Action games

Overview

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.

➔ Main points:

• 5v5 skirmishes
• Fast-paced 3rd person action
• Contribute to the battle in a wide variety of roles, including tanks, supports, and nukers.
• Cartoonish, stylized graphics

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.

➔ Main points:

• One of the most succesful commercial MMORPG recently converted to free to play.
• Dynamic random events during PvE sessions.
• Different PvP modes, including an original World vs World.
• No PvE raids.

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.

➔ Main points:

• Familiar MOBA gameplay with new mechanics
• Over 50 unique and fully voiced heroes to pick from
• Light and fast client download
• Daily rewards for just logging in

Released in 2014, Infinite Crisis is a new MOBA based on the DC Universe. The game represents a plot moment in the DC storyline that dealt with parallel universes, allowing developers Turbine a lot of creative reach, and giving the game its title.

Virtually every recognizable superhero makes an appearance here including plenty of variations, some of which are pretty… original. While the game has a couple of flaws, as a new title they will likely be fixed as updates are released. The same probably can’t be said for the rather unpolished graphics, which are weak and bland.

Despite this, Infinite Crisis is a decent game. It’s still early days yet, and improvements are likely to come thick and fast. It may not be set to conquer the MOBA universe, but it certainly qualifies for the competition.

Knight’s Fable is a role-playing MMO set in a time of knights and gods. While it’s very similar to the previous R2-GTArcade release, League of Angels, the title makes small improvements in the area of story - rife with twists, betrayals and a cast of half-demons, nobles and divine beings. However, it still falls short of being truly great thanks to weak writing and heavily automated play.

Combat and the main quest are heavily automated by the system, leaving almost nothing for the player to do – an odd choice for a game that promised a stronger main story experience. Knight’s Fable does better in its customizable party and beast system, where human and monster allies can be unlocked to aid your character in battle. One of the genuinely fun aspects of the game, discovering and upgrading new allies to watch them kick serious ass in combat was exciting and highly rewarding.

The game also runs very well for a browser title even on slower systems, and strikes a good balance with its unobtrusive in-app purchase options. Overall, a decent title for those who love upgrading and customizing their character and parties, and don’t mind a light combat and questing experience.

Last Chaos is a bit of an oddity. Despite its age and dwindling popularity it seems to preserve in an MMO ecosystem rife with other choices. It’s a relic of a bygone era, and maybe this is what makes it compelling to some players.

Originally published way back in 2006 by Aeria Games, their first game ever in fact, Last Chaos has recently changed hands and is now being handled by Gamigo. Last Chaos is a game victimized by its own age. Its graphics, animation, and systems all attest to the game’s age. None are particularly impressive by today’s standards.

However fans looking for a nostalgic MMO experience may find Last Chaos enjoyable. It has a classic feel that modern games can fail to capture. Last Chaos boasts a plethora of classes to choose from, these are gender locked however. Unfortunately with all of it’s classes and somewhat charming nostalgia, Last Chaos still falls flat gameplay-wise. It’s repetitive, and for the most part uninteresting.

➔ Main points:

• Guardian System
• Level Cap is 184
• Classic Gameplay
• Robust Crafting

Magerealm: Rise of Chaos, developed by GTArcade and Youzu Games, is a 2.5D fantasy and action MMORPG based on the classical "Good VS Evil" story, just like many other titles of the same genre.

Magerealm allows to choose between three classes (Truthkeeper, Spellmaster, and Realmguard) besides basic character customization, and the progressive improvement of gear by embedding crystals that can potentiate your character's abilities.

Additionally, your characters will also have the possibility to summon their own Angels and Heroes, who have skills of their own that can be improved as well. Other classical MMORPG elements featured in Magerealm are clan, siege, and craft systems.

➔ Main points:

• You can embed crystals to your equipment to potentiate it.
• Three classes to choose from: Realmguard, Truthkeeper, and Spellmaster.
• You can have a guardian Angel and a personal Hero.
• Clan system.
• PvP coliseum.
• Siege system and dungeons to explore in party.

Marvel Heroes has a strong foundation with Brian Michael Bendis (author of Marvel comics) and David Brevik (designer of Diablo) on the development team. Although the game didn’t get off to a great start in open beta , Gazillion has since listened to players and done a much needed overhaul. And the effort was worth it - this is a very entertaining game and if Gazillion continues to be as responsive as they’ve been so far, it’s only going to get better.

The gameplay is fun and the story will appeal to many people, drawing as it does from the rich and complex Marvel universe. Add to this a well-balanced cash shop and this title is a must for Action RPG fans and Marvel fans!

Released in 2004, Metin2 is a Korean free to play MMORPG that allows players to pick one of three kingdoms to represent as factions, and embark on slow progression journey to becoming a master combat fighter. The game's combo-based action combat is revolutionary for its time, making open world fighting a pleasure especially against waves of enemies.

When it comes to gameplay, the PVE content is mediocre as questing is largely uninteresting, but the game's focus lies largely within its exciting PVP modes.

The game does look very aged and dull in comparison to newer MMOs, but there is a certain nostalgic factor in addition to an emergence of private servers that has been keeping Metin2 relevant today. Overall, Metin2 is a pioneer of Asian-style MMORPGs and it's worth checking out for the combat and PVP, and since it's free, all you have to lose is just time.

➔ Main points:

• Join one of the three empires of the game
• Enjoy a hack’n’ slash-like gameplay based on combos
• Fight other players in PvP mode

Naruto Online is a top-down 2D animated MMORPG set in the world of Naruto. The game is officially licensed and contains popular characters and locations based on the anime series. Players participate in quests and instances, doing battle with bosses from the anime alongside ninjas that you can recruit and build a team with. The PVE and PVP content is decent, but the passive combat system may not be for everyone.

Combat is turn-based but players play a minimal part in the execution of battles. Before a battle, you can select which ninjas to pick and create strategic synergies, but then you can only watch how the fight plays out. Graphics are okay but the animations do not look as good as it should on the 2D world backgrounds. Overall, Naruto Online is still a fun game to play especially for hardcore fans of the anime series.

➔ Main points:

• Play through authentic Naruto world, characters and events
• Good amount of PVE content that plays out exactly like the anime series
• Friendly player community that is active
• Collect ninjas and build your ideal team