It seems like a lot of us like to complain a lot about games around here, and I'm no exception to that. But I was thinking about the times that games have exceeded my expectations and the following came to mind:
Darkfall
I heard this was a gankbox and all the players were psychotic griefers. I gave the game a try anyway and found two years of fun a lot of very cool people. There were a handful of jerks in public chat, but that's to be expected. The game offered my the closest online experience to Morrowind I've come across.
Trove
I played during the beta and there wasn't that much to do. By the time the game launched, I found that it had grown a lot. And it was free. It was great for a solid month of play (for me) and I still log in once in a while for a quick session.
Skyforge
I thought it would be an exploitative p2w/dress up game. I found that it was quite fun and challenging. It was also free, so I was glad I tried it and though I haven't played for a few weeks due to so many fun things to play right now, I'm pretty sure I will drop in again.
War Thunder
Another free to play game with a pvp focus. It's really pay to avoid grind. But "grind" in this game doesn't hurt you. You actually become better the more you play. So paying to level up more quickly actually hurt me. I found that by going back and mastering all the lower level planes I skipped over made be a much better player.
SWTOR
I was pretty disappointed by this game after launch and didn't expect to come back to it again after trying several times. When KOTFE came out, I didn't think I would even try it. But I read about all the QOL changes and focus on story and I'm glad I came back. It's my main game right now.
That's my list. The key for me, I guess, was having low expectations for all of them and then being pleasantly surprised.
Comments
Having learned a lot more over the years and having played soooo many games , i just know and see nothing but terrible sub par efforts.Like 99% of the games i see coming out look to me like budgetware gaming.
There is a slight possibility that Elyria surprises me,i somehow don't think so because i know what kind of manpower and budget is needed to pull off an amazing triple A game.Who knows maybe they have a great production lead and a well thought out design before they started it,therefor saving a lot of time and cost.
Yes the key is to having low expectations and i pretty much have low expectations for all games now.This way if something pops out and looks to me like a Triple A game,i will be extremely happy.
Never forget 3 mile Island and never trust a government official or company spokesman.
Warhammer Online - best game ever made imHo (still playin, after 7 years); I had much higher expectations, coming to it after WoW and AoC, and WAR exceeded it in atmosphere, humor, combat, gameplay, artwork... you name it.
Age of Conan - Tortuga (first 20) was good above my expectations, but the rest of the game unfortunately was not...But frankly, I guess I would leave it for WAR anyway.
Then the Jedi started showing up in game and all the good crafters stopped crafting to start their hologrind thus signaling the end of a great game for me.
"If I offended you, you needed it" -Corey Taylor
I was looking for a classic fantasy MMO with a huge gameworld so I could have fun. I didnt expect the game to be even remotely as good as it turned out.
Lineage 2
Its not a good game, but it also counts. I actually knew the game before playing it. I was shanghaied into it by a friend and while it still wasnt good, it was still definitely much better than I expected. Ideas like castle sieges, overenchanting and racial classes now are part of my pool of ideas for great MMOs.
Mostly it's just little snippets of the game that gets my interest. More often than not I see the potential of a game, which leaves me wondering whether or not those potentials are going to get the attention to flesh them out or improve them versus neglect in favor of something else. SWToR for example has a lot of things I consider irreparable largely due to the engine, but there's game elements like the mod system for items that I like.
"The knowledge of the theory of logic has no tendency whatever to make men good reasoners." - Thomas B. Macaulay
"The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge." - Daniel J. Boorstin
@woutwolf
It was incredibly polished and fun compared to other MMOs out there at the time.
Wizard 101
Who'd have thought I find the strategic combat I'm looking for in a game for children.
Warframe was something I avoided for a long while, mainly because of the ugly art design. Out of boredom one day I downloaded it on steam and was amazed at how fun it was. Played it for just under a year, still go back to it now and then.
ARK - I originally bought this simply because I wanted a game with nice graphics. Was hoping for a couple of weeks worth of casual fun. Instead, it likely is the most updated game on Steam. Have played it with my sister for months now, with new content coming in each week.
Dragomon Hunter - Yes Aeria is going to destroy it with their item mall, but the actually game itself is pretty decent overall.
Tree of Savior - Feels almost too much like Ragnarok Online, but that's exactly what we were hoping for...isn't it?
Blade & Soul - They have summoners.
Now, which one of you will adorn me today?
Every MMO after WOW and EVE has been a disappointment at best.
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
I guess i always expect too much, but then the usual hype also drives my expectations way up.
Only game worth mentioning would be WoW, because when i started at release i did not really expect anything and got many years of awesomeness in return.
However, there are alot of games that surprised my in one or another good way, like i.e. Kingdoms of Amalur did.
Old school: Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, everyone panned it, critics and players alike (at the time) but I loved it. Open world structure, great crafting, fun combat, diplomacy and just overall a very well rounded experience, wish it was still around.
Minecraft's versatility with private servers and ease of programming game content plus the length people (usually kids not always) go to, to create these artisticly amazing worlds using only what amounts to lego blocks. I have seen worlds built out of giant ice cream cones and sharks. There is just no end to the human imagination.
GW2 has managed to fix almost everything I hated with mmo's. Not all mind you but a bunch. I can access the Trading Post anywhere in the world. Their map is the biggest in any mmo I've ever played. Complex underwater game play my god I had always dreamed of a game that would have that. Huge devoted player base so I will never be afraid of one day logging in and no one is there to play. Variety of content and finally a game that lets pvp and pve exist in harmony.
Skyrim, The Sims 2, and Dragon's Dogma Dark Arisen.
Skyrim because you could have npc relationships, hearthfire, the world looked real, the gltiches left me in stitches. Lots of comedy there.
TS2 was modding heaven. BHAVS, meshing, and polycount oh my!
DDDA best mobs, best character creation, nice looking game. Fun to swap the servants you created (called pawns) with other players. Not an mmo but had online sharing.
Over the last 5 years though I have such low expectations that I think every game will suck and mostly they have lived up to them lol.
FFXIV has exceeded expectations for me because I ended up really liking it and played a solid 9 months, longer than any game BY FAR since early WoW and most of the pre WoW games. Actually I played Warhammer for quite a bit. I had more fun in the closed beta than once it went live. It was like a different game to me. Think it had to do with how people played it. That was a disappointment at first because I was hoping for daoc 2, but after a while and once I went back, I had a blast and now miss it. Nothing else has exceeded.
I've been satisfied with the progress of CU so far, probably would exceed if I went by my standard low expectations, but it is a bit higher for this game. I'm hoping Pantheon exceeds since I have so little faith in the project, let alone releasing, that if it even a half way decent game, it will far exceed lol.
Dishonored
Deus Ex Human Evolution
Warframe
Lara Craft Go
Marvel Heroes
... there are many .. not all of them MMO though
1) WOW - I watched people play UO and EQ and I didn't like the mechanics of SWG, and so I avoided MMO's until WOW. I really loved playing WOW as my first MMO and they did a great job in making it accessible and interesting
2) SWTOR (story only) - I was really impressed with the Sith Inquisitor storyline while leveling. I've always found KOTOR to be overrated but was impressed with the storytelling of SWTOR. I still quit after hitting teh level cap for many reasons, not the least of which was their refusal to rollback after the massive PVP exploit in teh first month.
3) GW2 (art direction only) - I think the art and exploration aspects are amazing. I'm not a fan of their combat system, especially in instances.
Marvel Heroes exceeded my low expectations but has become rather dull these days.
Trove was more fun than expected but got dull quick.
SWTOR because I didn't like it during beta but loved it about a year ago.
Also I would have to add The Gorgon Project. I always thought that the nostalgia I had could never be revived. That game did it.
Meridian 59 on the beta server after I decided to tried my hand at PKing in a game where you could be killed anywhere and the towns were no longer safe due to possible lynch mobs.
Wa min God! Se æx on min heafod is!
outside MMOs i think Soma was the latest to exceed my expectation story-wise...it's ending is written better than most books or movies.
my top MMOs: UO,DAOC,WoW,GW2
most of my posts are just my opinions they are not facts,it is the same for you too.
Gaming since 1985; Online gaming since 1995; No End in Sight! My YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8POVoJ8fdOseuJ4U1ZX-oA