Category: Reviews

World of Tanks

World of Tanks is a 3D World War II themed MMO shooter built around tactical, team-driven armored warfare. Matches pit two squads of tanks against one another in large-scale battles (up to 30 players), where positioning, vision control, and coordinated pushes matter as much as raw firepower.

Publisher: Wargaming
Playerbase: High
Type: Shooter
PvP: Teams / Clan Wars
Release Date: April 12, 2011 (NA/EU)
Pros: +Massive vehicle roster with plenty to research and master. +Simple core controls with a high skill ceiling. +Strong competitive and clan-focused ecosystem.
Cons: -Tough early learning period for new players. -Deliberate pacing can feel repetitive over long sessions. -Progression can demand significant grinding.

Ace Online

Ace Online, also known as AirRivals, is a sci-fi 3D aerial combat MMORPG that puts you in the cockpit for constant dogfighting instead of traditional ground-based questing. It has a very arcade-like feel that will remind a lot of players of Starfox-style space battles, with quick turns, target swapping, and burst damage. You pilot a customizable starfighter called a “gear” and take part in faction conflict that heavily emphasizes PvP, including large multi-player engagements. The game originally circulated under names like Space Cowboys Online in the West, but today the NA service is known as Ace Online.

Publisher: Suba Games
Playerbase: Low
Type: MMORPG
PvP: Duels / Faction Wars
Release Date: May 26, 2006 (NA/EU)
Pros: +Distinctive dogfighting combat loop. +Big faction PvP events. +Solid ship builds and customization.
Cons: -Early progression can feel easy and repetitive. -Localization quality is uneven.

La Tale

La Tale is a charming 2D side-scrolling fantasy MMORPG that leans hard into colorful, anime-style presentation and classic grind-friendly progression. You begin by picking one of six starter classes, then branch into more specialized paths as you climb levels. Whether you are grouping up for wave-based PvE in the Coliseum or testing your builds in Arena battles and duels, La Tale focuses on simple, arcade-like combat paired with deep character growth.

Publisher: PapayaPlay
Playerbase: Low
Type: MMORPG
PvP: Arena / Duels
Release Date: September 18, 2008 (NA)
Pros: +Memorable music throughout. +Lots of class paths and skill options. +Season 2 update refreshed major systems. +Cash shop feels largely fair.
Cons: -Population is small and trending downward. -Movement and inputs can feel awkward. -Questing and leveling can be repetitive and slow.

Rappelz

Rappelz is a free-to-play 3D fantasy MMORPG built around familiar mid-2000s conventions, quest hubs, party grinding, and a class system that branches as you grow. You pick from three races with distinct job trees, then head out into a large world where progression is tied as much to your character as it is to the creatures you tame and raise as companions.

Publisher: Webzen
Playerbase: Low
Type: MMORPG
PvP: Duels / Arena / Death Match
Release Date: November 3, 2006
Pros: +Deep monster taming and companion progression. +Huge range of jobs across the three races. +Dungeon Siege adds meaningful guild conflict. +Strong onboarding area that teaches systems well.
Cons: -Unstable, occasionally glitchy client. -Few modern graphics settings. -Aging combat feel, UI, and presentation. -Small community and less frequent updates than its peak years.

Pathfinder Online

Pathfinder Online was a subscription-based 3D sandbox fantasy MMORPG from Goblinworks that aimed to bring the Pathfinder tabletop spirit into an open, player-shaped online world. Instead of locking you into rigid classes and encouraging endless monster farming, it focused on flexible character development, a player-driven economy, settlement building, and riskier open world PvP. The result was a niche MMO with interesting ideas, but one that ultimately struggled to maintain momentum before its eventual closure.

Publisher: Goblinworks
Type: Sandbox MMORPG
Release Date: December 31, 2014
Shut Down: November 28, 2021
Pros: +Distinct sandbox direction with meaningful player agency. +Classless progression and minimal grind emphasis. +Robust crafting and economic systems.
Cons: -Development support faded over time. -Very small community. -Visuals show their age. -Rough edges and limited polish.

Pathfinder Online Shut Down on November 28, 2021

Anarchy Online

Anarchy Online is a 3D sci-fi MMORPG that first arrived in 2001 and has managed to stay online through multiple MMO generations. Funcom’s long-running title started life as a subscription game, then shifted to a free-to-play option in 2004, with optional paid expansions for broader access to content. Even today, its biggest calling card is depth, with 14 professions to learn and 4 distinct breeds to build around.

Publisher: Funcom
Playerbase: Medium
Type: MMORPG
PvP: Duels / Guild Wars / Open PvP Areas
Release Date: Jun 27, 2001 (NA/EU)
Pros: +Huge spread of breeds and professions (4 breeds/14 professions). +Strong build freedom and gear tinkering. +Deep progression and skill planning. +Memorable music throughout.
Cons: -Some endgame systems and areas are tied to expansions. -Shows its age visually (a long-discussed visual refresh is still anticipated)

Maestia

Maestia is a 3D fantasy MMORPG built around a conflict between two rival factions, the Superion Guardians and the Templar Knights. Its standout idea is a gem-based ability setup where powers are tied to special stones called Maestones, letting players customize their toolkit beyond the usual class skills.

Publisher: Aeria Games
Playerbase: Low
Type: MMORPG
PvP: Duels / Faction Wars / Guild vs Guild
Release Date: July 19, 2012 (NA/EU)
Shut Down Date: March 31, 2016
Pros: +Maestone gem system adds real build freedom. +Large pool of skills to experiment with. +Divinity progression is a smart secondary grind. +Itemization feels rewarding.
Cons: -Limited class roster. -Core loop can feel repetitive over time.

Camelot Unchained

Camelot Unchained is a 3D fantasy MMORPG built around Realm vs Realm warfare, with most of its design energy aimed at large PvP battles, deep player housing, and an economy intended to be driven primarily by players rather than NPC vendors.

Publisher: City State Entertainment
Playerbase: TBD
Type: MMORPG
PvP: Realm vs Realm
Release Date: Late 2025
Pros: +Massive realm-scale PvP conflicts. +Strong focus on construction and housing.
Cons: -Not built around traditional PvE content loops. -Heavy PvP orientation will not suit everyone. -Long development timeline with repeated delays.

Crowfall

Crowfall is a 3D fantasy MMORPG built around faction warfare and large-scale PvP, with combat that aims for a more hands-on, action-driven feel instead of traditional tab targeting. Rather than living on one permanent continent, the game rotates players through multiple procedurally generated campaign worlds that guilds can fight over and ultimately win. It is a structure designed to create repeating wars with shifting maps, while still letting you keep long-term character progression between campaigns.

Publisher: ArtCraft Entertainment
Playerbase: Medium
Type: MMORPG
Release Date: July 06, 2021
Pros: +Progression that rewards player skill and planning. +Campaign worlds shaped by players and guild politics.
Cons: -Visuals feel behind the curve. -Optimization can struggle in big fights. -PvE offerings are relatively slim.

Heroes of the Storm

Heroes of the Storm is Blizzard’s colorful 3D hero brawler that pulls champions from across the company’s biggest worlds. It plays like a streamlined MOBA built around tight 5v5 team fights, fast match times, and map-specific objectives, letting you jump into an arena as icons from Starcraft, Diablo, and Warcraft.

Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
Playerbase: High
Type: MOBA
Release Date: June 2, 2015
Pros: +Big roster of familiar Blizzard heroes. +Battleground objectives keep matches varied. +Approachable ruleset for newcomers.
Cons: -The simplified format can feel limiting. -Rejoining disconnected matches is slow.