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.

Week in Review
I intended to try Cabal Online this week. When I went to the official site and clicked on the download link, a popup message warned me that the client for for Europe only. Then text next tot he download link warned me a second time that the file for was European gamers and would not work for people outside of Europe. That ended my attempt right there. I'll be glad to hear from European gamers who have tried it. [Editor's note: Ralsu has since found out how to download the version for North America. Look for more on Cabal Online to come.]

The next game on my list was Deco Online, an offering from JOYMAX, the makers of Silk Road Online. It turned out to be a pretty happy accident, as I was very impressed with Deco. I've only played the first 10 levels, which is essentially the combat tutorial, so I am cautiously optimistic about the game. I dropped it in at #6, just under DOMO to start out. As I play more, I can adjust as needed.

With Deco moving onto the Top Ten, numbers 6-10 all moved down one spot. For Requiem: Bloodymare, that means moving off of the list. Don't discount that gory title, though. You and your gamer friends should at least play it for a week or two. It's pretty cool.

The List
Next week, I will continue playing Deco. look for my first impressions from that. Meanwhile, I keep playing some betas of other games, most of which I can't write about yet.

Here are my Top Ten Free-to-Play Games for this week.

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.

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Top Ten Free-to-Play Games July 11, 2008
Rank	Previous		Game
1	2		Mythos - (www.mythos.com) Flagship Studios, Inc. Mythos Portal Mythos isn't as dark and moody as Diablo, but it leaves gamers with that same "must click once more" feeling.
2	1		Mabinogi - (http://mabinogi.nexon.net) NEXON Mabonogi Portal It's neat that a game tries to give a meaningful feeling for aging. Characters in Mabinogi grow up and change a little. Sadly, it happens a little too fast for a casual gamer.
3	4		Rohan: Blood Feud - (www.playrohan.com) YNK Interactive Rohan Portal Rohan is pretty and has a strong foundation. I almost wish it were pay-to-play so it would get better support from gamers and more attention from the media.
4	3		Wakfu - (www.wakfu.com) Ankama Wakfu Portal Strategic games like Wakfu are not for everyone. But for those of use who like them, we really only need one solid game. Could this be the one?
5	5		Dream of Mirror Online - (http://domo.aeriagames.com) Aeria Games & Entertainment DOMO Portal Dream of Mirror Online really bucks the tradition of games from Asia getting a poor English translation.
6	N/A		Deco Online - (http://www.joymax.com/deco/) JOYMAX Deco Online Portal Deco Online uses soft textures and a pastel color pallette, which could lead people to believe it is another ill-developed game for children. What I have seen so far is a solid, polished game that I--a 31 year old--enjoy
7	6		Dungeon Runners - (http://www.dungeonrunners.com) NCSoft Dungeon Runners Portal Dungeon Runners can now be purchased for just $20. Getting the retail box grants players the Bling Gnome and six months of subscriber access. But you can still download it and play it for free.
8	7		Warrior Epic - (http://warriorepic.com) Possibility Space Warrior Epic Portal Warrior Epic looks to be a more sophisticated dungeon crawler. The art is impressive, but the public will have to wait for open beta to find out about the execution.
9	8		Magic World Online - (http://mwo.enjoymmo.com) Goldcool Games Magic World Online Portal Magic World Online is on this list because of the story. Period. People who enjoy a story and don't require cutting-edge graphics should download the game today.
10	9		Runes of Magic - (www.runesofmagic.com) Frogster Runes of Magic Portal Runes of Magic was just another pretty game until I got into the lore of the starting area. Rather than slapping cliched and recycled plot pieces together for the sake of a game, the developers seem to have put a lot of effort into making the world feel real.

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