The MMORPG genre has always been a fan-favorite among the gaming community, spawning some of the longest-running franchises in the industry’s history. With online games becoming more popular than ever with titles likeFortnite,Apex Legends, andNew World, players have plenty to choose from when it comes to picking a game. But some of the most popular MMO-specific titles are undoubtedlyWorld of WarcraftandFinal Fantasy 14.
For MMOs to be successful, they need to offer players something truly wonderful to keep their interest, and it’s often these ever-evolving landscapes that gamers get the most enjoyment from. BothWorld of WarcraftandFinal Fantasy 14have their fair share of fans, and they are unquestionably great games, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have areas in which they could improve.
RELATED:10 MMORPGs Perfect For Newcomers To The Genre
Why World of Warcraft Is So Popular
One of the most well-known MMORPGs,World of Warcrafthas been a staple of gaming culture for almost two decades. It was a major critical and commercial success and has generated billions in profits fordeveloper and publisher Blizzard Entertainment, and there are many reasons why the appeal ofWorld of Warcrafthas been so longstanding.
Its initially innovative mechanics helped to establish the baseline for what MMOs should be to this day, and its range of character builds and unique playstyles help to open up the game to so many different types of gamers and differing skill levels. Having such a diverse playerbase can be a plus for a game that relies on this to flourish, and this is definitely one ofWorld of Warcraft’s strengths.
This leads on to another ofWorld of Warcraft’s strongest elements — its community. The social experience of playing an MMO is key to its success, and especially its longevity.World of Warcraftquickly established a dedicated and passionate community after its release, and this has only continued to grow over the years. With the ability to form guilds, exchange items, and complete quests together,World of Warcraftbrought something meaningful as well as entertaining to its gameplay. One of the most popular elements of the game is its dungeons — a chance for up to 40 players to face down challenges together, with success hinging on how well they cooperate.
Along with its thriving community and genre-defining mechanics,World of Warcraftis one of the best examples of art design for an MMO.World of Warcrafthas great villainsand interesting characters, with diverse races and appearances, but most importantly the world feels rich and fantastical, and begs to be explored. Environments are detailed and immersive, with intriguing lore littered about the landscape that helps players to get a full sense of the world. The storylines are just as impressive, with multiple expansions over the years building upon the base game and offering something new to gamers.
Why Final Fantasy 14 Is A Worthy Competitor
However,World of Warcraftisn’t the only MMORPG of note. With an already loyal fanbase, theFinal Fantasyseries added an MMORPG to its series of beloved games. The online game has a massive and well-crafted world, with a compelling storyline that features many of theelements that make theFinal Fantasygames great. The character progression is equally enjoyable and adds unique features to the tried and tested elements of the genre.
It’s easy to see whyFinal Fantasy 14is climbing the ranks of player popularity, and even reportedly stealing players away fromWorld of Warcraft. The game’s combat is often more intricate and complex than some of its competitors, and its use of challenging combos provides a unique system for gamers to master in order to truly progress their characters.Classes inFinal Fantasy 14feel diverse and balanced, and offer a multitude of choices for players and playstyles.
When the game first launched in 2010, it was met with widespread criticism and faced a slew of technical, mechanical, and story issues. However, instead of abandoning the property, Square Enix put a new team in charge and essentially redesigned the entire game. After overhauling the design, the game’s relaunch was a massive success and made fans feel listened to and appreciated. With clearer concepts, well-thought-out combat, and the ability to change class at will based on the character’s weapon providing a lot of flexibility to gameplay,the updatedFinal Fantasy 14has proved itself to be a worthy competitor.
RELATED:How a Console Version of World of Warcraft Could Work
The Elements Of The Games That Aren’t So Great
While both games have their strengths, not everything can be perfect inthe realms ofWorld of WarcraftorFinal Fantasy 14. Both games have had their ups and downs since their respective releases, with fan criticisms, controversial updates, or full redesigns/overhauls. With vast online worlds and regular updates and expansions, not every game can always hit the mark.
One of the ways in whichWorld of Warcraftstruggles is in some of its more dated aspects.World of Warcraftis one of the longest-running MMOs, so there are bound to be elements that were modern and fresh when it launched, but now that have the sheen of gaming years gone by compared to its newer competitors. Some of the graphics look a little old, and tired gameplay mechanics that have been in place since the game launched are begging for an overhaul.
In comparison to games likeFinal Fantasy 14, the skill rotations inWorld of Warcraftfeel simplistic and less challenging. The game struggles to balance classes, and during raids, this can lead to one-sided gameplay.Final Fantasy 14may not have this particular problem, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have other issues. The game suffers from too much of a mixed bag when it comes to player ability, which can affect the success of in-game teams. While it’s good to remain open to players of all types, it can lead to frustration in more die-hard fans when they’re having to contend with casual gamers in servers.
Thestory inFinal Fantasy 14may be engrossing, but outside of it, the world content can feel a little sparse. Perks and loot can be few and far between at times, which hardly rewards or encourages exploration. When other MMORPGs offer wider, denser, and more complex worlds to explore outside of the core content, this is a point of comparison in whichFinal Fantasy 14comes off worse. But these gripes aside, both games have earned their popularity and are still worth any player’s time.
