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General: List: The Top Five PvP MMOs

StraddenStradden Managing EditorMember CommonPosts: 6,696

In this week's list, MMORPG.com contributor William Murphy writes this look at what he feels are the top five PvP MMOs from both the past and the present.

The List

It occurred to me as we start 2010 that I’ve spent more time playing MMOs over the past 10 years than I spent reading, writing, drawing, watching TV, riding my bike, or any other one of my hobbies. I tried to think about why I would feel inclined to spend so much of my leisure time in imaginary worlds clubbing giant rats. After vowing to ride my bike more and actually read something other than quest text in 2010, I realized one of the main reasons I like to spend several hours a week in online space is the people... and sometimes more accurately: killing them. I love questing, but the competitive streak in me loves a good fight with human opponents. Keep in mind that this list is my own, and your mileage may vary, but here then are my top five PvP MMOs.

Read The Top Five PvP MMOs.

Cheers,
Jon Wood
Managing Editor
MMORPG.com

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Comments

  • valunvalun Member UncommonPosts: 203

    What about shadowbane, DAoC and AO:Notum Wars? 

    Are you stupid? Do you think i'm gonna waste my life for real life?image
  • drago_pldrago_pl Member Posts: 384

    Darkfall? Same rule set as EVE online and have more features now from EVE at launch. Still EVE is better than Darkfall after all those years of tweaking and polishing. Can't argue that.

    Ohhh, and for instance lovers: 3 top have open world PvP :P

    EDIT: Yeah, what about Shadowbane?

  • MurashuMurashu Member UncommonPosts: 1,386

    When I first read the list I couldn't believe you actually had the gall to include WoW as a PvP MMO. After thinking about it though, I do have many fond memories of fighting for hours and hours at TM. I kinda miss City raids too :)

  • lapommelapomme Member Posts: 270

    I won't be a blind WoW hater, maybe WoW deserves to barely be on that list at #5, and maybe not.  But WAR?  /facepalm   You've got to be kidding me.  That MMO has some of the most bland PvP I have ever witnessed.  Replace it with something like Shadowbane.  I'm sorry but you have low ass standards if WAR is on your top 5 list of PvP MMOs.

  • SidereusSidereus Member Posts: 316

    now that's a great top !  Finally something usefull for those in search of PvP

    QUESTION:
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Xridnasa:
    -
    What's a "grocery store"? Is that like McDonald's?
    -
    ANSWER:
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sidimazz:
    -
    Kind of, just without the rapist.

  • GeniusSageGeniusSage Member Posts: 199

    No Darkfall? What a joke.

  • augustgraceaugustgrace Member UncommonPosts: 628

    No Shadowbane?  The game didn't have much else to offer, but it did do pvp very well.

  • samhainchldsamhainchld Member Posts: 13

    Good call on the DAoC. Best RvR/PvP I've found. It's what brings me back to that game over and over again.

  • erictlewiserictlewis Member UncommonPosts: 3,022

    I can see eve being number one as the entire game is open pvp in 0.4 space and lower.

    The other games I barly played. 

  • neonwireneonwire Member Posts: 1,787
    Originally posted by WesKhan1


    I won't be a blind WoW hater, maybe WoW deserves to barely be on that list at #5, and maybe not.  But WAR?  /facepalm   You've got to be kidding me.  That MMO has some of the most bland PvP I have ever witnessed.  Replace it with something like Shadowbane.  I'm sorry but you have low ass standards if WAR is on your top 5 list of PvP MMOs.



     

    I totally agree. The fact that an incredibly bland game like WAR can appear on a top 5 pvp mmo list goes to show how lacking mmos are for decent pvp games. WoW isnt even a pvp game and it gets a place........and Ultima Online is 10 years old. Then again I knew the list was going to be terrible before I even clicked on the link.

    This article simply proves that we need more pvp based mmos. Hopefully this will change in 2010

  • LynxJSALynxJSA Member RarePosts: 3,332
    Originally posted by Murashu


    When I first read the list I couldn't believe you actually had the gall to include WoW as a PvP MMO. After thinking about it though, I do have many fond memories of fighting for hours and hours at TM. I kinda miss City raids too :)

    Brought the same memories to mind for me, as well. :)  It was really cool to be able to go back to TM when I was a higher level in order to hang around and defend the L20s that were questing and leveling in the area.

    -- Whammy - a 64x64 miniRPG 
    RPG Quiz - can you get all 25 right? 
    FPS Quiz - how well do you know your shooters?  
  • DiSpLiFFDiSpLiFF Member UncommonPosts: 602

     good list, the only one i'd disagree with would be WAR to be honest. They didn't really do anything special in that game as far as pvp goes imo. WoW should be at least higher than WAR, but from the sounds of it you're basing all of the ranks on open pvp and considered arenas e-sport which I guess is pretty accurate. No doubt in my mind that warcraft arenas are the most competitive pvp aspect of any mmo to date and justly on the list. 

    The list also brought up some good memories of DAOC :) I didn't play EVE long enough to fully enjoy the pvp, I tried the game for the first time about a month ago and just felt like I was way to behind other players that could of possibly been playing for 6 years. 

  • DirktoothDirktooth Member Posts: 33
    Originally posted by valun


    What about shadowbane, DAoC and AO:Notum Wars? 

     

    AO: Notum Wars isnt a good choice to be listed in here since its nothing but twink fights. There is no great challenge in there. The more creds you sink in your twink, the better it is. That is all.

     

    I wonder if Planetside should be in the list.

  • Paragus1Paragus1 Member UncommonPosts: 1,741

    WoW is on this list, but Darkfall isn't?   I don't think any serious MMO PvP player is going to take this seriously.  WoW is like the laughing stock of the PvP community.  Hell Warhammer is practically on life support and has more crowd control that any other game.   I'd rather see Lineage 2 or maybe even Aion over WAR.

  • HarafnirHarafnir Member UncommonPosts: 1,350

    True, mileage may vary...

    DaoC is a given, as its realm fighting is some of the most fun things in existance that has never been copied.

    EVE, absolutly. Amazing PvP even to the point of completly destroying whole guilds and stealing all their possesions. Nothing can compare to that freedom.

    Ultima Online... also a given. The first true PvP centered game and also with amazing freedom in both character creation and character freedom.

    But... But... a few games springs to mind...

    Planetside?! ONLY PvP and all about PvP? And some amazing PvP with vehicles and ariplanes as well? No...? Really?

    Wait... World War II Online?! All PvP, only PvP on a scale map of the whole of Europe?! Oh yes, with vehicles, airplanes and antivehicle and antiairforce equipment?  Complete and utter freedom? no...? not?

    Or is this not about MMOs but about button skills instead of actual fighitng skills? Then I understand

    And even if I disagree with WAR as Top anyhting PvP... I agree that Darkfall should be out. 5 fan bois not a right make.

     

    "This is not a game to be tossed aside lightly.
    It should be thrown with great force"

  • RuynRuyn Member Posts: 1,052

    I personally think this list is laughable and the very fact that you omit Darkfall from even being nominated reaffirms my belief that the people running this site are biased against it.

    Darkfall is THE BEST PVP GAME, bar none.

    It was THE BEST new game of 2009.

    It was the most improved game of 2009.

    Darkfall is offering one of the best MMORPG experiences currently. 

     

    Edit:  The title should read, The Top 5 MMO's with Meaningless PvP, or Top 5 MMO's with Arena PvP.

  • Paragus1Paragus1 Member UncommonPosts: 1,741
    Originally posted by Harafnir  ... I agree that Darkfall should be out. 5 fan bois not a right make.
     

     

    I very respectfully disagree.   If you want to know what the top PvP MMORPGs of all time are, you should look at the games the top PvP guilds flock to for serious competition.  As someone who has played PvP MMOs and on PvP servers since the genre started, there are certain games that these guilds hold in high regards.

    Ultima Online, Shadowbane, Dark Age of Camelot, Asheron's Call (Darktide), EVE Online, possibly Guild Wars or Lineage 2, and Darkfall.

    I have played with and against some of the most prolific PvP guilds in the MMO genre, and believe me when I say Darkfall is a game where many of them have a presence for the last year.   Whether you like the game or thinks its a piece of crap, doesn't matter.   Whether the game has 11 million subscribers or 30,000 doesn't matter.  The list shouldn't be based on sub numbers because PvP and hardcore PvP is a very niche part of the genre.  Follow these guilds and you'll find the best PvP MMOs, and right now Darkfall is one of them.   No game requires more situational awareness and personal skill at the controls in the genre than this one does, despite whatever other flaws there may be.

  • Mopar63Mopar63 Member UncommonPosts: 300
    Originally posted by Ruyn
    Edit:  The title should read, The Top 5 MMO's with Meaningless PvP, or Top 5 MMO's with Arena PvP.



     

    I have a question for you, did you bring enough of that DF Koolaid for everyone? You know I cannot comment on the PvP much in others games cause of this very quote, it was meaningless it seemed. EvE however being called Arena or Meaningless in it's PvP shows either a moron or someone that has never played EvE.

    The PvP in Eve can go so far as to effect noob players at time in it's outcome. The entire game is PvP not just the combat but the economics as well.

     

     

  • dannydeucedannydeuce Member Posts: 310

    And this is why I don't play Darkfall.  The whining and complaining constantly from them in every single thread remotely related directly represent the community of Darkfall.  Grow up or shut up.

    Back on topic, interesting read and I mostly agree with the list. 

    Vanilla WoW is a classic and the first 6 months after release was epic in regards to open world pvp for me since I rarely felt safe as a wee lil' troll.  

    WAR is still quite fun to play every now and then as a freebie and offers insta pvp rather than most games requires mucho time invested to pvp with any substance.  I like this mode greatly.

    Ultima online was a game that actually made me nervous walking around by myself.  Quite an achievement in and of itself.

    DaoC is my number 1 pvp game, bar none. 

    I never played Eve, although I can't disagree with the OP since I never actually gave it a shot.  I never had any interest in open space pvp or whatever it is.  

  • GrayGhost79GrayGhost79 Member UncommonPosts: 4,775

     lol EvE, UO, DAoC I can agree with but WoW and War definitely do not belong on that list lol. 

    DFO - One of the first MMO's to truly give that balls to the walls war. In the first month of DFO you had one large alliance attempting to conquer the whole of Agon which forced other alliances to form and wage war against them. There were ship battles, sieges, sneak attacks, traps, spies, espionage, sabotage, it was war and an epic one at that. The server war at DFO's launch is something that has never been seen in an MMO. Politics played a huge role, public opinion and support was something the major alliances fought for on a daily basis. Good will missions took place. The battles were truly bloody and epic. While you can say many things in regards to how bad DFO is, there is simply no denying what DFO has brought to the PvP MMO scene. 

     

    Aion - While some do not like Aion, there really isn't any denying that it has brought some of the fastest paced PvP to date into the PvP scene. While you are flying or even simply running on the ground the combat is very fast paced. Being a PvPvE MMO with flying are other unique things it brought to the table. 

     

    Shadowbane - One of the greats from ages past. Shadowbane laid the foundation for siege warfare. Some epic battles were had in Shadowbane and the mechanics made from some interesting options when you had beef with another guild. Shadowbane much like UO had a great deal of influence on the games we play today and without Shadowbane many of the great siege mechanics that many of us enjoy today would likely not exist. 

     

     

    WoW and War both fail in comparison to any of the above mentioned games. WoW and War both failed to deliver on one integral element in making a good or even decent PvP MMO. They failed on delivering a sense of purpose or meaning to it all. PvP'ing in those MMO's really did not make it feel as if it meant anything. You didn't feel like you had any impact on the world around you at all. You really didn't. The world and the community simply chugged along as if you never existed and what you had done never happened. Not to mention neither really brought much unique to the PvP scene. War while herald as a PvP MMO did bring some innovative things to the table in regards to PvE but failed really to deliver anything new or innovative in PvP. WoW's PvP faired no better and it's focus was always centered around "My gears better". 

     

    WoW and Wars PvP are compairable to Age of Conans and many others that simply never understood what PvP was about. Without ever grasping that concept you simply can not deliver. Not only is PvP about competition, its about making what you do have an impact on another. WoW, War and Age of Conan are prime examples of developers simply not understanding what it is that makes PvP worth doing. There has to be some trophy that you can take away from it all that has some meaning or value. 

     

    It's fun to compete with others, but it simply gets blah if theres nothing more to gain than the right to say I won this time... see you next time. There truly has to be something to compete over. 

     

    In Aion while it may not seem like it even there you are fighting over something. The Abyss is open to all, capturing a fort opens access to special recipes, stigmas, gear, etc. and not only that but your fighting for control over the land it'self. Hard to PvE in an area where the enemy race is killing you lol. So even Aion manages to give meaning to it all to some degree. 

     

    Why you would add MMO's that simply did PvP wrong on this list I have no idea. There are a slew of other MMO's that did things very well and or brought something new and unique to the table for PvP. 

     

    WoW and War simply did neither of these things. Nothing new to the PvP scene and they certainly did not manage to capture the essence of PvP. 

  • KilmarKilmar Member UncommonPosts: 844

    Sad list. I dont disagree (because I dont pvp much), but the first 3 ranked games are old. Hey devs, look at that list and change it ;)

  • gothagotha Member UncommonPosts: 1,074

    DF and sb blow wow away even with their shortcomings.  Aion blows wow away.  Aoc has better combat then wow.  Planetside,  wwII online.

    I am sorry wow does a lot of things well but pvp is not among them.

    Even the fact it is the largest mmo does not give it a right to be on this list.



    Warhammer i guess it could fly maybe as #5

  • GrayGhost79GrayGhost79 Member UncommonPosts: 4,775
    Double post oO.... 
  • ZoeMcCloskeyZoeMcCloskey Member UncommonPosts: 1,372
    Originally posted by GrayGhost79


     lol EvE, UO, DAoC I can agree with but WoW and War definitely do not belong on that list lol. 
    DFO - One of the first MMO's to truly give that balls to the walls war. In the first month of DFO you had one large alliance attempting to conquer the whole of Agon which forced other alliances to form and wage war against them. There were ship battles, sieges, sneak attacks, traps, spies, espionage, sabotage, it was war and an epic one at that. The server war at DFO's launch is something that has never been seen in an MMO. Politics played a huge role, public opinion and support was something the major alliances fought for on a daily basis. Good will missions took place. The battles were truly bloody and epic. While you can say many things in regards to how bad DFO is, there is simply no denying what DFO has brought to the PvP MMO scene. 
     
    Aion - While some do not like Aion, there really isn't any denying that it has brought some of the fastest paced PvP to date into the PvP scene. While you are flying or even simply running on the ground the combat is very fast paced. Being a PvPvE MMO with flying are other unique things it brought to the table. 
     
    Shadowbane - One of the greats from ages past. Shadowbane laid the foundation for siege warfare. Some epic battles were had in Shadowbane and the mechanics made from some interesting options when you had beef with another guild. Shadowbane much like UO had a great deal of influence on the games we play today and without Shadowbane many of the great siege mechanics that many of us enjoy today would likely not exist. 
     
     
    WoW and War both fail in comparison to any of the above mentioned games. WoW and War both failed to deliver on one integral element in making a good or even decent PvP MMO. They failed on delivering a sense of purpose or meaning to it all. PvP'ing in those MMO's really did not make it feel as if it meant anything. You didn't feel like you had any impact on the world around you at all. You really didn't. The world and the community simply chugged along as if you never existed and what you had done never happened. Not to mention neither really brought much unique to the PvP scene. War while herald as a PvP MMO did bring some innovative things to the table in regards to PvE but failed really to deliver anything new or innovative in PvP. WoW's PvP faired no better and it's focus was always centered around "My gears better". 
     
    WoW and Wars PvP are compairable to Age of Conans and many others that simply never understood what PvP was about. Without ever grasping that concept you simply can not deliver. Not only is PvP about competition, its about making what you do have an impact on another. WoW, War and Age of Conan are prime examples of developers simply not understanding what it is that makes PvP worth doing. There has to be some trophy that you can take away from it all that has some meaning or value. 
     
    It's fun to compete with others, but it simply gets blah if theres nothing more to gain than the right to say I won this time... see you next time. There truly has to be something to compete over. 
     
    In Aion while it may not seem like it even there you are fighting over something. The Abyss is open to all, capturing a fort opens access to special recipes, stigmas, gear, etc. and not only that but your fighting for control over the land it'self. Hard to PvE in an area where the enemy race is killing you lol. So even Aion manages to give meaning to it all to some degree. 
     
    Why you would add MMO's that simply did PvP wrong on this list I have no idea. There are a slew of other MMO's that did things very well and or brought something new and unique to the table for PvP. 
     
    WoW and War simply did neither of these things. Nothing new to the PvP scene and they certainly did not manage to capture the essence of PvP. 

     

    Not sure I could possibly disagree with you more.  Everyone is entitled to their own opinion on what makes good and bad PvP.  Speaking for myself I enjoy the competition for the sake of it and I really wouldn't care if they ever handed me some pretty lil trophy for doing it.  I also very much hate it when it turns into a big epeen or flamefest.  So games like Warhammer, DaoC and others where you cannot talk to your enemies, sign me up.

    Not saying you are wrong and I am right.  Just saying you are wrong to automatically assume your version of what makes good PvP is the holy grail of all opinions and everyone else is wrong because they don't see it your way.

    image
  • dark-merlindark-merlin Member Posts: 314

     Well he said its his personal list of PVP games.

     

    He probably never played Darkfall and Shadowbane.

     

    In terms of best PVP game out its Darkfall, and will be for a long time (MO being designed more for RP supposedly).

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