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By Michael Dunaway -
Top 10 Most-Anticipated F2P Games of 2014
What's the best Free-to-Play game? Almost assuredly, it's the one that isn't out yet. It's that one that you're looking forward to, that you're watching trailers for, that you're reading dev blogs about, that all your friends are in alpha/beta for and are telling you how cool it is...
This year is shaping up to be one of Free-to-Play gaming's finest and we've done our best to sort through the long, long list of upcoming Free-to-Play games to give you what we think are the most hotly anticipated titles that you might get on your grubby little hard drives in 2014. Keep in mind these games have been more or less 100% confirmed for Open Beta release this year.
It was a tough selection process, and many deserving games, but that doesn't mean we've forgottenother games like Blade & Soul, Dungeon Defenders 2, Armored Warfare, and Kingdom UnderFire II. We'll be updating often, wiping off games that launch while adding new upcoming ones.
Did your favorites make the list? If not, what else are you looking forward to in 2014?
10. Trove
Trion Worlds' entry into the sandbox building field seems to have all the quirk and charm of Minecraft but with subtle improvements to graphics and gameplay. A more traditional RPG feel, with classes, abilities, quests, and dungeons, should help MMO fans feel more at home.
9. World of Warships
Wargaming's trifecta will be complete once World of Warships sets sail. Players will command multiple ship types including destroyers, battleships, and carriers in a battle for naval supremacy. With Gaijin Entertainment's War Thunder breathing down their necks, Wargaming is certain to pull out all the stops to make sure Warships is a hit.
8. Orcs Must Die! Unchained
Robot Entertainment's F2P installment in the Orcs Must Die! series offers a blend of the previous games' gore-splattered tower defense/action combat gameplay and PvP MOBA-style combat. A card-based system serving as a way to gain new items while providing you with your own
customizable source of invading Orcs will let you trick out your heroes and their diabolical deathtraps, allowing for a wide variety of play styles to suit any strategy.
7. World of Speed
Racing titles are still rare in the F2P space, so it's great to see Slightly Mad Studios take the wheel. World of Speed offers all the customization options you'd expect, as well as a variety of play modes and maps located throughout the world. The game rewards group tactics, so it's not just about who finishes first, but what team uses the best strategy to score an overall point victory.
6. Chroma
Merging shooter mechanics with a musical rhythm game sounds crazy – crazy enough that it might just work. And who better to do it than Rock Band creator Harmonix, in tandem with Counter-Strike: Global Offensive developer Hidden Path? At the very least, it's a unique premise and we can't wait to see how it all turns out.
5. Heroes of the Storm
Blizzard's foray into the MOBA world looks to do for that genre what World of Warcraft did for MMOs and Hearthstone did for CCGs. Hardcore MOBA fans might turn their noses up at it, but it's hard to argue with Blizzard's track record, and a simpler, all-access MOBA that utilizes popular characters from one of the world's leading developers could be huge.
4. Fortnite
Epic Games' base-building/survival game takes the genre in a new direction by introducing classes and fixed-time campaigns in addition to standards like exploration, scavenging, and hordes of monsters looking to make a meal out of your brain. Procedurally generated worlds and an AI “director” who summons minions based on your defenses should help keep things fresh even after several games.
3. H1Z1
SOE's zombie-survival game is the first entry into the genre by a AAA game developer. It's still a developing field, and they've got as good a chance as anyone of taking over, especially with Free-to-Play as an incentive to draw players in. It'll be interesting to see how they leverage their powerful Forgelight engine to carry this type of game to the masses, both on PC and (one would presume, being Sony and all) on the PlayStation 4.
2. ArcheAge
Published by Trion Worlds in the West, XLGames' ArcheAge has been the shining hope of sandbox RPG fans for years. Created by the same mind behind NCSoft's Lineage titles, ArcheAge looks to have all the things that sandbox fans crave, including open-world PvP, a robust economy, housing, and more. It's a “fantasy EVE” game that looks great and offers a ton of different ways to play.
1. Landmark
Is it a primer for EverQuest Next (which didn't make our list because we don't think it'll be available in 2014)? Is it a Minecraft-esque building simulation? Is it a full MMORPG? We're still not quite sure, and Landmark's in an early enough state that it could go in any of those directions.
One thing's for sure, though: Even with relatively minimal gameplay elements, people are eating it up. From looming cathedrals to space western towns, the creativity of Landmark players is astounding. Imagine what they'll come up with once there's an actual game. The potentials seem almost limitless and with the upcoming addition of naturally occurring cave systems along with running water, Landmark seems on track to hit all of its high notes. Even without the EverQuest name attached to it, Landmark is already on track to hit all of its high notes, and it's still just getting started.
Discussion (73)
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So this is mostly speculating and too much fuss generating mmo's at the moment does not mean they will be good or interesting or even kinda good on or couple of months after release .
The most popular activity is going to this island that EVERYONE needs to go to, to get currency for houses and furnature and other things, and kill those people over and over and over.
It is a terrible game, played all the K Betas.
2. Blade and soul
3, Archage/Landmark
4. H1Z1
the rest ain't garbage just NOTHING can be compared to those up there.
ref: to this guy with no taste (Aeryoth,May 3, 2014 at 11:14 pm)
Bull shit list. It should be
1) Archeage
2) Archlord II
3) Swordsman
4) EQN
5) all other garbage
All and all just about each of those games is in
own genre and they represent them well. I really
am on the verge of buying the beta access for
Archage, I've been playing Trove and Landmark
for a short time. Trove got boring, but I know it's
going to be a good product once it's released.
I have minor FPS issues on Landmark (Nvidia User)
but I can say it's still an amazing game. It's
very refreshing is all I have to say about it really.
All and all, I really think the games are getting pushed
in the right direction compared to where they used to be.
I'm happy with it.
Really??? LMAO!!
chroma? chroma what??? never heard of it lol and by the name it kept me wonder whether it was developed by google? google chroma?? LMAO!!
What bout PSO2?
Achlord2? currently 170k+ accounts registered to play in beta testing
MU rebirth?
swordman online?
9: World of Warships: Should be in the list because it's legit to be there.
8: Orcs Must Die: Unchained: Never played the Singleplayer titles but sounds like a hell full of fun.
7: World of Speed: Never heard of this game.
6: Chroma: Same as Anon wrote.
5: Heroes of the Storm: IT IS ANTICIPATED. But not really for me.
4: Fortnite: Same as Anon wrote again.
3: H1Z1: I'm not looking forward to this game. Just looks lame and it comes far to late.
2: Archeage: Never was intrested in this game but i'll give it a try when it goes into beta. 50 buckets for being in alpha is far to much.
1:Landmark: Same as Anon but i don't anticipated it.
At least for me there are some Games still missing. What about Kingdom under Fire 2, Warhammer 40k Eternal Crusade, Blade and Soul for the western market, Swordman online, Black Dessert online and Black Gold online and the in the comments mentioned Albion online. All of these games should be in this list.
Star Citizen is the biggie for me though (but I'd prefer no private / seperately looked after instance servers which I believe they are happy to support)
I guess watch dogs, destiny, the division is probably my way to go with this year..
until some other good titles come out..
f2p seems to get shitty
9: World of Warships: Only interested because the mega game they're going to make with land, air and sea will be insanely cool. Not really a boat person myself.
8: Orcs Must Die: Unchained: Frankly i'm more likely to stick to singleplayer, but assuming they don't pay2win the hell out of it, it could be fun.
7: World of Speed: Just no.
6: Chroma: First time i've ever heard of it. With no gameplay footage (that I can find anywhere) it's hard to call it "anticipated".
5: Heroes of the Storm: Nice for casuals but overall I wont likely touch it. Topdown MOBAs are archaic and skill-less. I see no point in 'em anymore.
4: Fortnite: Another unknown. Just from the premise it sounds pretty meh and not very MMO-ish.
3: H1Z1: I genuinely do not see any reason to play this over DayZ other than the fact it's free. The current footage looks pretty meh compared to DayZ as well. It's just another cash-in.
2: Archeage: Looks like generic garbage but i'll give it a try like I do with every MMO. Gameplay footage is extremely unimpressive though.
1:Landmark: It's a cute game for builders but outside of that it's entirely pointless. The idea is neat enough but again, it's just a massive minecraft classic mode with infinitely better tools. It caters to a niche, but that's definitely a very unexplored niche in the MMO market so i'm sure it'll do fine.
These "anticipated" lists are usually a joke. This one really isn't an exception. Not a whole lot going on if this is what we're supposed to be thrilled about for 2014.
Off the top of my head, i'm more excited for Albion Online. Granted there's really no guarantee it'll be a 2014 title so I guess that's why it wasn't considered. It's definitely shaping up to be more of 2015 title sadly.
And dear Stomping Land.....please do take your time but, I have to play you eventually due to a new world of survival and the brutal challenges of dnos awaits!