"Best" or most recommended free-to-play PC MMO as of Jan 2012?

With Star Trek Online going FTP I've been thinking of trying it out. I'll admit I bought the collectors edition on sale from amazon for like $5 maybe a year ago and never installed it, just wanted the pin really.

Found a few threads on GB asking similar questions, but with the MMO space changing as often as it does, and also with Star Trek Online entering the market I wanted to ask other's opinions before investing any time downloading and playing any of them.

Not sure if it would matter, but I got pretty deep into MMOs in the past. Although I skipped WOW completely, never touched it and really any MMO since around Guild Wars came out (not that it is an MMO).

So of the FTP MMOs out there, which would you recommend? note: I am not looking for anything that provides a "free" trial sort of structure like WOW up to lvl 20. Star Trek Online has interested me since it appears to provide most of the game's content to free users.

I am currently playing DCUO and it's not very good at all.

However I did play a character to around level 30 in LOTRO and it was really fun! Give that a shot.

I say wait for Guild Wars 2 though, game looks fantastic.

Dark Space is the best space MMORPG as far as I'm concern.

All of them are pretty terrible.

Runescape?

With a version of it coming out on XBLA, I'm reminded to say go give Dungeon Fighter Online a try.  Instance based side scrolling beat'em up with level progression and skills down to the cancels. It's pretty great.

US Vindictus Homepage

EU Vindictus Homepage

I don't have extensive experience with F2P MMOs, only played one - and it's not strictly speaking a true MMO, but it's a tonne of fun for a spell. Of course I'm talking of Vindictus (I'm European, so I played the Extreme Edition). A MMO/Coop-Hack 'n Slash built on Valve's Source engine. As F2P games go, it gets more grindy the further you progress. Without putting money down repair costs of top quality armor almost outpaces income, so that's one of the ways they make you want to pay money. Up to that point it was a blast even without putting down cash.

Here's a gameplay video of it. Enjoy!

Lord of the Rings is good, if you're looking for something like WoW.

DC Universe is very dull and repetitive, but has some good customisation and you might get at least a bit of enjoyment out of playing it.

Star Trek Online, in my opinion, is one of the best MMO's out there. Mainly because it doesn't play anything like other MMO's. The ground combat is pretty jankey, but the space combat is really good, the amount of ship and crew customisation is excellent, there's not much grind (or end game content, sadly) and the free version gives you access to almost anything. I'd really only recommend it to Trek fans, but it's worth at least a shot.

@xyzygy said:

I am currently playing DCUO and it's not very good at all.

However I did play a character to around level 30 in LOTRO and it was really fun! Give that a shot.

I say wait for Guild Wars 2 though, game looks fantastic.

Guild Wars isn't F2P, since you have to actually buy the game. But yeah, if you're just looking for an MMO without a monthly fee, that's definitely the one to wait for. It looks to be a huge game, without having to include silly amounts of grind or timesinks to keep you playing, thanks to the lack of monthly fee, but the revenue they get from having to buy the game will keep it from turning into a F2P cash shop fest.

@WinterSnowblind: True, I guess I was thinking mainly for monthly fees. I still can't get over the fact that Guild Wars 2 is a pay-one-time-only thing and it looks so damn good.

City of Heroes. Went Free to Play in late 2011 and it still holds up. Its going through a revamping phase right now where they update all of their cities one by one. Its really easy to get into it and its got a pretty robust endgame with lots of different ways to fill up your playtime.

LOTRO is pretty much the only one I've played so far worth it's salt.  
 
Vindictus seems intriguing too though, and I'd look forward to WildStar, Blade & Soul and Guild Wars 2 (If you're willing to drop a one time fee). Guild Wars 2 looks to be the best MMO since vanilla WoW to be honest. It seems like a lot of care and thought was put into every element of the game.

They're only free if your time is worth nothing.

@Seppli said:

US Vindictus Homepage

EU Vindictus Homepage

I don't have extensive experience with F2P MMOs, only played one - and it's not strictly speaking a true MMO, but it's a tonne of fun for a spell. Of course I'm talking of Vindictus (I'm European, so I played the Extreme Edition). A MMO/Coop-Hack 'n Slash built on Valve's Source engine. As F2P games go, it gets a grindy the further you progress. Without putting money down repair costs of top quality armor almost outpaces income, so that's one of the ways they make you want to pay money. Up to that point it was a blast even without putting down cash.

Here's a gameplay video of it. Enjoy!

I remember this game. Hella fun. Played it in its early stages; should revisit it at some point and see how it's grown.

As for a more real MMO, the only thing I've played recently is the WoW 20 level starter edition.

@Bwast said:

They're only free if your time is worth nothing.

Ahhh, so true.

I've played a tonne of F2P MMOs and the lesson I walked away with was this:

£9 a month to Blizzard isn't that much.

Also OldBoy is a fantastic movie.

Most F2P games are either too restrictive or too lame to engage people in the long run, but there are a few exceptions.

Vindictus is fun for a while, you should try even if it is just to check the combat system in it.

DCUO is not worth it.

LOTRO gets way too restrictive after lvl 25 or so.

D&D Online is kind of an acquired taste I guess, I never liked it and it`s heavily instanced, but some people swear by it.

STO seems fine so far, Im still playing it (btw let me know if you wanna join me).

The Steam F2P games are not worth it in my opinion, but maybe you`ll find something you like there.

All of the above are mere distractions until Guild Wars 2 launches though, at least that`s the way I feel right now. The good thing about searching for a good free game is that you can try them all :)

They're only free if your time is worth nothing.

Vindictus is probably the least terrible of those I've tried, but I wouldn't really call it an MMO, its similar to Guild Wars in the sense that all of the gameplay exists in instances with a hub that acts as a trading ground / lobby.
 
@WinterSnowblind said:

Guild Wars isn't F2P, since you have to actually buy the game.

Gonna try Star Trek Online now since its F2P. Just cancelled my Old republic Sub which I feel great about.

Guild Wars 2 isn't an MMO.

I have to second Dungeon Fighter Online.  If you like brawlers and Diablo the game is pretty incredible.  I'm over halfway to the level cap and haven't run into a single instance where I felt like I needed to spend any money, either.

Guild Wars 2 isn't an MMO.

You guys should try out dragon nest. It has vindictus like action combat but is a bit better of a game in my opinion. It gets insane where you are just cleaving through like 40 enemies with massive attacks and picking up tons of loot. As a free player you are also able to play the game fairly normally. It is published by nexon (who also have maple story and vindictus) and is basically bug free even though it is very recent. The only problem is the graphics are a bit dated but the art is nice.

@Adamsons said:

@Example1013 said:

Guild Wars 2 isn't an MMO.

Uh?

It's not technically an actual MMO, from what I've heard. It's going to be all localized instances, so while it'll be multiplayer, it won't be a true MMO.

@Example1013 said:

Guild Wars 2 isn't an MMO.

"Guild Wars 2 is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game in development by ArenaNet."

Ragnarok Online. I don't have childhood memories outside of that game.

Runes of Magic is a pretty good one....If you're into WoW clones.

Elsword is a good one if you like side scrolling anime MMORPGs

I'm currently playing DCUO....which is decent since It's a FTP game but once you hit level 30, you'll get bored fast.

Silkroad R is also a good one as I've heard but I have yet to try it.

Also if you don't want a system hog, you can play Dungeon Fighter Online which is pretty fun if you have friends to play with.

@Adamsons said:

@Example1013 said:

Guild Wars 2 isn't an MMO.

Uh?

It's not technically an actual MMO, from what I've heard. It's going to be all localized instances, so while it'll be multiplayer, it won't be a true MMO.

@mbdoeden said:

@Example1013 said:

@Adamsons said:

@Example1013 said:

Guild Wars 2 isn't an MMO.

Uh?

It's not technically an actual MMO, from what I've heard. It's going to be all localized instances, so while it'll be multiplayer, it won't be a true MMO.

You're half right. The majority of the game world will not be instanced. Only a few sections of the game pertaining to your "personal story" will be instanced. It is certainly an MMO.

Alright, glad to know I didn't hear everything completely wrong.

@Example1013 said:

Guild Wars 2 isn't an MMO.

Most erroneous and offensively unfounded and painfully misinformed opinion I've read on the internet in a good long while.

You are wrong ser. Trolling intent is more than likely.

@Seppli: The PM said "errogenous", this thread says "erronenous", and the word is "erroneous".

They're only free if your time is worth nothing.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9B945CD00D92EC81&feature=plcp

Links never work for me, sorry.

The giantbomb youtube channel has a feature called Free To Play. Check out the racing game, Prius Online!

Chances are if an MMO went free to play it isn't very good and probably isn't worth the time you'd need to invest in it.

@Bwast said:

They're only free if your time is worth nothing.

Very true, although if the MMO is entertaining that time can be seen as well spent, one can make that argument for any video game.

@Rattle618 said:

All of the above are mere distractions until Guild Wars 2 launches though, at least that`s the way I feel right now. The good thing about searching for a good free game is that you can try them all :)

The issue with the "they're free, try them all" approach is that most MMOs have an inherent time commitment to them. I feel its part of the progression and some would argue part of the enjoyment of playing the genre. That's why I ask since I dont have time or the will to play more than maybe two or three of them.

Guild Wars 2 is the one "MMO" I am genuinely interested in. I played the GW beta A LOT, but when school started lost interest.

@WinterSnowblind said:

Lord of the Rings is good, if you're looking for something like WoW.

I never played WOW so I dont know if something similar would interest me.

But of the FTP MMOs mention so far people seem to recommend LOTRO and STO. Vindictus seems interesting, might check that out. I've installed STO so I'll give that a try first.

Most of them use Pando Media Booster which is worse than Hitler. So I would avoid f2p mmo's.

Lord of the Rings Online