Looking to get into... MMORPGs!

[SullyMcGully]

Now for another episode of "Sully-knows-nothing-about-games-and-needs-your-advice"! Today we're looking at massively multiplayer online role-playing games, or MMORPGs for short. I've never played an MMO before, but I'm interested in having the experience before I am old and boring. Here's what I'm looking for:

1) Inexpensive: I don't even know if I like MMORPGs yet, so shelling out more than 10 dollars or having to pay for some kind of monthly subscription might not be the best for me. Preferably, I would like to start with something free-to-play, but if there's something out there that's really great for beginners, I might would be willing to pay a little bit for it.

2) Weak: I don't have a gaming PC and my internet connection is rather mediocre, so anything that is super-demanding or taxing on my poor Windows 7 desktop is a no-go. I really don't care about graphics and all that, so playing a game that's a decade or so old doesn't bother me. As long as it still has online features.

3) Easy to get into: I've never played one of these before, so this should be pretty obvious: I want a game that's going to make me feel welcome from the start, without putting me through too much prepwork. 

4) This is really, really minor, but I really like Final Fantasy games. FFXIV is way out of my price range, but FFXI is still up and running and seems less costly. For any of you who would know, is FFXI still a good deal for the money?

Thanks for the help! You guys are really... helpful!

[Rex Glacies]

This is where I say Runescape. It's fun, fairly easy to get into, addictive, and I think is a must for any video gamer. Granted, I haven't played it in at least 3 years due to lacking a good computer (you think a Windows 7 is old?) and I do know it tend to change a lot, but that is still my vote. It's also free to play, though it has a membership available, but there should be enough free stuff to last you a long time.

[Florete]

RuneScape is actually the first one I thought of, too. Granted, it's pretty much the only MMO I ever played, but it fits the bill. And last I checked (which was like 3 years ago), with the way the paid membership works you can actually get it for free just by playing the game and getting enough gold. They even recently made some previously member-only stuff available to free players.

[Tryhard]

I'd recommend Guild Wars 2 as the best non-subscription MMO, which may be on the more demanding side. I don't know about FF MMOs though.

Edit: EVE Online is also an interesting one if you like space games but it's quite a... unique game, although I wouldn't say it's the best to immediately get into as it is quite in-depth and complex. It's free to play now IIRC.

Edited November 10, 2017 by Tryhard

[Magical CC]

1) Inexpensive: Warframe is pretty inexpensive. You can craft anything you need. Or buy stuff to make you look .... weird. The game is not pay to win but you will have to grind a lot.

2) Weak: Warframe is pretty PC friendly so you at least dont have to worry about that.

3) Easy to get into: It's FPS + hack&slash. As simple as it can be.

4) I think cyberpunk/fantasy is also a theme of Warframe.

 

Edited November 10, 2017 by Magical CC

[Samias]

FFXI and FFXIV actually cost the same amount of money for basic accounts, except for that FFXI will not be getting any more expansions. However, FFXIV goes on sale *far* more often. I'd also say that FFXI is much harder to actually "get" into with a somewhat archaic interface and a reliance on Windower to actually bring the UI to modern standards. You'll also probably need to configure a controller as the game isn't really that keyboard friendly. Honestly if I had to pick an FF MMO to get into, XIV is much easier. And honestly FFXIV is the golden standard of MMOs these days, alongside WoW. No loot boxes, no ways of buying your way to the top via cash, and lots of side activities make it one of the most full-featured games I've ever played. While there is a store for extras, it's all cosmetic with no advertising in game to break immersion unlike all F2P MMOs that will constantly tempt you to spend money with cash shop links plastered everywhere.

Ragnarok Online is Free to play and opened up a newish server, which my fiance has been super in to lately. It's an old game and kinda janky control-wise but it has a lot of freedom that most modern games wouldn't give you when it comes to character growth, as you have full control over your stat and skill build. I know some good communities to get in touch with if you'd want to get started here as it can be difficult to get started solo.

It's not really an "MMO" but because you can drop in and out of games relatively easily with other players, I do enjoy Diablo III, especially during seasonal play. It's a buy-once deal with no monthly subscription and I'd call it my side game after FFXIV. Very satisfying to play Adventure mode and do rifts for huge amounts of loot. It's just dumb fun you can play online with friends or strangers with no need to commit a whole lot of time to it.