The Top 5 Upcoming MMOs on JoBildo's Radar

Thanks to the inspiration of Darren, I've gone ahead and compiled a list of my top 5 upcoming MMOs. There are a lot of titles coming out over the next year or so, and more even beyond that horizon. It really is a good time to be addicted to these games, as soon our pool of possible fixes will widen greatly. At least, if they're any good it will.

Anyway, here's my Top 5 Most Wanted and why...

1.) Pirates of the Burning Sea - This is my number one for a plethora of reasons. I absolutely loved Sid Meier's Pirates, and I have every reason to believe this will be very much like it only vaster and MMO-ier. That alone makes the Pirate in me scream "Yargh!"

Combine the setting and time period with the stunning idea that someone's willing to try something brand new in the genre, and you've got me hooked. If it plays nearly as addictively as Sid's game does, I'll be there for a while indeed.

Lastly, it's likely going to be the 1st of my bunch to come out. Or so I hope, hence its position above number 2.

2.) Warhammer Online - I know, I've never really put forth the impression that I'm all that into PvP, and truth is as a rule I'm not a hardcore PvPer. But I do love me some PvP in a controlled sense, but still in the open world... enter a little thing of beauty called RvR.

The RvR system is the tip of the iceberg for my interest in this one. One of my main draws to WoW and all of Warcraft's universe is its striking similarity to the crude and over the top fantasy world of Warhammer. It's high fantasy with fart jokes and gore. Not to mention, the best dwarves ever are a product of this universe. My Engineer is practically begging for me to play him. To which I reply, "Tell EA Mythic to hurry up, and I will."

And lastly, WAR seems to be doing away with a lot of the banal things about the typical fantasy MMO. Some of the little annoyances like killing a bunch of bears to get to a trapped person who in turn... asks you to kill more bears. Attention to details like this has be waiting baited. I hope it's as good as the hype Paul Barnett lends it.

3.) Gods and Heroes - Roman Mythology + Pokemon = The Awesome. That's all I ned to say here. Okay, maybe not all.

But while I understand the game's going to be all about the PvE questing and the minion system at launch, I can't escape this feeling that it will be a blast to play. Stieg Hedlund is the lead developer behind this one, and Blizzard fans will recognize his name as one of the driving forces behind the crazy addictiveness of Diablo 2.

If he brings half of his talent for creating addiction in stat/strat-crazy players to this game's table, it could prove very fun for the min-maxxer in us all. I just hope the Minion System doesn't feel like more of a gimmick than a feature when all is said and done. You know, like it does in Guild Wars.

The Hero Camp articles across the web have me very optimistic though.

4.) Hellgate: London - I know it's not really an MMORPG. But there will be a subscription option for players who want to gain access to additional content that gets patched in later, as well as Auction Houses, Guilds, and whatnot. Flagship's not being too clear on the details about just how much content you'll be getting for your 10 bucks, but even if I don't pay the monthly fee, this one will be a wild ride for all us Hack and Slash fiends who are looking forward to the spiritual successor to Diablo 2. It is pretty much the whole team from D2 behind this one, after all.

Hellgate's style, premise, and online features all have me drooling for October 30th to come along. I'm even a little intrigued by the Hunter class, which is sort of an FPS type class, and I hate FPS games. If it doesn't require me to have actual skill, I'll be pretty pleased.

5.) Age of Conan - This used to be at the top of my list, but it's getting pushed off by others because, frankly, they're telling me more and I may have or may not have had experience with some of the above... ahem.

Even so, Conan's booze, boobs, and blood are all lingering back in my mind. The action-oriented combat system, the spellweaving, the town-building, the Bloodmoney PvP system... it all sounds like a dream come true on paper. But how it plays remains a mystery to me.

Another point against this one? It comes out October 30th as of right now... the same day as Hellgate: London. Unless something drastic happens, Conan will be shifted to the back burner for Flagship's game.

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So there you have it. Those are the 5 main games on my radar right now. Not 10 like Darren, because many of his mentioned aren't on my interest-o-meter until I hear/see more about them. But this bunch has me eagerly awaiting the Fall and Winter. I'll be broke, and I'll likely go mad trying to choose which to play, but it's better to have many, than to have none.