Top 5 MMORPGs For Expert Players Looking For More

When it comes to the MMORPG space, there’s a lot on offer. Granted, not everything under the umbrella is what we might think of as a traditional MMORPG, but that’s okay, it just means there should be something for everyone. What about those among us who consider themselves to be expert players – perhaps those who are more hard-core?

To be honest, gauging that can be a bit relative. These days, it seems like most games are not entirely running on difficult mode. A game company shrinks their audience when they do that. Even CCP Games has been restructuring things to make Eve Online at least a little more welcoming to those new to the space.

There are those games that offer something for those looking for a challenge. If you’re one of those people, you might want to take a look at this list. We’ve compiled a few games that, if not completely hardcore themselves, have some hard-core elements made with experienced players in mind.

These aren’t in any particular order.

Eve Online

Since we already mentioned it, let’s go ahead and get it out of the way. Eve Online, affectionately known as “Spreadsheets in space”, is an MMORPG for a certain kind of player. For one thing, you have to be the kind of player who accepts dying to other players as a feature of the game and also be willing to take out in-game insurance to pay for all your stuff once someone blows it up. Yes, this is a thing. It doesn’t hurt to be a bit of a math nerd and have an affinity for Excel either.

Because of Eve’s “the players make the game” type of gameplay, the questlines available in the game are likely to only be a small part of your experience and there’s every chance for the players to do something completely unhinged that people will be talking about for a good long time. If you’re lucky, you’ll end up rich and owning a giant space station. If you’re not, you may never make it to the next system.

Path of Exile

Look, you can totally casual your way through Path of Exile if you want and just take in the story. I’ve done it on occasion, and it’s a good time. If you really want to dig into the game, you’re going to be playing in the leagues as they come out. Those are a whole different ballgame. You have to be good if you want to keep going.

There’s even a game mode literally named “Ruthless” which lowers item drops, limits crafting, and just generally makes life more difficult for the player who chooses to take it on. If you like pain, this might just be the option for you.

Fallout 76

It’s the post-apocalypse, you’re living in a nuclear wasteland, and everyone’s out for themselves. Not only do you have to worry about mutants, rather large creatures of all types, homicidal robots, surviving radiation poisoning – very fun when the food is contaminated too, and all manner of other calamities. There are other players to worry about in Fallout 76. Sure, a lot of them are friendly, but you might just rub someone the wrong way and get a nuke dropped on that scrap heap of a house you’ve been building.

It’s fine. You’ll be fine. Everything is fine.

Old School – Well Anything, Honestly. But Let’s Say Old School RuneScape

Here’s the thing. When it comes to old games like RuneScape, those who played them when they came out remember them fondly. They always talk about wanting to go back to them. It’s that whole rose-colored glasses thing. We had a good time playing those games, and over time we moved on, or the game did. Sometimes, the developers decide to bring them back, annnnd… yeah. It takes a special kind of person to go back to and stick with these games.

They’re not specifically made for expert players, but it does turn out that the old games that we grew up with are sometimes more difficult by virtue of the systems in place when those games were being made. That, and MMORPGs weren’t as widely played, meaning developers were catering to a smaller, more specific group of players.

Final Fantasy XIV

Like a lot of modern games, Final Fantasy XIV isn’t exactly difficult – particularly if you want to just play through the story. In fact, the developers have gone out of their way to make it as easy an experience as possible. However, there are some areas where being an expert player helps. One of these is the game’s true endgame – glamour. This game is a fashion show and everyone knows it. Sooner or later, you will be judged and it’s a bit like walking into a group of mean girls when all your good clothes are in the wash.

More seriously, though, and what y’all are probably here for, there is a section of the population that is there to punish themselves. You can find these people in Party Finder day and night, banging their heads against the wall as they push through the savage raids and Ultimates. In addition to the technical difficulty of these activities, there are other punishing factors. The first is dealing with party finder, finding a group that you can actually work together with long enough to get the job done. The other, in the case of Ultimates, is simply that it’s a test of stamina. They’re practically designed to wear the players out. Keep in mind, it’s very possible you’ll be doing this with people you don’t even like, just to get that shiny weapon and title. Reminds me of tabletop gaming shops in the 90s.

Honestly, the way MMOs are designed now, almost any game can be great for expert players. It just depends on what you’re looking for out there. Sometimes it will come down to min-maxing your leveling experience, other times it will be all about punishing yourself for weeks on end. Whatever you’re looking for, there’s something there and people to play it with.

Just consider the five games in this list as an example of what’s out there and find what works for you.