first was lotro, i find the grafics and rebuild of middleearth still impressive. since a short peak last year on monsterhunter online i play black desert because this mmo ist the best an realistic mmo ever, the world is so emersive and lush. and it has the best grafics for an mmo out there!
Age of Conan, while it was buggy at launch and rough arround the edges, it was the first proper mmo I played and I still cherish many a great memories from that game. I've also met some really great people there and we have been playing games together ever since.
You must gather your party before venturing forth.
Everquest because even now my heart hurts a little when I think of the people I played with. It was the game in which I met some of the very best friends of mine online. The reason any thought of the game hurts is that I can never go back and get back those early days of discovery and playing with them . So it's a game that is wonderful because of the people I played with and the game was wonderful because of the systems it had that made me have to find people to play with.
My favorite is and always will be City of Heroes. Is gone now, I know, but it was a game like no other. I play it for years and to this moment I miss it big. It allowed you to create a hero with a unique costume system and chose from a big variety of powers. It would let you fly like superman, teleport like night crawler, have the super strength of hulk and summon demons and other creatures. Writing this makes me want to go back in time and hop on my defender or blaster.
I don't have a favorite MMO ...
I will may say Vanilla/TBC WoW, because nostalgia!
Sandbox MMORPGs that are not very well-known but definitely worth a look:
Ryzom, Haven and Hearth, Xsyon, The Repopulation, UO private shards, Mortal Online, Darkfall 1 remakes (New Dawn or Rise of Agon), RPG MO, Project Gorgon, EQ: Sanctuary (custom server)
If MUDs count then it would batmud, simply nothing of its size & scope existed back then when i played (1992 - 1999), I left to play what would arguably be my other choice, which was Everquest.
The original Everquest still dredges up fond memories to this day. It's graphics & mechanics might be antiquated by today's standards, but it's concept is still very relevant & immersive.
Asheron's Call - It introduced me to the world of MMORPGs. The breadth and scope of the game was amazing. My only regret is that it came out in the late 90's and not right now. If it had come out now, the graphics would have been amazing.
Ultima Online / Warhammer Online : Return of Reckoning - I plat the oldschool titles, nostalgia at its finest. Exactly why I need state of the art gaming headgear
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Still the best Group experience of any MMO I played.
I will may say Vanilla/TBC WoW, because nostalgia!
Ryzom, Haven and Hearth, Xsyon, The Repopulation, UO private shards, Mortal Online, Darkfall 1 remakes (New Dawn or Rise of Agon), RPG MO, Project Gorgon, EQ: Sanctuary (custom server)
As for now I just tinker with Grim Dawn and PoE.