Some have got their Android on already, though, and are developing games for the platform. One example is Parallel Kingdom, a medieval-themed MMORPG game that’ll include GPS-powered location features.

It’s due out later this year, soon after the first Android phones go on sale, although an iPhone version is also in the works. We asked Justin Beck, CEO of Parallel Kingdom (the company), some questions to find out more.

Pocket Gamer: How did you get started on Parallel Kingdom – what was the inspiration, and how long have you been working on it?

Justin Beck: We’ve been working on Parallel Kingdom for four months now. The original idea came from a brainstorm about gaming in the future. It started out by discussing mobile gaming for cell phones, then the discussion turned to GPS with the question, “Is there any cool game play we could build using GPS?” After a few more hours of conversation out came Parallel Kingdom and it just stuck.

What level of ‘hardcoreness’ is it? Is this a game that’s aimed at MMORPG veterans, or is it more casual with a wider audience in mind? How has that affected the game itself?

Parallel Kingdom will mostly be played in a casual style with the ability to dig deep into the game. Since it’s on the cellphone, you will be able to flip your phone open and check on your stuff, or invoke a few actions. We’re working hard to make sure you can still play Parallel Kingdom no matter how busy you are.

Parallel Kingdom really provides quite a mix between game genres which really yields an interesting game play. Parallel Kingdom is really a mix between, a treasure hunt, questing in regular online RPGs, a real-time strategy, and an online people game like Utopia.com.

How do the GPS aspects work? How are you tackling the problem that people might not be within range of anyone else who owns the game?

We want to find some balance between leveraging the location game play of Parallel Kingdom without forcing players to move to do every little thing, which could get annoying quickly.

The GPS controls what part of a neighbourhood you are in and from that location you can then move your character within a couple block radius of your actual location. Giving you the freedom to explore while still being completely location based.

Not all of the game dynamics in Parallel Kingdom require other people to be immediately present, so there is still quite a bit of game play for those who don’t have any other players right near them.

Gameplay will be quite different depending on your location, for example: New York vs South Dakota. This will make Parallel Kingdom fascinating, especially for travellers. We’re excited to see what comes from it.

What are your thoughts on Android as a platform for mobile games? Is it nice to work with, and how much potential does it have for innovative games?

Android provides a great opportunity for game developers and all developers alike; some of Android’s biggest selling points are the location based services, the ease of building a UI, and the services model that allows your application to run in the background.

Like any young platform there are quarks that need to be ironed out. The biggest missing part is physical devices to test with, since there are none, this has been the hardest part of development to date, but that too will eventually go away.

Are you looking at any other mobile platforms for the game? For example, N-Gage, Symbian, iPhone…

As the mobile market continues to grow and develop we’ll see how the platform competition turns out. Right now Parallel Kingdom is working with iPhone and Android platform, but we’ll see what happens.

Our thanks to Justin for his time. Check out the official website for more info on the game but, rest assured, we’ll be following its progress, too.

1. Dinosaur Hunter for Carnivores

Carnivores Dinosaur Hunter will be available on App Store in January 2010. Carnivores Dinosaur Hunter is a 3D console-quality hunting game which lets players explore huge locations, get realistic action and enjoy truly hunting. With the most top AI on the platform, dangerous creatures are able to see, hear and feel the hunter. Running will not help you this time, the hunter has become the hunted.

2. Chinatown wars

Chinatown Wars is a bona fide Grand Theft Auto game, complete with a full-fledged campaign, side-missions, and other diversions that are true to the series. Provided there’s much ground to cover, there’s ample opportunity to run into trouble, particularly for an amateur thug like yourself.

3. Low Grav Racer 2

Low Grav Racer 2 puts you in control of any of six futuristic racing craft (three of which must be unlocked) in a race to the finish line across 18 different planet and space system-based tracks.

4. BioShock 2

BioShock 2 is a survival horror first-person shooter video game, being developed by 2K Marin and 2K Australia for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 video game consoles, and the Windows operating system. Just as in the single-player game, you have endless options for arming yourself with different kinds of weapons and powers.

5. Need for Speed Shift

Though still thoroughly of the pick up and play variety, Shift is positioning itself as more of a sim type driving experience than its predecessor, so petrol heads can get elbow deep in tuning options between races.

6. Assassin’s Creed II

Assassin’s Creed II is a non-linear third person action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 video game consoles. It will be released on Microsoft Windows in February 2010 in Europe and in March 2010 in North America.

7. Project Forgotten Memories

With a razor sharp narrative from promising outsourcing company, Pure Square Go, as well as an engine from Psychoz Interactive that defies all expectations of what is graphically possible on a standard iPhone, Project Forgotten Memories is definitely one to watch for 2010.

8. Skies of Glory

Skies of Glory is a new aerial combat game set in World War II. Over land and sea, under realistic weather conditions, you and your friends can team up to defend a base, destroy enemy compounds and logistical resources, or show off your piloting skills in a full-force free-for-all.

9. Mirror’s Edge

Mirror’s Edge is a single-player first person action-adventure video game based on the console game of the same name, this iPhone re-make is a side scrolling run and jump game. Of course, it’ll still take street running cues from the original.

10. N.O.V.A.

NOVA is a first-person sci-fi shooter, and easily the best game in its field for the iPhone and iPod Touch. The intensity and quality of its single-player action coupled with the success so far of its online functionality make it a groundbreaking achievement for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

socource:http://www.downloadatoz.com/

1. Doras Carnival 2: At the Boardwalk

This is the second works of Dora games – after the success of Doras Carnival Adventure, you are given the second chance to join Dora and win tickets and prizes in Doras Carnival 2: At the Boardwalk.

The sequel to the hit game Dora’s Carnival Adventure! For ages 3 to 6. Go on a boardwalk adventure with Dora and friends! Play 10 different boardwalk-themed games and win tickets to earn prizes! Dora’s Carnival 2 is suitable for all ages and helps build essential skills for young ones such as numbers and counting, hand-eye coordination, Spanish-language skills, and much more.

System Requirements

• OS: Windows 2000/ XP/Vista
• CPU: 600 Mhz
• RAM: 128MB

2. Can you see what I see?

It is time to exercise your kids’ ability to the collectibles! This is a funny game for the kids to help others and develop their intelligence: find hidden objects with fast speed, will you?

In Can You See What I See? we meet poor Clyde Curfuffle, proprietor of Curfuffle’s Collectibles. He’s suffered a fire, a flood, and a nasty fall that’s put him in the hospital. The string of bad luck events just won’t stop, and he needs your help to save his collectibles shop! One of his favorite collectibles may sell for a lot of money, but you have to find out which one! Seymour will help you fill orders, find rare items and solve the secret code to unravel the mystery.

System Requirements

• OS: Windows 2000/ XP / Vista
• CPU: 800Mhz
• RAM: 512MB

3. Diego Dinosaur Rescue

Let kids start their journey with Diego! They will learn some knowledge on dinosaur by this exciting travel! Let’s protect the environment as well.

Diego, Alicia and Baby Jaguar are on a fantastic journey to the land of dinosaurs to reunite Maia the Maiasaura with her family. Join Diego and his friends on their journey and play exciting games. Become a dinosaur scientist and track giant footsteps, help rescue baby ploosaurs swimming in the deep lagoon, hit mudballs and build walls to stop the Troodons! There’s so much to see, learn, and explore in the land of the dinosaurs!

System Requirements

• OS: Windows XP / Vista
• CPU: 600MHz or faster Processor
• RAM: 256MB

4. Diego’s Dinosaur Adventure

In Diego’s Dinosaur Adventure, kids will get exercises of their memory, matching, logical and detective abilities, hand – eye coordination as well.

Go on a dino-adventure with Diego! As they complete all five dinosaur-themed games, kids collect dinosaur bones in their personalized Field Journal. Collect them all to unlock six interactive printable coloring activities! Are you ready to start? Don’t forget to learn some tips of dinosaur when playing.

System Requirements

• OS: Windows XP / Vista
• CPU: 600MHz
• RAM: 128MB

5. The Scruffs

You are a kind kid, aren’t you? OK, let’s try our best to help The Scruffs out with our entire efforts….

The Runner-Up Best Hidden Object Game of 2007
The Scruffs have enlisted your help to save their beloved family home from being sold. Grandpa Scruff has come up with a solution – an elaborate scavenger hunt to recover valuable artifacts, he’s hidden around the house. But in a surprising twist, Grandpa Scruff also reveals that he’s been hiding something else – a shocking family secret. Help the Scruffs stave off this looming family crisis and uncover the secret that will change their lives forever.

System Requirements

• OS: Windows 2000 / XP / Vista
• CPU: 600MHz or faster Processor
• RAM: 128MB

6. Wonderland Adventures

It is a game suitable for the brave and adventure loving kids to play! Because the task of Wonderland Adventures is not easy to finish.

The safety of Wonderland is threatened, and it’s up to you to save the day. Explore this vast world as you meet and interact with other characters, go on adventures, learn to use magic, and encounter new surprises around every corner. This original puzzle adventure has 3D visuals that will transport you into the world of Wonderland like never before. Test your wit and challenge your reflexes in Wonderland Adventures!

System Requirements

• OS: Windows 2000 / XP / Vista
• CPU: 600MHz
• RAM: 128MB

7. Candy Land Dora the Explorer Edition

It is an addictive game for kids to learn a set of skills. Without help, Dora and her friends may miss their way to the Fiesta, who will accept the assignment? You, of course!

Dora, Boots, Diego and Backpack are on their way to a Fiesta! Help them find their way through Candy Land to the Fiesta at the end! The original Dora the Explorer`s version of the Candy Land board game is brought to a new level of interactivity! Enjoy a variety of mini-games and other cool features!

System Requirements

• OS: Windows 2000 / XP / Vista
• CPU: 600MHz
• RAM: 128MB

8. Scrapbook Paige

Could you find hidden objects in games? This funny one offers kids a chance to find veiled objects. It requires a mastery skill of acapbooking as well, do you have the confidence to chanllenge? OK, go!

Scrapbook Paige is an addictive Hidden Object game with great environments to explore. After searching the many themed areas of the shop, players are given the chance to try out their scrapbooking skills. Creativity is key to earning extra cash when designing scrapbook pages for shop customers. Speed Rounds offer an exciting challenge as you try to complete rush orders. The superb magnifying glass feature is sure to please players when looking for those hard to find items.

System Requirements

• OS: Windows XP / Vista
• CPU: 1.0GHz
• RAM: 1024MB

9. Supercow

It is a well planner plot game for kids as well as the whole family – help Supercow beat the evil Professor! Train your brain by this game as it requires schemes to fight, will you?

Professor Duriarti, a famous criminal, has seized the farm and captured the animals! He cloned them and made the clones work for him to successfully fulfill his diabolical plan of earth’s destruction. Through her network of informants, Supercow heard about the situation, and dashed off to save the farm animals. Because after all, who knows how to save the farm better than Supercow? Supercow is an arcade game for the entire family!

System Requirements

• OS: Windows 2000 / XP / Vista
• CPU: 600MHz
• RAM: 128MB

10. Purrfect Pet shop

You are not allowed to keep a pet? No problem! Play this game to keep a pet of yours! It’s time to train your kindness to animals, isn’t it?

Purrfect Pet Shop puts you in charge of an animal adoption center, caring for strays as they arrive, matching them with the perfect owner. Nurse your own customizable dog or cat back to health. Earn the animal`s trust by playing with toys, careful grooming, and the occasional tasty treat. Use donations from satisfied customers to purchase upgrades and special items to get your friend ready for adoption.

System Requirements

• OS: Windows 2000 / XP / Vista
• CPU: 800MHz
• RAM: 128MB

11. Diego Safari Adventure

To tell you a secret, this time you will be on the way to do a great task! You are allied with Diego and his friend to save the enchanter elephants! Go!

Jambo! Diego, Alicia and Baby Jaguar are visiting their friend Juma in Africa. Juma tells them the story of the elephants and how, once upon a time, the mean Magician turned them into rocks with her Magic Wand. Join Diego, Alicia and Baby Jaguar on an adventure to find the drum on top of the Tallest Mountain that will break the elephants’ spell. You’ll also help out other animals along the way!

Anyone born in the 80s was born into a magical time in the world of gaming. Sure, they (or you) may have missed the Atari family of consoles, or even things like the Collecovision or Intellivision or other such 70s competitors, but we lived in a magical time because we had the Nintendo Entertainment System (or Famicom, for those living in that region of the world). We came up in what many people would consider the “golden age” of gaming — we had the Super Nintendo, the Sega Genesis, even the PlayStation 1 and the Nintendo 64, and we had many of the original PC classics like Doom and Wolfenstein. We had a lot of classic games back in our day — some that have a timeless appeal that all the high-graphics and flash can never capture. But we also lived in a dark age of video games. We had games that we thought were cool or great because we had nothing else to compare them to — games that attained such a high status based purely on innovation or novelty. We weren’t stupid, we were ignorant: we could never have imagined, in a hundred years, that video games would evolve to where they have today. Today there are a lot of old games that still keep a place in many gamers’ hearts because of their nostalgia factor, but the fact is that these games sucked. And there are some games that have always sucked, but for reasons that escape me they’re still hailed as great, timeless games!

Well, it’s time to give these nightmares the send-off they deserve.

Some games have the fanboy factor, some have never been looked back at for a really good evaluation…and for some titles, their fans need to wake up and smell the coffee, because they have no excuse! Well, whatever excuse these games have for being considered great or “classics”, it’s time to tear that excuse down. This is my list of the top 10 pieces of shit that people celebrate as classics.

This article contains some VERY strong language, so reader discretion is advised. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

10. Final Fantasy III (NES/Nintendo DS)

The only crime Final Fantasy III has committed is being called a Final Fantasy game. An RPG by any other name, and it would have had expectations for mediocrity — and would have fulfilled those expectations. In gameplay, this title is a staple of the standard, classic RPG. In story and execution — the two most prominent elements in an RPG game — the game is bland and unattractive. You get four characters with a small, boring history set to save the world in a series of effortless sequences that balance out with the classic RPG gameplay to give you a sense of neutrality for all your efforts. To be fair, this game wouldn’t have made it on the list except for the fact that it’s a Final Fantasy game — and when “Final Fantasy” is in a title, you get four legions of fans salivating for the game and ready to hold it’s name up on high. It’s not really a bad game. It’s just…blah.

9. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (Sega Genesis)

Ok, Sonic die-hards and classic gamers, before you start spewing hate comments and such, let me just say that I’m not here to dump on Sonic 3 and call it a turd nugget. I remain a huge fan of this game to this very day — like, I could probably pick it up right this second and play it and enjoy the hell out of it. The Sonic franchise itself, leading up to the later generation of games, had a dazzle effect that left us blinded. The reason why Sonic 3 makes the list is because of the big flaw that all Sonic games have. We all remember the high-speed runs, the loops, the springs…Sega used to brag that its systems had “blast processors”, which allowed it to do things the Nintendo and Super Nintendo didn’t, such as the high-speed action (remember “Sega does what Nintendon’t?), but that was just a marketing gimmick — there was no such thing as “blast processing”. Well, on that same token, there was no such thing as “classic gameplay” in all of the classic, trademark Sonic moments. Some of the biggest, best moments in Sonic games — moments that hooked us as gamers — were moments when we did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. Think about it: all those crazy high-speed boosts and sequences involved you hitting a spring and watching. What did you do? Strip that part away, and you had gameplay dominated heavily by just holding down the right button — and at the biggest moments, jumping. And these moments involved far less strategy than platformers of its time i.e. Super Mario Bros., because those strategic elements were replaced with the flash of flying through loops and stuff at high speed.

On top of that, level design grew rather lazy by the time Sonic 3 came out. It really felt like Team Sonic didn’t put the care and detail and effort into Sonic 3’s levels that they did Sonic 1 and 2. The bonus stages were nice, but they lacked the difficulty of the bonus stages in the first two games. It just felt like the love was gone a little. But, of course, Sonic 3 is probably the most beloved Sonic game made (probably my favorite as well, to be fair), but it’s own problems plus the mostly-sizzle lacking-steak gameplay that ran rampant through the rest of the early Sonic games lands this one as a classic that needs to be rejudged.

8. Final Fantasy V (Super Nintendo/PlayStation)

Again, another game perhaps stripped of its justice because of its game. As a Final Fantasy game, FF5 is expected to be a flag-bearer, a gold standard game. Coming fresh off the heels of the truly classic Final Fantasy IV, this title is perhaps held in a higher regard than my number 10, and has certainly been immortalized overseas — but it doesn’t fail to disappoint any less. It occurs to me that Square/Squaresoft (one of the companies that would join the merger to become today’s Square-Enix) knew that this title, like 3, didn’t stand up as well as others in the original 6, and was smart enough not to release it internationally until the Final Fantasy craze hit the world in full, for is it any surprise that America initially received 1, 4, and 6 only, and that they were packaged as 1, 2, and 3 — as if trying to disavow the rest? To me, this was certainly a smart move: Final Fantasy V was a boring little RPG with just a little difficulty and with a storyline ranging from stupid to practically non-existent. It wasn’t until the very end that the main villain appeared and a storyline materialized that actually compelled the player to continue on — but just when the storyline actually gets interesting, it’s time to fight the final boss. Square saved the best part of the storyline for the last 2% of the game. The front 98% of the story is total crap, so why bother playing through to the last two?

Also, the final boss is called Exdeath. Ooh, what an original and unique name. Exdeath. Really? Are you fucking kidding me?

7. Final Fantasy VIII (PlayStation)

Now, here’s where we REALLY start shoveling into the shit. Square comes off what could be argued as its biggest year yet (or ever), just a year or so removed from releasing three of its biggest games ever — including a game that could be the argued as the best RPG of all time (or even the best game of all time!). Now, when you land yourself a five-star platinum whooper of a nuclear product, it’s not unreasonable to try to emulate or recycle a lot of the elements that made the previous game so huge. So, naturally, this is what Square did. The final result was a soulless game with a cast of characters static, shallow, and almost completely unlikable (maybe except for one) and a storyline that was as out-of-touch with its fan base as it was just simply…bad. Cloud Strife set a standard for video game characters so high with his depth and intricacies that it would swallow whole most anyone who tried to emulate it with even a scrap less detail or love spent on him/her, and would spawn something I like to call “Cloud Strife Syndrome”. What is “Cloud Strife Syndrome”? It’s when you have a brooding, apathetic, callous main character with a troubled past who is either thrust into the spotlight and/or turns out/becomes some good or heroic guy in the end.

Essentially, a Mary-Sue.

Cloud Strife was a troubled young man who had a decent life as a Shinra military policeman, until the combination of brainwashing, experiments, shame of personal failure, and serious injury/trauma causes him to amalgamate his memories with memories of Tifa and Zack to create a persona of an elite solider that he’s not; and he comes to fabricate this persona so often and so deeply that he buries his true memories and self beneath his subconscious and begins to believe his own very powerful lies until encouragement from his friends (Tifa mostly) and a drop into the Lifestream force him to earth up his true memories and true self. So, what is Squall? Squall is an angsty teenager who grew up on an orphanage with a goth/flamboyant vibe, who acts like a dick to everybody to protect his fragile little feelings. In other words, he’s straight-up textbook depthless emo. Rinoa’s just a typical cute girl with a somewhat aggressive push, Questis is the hot teacher, Zell is the super-energetic spirit character, Irvine’s little more than a cheap knock-off of Squall (a knock-off of a knock-off…how pitiful), the story’s about teenage emo love with some nonsensical crap about sorcerers and Squall floating through space to get Rinoa…the only redeemable quality about this game is Laguna’s scenes/plot, and its tie-in. And, really, it’s not enough.

Now, the reason why this game doesn’t rank higher is because of its mixed reviews. There are some that see the game and story as classics, and even see Squall as a likable and deep character, including a journalist that mused on Squall having a “repressed Wagnerian broodiness”. But there are also many people who see this game the way I do: a game centered on the main character and a character-driven storyline, with the character said storyline is driven by being a chump. So, at least not everyone’s delusional.

6. Street Fighter (Arcade Console)

For a long time (and for some, even today), a joke ran in America about the Street Fighter franchise. There were 5 different versions of Street Fighter 2, the Alpha series spin off, all these games…but where was Street Fighter 1? Did it even exist? Obviously it existed — and I was one of the rare few who actually found it and played it a bit back while Street Fighter 2 was still in circulation.

The original Street Fighter was considered a trend-setter, and would later spawn what would arguably be the best fighting game franchise ever (of which I’m such a fan of I have an almost encyclopedic knowledge of Street Fighter and its canon and such). For a game that spawned such a wonderful and celebrated series, how could the original suck so bad? You could argue that it simply didn’t age well (most Street Fighter games don’t age well at all, in fact); but for a trend-setter, I happen to think that it sucks as much back then as it does now. Street Fighter was built with the noblest of intentions, but the final product was just full of conceptual holes and programming stupidities. The idea of Street Fighter was to build a game like the old karate game for Nintendo, to allow two players to have a martial arts brawl, but with a twist: with the proper button input, your character would suddenly unleash a fireball or an amazing hurricane kick, giving them secret moves to bring a new level of excitement to a hand-to-hand duel. Here’s the problem: the original arcade units had special sensors in the joypads that sensed pressure in the way you pushed, gripped, and moved the stick when performing your 8-bit hadouken, shoryuken, or tatsumaki sempukyaku (the hurricane kick, for those less savvy). Most players didn’t know that — or the fact that the amount of pressure on the buttons would determine the strength of the attack or, indeed, if it even executed at all. So, considering that the special moves were almost impossible to pull off, that explains a lot. The problem is that when later ports were released, they didn’t have any means to register pressure applied to their joysticks or D-pads. The end result? You were lucky to pull of a special move once per fight no matter how hard you go for it, and the damage said special attacks did were completely random. You could finish a fight with a successful hadouken, or you could do about as much damage as a mosquito bite. Bad concept and bad programming, if you ask me. The unnecessarily high difficulty is just the icing to this overrated cake. Maybe with a little more thought and work, this game truly could have been a trend-setting classic. But it’s not — so pass it.

5. Scribblenauts (Nintendo DS)

It’s not necessarily fair to call Scribblenauts a classic because it only came out this year. But because Scribblenauts is such an innovative game — perhaps even a bona fide pioneer — this game is more a future classic (or more likely to be one, anyway). It has many elements of a future in the making, including positive sales, hype, and that wonderful innovation factor that most games today lack. If you’ve been reading my other articles, then you’ll have already read how I took this game to task: it’s a sandbox that loses its appeal very quickly, with a gameplay and a build-up that doesn’t inspire you to keep playing. In theory, this game should have infinite replay value; in fact, it has no replay value at all. The puzzles and overall main game quickly become tedious for anyone who plays in spans exceeding five minutes, and its rapid drop in value suggests that this notion is starting to carry on. It’s worth a rent — and you should only buy it if you plan on using it solely to kill time at appointments or meetings for 15-minute work breaks. Maybe Scribblenauts 2 will be the big classic of this franchise — although the premise of this game suggests that making a classic of this series may, realistically, not be possible. If you want a bigger review as to why this game deserves a shit blanket, read my review of this game.

4. Phantasy Star (Sega Genesis)

The funny thing is that the above image is so much better than I remember the game looking.

A lot of people hail Phantasy Star as one of the greatest RPG franchises of all time. A lot of people see this game as a trend-setter, a classic, an iconic title mandatory for any gamer of any generation. To them, I say this: why?

It’s barely removed from Final Fantasy, in essence. Actually, Phantasy Star is barely removed from a lot of games. The NES had games (perhaps even one or a few licensed under D&D) that took the first-person presentation in battle with their RPGs. The only difference, maybe, would come in the form of inferior graphics. But that counts for so little that it’s pathetic. When you enter a dungeon or a cave or anything similar to these environments — any RPG fan knows what I’m talking about, and they also know that you run into one sooner than later — you’re thrown into a psuedo-3D bland mess with no compass, no indicators in direction, no map, and unless you have a guide book or walkthrough, you’re pretty much lost and hopeless. Shoot, that’s how I felt when I played Phantasy Star. I couldn’t get past the first dungeon because I had no idea how to navigate, and the game’s presentation was such a mess that I didn’t even care. That’s what you get with this so-called classic: gameplay you’ve seen before either on a PC or, if you look hard enough, the supposedly “inferior” NES, a severely disjointed story that you’ll never get into at all because you’ll get stuck before you can learn anything about this world, and what really, strongly looks to be a whitewash, boring, uninspired sci-fi anime story or something like that (sci-fi usually has a way of producing uninspired and uninteresting whitewash to begin with). And you get that experience with each Phantasy Star you pick up on the Genesis: by the time you hit the first dungeon, you get lost and soon discover that, with the presentation of the game, you really don’t care anyway.

So what’s its redeeming quality? If it weren’t for these games, there would be no Phantasy Star Online. Phantasy Star Online is the light at the end of the tunnel, and the culmination of this game and the entire Phantasy Star franchise. Yet when you get right down to it, PSO is nothing more than a Diablo 2 knock-off (though, for the record, I AM a PSO fan). Then the Phantasy Star franchise goes right back into the shitter with Phantasy Star Universe — a game that tries to take PSO but give it a more centralized storyline, which turns out to be another trashy, obnoxious space anime with bad voice-acting, a plot only a 13 year old Otaku can enjoy, and an episodic presentation that interrupts gameplay in the most obnoxious way and makes you want to clear the game in a hurry so you can play with a custom character (so you can get to all the good gameplay and amazing new mechanics without dealing with the anime trash).

Phantasy Star is where things start to get good, but now we really hit the roller coaster and dig into the meat and potatoes of games you think are the shit, but are just plain shit.

3. Fallout (PC)

The original Fallout is a gem in its own way. It’s a very rare sort of game.

This is the type of game that lies to you. It tricks you. It deceives you into thinking that this game is going to be so spectacularly amazing that you’ll never, ever want to stop playing it.

But the moment you leave Vault 13, you want to rip your hair out.

The very first thing I noticed about this game when I played it was that it was incredibly, unbelievably ahead of its time. If I can say nothing else good about Fallout, it’s that this game was so ahead of its time, one would think Interplay had hired clairvoyants. Fallout was released in 1997, but its stat systems, perks, and general gist of mechanics and things would be used in 2000 and around 2004(ish); and even 11 years later, when they were used for Fallout 3, the stats and perks and things that the original Fallout pioneered fit right into place and seemed both fresh and perfect for the times. The isometric graphics are rather timeless — no matter how far technology is pushed, as long as you can make the sprites a little more detailed and/or intricate, isometrics remain in style and often serve as a tell-tale sign of a good game.

The problem with Fallout was that the stat system and character customization and abilities were so ahead of their time that they couldn’t reconcile with the climate and gameplay mechanics of THEIR time. But this is no simple conceptual problem that makes Fallout worthy of being one of the top 3 most overrated games of all time. Even if the game wasn’t so advanced, it still couldn’t reconcile the twisted, perverse pleasures the game designers had when they made this game. And they are sick little fucks, too; I believe this in my heart. Don’t believe me? I’ll illustrate with a typical walkthrough of the time.

You are the Vault Dweller from Vault 13, in a post-apocalyptic America. The water processing chip, a component that purifies water to your community and makes it drinkable, goes bad. You have 150 days to find a replacement, or everyone in your vault dies. You’re told that Vault 15, a few days’ distance away, should have a replacement chip. So you travel to Vault 15, but guess what? It’s destroyed, and the chip is gone. Great, so you just wasted very valuable time. You find a town along the way, recruit some people, do a few quests, and a couple other towns open. You go through them, explore them, talk to people…then guess what? You’re stuck. After you reach Junktown, you have nowhere to go and no leads. So you’re screwed. You can wander if you want to try to find your next lead — or even another town — but all the while your time is ticking away, and it’s ticking away FAST. You could have just skipped ahead and bypassed Vault 15 and all these other places, but how were you supposed to know that they’d be red herrings designed to waste your time? And where do you go, anyway? Well, you’d better pray that your first decision is a good one, because the clock’s ticking!

Fallout is for masochists. Fallout is a game for people who get a kick out of punishing themselves. And quite honestly, I’m not that type of person. And to make matters worse, there’s so much you can do with your character and so many different skills you can use to interact with the environment and so many modifications, the interface is an absolute mess. You don’t really know what skills you should work up or why, what use they’ll do for you, etc. And when it comes to sneaking and stealing, the primitive isometic graphics give you absolutely no mercy at all. What’s accessible? What can you check? What can you steal from? How, exactly, do you sneak without giving yourself away? And anyway, will it really matter in the end? Supposing a different skill layout actually helps you discover how to advance in the game. How, in the holy hell, is a gamer supposed to know how to build themselves without a strategy guide? If you get it wrong, you’re fucked — so have fun torturing yourself. If it’s any consolation, the developers of the original game are probably beating off to your frustration, so at least you made them happy.

Once Bethesda bought Interplay and gained the rights for Fallout 3, the franchise became the classic and monument to glory it deserves to be. Fallout’s setting, environments, ambiance, and back story make for such an incredible experience. A user-friendly and better-integrated interface, the semi-linear presentation (you can wander and do as you pleased, but you weren’t tied to a time limit and at no point were you left high and dry when wanting to advance), and the awesome first-person/V.A.T.S. juggle were just some of the things Fallout needed. Of course, Fallout 3 isn’t perfect — it suffers from the myriad of bugs and sub-par A.I. common in a big-world Bethesda RPG, but Fallout 3 is so much better than its predecessors. There are still many Fallout fans today who speak of the former sequel candidate, Van Buren, as if it were part of the canon or might someday be released — or SHOULD even be released! — and to them I say that they should stop talking about Van Buren in such high regard. The project is dead. That studio shut down. Van Buren is just another cancelled Fallout title, and quite honestly Van Buren’s cancellation in favor of Bethesda’s Fallout 3 is the best thing that could have happened.

2. Marvel vs. Capcom 2 (Arcade Console/Dreamcast/PlayStation 2/Xbox 360)

Now, of all the classics that people claim that they can play to this day, here’s a game that people DO play regularly to this day! I, myself, for a very long time counted myself as a rabid fan of this game. 3-on-3 tag-team action, insanely fast battles, a game where only the technically sound thrive…

But then one day, after having played Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike for a good, long while, I realized that MvC2 sucks. It sucks so bad, it’s unplayable.

I’ve never played a sloppier, more imbalanced fighting game in all my life. Marvel vs. Capcom 2 boasts a roster of 56 characters in total — and whenever you have a game bulging at the seams with characters, balance goes right out the window. Marvel vs. Capcom 2 is the sort of unfair game where, if you play with the right three characters (any from the S tier), no matter how good your opponent is, you will crush him or her without a prayer. The game relies on big, flashy, and cheap attacks that fill the entire screen, or else other special attacks that do absolutely nothing. But no matter who you play as, the game is unrewarding. Hits don’t feel solid in this game. Everything has a sloppy, disjointed, imbalanced feel to it. Normal attacks feel so utterly inferior to special attacks, which sometimes feel inferior on their own or are simply inferior in general to super attacks. And super attacks are…well, if you want to know how good or solid or rewarding they feel, check a tier list.

When it comes to regular attacks and the like, the game was definitely made to be able to realistically squeeze six opponents into a 60- or 90-second brawl. And that’s a major problem, because battles and hits don’t feel decisive at all. You can just button mash, or throw up your biggest beam, and just brush right along. The Street Fighter Alpha series also suffered from this horrible imbalance (with Alpha 3 being the worst example and another unplayable game — though its no surprise with its 900-some odd character roster list), but MvC2 manages to be even worse. The release of MvC2 on Xbox Live may have killed the value of anyone owning an original disc (like myself), but there was a time when MvC2 was valued at around $150 — but, honestly, I wouldn’t value it at $1.50. Any fighting game with a tier list should be considered and reconsidered before being purchased, but MvC2 is the worst example of a fighting game ever. The only cool thing it brought to the table was giant 3-on-3 battles, and perhaps a valuable lesson to Tatsunoko vs. Capcom in the value of a solid, balanced fighting game no matter how crazy the pacing is or how big the roster is — and by the looks of early demos, Capcom’s taking this lesson to heart.

1. Battletoads (NES)

Yeah, that’s right. The number one most overrated “classic” — the cream of the crap — is everyone’s beloved Battletoads. And why the fuck not? Every single previous title I’ve listed has had some sort of redeeming quality, however slight, whether or not I’ve listed them. But there is absolutely, positively NOTHING good to say about Battletoads. Nothing. Maybe the pause music, but that’s it — and that doesn’t amount to shit. Battletoads is nothing but a generic platform beat-em-up with a few humorous moments and A LOT of conceptual and programming faults.

Where do I begin? Oh, I know! Why not begin with the fact that in co-op, you can kill your partners? What the fuck was the purpose behind being able to kill your friend when you played two-player? The idea of “friendly fire” isn’t unheard of, and it has appeared in games both before and after Battletoads. Hell, in Super Mario Bros. 3, you could play your friend in a sort of original Mario Bros. remix, but you could actually use that competition to gain their cards and potentially big 1-Ups, or rack up more cards on each level up for bragging rights. In Battletoads, you don’t get jack shit for killing your friend. You don’t get health, you don’t get extra lives, you don’t even get points. And the game is so brutally hard that the LAST thing you want to do is kill your friend. Problem is that it’s so easy to do (like in the second level, when you descend down the large pit). Like, what in God’s name were the programmers thinking when they included friendly fire? The idea of being able to kill your friend for absolutely no gain makes absolutely no sense at all!

Battletoads is a very difficult game. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. What makes it bad is that the challenge comes from the game’s programming just as much as it does things like enemy A.I. or puzzles or things like that. The challenge comes from the fact that in the first level, you have to jump for a certain pixel that’s almost impossible to locate to get a 1-Up, or that you have to be able to time jumps just right on those hover vehicles when sometimes you just can’t pull it off considering the previous jumps — or the fact that when you hit a ramp, you have to land at a certain pixel or small section of pixels because if you miss them — even if you land on solid ground — you’re dead. What’s the point of even trying to get through the game when you’re going to get screwed because the same idiots that thought it’d be a good idea for you to kill your friends didn’t know how to program a landing, or (for lack of better term) proper collision detection? Battletoads is just a faster, flashier, but sloppier knock-off of Double Dragon — which makes it no surprise that the two games had a mediocre mash-up.

I shouldn’t even have to mention the story, but I feel that it bears commenting on, because it’s so fucking stupid. Apparently three mutant toads (Rash, Zits, and Pimple) are working for some giant bird. Some evil dominatrix chick kidnaps Pimple and some princess for…I have no clue why, so the bird commands you from a ship to go save them. A bird commanding three toads and a princess…what the fuck?! I would love to know what the developers were on at the time, because I bet it was high-quality stuff! It makes so little sense that thinking about it gives me a headache. But the retarded storyline doesn’t even matter: even with a good story, Battletoads is irrevocably bad, and the perfect example of how NOT to make a game.

And yet people love it. People love this game, and call it a classic. Why? Is it because of some misplaced, ill-conceived nostalgia? Is it because people only value its nostalgia, not having any good standard to measure it again, so they continue to lie to themselves that Battletoads can even resemble “decent” on a good day? When rumors of a new Battletoads game for Wii hit the internet, it suddenly spawned a massive fag-fest at 4chan and at other sites frequented by 15 year old boys who think that fart and dick jokes are cool and funny to prank phone call GameStop stores asking for the new Battletoads. That shit’s not funny, not even a little bit. Never mind how annoying it is to receive such phone — though it’s VERY annoying to receive a call for Battletoads knowing some little scrawny punk is calling because he saw someone else do it on his favorite viral site; there will never, EVER be another Battletoads game ever made. Ever. And you know what? Rare should never even consider making a new one either. Battletoads is built on a monument of beyond-awful gameplay that, for reasons that may forever elude me, still charms nostalgia gamers to this day. Battletoads may very well be the most overrated game of all time, but anyone with any modicum of standards who puts any thought to Battletoads should see, right away, just how bad this game was. It sucked back then, it sucks even worse now, and the further along we go in history, the worse Battletoads will be. The Wii Battletoads fad isn’t funny, the game isn’t funny, and nothing associated with Battletoads is funny, cool, good, etc.

If you want a timeless game — one that deserves to be called a “classic” — then go play Super Mario Bros. 3. Play Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out (or just regular Punch-Out). Play Final Fantasy I. Play Chrono Trigger. Play Secret of Mana. Play Suikoden I and/or II. These are true timeless classics. As for the list above, throw these games out. Bury them deep in the ground where they deserve to be.

Well, except for Sonic the Hedgehog 3. You can keep that one.

A look back at some of the scariest games ever made. I find classics are usually more well thought out than the new scary games. The only thing I can really say better about the new releases are better graphics but otherwise, classics have always been able to give me the chills.

10. Silent Hill 2-PlayStation 2, Xbox, PC

Silent Hill 2 is only a loose sequel to the 1999’s critically praised survival horror game. It has a similar town settings from its original. But new Protagonist and cast of characters made me play this game and finish it. This game offers 4 unique ending(cool). And upon playing this game again and again with different level of difficulty of course, you will be able to find hidden objects as well as special weapons such as the chain saw, which severs enemies completely in half. Silent Hill 2 suffers a bit from being too close to its predecessor in terms of gameplay, but it does manage to scare up enough dread to be a worthy game for fans of the genre.

9. Alone in the Dark-PC

This game is one of the oldest Survival Horror game out there just following the 1989 Sweet Home by Capcom.

Players are given the option of choosing between a male or female character, and are then trapped inside the haunted mansion of Derceto after dark. From there you are to solve puzzles or hell you can choose to fight slave zombies, giant bipedal rat-like creatures along the way. The story is great, this is the kind of game you want to try to finish until you solve the mystery.

Scariest moment : As soon as the game starts. You got no weapons, bare hands to fight creatures. Yikes!

8. System Shock 2-PC

This game debuted summer 1999, to scare people. Utterly immersive in its use of character attachment and amnesiac story-telling, it is a game that will honestly give you the sweats. This game is very atmospheric from the beginning. The character models is just disgusting making you want to shoot them with what ever weapon you have. The sound also adds up, being very disturbing that is.

7. Condemned “Criminal Origins”-PC

This game is inspired by the movies such as Silence of the Lambs and Se7en. Released by Sega on April 11, 2006 Condemned offers new scary tactics. No zombies and Mansion, only blood squirting heads.

You take the role of Ethan Thomas, a SCU agent (Serial Crime Unit investigator that uses forensic tools) framed for a double cop murder who becomes trapped in the condemned sections of a fictional American city named “Metro City” while hunting a serial killer. Thomas’ investigation is further complicated by a mysterious phenomenon that is transforming the transient population of these areas into insane, violent psychotics. As Thomas, the player investigates crime scenes using forensic tools and techniques, while fighting off the constant assaults by “the influenced” in the hopes of catching the serial killer and escaping alive, and prove that he is innocent to the police.

You have to be fast killing criminals as the bullets are very hard to find ingame.

6. Undying-PC

The game begins in 1923, after World War I veteran Patrick Galloway receives an urgent letter from his friend Jeremiah Covenant. Covenant, well aware of Galloway’s reputation for dealing with occult matters, is in failing health and raves about a curse that has destroyed his entire family. Galloway travels to the Covenant estate on the coast of Ireland to visit his friend, who relates an outlandish tale of supernatural terrors.

The curse then killed all Jeremiah’s family and turned them into monsters in which you have to get through later ingame. From there you get spooky places, cult books and gruesome monsters to deal with. Have i mentioned you also get to use spells ingame? Not only to damage monsters but also use to solve some puzzles to progress.

5. F.E.A.R-PC

First Encounter Assault Recon was released on October 17, 2005. A horror themed first-person shooter developed by Monolith Productions and published by Vivendi. This game is well packed with action, bloody effects and a unique feature just like in Matrix and Max Payne in which you can slow down time to dodge bullets.

The atmosphere of this game is based on another Japanese horror movies. Another ghostly little girl which will hunt you down througout the game. Even the sounds are from Japanese themes.

4. Doom 3-PC, Xbox

Doom 3 made a hit on its August 2004 release. With 3.5million copies sold, it is the most successful game by the developer(Id Software) to date. Doom 3 is a major reboot from older doom video game series, disregarding the older dooms story line and making this doom probably the best ever.

Doom 3‘s more story-centered approach, set on Mars with the primary objective is to stop Demons and Monsters to wreak havoc to Earth. This game offers high detailed environment, nicely modeled monsters and demons and realistic sound effects.

3. Fatal Frame 2 Crimson Butterfly-Playstation 2, Xbox

Fatal Frame 2 has a very original story line. Twin sisters Mio and Mayu Amakura are visiting the spot where they used to play as children. Mayu follows a mysterious crimson butterfly deep into the woods. Mio, concerned for her twin, follows, and the two girls are led to a village shrouded in fog. While it seems abandoned, the twins soon realize that the tortured souls of the dead roam, forever reliving the day of the failed ceremony that trapped them in this state.

No Guns, No Spooky Mansion, No zombies. You main weapon is your camera, that’s right. A camera in which you can exorcise ghost. From there you collect different kinds of films and solve the mystery throughout the village. If you love Japanese Horror movies then i suggest you spend time playing this game.

2. Silent Hill 1-Playstation

Silent hill was the closest to ever bump on RE series but what made this game unique in someway is the goosebumps it gives you without any zombies chasing after you. Don’t turn the lights off and make sure the radio is on when you play this game alone. This is the best Silent Hill of all time.

Scariest moment : The time when the city turn’s into a bloody mess scares me.

1. Resident Evil 1-PC, Playstation 2

First Release in 1996 on PS1, Capcom made one of its trademark on making this classic best. From its original window breaking zombies , ceiling crawling lurkers and time consuming puzzles, who would not remember? Will Resident Evil 5 break its great grandfather? The graphics probably would for sure.

Scariest moment : Opening newly unlocked doors are one of the scariest in this classic. You just cant expect what’s inside next. Capcom made a good job on those opening door effects, I just love the black surrounding and squeaky sound it has.

]]> http://www.popmmorpg.com/top-rank/top-10-scariest-games.html/feed 0 http://www.popmmorpg.com/top-rank/top-10-online-3d-virtual-worlds.html http://www.popmmorpg.com/top-rank/top-10-online-3d-virtual-worlds.html#comments Fri, 04 Sep 2009 02:10:14 +0000 admin http://www.popmmorpg.com/?p=1060 1. Second Life – Internet virtual world started in 1999 and run by Linden Labs. There is no better place to create buy and sell products.

2.  World of Warcraft – Multiplayer online role playing game created by Blizzard Entertainment in 2001. One of the most popular online games and the highest paid subscriber base with the latest installment Wrath of the Lich King. Leveling up is the ultimate goal. There has been a crackdown on trying to make money with this game by selling gold, characters, items, etc.

3.  The Sims 3 – from Electronic Arts has a historic following.  Relatively new to the game, The Sims 3 is also available for the iPhone and saw heavy demand for the Sims 3 download torrent.  Combined with heavy advertising and the ability to know interact and move around online like a more traditional MMORPG should spell success.  Read the Top 10 Reasons to Play the Sims 3.

4.Sony Playstation Home – This MMORPG exclusively for Playstation 3 console owners boasts over 6.5 Million accounts.  In the virtual world multiple gamezones offer activities, streaming video, and live events.  Read 10 Reasons why Second Life is better than PlayStation Home.  It is free to play and Microtransactions for virtual clothes, furniture, and gear earned Sony over $1 million dollars in Playstation Home in a very short period of time.

5. Kaneva – 2D and 3D social networking and virtual world created by Kaneva, Inc 2004. Quickly gaining popularity for game developers. Easily combine video, social networks, and 2D.

6. IMVU – Chat with new and old friends in a customizable 3d chat room, create your own customized avatar and chat with friends while creating custom rooms and objects and even earning money. You even get one thousand free credits when you sign up. IMVU Inc. was created in 2004 and has 20 million registered users and $1 million in revenue each month

Current subscribers will receive the expansions as part of an automatic update to their existing game client. For players that are new to Dark Age of Camelot, or for those interested in returning to the world, they can download the new 14-day free trial which now features all five retail expansions, including Darkness Rising and Labyrinth of the Minotaur. New players can download the Dark Age of Camelot 14-Day free trial here: http://www.darkageofcamelot.com/trial

“The Dark Age of Camelot community has thrived for nearly a decade and the game has helped transform the MMO landscape with the introduction of groundbreaking Realm vs. Realm gameplay,” said Jeff Hickman, Executive Producer of Mythic Entertainment. “We could not be more excited to offer all this entertainment to all current players and to those interested in returning to the game, as well as to those looking to experience the game for the first time.”

In addition, seasoned veterans of Dark Age of Camelot can now return to Midgard, Hibernia and Albion and play free for a limited time. The Come Back To Camelot campaign allows former players with closed accounts for 90 days or more receive 10 days of game-time free when they update and reactivate their account.

Darkness Rising, released in 2005, introduced Champions of the Realms to Camelot, which included new weapons, advanced mounts and expanded Champion levels which allow players to gain new skills and learn abilities from other classes. Labyrinth of the Minotaur, released in 2006, introduced the playable Minotaur race and the Mauler class, as well as the largest dungeon in Camelot history.

For more information about the Dark Age of Camelot: Darkness Rising and Labyrinth of the Minotaur, please visit: www.darkageofcamelot.com/.

A new age is dawning in the world of Warhammer. It is an age of bitter rivalry and legendary heroism. It is an age of lethal conflict as the loosely allied realms of Order stand against the relentless onslaught of the armies of Destruction. It is the Age of Reckoning.

No2.WoW Wrath of the Lich King

Blizzard Entertainment’s second expansion to World of Warcraft ? Wrath of the Lich King ? adds a host of epic content to the existing game world. Players will achieve soaring levels of power, explore a vast new continent, and battle other high-level heroes to determine the fate of Azeroth.

No3.Huxley

Huxley is a massively multiplayer online first-person shooting game (MMOFPS) developed by the H-Studio of global online entertainment company, WEBZEN Inc. Huxley takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where human beings have mutated and are divided into two opposing races, Sapiens and Alternative. At the center of the battle for survival is Lunarites, a promising new energy source that both sides seek to obtain. Forced to battle against one another for the continuance of each race, Sapiens and Alternatives are willing to do whatever it takes to wipe out the conflicting race and gain control of the world and its resources.

No4.Aion

Discover the beautiful lands of Aion? and explore an ethereal world torn between good and evil.

Harness breathtaking powers to influence dynamic relationships that exist between graceful angels, fearsome demons, and mighty dragons. You will shape the future of Aion?.

No5. All Points Bulletin

All Points Bulletin (APB) is a massively multiplayer online freeform combat and driving-based game, designed by the creator of the original Grand Theft Auto (GTA) franchise. Developed by Real Time Worlds Ltd. and published by global online entertainment company, WEBZEN Inc., APB brings players into a living, breathing city where cash is king and territory equals respect. In a fight to dominate the expansive world of APB, players must decide which side of the law to abide by, as Law Enforcement who take on the challenge of supporting and safeguarding justice, or as Gangs, who operate against the law and any opposing groups by any means necessary. APB will provide players with ultimate customization options from their weapons, vehicles and clothes to their attitude, music and environment.

No6.AQ Worlds

Inspired by Artix Entertainment’s three previous games (AdventureQuest, DragonFable, and MechQuest), AQWorlds is a 100% browser based game with real time combat, original art, and an entire world to explore. Battle monsters and obtain weapons, armor, pets and items.

No7.CrimeCraft

CrimeCraft is a Persistent World Next-gen Shooter (PWNS) that blends an action-packed shooter experience with groundbreaking community and role-playing elements never before seen in a shooter. CrimeCraft is set in a gritty fictional city of the near future. Following an ecological disaster of unprecedented scale, gangs have taken control and power is determined by the size of your crew and the strength of your reputation. Join thousands of players online as you learn the rules of the street. Build your own gang and do whatever it takes to survive amidst the chaos. Earn a reputation. Build a gang. Kill the competition.

No8.Mythos

Mythos is an action heavy Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG) from the makers of Fate and Diablo.

Set in the world of Uld, players assume the role of fantasy heroes as they explore, adventure, and quest through entirely randomized dungeons and environments. Mythos allows thousands of players to interact within the same world while using ‘instanced’ dungeons to create unique gaming experiences suited for both solo and group-minded players.

Whether adventuring together or braving the dangers of the world of Uld alone, friendships are formed and alliances are forged. The competition for knowledge, power and glory is on. And every time in will be a new experience. Mythos is also entirely free-to-play.

No9.Rohan

Rohan: Blood Feud is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG). The game is a rich and expansive persistent online world, set on the continent of Rohan. The land is full of quests to embark upon, from simple to glorious. Friends and enemies will be made and lost, spectacular battles will be fought, and an abundance of unique game features will keep players on the edge of their gaming seats. There are many features of the game that set it apart from more traditional MMORPGs, including: REVENGE: Players who have been slain in-game by another will have their killers automatically recorded on their ‘Hit List’. Once resurrected, the slain can teleport to their killers for a chance at revenge. TOWNSHIP BATTLES: In-game groups – called ‘guilds’ – have the opportunity to rule each town within Rohan. Other guilds may wage civil war with the ruling guild, with the chance to gain control of their own. In addition to treasure & riches, the right to tax all commercial exchanges within the town for one week goes to the winner.

No.10WindSlayer

Free 2D side scrolling MMORPG with cartoonish graphics ala Maple Story.

]]> http://www.popmmorpg.com/top-rank/top-10-upcoming-mmorpgs-to-watch.html/feed 6 http://www.popmmorpg.com/top-rank/top-10-free-mmorpg-games.html http://www.popmmorpg.com/top-rank/top-10-free-mmorpg-games.html#comments Sun, 30 Aug 2009 02:34:27 +0000 admin http://www.popmmorpg.com/?p=837 While there are many mmorpgs out here, not all people like the subscription models, so they play free mmorpgs. They are not exactly free because they all have shops that can offer you an advantage if you buy special items from there, but it’s not mandatory and in some, it’s not necessary at all if you know what you’re doing. Developers must get money someway in order to maintain the servers and the game, so that’s why we have the shops.

Below we made a list with the top 10 free mmorpgs we found for you guys. We will update this list from time to time, and some received or will receive detailed reviews. Click on the titles to open the game page for that specific game.

Have fun!

1. Runes of Magic

Runes of Magic is a fantasy MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game), in which words can create, but also destroy. Here you can explore and discover a magical world full of wonders and ancient riddles. Encounter arcane and dangerous creatures and solve the mystery of a long-perished kingdom. You have access to a dual class system which gives you the freedom to combine your main and secondary class, in order to build your character the way you want conceive it. Learn professions and special skills, to forge mighty armor and weaponry or to enhance them. Accumulate unique in-Game collector’s cards, which provide you with information and data of all creatures you have already encountered. Relax after a hard day of labor in your own house, which you can arrange just the way you want to.

2. Requiem

Requiem: Bloodymare is a massively multiplayer online game for mature audiences that pits you, the player, into a dark, violent and bloodstained world devastated by generations of scientific misuse and magic. Fight for your own survival against the grotesque monsters that stalk the cursed land or band together with fellow survivors to fend off the stronger, bloodthirsty creatures that awaken only at night to prey upon the weak. Use a wide selection of weapons and the mysterious powers of beast possession to viciously slay down your enemies with destructive force. Requiem is set in a grim, persistent world combined with violent, blood-spattering action to provide gamers a refreshingly new and innovative approach to online game design

3. Free Realms

Free Realms is a free 3D virtual world with stunning unique graphics and fun, quirky activities. Free Realms is an attitude. It’s innovative, dynamic and deep. Welcome to Free Realms, where there’s so much to see and explore! Free Realms is a fun, whimsical world filled with dynamic gameplay and compelling content for everyone.

Do what you want to do, when you want to do it, in a 3D world of lush landscapes and fun wildlife. Teach your pet new tricks, explore a lush new world, earn great items through quests or play fun mini-games. If adventuring is more your style, become a wizard and search for lost treasure or fight monsters in a mix of real-world experiences and fantasy adventure. With regular content updates and special events scheduled, it’s time to discover the delights of Free Realms!.

4. Mabinogi

Step into the realm of living fantasy, Erinn, Mabinogi’s fantasy world based on Celtic mythology is brimming with fantastic opportunities and endless possibilities.

Mabinogi is a free mmorpg game that with its simplicity comes with many original and simple features, making the game very interesting to play. Simple activities and high control over you avatar skills, job system where you help townsfolk with their daily life, these features deliver a fun experience and a new approach in some ways. Unfortunately it’s only available in the US for now , but it might be released in other areas too.

5. Atlantica Online

A decent free mmorpg with a turn-based combat similar to the one in Final Fantasy series, good graphics, and good features, from pvp combat to something similar to the tome of knowledge in Warhammer Online.

6. RF Online

RF Online is an epic mix of traditional fantasy mmorpg game and unique futuristic sci-fi action to bring an entirely new and original take on the existing mmorpg genre. As a player you get to choose from 3 factions, where one is particular interesting because they are robots. The most interesting feature in this mmorpg game is that all your skills grow while you use them. Want to be good with a ranged gun, well use it until you get proficient with that item, and so on and so forth. It brings lots of grind but it’s interesting since the world is very well done in terms of graphics and location, and we also have a mass pvp feature.

7. Anarchy Online Classic

AO is one of the oldest mmorpg games on the market, one of those that offers you complete control over your character, and at the same time it’s somewhat more complex than your average mmorpg game, but after you master it, you might love it. It’s not very friendly but a good experience.  Offers interesting features from possibility to have a car, or even a small hover craft, random mission generator, if you want to use it, territory battles, tons of dungeons, and the basic features of p2p mmorpg, but well made.

8. Project Torque

Project is an online racing game, I can’t call it a mmorpg since it’s based on lobby system, but an entertaining game. Having the possibility to race, compete with other players, win credits and buy new cars, and customize them, leads to a fun experience. Also the racing system is well designed. It really delivers the feeling that you are on the road racing for the number one spot.

9. Navy Field

Navy Field is a Massively Multi Player Online Tactics Game. Based on naval combat during WWII, Navy Field is unique in its attention to detail.

Similar to Project Torque, Navy Field is based on lobby system so it’s not really massive, but fights within this lobbies system can go with over 40 players at the same time.

This game will attract fans of the naval battles of the WWII, where they can take control over massive warships from destroyers to battleships and have complete control over their equipment and crew.

10. Dungeon Runners

Dungeon Runners is an free mmorpg game where you’ll explore dangerous dungeons, battle ferocious monsters and discover incredible weapons, artifacts and loot.

Dungeon Runners it a hack and slash mmorpg game with a twist, with a similar system of loot and combat as Diablo series, and a bunch of funny features, that can keep a few fans of this genre happy, but not for long unfortunately .