Well so far we’ve covered some highly secretive MMO games, some hugely anticipated MMO games and some, well, some that people aren’t really that sure about. Part 3 of our what’s launching in 2013 sees even more coverage of some of the hottest contenders for the MMO crown next year.
I have never wanted a genre to succeed as much as I do with sandbox MMO games but so far, they’ve all failed miserably. We had endless promises with Darkfall and Mortal Online and although both did deliver on occasion, the common response was disappointment with a dash of depression. The world of the sandbox could provide MMO players with endless possibilities but nobody has been able to capitalize on an all but empty genre.
Enter Pathfinder Online, a next-generation MMORPG that promises to blend the appeal of theme park MMO games with the depth and freedom from the sandbox genre. Advertised as a high fantasy MMORPG that can be compared to the legendary works of The Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones, Pathfinder Online could be the MMO that bridges the ever-expanding gap between mainstream and sandbox.
For more information you can check the official website
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Foreign but not forgotten. As well as the exciting array of MMORPG games that we’ve covered so far there have also been confirmed reports of a number of the top Eastern MMO games coming to Western shores.
The most notable of these titles include ArcheAge and Blade and Soul. Blade and Soul promises to deliver players an authentic, oriental experience fueled by intense martial arts combat, although these claims are not exactly fresh to the MMO World. Boasting 4 races, 6 classes and one hell of an announcement trailer, Blade and Soul could be one of the few martial arts MMO’s that actually makes an impact on Western society.
You can view the trailer and currently available information here.
ArcheAge isn’t quite a polished as Blade and Soul as the game only hit open beta in Korea on December 12th. Although not officially labelled as a sandbox MMO the currently announced features seem to stray away from the shackles that retrain the regular MMO, instead offering players a new level of freedom and customization.
Players will be able to create a custom character class by combining skills from a selection of available abilities, although it’s pretty slim at the moment as only 10 skills are available. There’s also the opportunity to establish, protect and expand your own country which also gives players the chance to build their own home using a highly in-depth house customization system.
We see dozens of foreign games get a re-release over here but very few MMO games from the West make an impact on these shores but it’s never too late. For more information, including the latest game trailer, visit the official website