Top Ten Free-to-Play Games June 2008

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Posted June 27th, 2008 by Ralsu

By Danny "Ralsu" Gourley

About This List
Please refer to the Top Ten Free-to-Play Games Portal to find out how to get a game you make or like on this list.

Month in Review
June started with a strong debut by Requiem: Blodymare at the #5 spot. Sadly, the marriage of EverQuest and Resident Evil seems weaker the longer I play. It finishes the month in the #9 hole. Rohan: Blood Feud became the highest rank game to make its first appearance on this list when it broke in at #4. It is still going strong.

Rohan's spot on the list forced Fiesta Online to drop off the list. I still contend that Outsparks game aimed at young teens is the perfect introduction to massively-multiplayer online games (MMOGs). The other game to drop off the list is NeoSteam, a fun steampunk game. It has a poor translation and a mostly foreign player base, making it a tough game for English speakers despite its many virtues.

Taking the free space afforded by NeoSteam is Runes of Magic. I was impressed by early screens of Frosgter's title, but did mention the game in this Top Ten because being pretty is not enough to make the list. But when I had a chance to preview the starting zone for Runes of Magic, I was impressed by the extensive lore the developers have crafted in order to ensure a captivating story. It was enough to grab my attention and earn a spot in the Top Ten.

Games I gave a spin this month but not making the list were Holic (best left for Ten Ton Hamster readers), Rakion (a terribly fun PvP game that is not a MMOG to me), and Perfect World (not enough time to evaluate).

Readers might note that this is the first week since the Top Ten began that Mythos has not held the #1 slot. I am horribly confused right now by the game's odd stagnation. The work on the overwolrd is massive and will make the game great, but it looks like a regression of production to me. The game has a beta server, but developers are pushing the overworld to a separate test server with a limited population. When you have a test server for your beta server, that says your game is in alpha. I fully believe this will make Mythos better, but it also could cause a lot of fans to lose interest--and already has.

The List
Moving into July, I will finish up my exploration of Perfect World. I'll also cover Wurm Online. I continue to play several betas, three of which have non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) preventing me from talking about the games. If any of the NDAs drop, I'll be sure to give the games any moments in the sun due to them.

Here are my Top Ten Free-to-Play Games for June 2008.

Disclaimer: The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Ten Ton Hammer network or staff.

Top Ten Free-to-Play Games June 2008
Rank	Previous	Game
1	2	Mabinogi - (http://mabinogi.nexon.net) NEXON Mabonogi Portal Mabinogi is a very solid game that can please anyone--so long as you can get beyond the click-to-move controls.
2	1	Mythos - (www.mythos.com) Flagship Studios, Inc. Mythos Portal Consider the drop to #2 as a punishment to Mythos for being so nearly stagnant lately. The game is great already, but fans need to know that production will keep moving at a steady pace.
3	3	Wakfu - (www.wakfu.com) Ankama Wakfu Portal I can't wait until the NDA is lifted and I can talk about Wakfu.
4	4	Rohan: Blood Feud - (www.playrohan.com) YNK Interactive Rohan Portal If you haven't tried Rohan yet, download it soon. It looks great, uses the best of popular MMOG mechanics, and even adds a few twists.
5	5	Dream of Mirror Online - (http://domo.aeriagames.com) Aeria Games & Entertainment DOMO Portal Dream of Mirror Online is one of those great games that won't get a fair shake in the West because of the cartoon graphics and its Eastern origins. It is the best translation I have encounted from titles published by Aeria Games.
6	6	Dungeon Runners - (http://www.dungeonrunners.com) NCSoft Dungeon Runners Portal Dungeon Runners continues to push more and more toward a subscription-based game, which worries me.
7	7	Warrior Epic - (http://warriorepic.com) Possibility Space Warrior Epic Portal Warrior Epic has high ambition. Will it have any success?
8	8	Magic World Online - (http://mwo.enjoymmo.com) Goldcool Games Magic World Online Portal Magic World Online is second only to DOMO in terms of story among the games on this list. It is dead last in graphics, though.
9	9	Requiem: Bloodymare - (www.playrequiem.com) Gravity Interactive Requiem Portal Requiem provides a very different theme with its horror leanings and the infusion of science. It's very fun for 20 or so levels.
10	N/A	Runes of Magic - (www.runesofmagic.com) Frogster Runes of Magic Portal Runes of Magic looks pretty in pictures and has deep lore. If the translation is good, this game could climb up the list quickly.