What are the MMORPGs that most deserve a remake?
We have many great MMORPG options to choose from nowadays, however many good games are showing their age and could use a graphical remaster or a remake to update the core mechanics of the game.
On top of that, some very creative games were left behind and had their servers shutdown, however they totally deserve to be open once again. So we will be taking a look at some of these games and why they still deserve some love.
10. Dungeons and Dragons Online - 2006
The Dungeons and Dragons franchise is synonymous with the RPG genre, being the most beloved and well known tabletop RPG of all time.You would be right to assume that with such a reputation, D&D video games such as Baldur’s Gate and Neverwinter are also incredibly famous and celebrated by the fanbase.
However, the name that carries the name of the franchise in the MMORPG industry, Dungeons and Dragons Online, is a very dated game that definitely deserved the glow up of a remake, remaster or even a sequel. This game has lots of interesting and unique features, with a level of customization to your character’s build that is unseen in any other MMORPG, dungeons filled with puzzles and environmental hazards, and the cozy atmosphere of medieval villages in between epic adventures. The game is still playable to this day and fans of classic tabletop RPGs should definitely give it a try despite its age
Fun Factor Score: 80/100
Venture through the fantasy world that popularized the RPG genre
9. Everquest - 1999
Everquest is perhaps the first game to ever bring the MMORPG genre to mainstream attention, with player numbers that surpassed even the mighty competition of the original Lineage and the legendary Ultima Online. The graphics were revolutionary for the game, and the difficulty of the game forced players to work together if they wanted to progress, creating strong bonds and intense competition between groups and guilds.
Developer Sony Entertainment tried to follow up on this success with the sequel, Everquest 2, but that game never reached the level of success of the original game, and had the poor luck of being released just a month before the titan that is World of Warcraft. A new Everquest game would be an amazing sight to behold, with old school fans dying to play a new entry to this franchise that is so important to MMORPG history. Everquest is still playable, with an active playerbase, and worth giving a shot if you are into old schools RPGs
Fun Factor Score: 75/100
One of the first games to popularize the MMORPG genre and a timeless oldschool classic
8. Voyage Century - 2006
IGG is a company that published some very unique MMORPGs back in the day. I have fond memories of games like Tales of Pirates and Wonderland Online, and I’ve yet to see a game remotely like that one, but the highlight of their catalog is definitely Voyage Century, a historical MMORPG that puts you back in the Age of Discovery, with freedom to be a filthy pirate, a mighty navy officer, a fearless treasure hunter, or a wealthy merchant.
Honestly, this game taught me more about history and geography than school could ever dream of doing, and, on top of that, the graphics were amazing for 2006 standards. The game has intense naval battles, complex sailing mechanics, and even regular combat using your character as you face a variety of perils while exploring the wilds of a country or when boarding enemy ships. You can still play Voyage Century today and I totally recommend this game to any history nerd out there.
Fun Factor Score: 80/100
Travel back in time and make your own history in the Age of Discovery
7. Ultima Online - 1997
The grand daddy of MMORPGs is here, Ultima Online, a game that makes me feel old just for the very fact of having played it in my childhood. Ultima Online was a massively popular MMORPG back in the day that still has a hardcore fanbase in 2023. This game requires no introduction, having dominated the market until the release of Everquest in 1999.
Being one of the titans of old school MMORPGs, it would be awesome to see a new Ultima game come out, with next gen graphics and modern mechanics while still maintaining that old school vibe of the top down perspective and minimalist UI, similar to how the new Diablo have are.
Fun Factor Score: 80/100
The grand daddy of MMORPGs and its unforgiving hardcore experience
6. Hellgate Global - 2011
How can I explain Hellgate to someone who has never played it before? Well, imagine a mix between Diablo and Doom, and throw that mix into a MMORPG blender. This game was as metal as a game can be, with lots of blood and gore while you walked through post apocalyptic environments filled with all sorts of demonic creatures.
This was one of the first games to ever implement an optional first person shooter perspective into MMORPG territory and was also an early example of an action combat system. Hellgate will always be remembered by its fans and a remake of this game is something that I am personally waiting for.
Fun Factor Score: 90/100
One of the most heavy metal games of all time
5. Dragon Ball Online - 2010
Everyone loves Dragon Ball, and everyone is dying for a good anime MMORPG, just admit it. While nowadays we do have Xenoverse and Xenoverse 2, which have multiplayer social hubs and the possibility of playing along or against other people, they are nowhere near what you would call a MMORPG.
Dragon Ball Online was created as the continuation of the Dragon Ball story after the end of Z and GT, with players having their own adventures in the far future of the Dragon Ball universe. You had everything you could expect in this game, from Kamehameha waves to flying around and turning super saiyan. Dragon Ball Online unfortunately never left Japan but many western players, myself included, figured out ways to play it back in the day and fell in love with the game. Bandai Namco already proved that they can create a cool open world Dragon Ball adventure with Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, so please just give us a new Dragon Ball Online.
Fun Factor Score: 90/100
A game that lets you go even further beyond
4. Shin Megami Tensei: Imagine - 2007
Shin Megami Tensei, or MegaTen for short, is the more serious sister franchise of Persona, and while it has been less known here in the west, the popularity of MegaTen has greatly improved with the recent release of Shin Megami Tensei V on the Nintendo Switch.
The original MegaTen MMORPG, Imagine Online, was an absolute banger back in the day. This game counted with amazing mechanics such as the ability to tame and create relationships with every creature in the game, a rock paper scissors combat system that never ceases to be engaging, amazing graphics that perfectly portray the franchise’s atmosphere, and so much more. Imagine Online is a personal favorite of mine on this list, but I truly believe that this game deserves a remake, or just having its servers opened once more.
Fun Factor Score: 95/100
Fight against demons in a devastated post apocalyptic Japan
3. City of Heroes - 2004
City of Heroes was the original superhero MMORPG that paved the way for games such as Champions Online and DC Universe Online, and while these two games are great on their own,most fans of the superhero genre still remember City of Heroes as the best of the best.
The customization options of this game were endless, allowing you to create the hero or the villain of your dreams, teaming up with other players of equal alignment and fighting against those who play on the other side. The amount of people begging for a City of Heroes remake is insanely large, and the MMORPG market current lacks a next gen superhero game, so it is a great time for City of Heroes to make its comeback.
Fun Factor Score: 85/100
Become the superhero that you have always dreamed of being
2. The Secret World - 2012
Another personal favorite of mine is The Secret World, a revolutionary game that came out in 2012 with the concept of turning every conspiracy theory of our world into reality. While this game received a remake in the form of Secret World Legends, players of the original The Secret World still claim that the original game was better.
From my own experience, I can say that Secret World has some of the most amazing and unique features in the MMORPG genre such as the ever surprising investigation missions that have you actually thinking and putting clues together in order to solve complex puzzles, the incredible locations that pay homage to classic dark literature, and just the fact that the game is set in our world and in the current times. Secret World needs a remake to make the core gameplay better and attract more players to this bizarre world.
Fun Factor Score: 90/100
A deep dive into dark literature and conspiracy theories
1. The Lord of the Rings Online - 2007
On the top of our list we have The Lord of the Rings Online, a game with so much potential and so beloved by a playerbase that still remains active after 16 years. LOTRO is set in the famous fantasy world of J. R. R. Tolkien and has you travelling through the awesome landscapes from the books and even participating in events of the Third Age.
While LOTR has many qualities and it is an absolute pleasure to travel through Middle Earth and have adventures, the core gameplay here is simply lacking and too outdated to be pleasant, which turns many heads away from the game. I really want to like LOTRO, and in many ways I really do, but this game needs to update its very core in order to be fun. The Lord of the Rings franchise is just as popular today as it has always been, meaning that a new MMORPG or simply a remaster of LOTRO would be insanely popular all around the world.
Fun Factor Score: 80/100
An immersive experience into the most famous fantasy world ever created
