Top Ten Thursdays: Best MMORPGs in the Philippines

Here we go again, focusing on online games in the Philippines. Well, look at it this way, you’ll get insights from first-hand experience, courtesy of yours truly. I’m sure that the games I’ll mention in this week’s Top Ten Thursdays are available in your area as well.

So, without further ado, I bring you the Ten Best MMORPGs in the Philippines and what makes them popular:

Perfect World
What I like about this game: Stunning graphics, especially if you’re playing on a high-end computer (read: Intel Core2Duo, at least 1GB memory and 512MB graphics card); captivating sound effects and background music (BGM); Well-developed character selection, from tankers to nukers; Interesting gameplay thanks for quest-based experience system (less grind for equal action); unique (well, nearly unique) clan war system, and full character customization, from facial features to fashion.

What I don’t like about this game: Lots of bugs, particularly in maps and with some NPCs, still need to be worked out; lack of item mall restrictions especially in the sale and use of loudspeakers (which allow world broadcast) opens large avenues to abuse; and weak GM support.

Lineage II
What I like about this game: Good visuals, attention to detail, from character movement to background color; challenging gameplay makes players think more than the usual hack-and-slash game; and broad choices for character customization through stat and skill distribution.

What I don’t like about this game: The grinding, or spending countless hours hacking at monsters for minute amounts of experience points; gameplay isn’t intuitive (although it can be considered positive, some players want to think less and play more); and lack of guides, especially for newbie players who want to learn more about the game.

Granado Espada
What I like about this game: Crisp graphics, enough to make your eyes water; immersive background music sets the mood for trips to the nearest dungeon; innovative gameplay, particularly the auto-kill feature that allows your characters to level while you’re away from the keyboard; and playing an entire party instead of just one character lends a whole new dimension to online gaming.

What I don’t like about this game: Despite eye-catching graphics, player characters look the same; micro-management, since you simply can’t point and click expecting the two other characters you have to fend off the mobs hurting the lead character; auto-kill system is mind-dulling.

Fly For Fun
What I like about this game: Cartoony characters and settings elicits reactions from the child in me; partying is advantageous to players as it not only gives more experience points but also beneficial skills that affect the entire party; and interesting job and skill trees.

What I don’t like about this game: Server-wide player-kill setting destroys initial enthusiasm of some players; still a grinding game, kill more monsters, earn more experience points; cartoony characters, although interesting to play, look out-of-place when pitted against one another in PK combat.

Rising Force Online
What I like about this game: Playing a robotic character is appealing; mind-boggling graphics, especially when played on high-end PCs; intuitive gameplay makes adjusting from another online game easier; usage-based skill leveling gives players more options for customizing characters; and the war among races, instead of just factions, lends an entirely new concept to teamwork and community.

What I don’t like about this game: Characters of different races can’t cooperate since they have different missions (this proves disastrous for couples who want to play different races); and stronger characters go on power trips, killing weaker players using a mall item that allows PK.

Ran Online
What I like about this game: Interesting storyline, using schools instead of races to draw the lines of conflict; in-game cash flows easily, so earning while leveling isn’t really much of a problem; and stat-based skill trees make character customization enjoyable as players are goaded into exploring different possibilities.

What I don’t like about this game: Graphics need improvement as character movement seems mechanical; map navigation problematic as some areas, especially those that have different levels (floors), seem two dimensional; sound effects and background music are in some instances non-existent; and jobs or classes are gender-locked, making it impossible to play a female swordie and brawler, or a male archer and magic-user.

Tantra Online
What I like about this game: The game’s name is in itself interesting; lots of races to choose from; cool graphics even if played on PCs with average specs; and large maps that are sure to provide endless hours of fun to explorers.

What I don’t like about this game: Gameplay isn’t for newbie players who are left struggling in the initial stages of the game; grinding of experience points gets tedious past character level 20; and the slow flow of in-game cash into player coffers leave much to be desired.

MU Online
What I like about this game: Diablo-esque graphics and gameplay appeals to my retro-gamer self.

What I don’t like about this game: Diablo-esque graphics and gameplay turns off players who want more freedom of movement and customization features.

Supreme Destiny
What I like about this game: Interesting gameplay features such as the ability to ride pets and the challenging newbie quest.

What I don’t like about this game: Weak graphics compared to other online games in this day and age; jobs or classes are also gender-locked; and items that lure players to the game, such as pets, cost too much.

Ragnarok Online
What I like about this game: Staying power (being the first MMORPG hit does have its advantages); strong community support (once you have friends or a network of comrades, your character will always get help); and easy-to-understand gameplay.

What I don’t like about this game: Two words—graphics (2D) and grinding (hard to level).