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Which MMO has the best Solo RPG type experience

Mills007Mills007 Member UncommonPosts: 55

I'm not here to reignite the "why would you play an MMO if you want to play solo?" flame war. Those of us who have at least tried many/most of the releases from the past decade or so have encountered that game that made us stop and say (as we uninstalled it), "that felt too much like I was playing a single player game with a bunch of other people playing a single player game on the same server/world/realm".

So, now that my real life friends have aged out of MMOs --- what with their families, jobs, commitments, and responsibilities --- I'm looking for an MMO that feel more like a single player game. A game with a strong story that I can play through solo a good 80+% of the time, then find others for the occasional PvP event or dungeon/instance/raid run. A game where I can create a place for myself in the game world (some form of housing) and work through an engaging PvE themepark/on-rails storyline, with a detour off the beaten path when I'm feeling froggy.

What say you, forum posters? What is your favorite single player MMO?

Comments

  • Adjuvant1Adjuvant1 Member RarePosts: 2,100
    eso
  • b00feyblitzb00feyblitz Member CommonPosts: 7
    SWTOR by leaps and bounds, IMO.
  • WraithoneWraithone Member RarePosts: 3,806
    From my perspective, you might want to try either Star Wars the Old Republic, or World of Warcraft. Both can be played all the way to level cap as solo games.  TOR has very good voice acting (for the most part), and its FTP.
    "If you can't kill it, don't make it mad."
  • BladestromBladestrom Member UncommonPosts: 5,001
    Agree ^^ eso Has about 400 hours worth of well written and voice acted quests, good crafting and exploration. thievery is on its way with pvp retribution. The only thing eso won't have in the short term is housing . Next best I would say is Lotr for the lore, gfx are a bit dated and housing is meh, but a tin if content if you like questing.

    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

  • Adjuvant1Adjuvant1 Member RarePosts: 2,100
    Originally posted by b00feyblitz
    SWTOR by leaps and bounds, IMO.

    You miss a pretty big part of the overlying storyline between Shan, Malgus and Revan if you don't participate in the flashpoints, although I guess if you're interested, you could go back and solo them later. But yeh, most of the lesser, individual storylines are pretty engaging.

  • FourplayFourplay Member UncommonPosts: 216

    Swtor if you typically like Bioware games like Dragon Age.

    Elder Scrolls Online if you dig the scrolls more.

     

    I would include FFXIV as well if it didn't require various grouping dungeons to reach endcap.

  • OriousOrious Member UncommonPosts: 548

    Haven't played SWTOR, but ESO ... if you listen and want to understand every quest and storyline/pick up and read every book it will take a long...long..long time to complete. I'm just barely finished with 2/3 of it and playing since launch. Most of the time I PvP, though. Probably spent more hours in ESO than any game I've ever played except SWG/Lineage 2.

    But you shouldn't get an MMO for the "solo" experience. Tons of single-player games do the solo experience better. Downfall is you beat them in about a week or two and they cost 60 bucks. SWTOR is F2P and ESO costs 15 a month +$30 for the game and one month free. So for 60 bucks you get 3 months of unlimited content in ESO. SWTOR for $60 I don't know how much extra content you get.

    image

  • LoktofeitLoktofeit Member RarePosts: 14,247
    POTBS, Pirates 101 and LOTRO might be good MMOs to try for the story.

    There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
    "Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre

  • bcbullybcbully Member EpicPosts: 11,843
    TSW imo. I remember it like yesterday. I  was playing at around 2am in the basement with the window open. My gf was asleep. I was doing the quest in the haunted mansion with the old lady who knew she had ghost. Idk what happened, but I heard something at my back, at the window. I got so creeped out while in the attic messing with that mirror, I alt-f4 and went up stairs. She was like what's wrong with you. I tried to tell her. She looked at my like a silly. I never completed that quest lmao.
  • BeyornBeyorn Member UncommonPosts: 372

    SWTOR

    The sith warrior story is very good.  I have read that the imperial operative is very good too.  On the Republic side the Jedi Guardian is very good.  This is ALL my opinion though ;D.

     

  • BattlerockBattlerock Member CommonPosts: 1,393
    Swtor and warlords of dreanor is good for 30 days, but if you do warlords, wait until April, you will be able to solo all the content by then, probably in less than 30 days.
  • BladestromBladestrom Member UncommonPosts: 5,001
    Swtor has good storytelling by all accounts, but wod is a waste of money if you are looking for a long term rpg experience, wow levelling is about getting to end game and setting context for the raiding.

    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

  • rodingorodingo Member RarePosts: 2,870
    Originally posted by Torvaldr
    LotRO, EQ2, TSW, GW2

    ^ I support this message ^  + SWTOR

    "If I offended you, you needed it" -Corey Taylor

  • sirphobossirphobos Member UncommonPosts: 620
    SWTOR would be my pick. Neverwinter isn't bad either but I found the max level game very lacking.
  • filmoretfilmoret Member EpicPosts: 4,906

    I've played them all and SWTOR is the only MMO that I actually paid attention to the story.  None of them grabbed my attention like this one did.  Not even close.

     

    I didn't play TSW but from the rumor mill that is the really good for story.

    Are you onto something or just on something?
  • SiugSiug Member UncommonPosts: 1,257
    TSW and ESO are both good.
  • Azaron_NightbladeAzaron_Nightblade Member EpicPosts: 4,829

    SWTOR, ESO or TSW.

    Optionally GW2 or Neverwinter.

    My SWTOR referral link for those wanting to give the game a try. (Newbies get a welcome package while returning players get a few account upgrades to help with their preferred status.)

    https://www.ashesofcreation.com/ref/Callaron/

  • Entris38Entris38 Member UncommonPosts: 401


    Best MMO solo RPG experience:

    I think most steer this way now, but for me in order.

    1. ESO

    2. SWTOR

    3. LOTRO

    4. TSW

    5. EQ2

  • YaevinduskYaevindusk Member RarePosts: 2,094

     

    Story wise I'd probably go with STWOR, FFXIV or TSW.

    Between the three, FFXIV has the best crafting / housing system and the most updates, which are quite substantial.

    Graphics and graphical fidelity, I'd also go with FFXIV.  Though I caution that to advance in storyline you do have to group with others in dungeons from time to time -- though you specifically said that you wanted to do that every now and again.

     

    FFXIV will be getting an expansion soon, as well.  So that's even more content; they also add more storyline with each patch.

     

     

    -- Latest patch trailer  2.5:  Before the Fall

    -- Expansion trailer

     

     

    Also, if you're not interested in housing and just story that you can do yourself... The original Guild Wars is really dark and interesting.  Though it has a combat system that's kind've like Knights of the Old Republic in a way.  Though you are able to control eight characters at once, once you progress in the game (even unlocking and being able to play 8 hero classes that you can control directly and equip items / skills on).  The game cane be very difficult at times, though.  It's an instanced game that has town lobbies.  So it's pretty much single player.

     

    Due to frequent travel in my youth, English isn't something I consider my primary language (and thus I obtained quirky ways of writing).  German and French were always easier for me despite my family being U.S. citizens for over a century.  Spanish I learned as a requirement in school, Japanese and Korean I acquired for my youthful desire of anime and gaming (and also work now).  I only debate in English to help me work with it (and limit things).  In addition, I'm not smart enough to remain fluent in everything and typically need exposure to get in the groove of things again if I haven't heard it in a while.  If you understand Mandarin, I know a little, but it has actually been a challenge and could use some help.

    Also, I thoroughly enjoy debates and have accounts on over a dozen sites for this.  If you wish to engage in such, please put effort in a post and provide sources -- I will then do the same with what I already wrote (if I didn't) as well as with my responses to your own.  Expanding my information on a subject makes my stance either change or strengthen the next time I speak of it or write a thesis.  Allow me to thank you sincerely for your time.
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