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The 10 Best Story-Driven MMOs of All Time - The List - MMORPG.com

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  • josko9josko9 Member RarePosts: 577
    edited October 2017
    This has to be the easiest list ever. 

    1. ESO
    2. SWTOR
    3. TSW
    ...
    Deep down under - LotRO, FFXI..
    ...
    ...
    Even deeper - GW2, FFXIV...
    ...
    ...
    ...
    At the bottom - WoW, Rift, EvE, Black Desert and a countless others..
    sumdumguy1
  • DijonCyanideDijonCyanide Member UncommonPosts: 586
    I'm amazed, & appalled, that the original Everquest didn't even make this top 10 list. That omission deserves a back-of-the-hand. Perhaps since it is such an antiquated game by now, but when it comes to delivering original story-driven content back in it's day it offered it & not always in linear fashion. Heck it even had progression-servers, & content for players to seek out, learn, & discover.
  • OyjordOyjord Member UncommonPosts: 571
    Why does it take three pages to include a simple Top Ten list? This is shameful click-baiting.
  • UruketoUruketo Member UncommonPosts: 55
    I agree with the 10 games but not their order.

    Uruketo, 70 Bard/Ninja/Warrior
    <Grievance> Free Company
    Final Fantasy XIV - Midgardsormr
    http://www.grievancegaming.com/


  • ManAteArmsManAteArms Member UncommonPosts: 12
    Imho WoW did a huge step forward with Legion and even surpassed games like GW2 or ESO.

    FFXIV on the other hand is a really bad example for a story driven game. The story is boring and the presentation is bland and cheap. Not a good point for a story-driven game.
  • HJ-NavarreHJ-Navarre Hero's Journey GMMember UncommonPosts: 117

    SBFord said:

    @BillMurphy is wrong. :P SWTOR is the #1 story-driven game on MY list followed by LOTRO, ESO, GW2.



    SWTOR is definitely at the top of my list for story. GW2 story is barely tolerable, imho.
  • Karnage69Karnage69 Member UncommonPosts: 323
    SWTOR is definitely #1. I understand these lists are opinion-biased, but still... I could even let SWTOR go to #2 or even #3 if there was a really good stance, but this list is wtf.
    pantaro
  • jdlamson75jdlamson75 Member UncommonPosts: 1,010
    Karnage69 said:
    SWTOR is definitely #1. I understand these lists are opinion-biased, but still... I could even let SWTOR go to #2 or even #3 if there was a really good stance, but this list is wtf.


    No, this list is Bill's opinion.  He thought the story in GW2 was a bigger part of the game than any of the others listed.  No WTF necessary.  It's like someone saying "Reign in Blood by Slayer is the best song ever!" to a country music fan.  The country fan, if he or she was accepting and wise enough, would nod and offer his or her opinion.  Love how these forum nerds get all butt hurt about a meaningless list meant to draw clicks from butthurt forum nerds. 

    And now you've made me a butthurt forum nerd complaining about a butthurt forum nerd.  Crap.
    KyleranAzaron_NightbladeMrMelGibsonpantarosumdumguy1
  • CazrielCazriel Member RarePosts: 419
    LOTRO is Number One, hands down. The story is the game. All the others can fight for second place.
    sumdumguy1
  • PinoXPinoX Member UncommonPosts: 71
    edited October 2017


    Big part of GW2 story was literally ruined by this dude. No, it doesn't deserve to be number 1. No matter how driven it was, standing beside Trahearne in instances just plain blows. I got this sensation i wanted to rinse my brain with borax just to forget him.
    GeezerGamerMrMelGibson
  • GeezerGamerGeezerGamer Member EpicPosts: 8,857
    PinoX said:


    Big part of GW2 story was literally ruined by this dude. No, it doesn't deserve to be number 1. No matter how driven it was, standing beside Trahearne in instances just plain blows. I got this sensation i wanted to rinse my brain with borax just to forget him.
    You mean considering you were the sidekick in his story?
    sumdumguy1
  • LawlmonsterLawlmonster Member UncommonPosts: 1,085
    I'll be damned if ESO isn't on every one of these lists, despite its mediocrity.
    sumdumguy1

    "This is life! We suffer and slave and expire. That's it!" -Bernard Black (Dylan Moran)

  • SemuneSemune Member UncommonPosts: 15
    GW2 over FFXIV and SWTOR?

    Hmmm... GW2's story is really...really short and bland with just a few points where it feels great. FFXIV on the other hand has 2 expansions where the story is A+++ material, and SWTOR is literally ALL story, and a very good one at that.

    Something's not right here. Not calling advertisement, but c'mon.
    Azaron_NightbladeKyleranGorwe
  • XasapisXasapis Member RarePosts: 6,337
    My problem with GW2 has always been the classes. Unfortunately, despite liking the rest of the game, not a single class felt good to play.
  • kallenskallens Member UncommonPosts: 39
    FFXIV has an amazing story, I get so emotional just hearing the music from the game.....Heavenwards was so good, and I'm looking forward to patch 4.1 to see where we are heading in Stormblood.....GW2 for me has the worst voice acting in any game ever, I would cringe during every cut scene
  • AmarantharAmaranthar Member EpicPosts: 5,852
    UO tops the list.
    I mean, Lord British was murdered in plain sight!
    And many more stories of the like.
    The theft of Mondain's Relics by a player, the swarm of the (little blob things, forget the name) as they were split by the NPC town guards (you had to use fire to kill them instead of splitting them), the secret of the black necklace, etc, etc., etc.
    But I know that's not whatcha mean. You mean scripted.
    MrMelGibson

    Once upon a time....

  • GeezerGamerGeezerGamer Member EpicPosts: 8,857
    edited October 2017
    @BillMurphy
    But this is the thing......Even if GW2's story was the best story out there, (It's not the worst either) and even if you love how they implemlemented the story with regard to leveling a character, it doesn't actually DRIVE anything. IT's there as an option if you want to experience it.  And, persoanlly, I prefer this method and I rather liked how they incorporated the story into the game (not saying I liked the actual story though, just how they built it into the game) as optional as opposed to FFXIV where it became mandatory for leveling. But that doesn't make the game "Story Driven" It's not, the story is optional. You can play all other aspects of GW2 without the story. Again, that's my preference, but you still can't define GW2 as "Story Driven". That definition runs counter to GW2's design which was supposed to be "Play how you want".
    FFXIV is story driven. SWTOR is story driven. GW2 is not.
    pantaroPinoXAzaron_Nightblade
  • XtrizXtriz Member UncommonPosts: 48
    I saying gw2 because it has so many stories, and every 3 month they release a new Story with cinematics.

    Like Fantasy Sidescroller? Join http://blixtenquest.com now !

  • SirAgravaineSirAgravaine Member RarePosts: 520
    edited October 2017
    The fact that AC did not make the list, tells me that Bill didn't play it.
    Kyleran
  • WizardryWizardry Member LegendaryPosts: 19,332
    The story should run from day 1 and continue through the game forever,feeling like you are immersed into the world.FFX gave me that incredible feeling,no it is not a MMO but that is why i mentioned it because i have never seen a MMO do the story thing correctly or even well,usually it is just a sloppy bunch of small stories tossed into a game just so they can say "we have stories".

    I have also seen games explain/write their stories OUTSIDE the game,sorry GW2 but that is not how you convey story,it should be clear inside the game and not just some random addition with a cool title like "living story",that doesn't make it any cooler or better.If you need to TELL people it is a story then guess what,you failed,there is no need to label a story as living story.

    You pick up a book to read a story ,the cover of the book doesn't say "living story"inside.

    Not only should the story be throughout it should center on the game and it's lore and not just some random story tossed in ,no matter how cool that story might seem.Like you could have some famous author write the story but if it has nothing to do with you and your adventure and the lore of the game,it is a sloppy addition and to me it would be meaningless.I mention your adventure because it should be about your adventure and not just a bunch of random stuff tossed together to say "we have content".FFX did that,the entire game/story was constant throughout,you always felt a part of the exact same adventure.

    I seriously doubt a MMO would ever deliver a great story because mmo's are typically about grinds and devs trying to toss as many quests into the game to create longevity,then a whole pile of endgame instances focused on looting,it is NEVER about a story adventure.

    Never forget 3 mile Island and never trust a government official or company spokesman.

  • KyleranKyleran Member LegendaryPosts: 44,060
    Wizardry said:
    The story should run from day 1 and continue through the game forever,feeling like you are immersed into the world.FFX gave me that incredible feeling,no it is not a MMO but that is why i mentioned it because i have never seen a MMO do the story thing correctly or even well,usually it is just a sloppy bunch of small stories tossed into a game just so they can say "we have stories".

    I have also seen games explain/write their stories OUTSIDE the game,sorry GW2 but that is not how you convey story,it should be clear inside the game and not just some random addition with a cool title like "living story",that doesn't make it any cooler or better.If you need to TELL people it is a story then guess what,you failed,there is no need to label a story as living story.

    You pick up a book to read a story ,the cover of the book doesn't say "living story"inside.

    Not only should the story be throughout it should center on the game and it's lore and not just some random story tossed in ,no matter how cool that story might seem.Like you could have some famous author write the story but if it has nothing to do with you and your adventure and the lore of the game,it is a sloppy addition and to me it would be meaningless.I mention your adventure because it should be about your adventure and not just a bunch of random stuff tossed together to say "we have content".FFX did that,the entire game/story was constant throughout,you always felt a part of the exact same adventure.

    I seriously doubt a MMO would ever deliver a great story because mmo's are typically about grinds and devs trying to toss as many quests into the game to create longevity,then a whole pile of endgame instances focused on looting,it is NEVER about a story adventure.
    Perhaps the reason is because MMORPGS are supposed to be platforms for players to create their own stories, so attempts to shoehorn in Dev created content usually falls flat?

    What story can a Dev really create which is applicable to hundreds if not thousands of players in a single world? 

    Most of the games people are putting forth as best in story are largely focused on single player experiences, and not very good from a multiplayer perspective.

    I played SWTOR as a trooper to level 50,  and I can barely remember what his story was about.

    Yet I can easily recall dozens of player stories in DAOC and EVE, being they were far more unique and memorable.

    Heck, I can retell stories from those two games I only read about or heard from others, because again, far more memorable than canned content.




    "True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde 

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    Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm

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  • blazeicerblazeicer Member UncommonPosts: 72
    edited October 2017
    GW2 as top story??? What in the world? SWTOR for sure..
  • sdeleon515sdeleon515 Member UncommonPosts: 151
    Having played nearly all of these, the order and titles just make me slightly vomit a bit. I'd agree the whole immersion vs. story vs. lore really isn't defined quite well. I'd say SWTOR should be an overwhelming favorites in any of those categories as well as ESO, FF 11/14 andd LoTR. A really hard one to define is EvE because you have pre-existing lore like GW2 but immersion is there (probably more even) but how the "story driven" aspect comes into play is nonexistent in the sense that the players are essentially creating the story in EvE after the lore ends so see how it's confusing?! Then you have old ones like Everquest that the story reveals itself if you've grinded out quests so it can result in tons of missed story as well! Frankly I just feel like this was a bad list to even create because some titles have good lore, others have strong storylines, others are more immersive and feel like their storylines are even better developed and so on and so fourth so yeah =/
    SirAgravaine
  • ArimaWasTakenArimaWasTaken Member UncommonPosts: 21

    SBFord said:

    @BillMurphy is wrong. :P SWTOR is the #1 story-driven game on MY list followed by LOTRO, ESO, GW2.



    No FFXIV? You must be out of your mind.
  • ceratop001ceratop001 Member RarePosts: 1,594
    Torval said:
    My undisputable top story driven games list is:
    tied-
    1. ESO
    1. SWTOR
    1. SWL
    2. LotRO
    3. Guild Wars - Rurik NOoooooo!!1!1!!11!!
    4. GW2

    I didn't realize the other games had a story. :innocent: 

    SWTOR for sure.

    Lotro yes I agree.

    After those two I have no clue lol. I'm the guy always clicking past the story, and then suddenly realizes hmmn I'm dead maybe I should of read something lol
    [Deleted User]
     
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