Part 3: Eastern Promises - A Taste of Korea
South Korea is a bona fide hotbed of MMOGs, and players eagerly embrace them with surprising fervor. It shouldn't be surprising, then, that the majority of free persistent world games hail from the Land of the Morning Calm. In fact, these games are so omnipresent that several other Korean-developed MMOGs on our full list don't even appear in this category. Most of these games feature anime-influenced character design, a uniquely Asian world design, and grind-heavy gameplay. Yet many of them are intriguing and addictive, so if a fantasy world with an Asian twist sounds up your alley, the following games may be your cup of tea.
Who Should Play: Blue-collar fantasy fans who think instruction manuals make great kindling
Gala-Net's Flyff, or Fly for Fun, combines fantasy with a dash of steampunk and the promise of flight. The early hours are admittedly tedious, but if you can get through them, you'll probably find the reward worthwhile: Flyff awards you with the gift of flight after 20 levels of ground pounding. Once you've reached that point, you can fly about the land of Roika on a hoverboard or broomstick and even take part in some air combat. Taking to the air also gives you the best view of Flyff's beautiful landscapes. Despite its limited Warcraft III-era visuals, monsters, landscapes, dungeons, and flying ships bring this game to vibrant life.
Unfortunately, instructions are rare and confusing, so the best way to learn is to experiment and work with other players. To offset the grind, progression is fast, locals are more than friendly, and monsters are abundant. Characters are given a number of free buffs until level 31, and the game's experience system keeps the pace flowing. New objectives pop up frequently, such as level-7 quests with standard kill and collect objectives. You earn some satisfying attack patterns a bit later and special chain attacks around level 15. To help you sort out the burgeoning number of skills, the game provides a generous amount of hotkey slots.
Don't be surprised when you stop gaining experience at level 15: You're required to choose a profession before you continue. Yet all in all, the experience is satisfying, especially after you take flight and soar over areas in which you previously toiled. Flyff's monetary ambitions cater to player vanity: In-game advertising is limited to the occasional offer to visit the Flyff store for cosmetic upgrades and power-up potions. So if you don't mind the steep learning curve and love fantasy, steampunk, and a little bit of elbow grease, Flyff is worth a look.
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Who Should Play: Frantic button clickers, castle crashers, and gold farmers
Corum Online is not for the timid. When you first enter town, you behold a mess of player-made shops all crammed together and have no idea what to do or where to go. From there, you'll encounter the typical top-down grindfest, which requires you to click on monsters incessantly and take an occasional moment to heal. Actually, more than a moment: Corum Online's health regeneration rate is painfully slow, but you'll have dozens or hundreds of health potions in your inventory once your clicking finger gets waggling.
Why, then, would you want to play Corum Online? For starters, the click-heavy Diablo formula is still entertaining, particularly in light of the game's clever monster designs. In the first dungeon alone, you encounter ghastly prisoners that drag along the requisite ball and chain along, as well as walking treasure chests with a hobble in their gait and a glint in their eyes. The mouse-driven controls make it easy to hack and slash everything around you, and the lovely soundtrack will keep your mind soothed. To add a little complexity, you can enhance your weapons and armor with various items found in your travels, which can be an addictive microgame in and of itself.
The other big draw is the PVP component. Multiple dungeons are available for players and guilds to capture, and these dungeons become open playing fields at designated times during the day. Once the timer has counted down, guilds can attempt a siege, while the defending guild must try to hold its turf. In other words, Corum Online is for dedicated players who don't just ignore the grind--they embrace and explore it. If you've ever used the term "care bear" to refer to most MMOGs, this one may fulfill your sadomasochistic inclinations.
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Who Should Play: Armchair explorers with an eye and ear for beauty and charm
Shaiya isn't the most innovative game on our list, but it may very well be the slickest. Many Korean MMOGs are downright unfriendly to newcomers, dropping you directly into their virtual worlds and giving you no clue what to do next--other than presenting you with some horribly translated dialogue and a cluttered interface. Shaiya has the same translation issues, but the end result is charming rather than exasperating. It also boasts a clean interface that makes it easy to find quest non-player characters, mission objectives, and merchants.
The quest-oriented solo play is easy to get into, but combat is the star of the show. It may be functionally similar to most other fantasy MMOGs, but busy, high-quality animations and sound effects lend a real feeling of impact, whether you're dropping a killer fox with your dual swords or blasting it to pieces with a fire spell. That sense of quality translates to every aspect of the Shaiya experience, from its effortless exploration to the helpful and mature community. The production values are equally well done and amongst the best on this list. The manga-inspired characters are detailed, the gameworld is big and pretty, and the orchestral soundtrack is lush and dramatic.
Genre newcomers looking for user-friendly fantasy fare should find a lot to like in Shaiya, but hardcore adventurers will also find their niche. Once you've leveled up high enough, you'll unlock new difficult modes. The highest of these levels penalizes you by completely destroying your character should you fall in battle--unless you're resurrected by another player within three minutes. Vicious! The unique PVP system, which rewards your faction with systemwide buffs, should also appeal to genre veterans. At its core, Shaiya is a basic MMOG, but its tight and shiny design aesthetic may draw you in for the long haul.
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Cheaper by the Dozen: A Look at Free MMOGs
We compare notes on some free-to-play massively multiplayer online games so you can decide if any of them sound right for you.
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