# MMORPGs in the time of COVID-19 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [March 25, 2020, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmorpgs-in-the-time-of-covid-19/850262 "2020-03-25T16:50:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmorpgs-in-the-time-of-covid-19/850262/1 "2020-03-25T16:50:37Z")
I’ve got some time to kill and am interested in maybe diving into a new game. I played WOW for quite a few years (from Wrath of the Lich King to but not through Legion). I was a regular but casual player. I enjoyed world exploring, the story, character advancement. There are a lot of reasons I left WOW that I won’t bother with here, but the biggest one is that after a number of expansions the end game gets repetitive, as did the quests/stories/characters. Anyway, I’m looking for a world I can explore in, level up a character, interact in a casual way with other players, and that has good atmosphere. And, I’m not at all interested in complicated gear management (though I do enjoy complicated character/skill development, go figure). Anyway, what’s out there? I don’t think I want to dive back into WOW. I remember trying and enjoying Guild Wars back in its early days. It looks like that’s still available in maintenance mode. Or Guild Wars 2? Or what else? I don’t have a gaming system anymore (just a Dell laptop with a 4gig GeForce GTX 1050). ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmorpgs-in-the-time-of-covid-19/850262/2 "2020-03-25T16:59:52Z")
I’d recommend taking a look at Final Fantasy XIV. I have several friends who play it, who are WoW refugees, and they really enjoy it. The graphics are awesome, and the storyline (particularly in the expansions, of which there are only three) is very good. It does have some cutesy/anime elements, but those aren’t generally a big factor in gameplay. Though it doesn’t generally have a Free To Play offer (and it’s a bit of a pain to register), one can do a free trial up to level 30 or 35, which can give you a feel for how the game plays. ---
**Author:** ![Jet\_Jaguar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jet_jaguar/32/3562_2.png) [@Jet\_Jaguar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jet_Jaguar)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmorpgs-in-the-time-of-covid-19/850262/3 "2020-03-25T17:06:35Z")
If you’re interested in story-driven games, I’d give Final Fantasy XIV a try. You can play it for free up to level 35 (with some limitations) if you want to give it a test drive. The player community is pretty friendly and accommodating to new players, with many who are eager to help, and a lot less of the toxicity you get in WoW. FFXIV is also a very story-driven game, and IMHO the story is better than most. Gear management is pretty simple, there is basically only a single “best in slot” item for any given level and class combination. It also has a unique system where a character can switch to any class simply by swapping their primary weapon. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmorpgs-in-the-time-of-covid-19/850262/4 "2020-03-25T17:27:41Z")
I love FF14 myself, so I can also recommend it. TO clarify one thing: the level limit isn’t for your character, it’s per class. And there are a _lot_ of classes for you to try, which you can level for all the characters you make. The game somewhat avoids alt-itis by allowing you to just have everything on one PC. Just be aware that the first few missions give you a good tutorial, but it can feel a little slow. Starting with a physical class like the Gladiator or Pugilist might be easiest, too, if you aren’t very familiar with MMO’s. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmorpgs-in-the-time-of-covid-19/850262/5 "2020-03-25T18:11:08Z")
I will have to try that. I made an effort to get back into WOW, and just wasn’t feeling it. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmorpgs-in-the-time-of-covid-19/850262/6 "2020-03-25T18:15:15Z")
BDO is full, don’t come. It’s partly sandbox, partly story, and except for the basic package “pay to pretty”. There are items you can get with money that give you mechanical advantages but they’re also obtainable in-game. There are no raids, no dungeons, and so many things to do that it’s easy to feel like you’re being pulled in twenty directions at the same time. For the first time since I started in MUDs back in '95 I may be getting cured of my altoholism. ---
**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmorpgs-in-the-time-of-covid-19/850262/7 "2020-03-25T18:50:51Z")
Just in case some reader doesn’t know, there is now **World of Warcraft Classic** , which seeks to recreate the “original” (first six months or so) version, but with modern coding and performance. I find **Guild Wars 2** rather fun and flexible, with lots of quality-of-life touches, but I really only enjoy it when playing with friends. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmorpgs-in-the-time-of-covid-19/850262/8 "2020-03-25T19:29:05Z")
Also, I just got an email from Square Enix; there’s a sale on the FFXIV software going on right now in their online store (“up to 40% off”). The complete software package (the base game and all three expansions, for a PC download) is normally $59.99; it’s now on sale for $35.99. > **[Square Enix Store](https://store.na.square-enix-games.com/en_US/)** > > The Square Enix Store is the official shop for Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, Dragon Quest, soundtracks, merchandise, video games and exclusive collector’s editions. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmorpgs-in-the-time-of-covid-19/850262/9 "2020-03-25T20:08:18Z")
I gave up WoW for Rocket League. ---
**Author:** ![JcWoman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jcwoman/32/2889_2.png) [@JcWoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JcWoman)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmorpgs-in-the-time-of-covid-19/850262/10 "2020-03-25T20:23:10Z")
For those who enjoy text-based games, [Torn](https://www.torn.com/index.php) is a great multiplayer game. It plays in your browser and isn’t text like in the old green screen days - it does have graphics. But it’s not like a first person shooter type of graphics. Anyway, it’s interesting because it’s a world of violence, gangs, gambling and drug addiction. Player on player kills are expected and normal, although new players are protected in their first two weeks. Despite the awful-sounding description, I found it to be a welcoming place full of helpful people! Oh, and it’s fun with a TON of things to do. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmorpgs-in-the-time-of-covid-19/850262/11 "2020-03-25T21:16:40Z")
Elder Scrolls on line is good. They just added a new expansion dungeon again, a couple weeks ago. One thing I would caution on starting any MMO now is to go in with a calm mind. I’m sure all the intro zones are packed with kiddies, angry they are stuck at home, and ready to grief. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2020, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmorpgs-in-the-time-of-covid-19/850262/12 "2020-03-26T03:26:07Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > Elder Scrolls on line is good. They just added a new expansion dungeon again, a couple weeks ago. > > One thing I would caution on starting any MMO now is to go in with a calm mind. I’m sure all the intro zones are packed with kiddies, angry they are stuck at home, and ready to grief. I play Lord of the Rings Online on Gwaihir [european server, primarily german] and don’t notice any griefing, or even crowding. My character name is Ijada, if you want to give it a go [you have to get through the baby tutorial area before you can chat with anybody outside the baby zone or access the ingame email and private chat functions. If you opt to play, once out of the baby area I can make any sort of armor, weapons and jewelry that is level appropriate, and kite you a few gold if you like. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2020, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmorpgs-in-the-time-of-covid-19/850262/13 "2020-03-26T03:43:20Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > Elder Scrolls on line is good. They just added a new expansion dungeon again, a couple weeks ago. Does that game still use the weird off-center character POV? ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2020, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmorpgs-in-the-time-of-covid-19/850262/14 "2020-03-26T03:44:15Z")
For the sci-fi fan, there’s still the Star Wars MMORPG, _Star Wars: The Old Republic_. It has a free-to-play option to get your feet wet. It uses the WOW engine, so basic gameplay is the same. It has a few expansions available, and decent character and weapon customization options, including your companion NPCs. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2020, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmorpgs-in-the-time-of-covid-19/850262/15 "2020-03-26T05:41:03Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Does that game still use the weird off-center character POV? It’s an over-the-shoulder view like you’d see in some FPS games. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2020, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmorpgs-in-the-time-of-covid-19/850262/16 "2020-03-26T13:21:52Z")
I guess Lord of the Rings Online is still going? I really enjoyed playing through the Hobbit opening area lo these many years ago. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2020, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmorpgs-in-the-time-of-covid-19/850262/17 "2020-03-26T13:49:26Z")
Another FFXIV recommendation here. The initial story has its problems, but it’s good about being able to do things solo (and designed with a strong solo storyline) due to its matchmaking across worlds on a single server and the ability to jump classes means you don’t feel locked in on a single class and have to start an alt all over again. I know people who are max level on a single character in all combat classes (which is like 16 or more), all eight crafting classes, and all three gathering classes. ---
**Author:** ![JcWoman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jcwoman/32/2889_2.png) [@JcWoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JcWoman)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2020, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmorpgs-in-the-time-of-covid-19/850262/18 "2020-03-26T13:56:16Z")
Another good one I’ve been playing on my iPad is called Villagers and Heroes. It’s a free game, with in app purchases if you want to do that. But it’s perfectly playable without spending any money. It’s fun because it has crafting, fighting computer bosses and bad guys, NO player on player fights, questing and a little bit of gardening/ranching. It has hundreds of levels and a very rich level-up path. You can build your character from a handful of different types, like wizard, fighter, hunter, etc. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2020, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmorpgs-in-the-time-of-covid-19/850262/19 "2020-03-26T15:33:25Z")
Well I started FFXIV. It’s very Japanese, to be sure, and looks a LOT like WOW at first glance but we’ll see how it goes. I’m trying Torn too, and it’s cool. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2020, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmorpgs-in-the-time-of-covid-19/850262/20 "2020-03-26T15:48:58Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > It’s an over-the-shoulder view like you’d see in some FPS games. Thank you; I didn’t know what it was called. I find it really annoying; I prefer an over-the-head(?) view. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmorpgs-in-the-time-of-covid-19/850262.md?page=2)