What We Liked..
Guardian vs. Guardian hook is unique
Plenty of hero builds and customization
Varied selection of heroes with multiple roles to choose from
Regular updates and new content
.. and what we didn't
Cash shop limits hero selection for new players
Matchmaking limited due to limited players
Your team of five must strategically capture points, called power circles, in order to grant your Guardian enough power to attack the enemy Guardian, at which point you get the awesome privilege of seeing your gigantic creature dart across the map to give the enemy a good walloping, causing the enemy Guardian to become vulnerable to damage. If your Guardian overpowers the enemy’s enough, then it will be instantly wounded, and you won’t even need to attack it yourself. Talk about a sense of satisfaction (or overwhelming weight of your failures if you’re on the other end).
The game currently features 21 heroes, with more arriving as time goes on, and three maps, plus the expected assortment of skins for both heroes and weapons.
What We Liked..
Lots of customization Decent 2D art Progression comes decently fast for free
.. and what we didn't
Cash shop gets expensive fast lackluster animations low population
Gods Origin Online is a browser-based MMORPG by VivaGames. In it, you controller a summoner who wields the power to yank various deities back through time in an effort to prevent Ragnarok from happening.
What We Liked..
Bright and colorful world
Upbeat music
Fun Sprite companions
.. and what we didn't
The world is too big and you often play by yourself
Repetitive and bland quests
Very low player base
Unbalanced economy
Almost approaching its' tenth birthday, Grand Fantasia is an F2P Anime MMORPG that doesn't reinvent the wheel of the genre but follows the 'If it isn't broke, don't fix it" mentality.
Pleasantly cheerful music, and a game world that is bright and colorful, Grand Fantasia's art style holds up well. What doesn't, is the PVE and PVP content. Quests in Grand Fantasia are painstakingly boring and what's left of the PVE content is little more than level grinding for PVP.
PVP is all but inaccessible to anyone but high-level players, and the P2W game model the game uses makes PVP very unbalanced, as all the top Pkers have spent real-life money to give themselves a huge advantage over the competition and grant themselves powerful end-game gear. PVP is the best part about Grand Fantasia, but unless you spend money, you don't stand a chance.
The game is dead and that makes it hard to recommend. A new server, Siwa was released 5 months ago, and it is already a ghost town. A world full of lively things is now lifeless.
What We Liked..
Fantastic class skill system
Free to play with no content paywall
Decent graphics and optimization
.. and what we didn't
Few server locations
Relies of unfavorable gear progression system
Guardians of Ember is a fantasy isometric action MMORPG that features six MMO classes and four races to play as. For a free to play game, the PvE and PvP content on offer is decent. The game's best feature is its class combat mechanics, that lets players change skills depending on what weapon is equipped in addition to an in-depth skill tree system that encourages multiple builds. This keeps gameplay refreshing until the late game. While animations are good, other artistic assets are mediocre at best. What holds it back is its decision to rely on conventional progression systems like gear enchanting instead of shaking things up. Ultimately, Guardians of Ember is still a fun game to play especially when in groups for dungeons.
What We Liked..
Fluid Combat
Engaging Story
Fantastic PvP
Great Graphics
Solid Free to Play Model
.. and what we didn't
PvE leaves a little to be desired
Large download
Requires a pretty good Computer
Watch the trailer:
Prepare to team up with friends and take on the world of Tyria in Guild Wars 2, a fantastically unique MMORPG.
With its first major expansion, Heart of Thorns, release in late 2015, ArenaNet’s highly acclaimed Guild Wars 2 has finally implemented a free to play option.
Making it easier than ever to experience the game’s gripping player driven story and visceral action based combat.
So strap in and prepare to experience one of the great MMOs of the last ten years, Guild Wars 2.
What We Liked..
Excellent graphics
Over 60 maps
Large range of content and enemies
Fast-paced gameplay
.. and what we didn't
Some tricky controls
Hazard Ops is a third person shooter MMO developed by Yingpei Games and released by Infernum. A spiritual successor to the highly popular Mercenary Ops (and actually called Mercenary Ops 2 in some markets), it is a well-made title chock full of content and variety for the shooter fan.
Choose between PvP or PvE to play in teams either against other players or against waves of mercenaries, zombies and pretty much any enemy imaginable – Hazard Ops has them all. Battles themselves are fast paced and thrilling, arenas where every second and move count. The maps are truly impressive and can be combined with the range of different play modes expected from any decent shooter nowadays.
While the weapons and gear you get by playing the game will get you through the beginner stages and PvE, those looking to compete seriously in the PvP ranks will likely have to pay real money.
What We Liked..
Original concept that's fun
Great visuals and audio
Wide selection of vehicles
.. and what we didn't
Plenty of intervals during matches
Limited game modes
Heavy Metal Machines is a 4v4 vehicle PVP game that's set in a post-apocalyptic world. Players compete in team matches using one of three car classes, and the objective is for one car on either team to pick up and deliver the bomb to destroy the opponent's base, while the other cars get to work on stopping each other. Matches are fast-paced and incredibly fun to play thanks to the game's one of a kind mechanics.
There are two game modes currently which is a little low, but more will be added in time. The game also uses progression mechanics for players to earn currency to gain ranks and purchase better performing cars from the in-game store without spending real money. When it comes to presentation, Heavy Metal Machines scores very high points for graphics, setting and atmosphere. Overall, it's a fantastic free to play MMO that is likely to keep players hooked for a long time to come.
What We Liked..
Solid MOBA gameplay
Good variety of heroes
Refreshing customization options
.. and what we didn't
Poor matchmaking system
Lacks a decent practice mode
Only one server in North America
Heroes Evolved by R2 Games is unmistakably a MOBA that takes its inspiration from fan-favorites DOTA 2 and League of Legends. Don’t write off its resemblance as just a copy though, as the game tries to be different and succeeds by introducing interesting gameplay mechanics such as a Glyph system, which allows players to alter the stats of their heroes like an RPG game.
Players will also have access to a large pool of heroes at release, and all 58 heroes are uniquely themed, well designed and come fully voiced. The MOBA gameplay feels both fresh and familiar and there are two types of match modes available alongside two maps. While it isn’t the best looking game out there graphically, it does hold its own style with a mix of LoL’s comic and cartoon design with a bit of anime.
Overall, Heroes Evolved is a worthy alternative in the MOBA universe. The game’s easy accessibility thanks to its quick client download and free to play fee makes it hassle-free to jump in and start a few games. Heroes Evolved does have a few issues ranging from balance to match-making, but as with any other game it will only get better in time.
What We Liked..
Captivating story-based campaign
Easy going and relaxed game play
No pressure to spend real world money.
.. and what we didn't
Slow going tutorial
No voice acting for character interactions
Quite repetitive after a while.
The fantasy world of Entrath has been ravaged by war for two millennia between the forces of the Underworld and the surface dwelling alliance, known as the Ardent. After no clear victor emerged, and both forces refused to admit defeat, an ongoing stalemate has ensued for the past two hundred years.
This stalemate has been littered with occasional skirmishes and short periods of fighting, but in comparison to the previous conflicts, life on Entrath has been mostly peaceful... Until now!
It is up to you, as a champion of your chosen faction, to collect and develop a powerful army of trading cards, in order to complete quests and accomplish the longer term goals of your alliance.
What We Liked..
Popular manga license
Lots of RPG trappings
satisfying progression
.. and what we didn't
Not much gameplay
allows you to buy power
poor English localization
Hunter X Hunter began its life as a modest manga that soon exploded in popularity. Its first anime series premiered in 1999 (and then another in 2011). The manga was also adapted into quite a few video games. Now it’s a free-to-play, browser-based MMORPG. Fans of the manga and anime will surely find a lot to like here, and if it’s their first MMORPG of this nature, it will feel fresh, but this is definitely not a fresh formula. Almost everything in Hunter X Hunter Online has been seen elsewhere. Fortunately, though, HXH Online (as it will henceforth be called) does it all well.