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

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  • CelciusCelcius Member RarePosts: 1,868
    @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.
    Eh, not sure what you are saying. It is literally driving the entire direction of the game. Every map introduced and nearly every piece of content introduced since Season 1 has been driven by the story. I am not even sure what you want beyond that really. I mean, FF14 has more cutscenes and fed ex quests where you just run around talking to npcs who have floaty blobs of text above their heads. (even most of the cutscenes aren't voiced) Does having more cutscenes and more filler quests make it more story driven or something? Honestly I think FF14 being "Story Driven" is just a thing people say because it has the Final Fantasy name attached to it. It is just as "Story Driven" as pretty much every modern day MMO out there. 
  • Quizar1973Quizar1973 Member UncommonPosts: 251
    edited October 2017
    Still funny how people still don't see top 10 lists as being opinion...LMAO
    No one shall Rent space in my head!!!!!  B)
  • StilliamStilliam Member UncommonPosts: 13
    Can we consider The Witcher an MMO pretty please?! :P
  • b92303008b92303008 Member UncommonPosts: 18
    Never liked the story of GW2. But people have to understand that story and story-driven are two different concept.
    Gorwe
  • GeezerGamerGeezerGamer Member EpicPosts: 8,855
    Celcius said:
    @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.
    Eh, not sure what you are saying. It is literally driving the entire direction of the game. Every map introduced and nearly every piece of content introduced since Season 1 has been driven by the story. I am not even sure what you want beyond that really. I mean, FF14 has more cutscenes and fed ex quests where you just run around talking to npcs who have floaty blobs of text above their heads. (even most of the cutscenes aren't voiced) Does having more cutscenes and more filler quests make it more story driven or something? Honestly I think FF14 being "Story Driven" is just a thing people say because it has the Final Fantasy name attached to it. It is just as "Story Driven" as pretty much every modern day MMO out there. 
    The maps are connected to the story, but they are not driven by it. If that were the case, I would have to take part in the story to be able to play the games in the maps. You cannot level in FFXIV just clearing maps of mobs. You can't even enter into the next map in SWTOR until you have completed the story to that part.

    I'll put it this way. If I never touched the story, I can still make sense of the game. I can play the maps, I can do the hearts, I can to the DEs and never know anything about how they are tied to the story. You are only seeing it from the perspective of having completed the story and can see how they line up.......but it's not necessary.
  • WedlenWedlen Member UncommonPosts: 146
    Guildwars 1 was better than Guildwars 2 in most ways. Story in Guildwars 1 was better as well.
  • PurplePoloPlayerPurplePoloPlayer Member UncommonPosts: 145
    LOTRO is the only MMO that made me actually care about the outcome. The cinematic cut scenes were humorous and dramatic. This is the best MMO story over time by far.
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  • nellafurtadonellafurtado Member UncommonPosts: 17
    Top 5 for me...

    1. Elder Scrolls Online
    2. The Secret World Legends
    3. Star Wars Knights of The Old Republic
    4. Star Trek Online
    5. Final Fantasy XIV
  • GriffbaneGriffbane Member CommonPosts: 5
    LOTRO was an excellent story if you paid attention.
  • warfarewarfare Member UncommonPosts: 1
    Seems everyone is forgetting about Everquest and Everquest 2. Both of which are completely Story/Lore driven. Almost everything you do in either game is story driven, unless i am missing something....
  • CalavryCalavry Member UncommonPosts: 113
    That's because everyone has forgotten about EQ and EQ2.
  • Verum0Verum0 Member UncommonPosts: 55
    I have played GW2 and FF14. FF14 is all about the story even the end game content is story driven. GW2 isn’t bad but it doesn’t feel as driven as ff14
    Kyleran
  • vladko92vladko92 Member UncommonPosts: 42
    I would definitely not go with GW2 as a story driven game...

    My list is:

    1. SWTOR
    2. Secret World (Now Secret World Legends)
    3. Conan Exiles
    4. ESO
    5. FFXIV
    ConstantineMerus
  • SovrathSovrath Member LegendaryPosts: 32,002
    vladko92 said:
    I would definitely not go with GW2 as a story driven game...

    My list is:

    1. SWTOR
    2. Secret World (Now Secret World Legends)
    3. Conan Exiles
    4. ESO
    5. FFXIV
    I think you mean "Age of Conan" as "Conan Exiles" is a survival game.
    ConstantineMerus
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  • IselinIselin Member LegendaryPosts: 18,719
    The fact that AC did not make the list, tells me that Bill didn't play it.
    Well I played it and I loved it. But story driven? Give me a break. AC just like most early MMOs was all about grinding with rudimentary story snippets here and there.

    Story driven MMOs didn't really happen until the 2nd or 3rd generation. Basically WOW and later. It's synonymous with quest driven.
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  • TaishiFoxTaishiFox Member RarePosts: 999
    I think Star Trek Online shold be in there somewhere to be honest
    TheScavengerTalonsinGorwe

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  • WylfWylf Member UncommonPosts: 376
    #1 The Secret World, hands down is in a league by itself.
    WoW, Rift, ESO, & SWTOR all deserve top ten rankings, doesn't matter the order. Though as has been pointed out SWTOR has some great stories and some poor ones, is kinda of a mixed bag.
    GW2?????????? not sure where that came from, would not make my top 5.
  • ScorchienScorchien Member LegendaryPosts: 8,914
    Iselin said:
    The fact that AC did not make the list, tells me that Bill didn't play it.
    Well I played it and I loved it. But story driven? Give me a break. AC just like most early MMOs was all about grinding with rudimentary story snippets here and there.

    Story driven MMOs didn't really happen until the 2nd or 3rd generation. Basically WOW and later. It's synonymous with quest driven.
    Disagree strongly with this one , AC had a fantastic story line that was enhanced with live monthly events , Now you may not have taken part or followed which was not neccasary , But it was there and it was quite good
    [Deleted User]SirAgravaine
  • xMorbidAngeLxMorbidAngeL Member UncommonPosts: 17
    guild wars 2 sorry but thats just a joke the story is ok but not really that good
    in my few SWTOR is nr1 for me

    also i dont see warframe ?? because it have a very deep story with a lot of twist
  • KyleranKyleran Member LegendaryPosts: 43,498
    guild wars 2 sorry but thats just a joke the story is ok but not really that good
    in my few SWTOR is nr1 for me

    also i dont see warframe ?? because it have a very deep story with a lot of twist
    Probably not considered a MMO by the author.. or he never played it.

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  • SavageHorizonSavageHorizon Member EpicPosts: 3,466
    Iselin said:
    The fact that AC did not make the list, tells me that Bill didn't play it.
    Well I played it and I loved it. But story driven? Give me a break. AC just like most early MMOs was all about grinding with rudimentary story snippets here and there.

    Story driven MMOs didn't really happen until the 2nd or 3rd generation. Basically WOW and later. It's synonymous with quest driven.


    You mean EQ2 and later, it's was the first quest driven MMOs before WOW, only two weeks but the fact is it came out before WOW. 




  • SirAgravaineSirAgravaine Member RarePosts: 520
    Iselin said:
    The fact that AC did not make the list, tells me that Bill didn't play it.
    Well I played it and I loved it. But story driven? Give me a break. AC just like most early MMOs was all about grinding with rudimentary story snippets here and there.

    Story driven MMOs didn't really happen until the 2nd or 3rd generation. Basically WOW and later. It's synonymous with quest driven.
    http://asheron.wikia.com/wiki/Story_Arcs 

    No game compares to the consistency and frequency of live events in AC's first 24 months. 
    [Deleted User]Scorchien
  • KyleranKyleran Member LegendaryPosts: 43,498
    Iselin said:
    The fact that AC did not make the list, tells me that Bill didn't play it.
    Well I played it and I loved it. But story driven? Give me a break. AC just like most early MMOs was all about grinding with rudimentary story snippets here and there.

    Story driven MMOs didn't really happen until the 2nd or 3rd generation. Basically WOW and later. It's synonymous with quest driven.


    You mean EQ2 and later, it's was the first quest driven MMOs before WOW, only two weeks but the fact is it came out before WOW. 
    Surely you mean AC2, releasing in Nov 2002 and is considered to be the game both EQ2 and WOW "borrowed" the idea of quest driven progression from.

    I've corrected you previously on this, you must have forgotten

    ;)
    lahnmir

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  • Azaron_NightbladeAzaron_Nightblade Member EpicPosts: 4,829
    Gorwe said:
    Well, I think the shock factor of putting GW 2 in the first place worked rather well. Think this thread would have even quarter of replies if the list was less...innovative?
    Yep. He's a cunning one, that Bill.
    Kyleran

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  • DreycraftDreycraft Member UncommonPosts: 107
    Bill DID make it clear in this article's intro that story quality itself was not a factor, but more how it was presented. But at the same time I will say that that is pretty absurd to not factor that in when making a top 10 list of story driven mmos. I guess he stated that just so he could make GW2 number one, because how they delivered story was great, but the story itself was meh. My personal favorites would be:

    1) SWTOR
    2) ESO
    3) WoW and LotRO tied- I'm a Warcraft and LotR lore fanatic
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