Best Free Online MMORPG Games (12/10/2009)

Once upon a time the word ‘free’ indicated that a game was of such low quality that it wasn’t even worth trying. How things have changed. Today, there are literally dozens of high-grade free online games available for download. These range from gritty, realistic shooters to high fantasy MMORPG populated by Elves and Orcs. To give readers a glimpse into this thriving ecosystem, I’ve compiled a short list of the best free online games currently available.

Dragonica Online
Another side-scrolling MMORPG but this one has a more modern 3D graphic style. Players form parties and fight through waves of monsters to make their way to a boss at the end of each instanced mission. Dragonica gold With fast paced gameplay and plenty of customization options, Dragonca Online is a fun new MMORPG that’s a welcome change from traditional gaming. The US version of Dragonica is hosted by THQ Ice, a new venture by the publisher which plans to release more MMO and MMORPG titles in the near future.

Alliance of Valiant Arms (AVA)
The latest MMOFPS by ijji, AVA, pits the European Union (EU) against the Neo Russian Federation (NRF) in modern warfare. Fans of realistic shooters like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will feel right at home in this environment. Work with your team to accomplish objectives as a rifleman, sniper, or pointman. First person shooters are well known for their ease of access and superb graphics and AVA is no exception. Players can crank the video settings to make the visuals look near life like or, if they’re on older machines, can still enjoy the gameplay without the added strain.

MapleStory
Published by Nexon back in 2005, MapleStory has taken the US by storm. Even popular news channels like Fox have covered the game. MapleStory is a 2D side-scroller where players create cute child like avatars and explore the world of Scandia. Recently, several new classes have been added to the game bringing the total to 10. The popularity of MapleStory has even spawned an anime series now airing on TV.

Atlantica Online
Console gamers may feel out of touch when trying to get into PC gaming and for this audience in particular I recommend Atlantica Online. Like all the games on this list, Atlantica gold it is free to play but as a MMORPG with turn-based combat it should make console RPG fans feel right at home. Players create a character from among a large variety of classes and can hire additional mercenaries to form their own party. Eventually, players can join up with others to form huge groups capable of taking down large bosses.

Runes of Magic
There’s no doubt that Blizzard’s World of Warcraft has forever changed the MMORPG landscape. For fans of the mega-hit WoW who want to make the transition to free online games, nothing could be better than Frogster’s Runes of Magic. Runes of Magic gold With a graphic and gameplay style similar to WoW’s, RoM is the perfect free alternative. But Runes of Magic isn’t just a knock-off, it innovates with its own unique features such as the duel class system.