Single player games are personalized experiences. You know you’re going to be the hero of the day from the moment you press the play button. Unfortunately at some point you finish most of what the game has to offer but you might end up wanting more. And you might start to dream of taking that certain game to the next level, proving to the entire world how much you love that game and how good you are at it and usually that brings you to the idea of: “What if this game was an MMO?” It’s a thought that must have crossed the mind of anybody that has ever replayed the same single player game at least twice in their lives. These are some suggestions of games that could be the next MMO hit with the right execution.
5. Homeworld
It’s an old game, but when it was released, it was something the RTS genre was not expecting. Building a strategy game that allows complete 3D movement for your ships and that actually made controlling them very easy was a breakthrough. Also let’s not forget there’s a shortage of both MMORTS games and space combat games these days. I, for one, know that I would love moving all over the galaxy with my Mothership to kick some noobs’ behinds that are trying to take over my ore belts. Just let your imagination run wild and imagine several players sending huge fleets into battle in an open-world galaxy similar to what EVE Online has to offer. Also, it would be very important to make any group of players that spends more than 10 minutes camping in the same place to get attacked by a huge spaghetti monster. Meatball cannon FTW.
4. Assassin’s Creed
Ever since I was a kid I’ve known people I wanted to silently make disappear. Does that make me crazy? Well I like to believe it’s more common than most people like to admit. Assassin’s Creed is a game all about sneaking around or silently taking out bad guys and it’s awesome. All current generation MMOs are all about stats equipment and heavy particle effect combat so why not have an MMO that’s all about stealth. Grinding your way to the top of the assassin’s ladder by taking on more complex and brain consuming tasks as opposed to time consuming ones might actually push the genre further. Ubisoft just needs to take the ball and run with it. The outcome might be something extraordinary. Oh and the best assassin on the server should have a permanent escort of courtesans and a huge shining diamond engraved assassin’s logo around their neck. Respect!
3. The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim
The last installment in The Elder Scrolls series has proven that you can take a hardcore open-world game and make it into a hit even in 2011. And it’s quite surprising considering most games these days make sure you don’t have too many options or you might actually get lost in a straight corridor. For all of you out there who have taken an arrow to the knee sometime in the past, an open world MMO where you can choose to be a vampire, a werewolf or the thane of a small town on the edge of the known world might be just the thing you’ve been looking for. Who needs a storyline or even quests when you can just add caves everywhere? We all love to read the random book from time to time and stealing from shopkeepers never gets old. Oh and sneaking into the clan hall of your opposite faction to spawn a Flame Atronach in their sleeping quarters might be fun.
2. Fallout
It’s post-nuclear apocalypse time. Yes there are going to be huge rats all over the place but that’s something every MMO has these days and because of the mutation it only takes about 20 seconds for the next generation of them to respawn. Rats are taking over the world. But wouldn’t it be fun if there were also disturbed characters all over the place, messed up by years of drinking Nuka-Cola and growing their 11th finger. Add a secret organization that wants to take over the world, vampires, mutants and twisted religious beliefs and you have a recipe for success. I think I would leave the aliens out of it but that’s just me. Well at least that settles the atmosphere. You might also need to add some factions that actually have meaningful quests, fighting for territory, fighting for resources and actually changing the world through your actions and it might actually turn out incredible. Humming an old 60’s tune in your head right about now?
1. Deus Ex
Implants, give me more implants. Let me jump from a building, punch through walls or at least let me see through them from time to time. Give me missions that I can complete in multiple ways. Let me have objective based PVP battles where I can take down an enemy by climbing on top of a building, jumping through a window and then climbing down the air vent just to appear right behind them and then post the video on YouTube: “NOOB!” Let me fight for my corporation’s interests to the death with the entire server, let me use all sorts of exciting gadgets or random objects in combat, and maybe just maybe, let me use a fork as a deadly weapon in certain situations. Give me the freedom to use a fork as a weapon in an unscripted situation and I swear I will love this MMO for as long as I live. Take my money!
Alexandru Dinu
