightforward MMO loop. +Very modest PC requirements.
Cons: -16-bit visuals will not appeal to everyone. -Build variety and skill options feel restrictive. -Progression can be linear and grind-focused.