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GW2 vs Rift vs FF ARR & TSW Vs ESO Vs Lotro
Hi all,
Basically, I am looking for two games : (1) mmorpgs with decent popularity & endgame and (2) mmorpg that feels like a single player game.
I will be playing with my gf so duo-friendliness of a game is important.
For the first category, I found GW2 / Rift / FF ARR. I would like to avoid a game that focuses its end-game contents on structured & difficult raids as in WoW. Actually, I enjoyed playing WoW with world-class raid team 4-5 years ago but now I don't have enough time to do so and would want to avoid WoW style endgame.
But I am little worried because all game seems to have their own drawbacks.
GW2: Are there enough endgame contents?
Rift : Is it WoW-clone and its end-game is large raid focused?
FF ARR : Does it simply focuses on old-style grinding where I do the same stuff repetitively?
For the second category, I found TSW, ESO and Lotro. Basically, to me, it seems like I can enjoy most of them with my gf as we do in RPGs with co-op support. I am leaning toward TSW but would like to hear more opinions.
Comments
I keep heading back to LOTRO all the time. I think it does F2P the best out of all the games. Also you can buy an XP limiter in the shop so you can explore. . kill. . craft while your GF is not playing (assuming you play more) and stay the same level. There is more than enough content to do that.
It is also pretty casual friendly but I have not played past about level 40.
Wa min God! Se æx on min heafod is!
Rift, FF etc all basically feel like wow with a different flavour - all slightly inferior in some way to WOW with regards to raid end game style mmorpg.
LOTR, from what I can tell, this game has one of the best communities and values RP etc so a possibility.
GW2. totally different experience, pvp is fun and gear is normalised, no raids, 5 mans can be fun as long as you don't group with people obsessed with speed runs and meta builds. if youiss raids, this is not for you, but if you enjoyed more difficult 5 mans instances then it is all good.
Archage - you need to like open world pvp ultimately.
rpg/mmorg history: Dun Darach>Bloodwych>Bards Tale 1-3>Eye of the beholder > Might and Magic 2,3,5 > FFVII> Baldur's Gate 1, 2 > Planescape Torment >Morrowind > WOW > oblivion > LOTR > Guild Wars (1900hrs elementalist) Vanguard. > GW2(1000 elementalist), Wildstar
Now playing GW2, AOW 3, ESO, LOTR, Elite D
Judging by what you've written I'd have to say that FFXIV is not for you. The game is very end-game centric with fairly challenging raids and dungeons, and dungeons cannot be completed without a full party, meaning that if you just want to only team up with your girlfriend and no one else, you are basically cutting access to a significant part of the game. FFXIV is a really great game however.
If anything, I'd probably suggest RIFT since there is more content that can be done solo or duo, but the end-game is still largely like WoW (raids).
I don't know about GW2, only played a bit during one of the beta and didn't like it at all.
Interesting choices, OP.
Rift has the solo/small group friendly thing you want with lots of options for content and gameplay. Yes, endgame is aimed at raiding but you don't have to go that route if you don't want to. For example, I do raid but my real endgame is Dimensions (building).
LOTRO does have a fabulous community, environment and is solo/duo friendly. Its endgame used to be raiding but that has changed so you should be able to jump into larger scale content now with a mixed group of other players. And it is very RP friendly on the RP servers. LOTRO is like that favorite sweatshirt you just can't let go of quite yet; very comfy.
TSW is a great choice for RP, RP community, story, immersiveness (sic), and solo/duo content. The dungeons are excellent; lairs and raids are considered endgame but are avoidable if you choose. Missions are very solo/duo friendly and great fun to solve together. Factions are segregated so if you want to group up for faction missions, make sure you are in the same one.
Some really great options and tough choices.
For the first part I can't add anything, since I'm not a fan of "endgame".
For the second, I'd say LotRO, but TSW is there too, on a close second place. LotRO is more "traditional" if you plan to play in a duo, everywhere you can go together. (+ all what was written above. Love it, one of my most played games.)
TSW is two-fold, on one hand it's awesome for duo (you can harmonise your decks, build on each other and making more effective shared gameplay than with "regular" mmo's classes), and it's great fun to do the investigation missions with your other half, brainstorming ideas and solution suggestions, etc.
On the other hand, the game has quite a number of solo instances - with no option to go there together. It can put breaks in the shared gameplay... You can still talking, on sabotage missions even yell out warnings for the traps (since you play the same instance, just alone), but it's not the same as playing together. Also because of this you need to have a solo deck too, besides the synchronised deck mentioned above.
GW2 has enough content, dont worry, i played 2 years already but still did not complete everething. I suggest GW2 for PvE and PvP.
Rift - Wow clone. Weak animation and storyline, "!"-style questing. Raid-endgame. If you like traditional MMO, better choise - WoW
FF ARR - good graphix. Very slow combat. Small maps with invisible walls and loading screens. Nice and fun for who like casual and japan-style games.
TESO - like weak clone of GW2 + Skyrim, bad animation and bugs. But I played in beta only, may be something changed.
TSW - no played, dont comment it
Lotro was OK, but but outdated-combat and graphix.
All Time Favorites: EQ1, WoW, EvE, GW1
Playing Now: WoW, ESO, GW2
Of all those games I would also choose GW2. It has the most fun for the dollar value imho.
Death is nothing to us, since when we are, Death has not come, and when death has come, we are not.
Agree, btw today gw2 box - just 19 eur until 24-aug
Now that is cheap entertainment!
Death is nothing to us, since when we are, Death has not come, and when death has come, we are not.
Thank you for all the answers. As GW2 is on sale and it seems to fits my preference, I think I'll first try GW2.
Usual tips for gw2 new players:
-get gathering skills early - it makes exploring more fun.
-speak to named npc and listen to their conversations - can lead to events.
-don't use map, there's plenty events and hearts all over the place - just wander
rpg/mmorg history: Dun Darach>Bloodwych>Bards Tale 1-3>Eye of the beholder > Might and Magic 2,3,5 > FFVII> Baldur's Gate 1, 2 > Planescape Torment >Morrowind > WOW > oblivion > LOTR > Guild Wars (1900hrs elementalist) Vanguard. > GW2(1000 elementalist), Wildstar
Now playing GW2, AOW 3, ESO, LOTR, Elite D
This guy knows what hes talking about, I have played TSW and I can tell you its a fun game the story and missions but its clunky and you need to be prepared for reading through endless amounts of guides during questing.
Ive played online mmorpg games for over 14 years, and I have never played one like GW2. Its such a good game and im not even a fan boy. I actually started playing it a few months back and have not managed to go back to any other mmorpg since then.
Oh and GW2 have a sale on right now.
Everquest 2, while not one of your choices, is your answer.
It has by far the most content and focus on solo/duo than any other game on the market.
There is still a raid portion of the endgame, but its not the only focus.
Also, EQ2 has the best instanced housing in the history of the genre (as close to fact as a strong opinion statement could ever be) if you are into that sort of thing. So much to do besides raid.
In addition, while leveling you can duo pretty much anything (raid content included depending which classes you choose) and there are lots of long quests with nice lore to them you could do, and then display the reward in your house (or wear it).
Don't even think about it, just buy Guild Wars 2.
Well, it was like this for me:
GW2 - love the outdoors content, large scale battles, WvW etc, for me it gets boring without proper rewards though.
Rift - a well all-around game, i cannot put the finger on what i don't like about it, but there is something for sure. As others say, the game seems to have no soul, it feels somehow... impersonal
FFXIV - my most recent game, has a great population, community and interesting devs. I'm bothered by many little annoying things and by the endgame - i was literally able to gear for the endgame in 2 days (it's not the "best" gear, but it's good enough to complete all the content) by just doing hunts - that is, follow a zerg. After you do that, about 2 thirds of the "endgame" will be unrewarding, as in you already will have better gear than that many raid drops.I cannot do it without rewards. Hate the scripted boss fights also - most of the endgame bosses will use their abilities in the exact same sequence. It has long time goals, like months of farming to improve your weapon which gives you overall 2% more stats, if you're into that.
TSW - a simply awesome game, everyone should play through the story at least once. No replayability value though. I find it fun for the story and the skills management but not a game made for the endgame grinding. Right now they've introduced one of those terrible insane grinds which is always a bad sign (hate when that happens, usually it's the sign of development going downhill)
ESO - got into beta, quit after 2 hours, could not stomach the combat, the worlds looked beautiful, though. Waiting for free to play (ideally, buy to play) or some 2 week trial so that I can give it another shot. Can't say much more about it.
LotRO - that's a game I'd like a lot, if it was not that expensive. It has one of the worst F2P models, if you ask me - it gates content. I'm fine with being level locked as a free player, i will know that upfront. I'm fine with bags space and stuff like that, as I'll buy more if i like the game. In my opinion, LotRO tricks you as you won't know that. for you to progress, you have to buy the expansions or the quest packs, every one of them, no matter how old. Last time I've checked, it was 60 bucks for all the expansions but the last one and a month of sub. Add the last expansion to that and it brings you to 100 bucks - too expensive for a game that old. That's the price for the next WoW expansion and a 6 months sub. You'll find FFXIV offers for less than a month's sub price. What LotRO is asking is ridiculous.
As some other posters, I'm going to recommend SW:TOR. It has great story and lore, awesome classes, nice and rewarding dungeons, interesting raids and a rewarding endgame. People tend to raid all the content (old and new) as there is a system which gives you rewarding tokens even for old raids, so you won't miss on content. Don't believe what you read from people which started it as free to play and then decided that "it sux". Yes, if you don't want to spend a dime, it does suck, but it actually has one of the best F2P models out there if you sub only for a month, while you level your first char to max. After the first month, you will have enough ingame currency to unlock every feature you will ever need on your character / account and play as a free player with almost no limitations.
My list would be : SW:TOR > TSW > FFXIV > Rift > LotRO > GW2 > ESO
Ok gonna try to give you a fair view.
Lotro= Old graphics, very good community, great for RP players, lots of content, It's Lord of the rings so the lore speaks for it self, wow style of gameplay, F2P, I could only play it for a few months cause I didn't like the graphics or the combat mechanics.
ESO= great graphics, lots of content but everything looks the same, action combat, large scale pvp. Only played it in beta so very limited info and I don't want to bash a game since I don't know how it is now, but angry joe gave a spot on reveiw from a beta perspective. Box + sub
FFARR= PVE game only (if they have added pvp then it's nothing huge) and a good one, housing, great graphics, dungeon, end game raiding, very slow combat mechanics like wow but even slower. Otherwise great game but limited. box+ Sub
RIFT= is a wow clone that has improved wow, I think Rift is better then wow has all the same features and more, F2P, end game raiding and so on
GW2= huge, great graphics, much world event content, only 5 man dungeons so no real end game raiding. Large scale pvp, 5vs5 spvp battlegrounds, jumping puzzels, action combat that flows great. Me personally plays GW2 and it's great. I have passed 2000 hours and I still haven't done everything. Box price (on sale) no sub, no p2w. I recommend this for it's value.
4vs4 and 72v72v72 PvP content has been added to the game, along with PvP only skills and rewards (gear etc.). PvE is definitely the main focus but casual PvP is possible and the devs will continue to support that playstyle.
If OP wants a game with the best dev support then FFXIV:ARR is the game to play.
GW2: It depends on why you would do endgame, in GW2 you do endgame mostly for vanity stuff and PvP. There is ascended and legendary stuff which is slightly better than the usual gear and can be counted as endgame (particuklarly legendary weapons takes a lot of work to get) but you can't compare that with raid gear from other games which rules in comparison. If you will continue to play most for looks and for winning PvP for your server and yourself it is a great choice but if you want a none ending gear hunt with better stats play something else.
Rift: yes.
FF: Havn't played it.
TSW is a pretty good game but not something you play for the endgame, great game if you play casually or as a alt game though.