LAGWAR | GAMING'S BEST IN TOP NOTCH MEDIOCRITY

The end of the year is a time when we look back on the months passed and reminisce all those yesterdays and hours spent in our favorite video games. 2009 was a great year in terms of patches and polish to those titles released in 2008, but very few mainstream titles were actually released this year. So, when I sat down to make out this list, I decided I would simply base it on games I played in 2009, not just games released in 2009.

List criteria and explanation

Every game is made up of several features that work together to create immersion, anxiety, excitement, and all of the other emotions we experience while playing our favorite games. But like keyboards, not all games are created equally. Some have stellar visuals and graphics but terrible game play, while others have fantastic game play without fantastic sound effects and animations to back it up.

This is a list of the features that I believe are some of the most important features in a game. These include everything from the soundtrack to the in-game social features and subscription model. These are features that I feel are an essential part of player enjoyment and immersion. While you may not care for all of them, I’m sure there is at least one feature on this list that matters to you.

The MMOGs I played in 2009 were written down and matched accordingly to the features previously mentioned. Then, the ones with a specific feature that exceeded the others were put on this list. Therefore, not all MMOGs played made the cut. Also, even though a game may be listed as having superb music or graphics, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a great game. It simply means in that those particular feature/s impressed and/or stood out above the others.

The list

Best Soundtrack | Age of Conan: The Hyborian Adventures

I have re-visited Age of Conan repeatedly since it’s launch. The graphics are wonderful, story-line is very rich, and it’s one of the few MMOGs I have played that made me feel like a total badass from level 1 all the way to the max level.

One feature that AoC boasts above all other games is definitely the soundtrack. Not only are the ambient sounds realistic and skillfully mastered but the musical score is superb. If you have never played AoC with headphones on, then you haven’t experienced auditory immersion at it’s finest. Even simple sounds like birds chirping are taken to a level of expression that many games most dramatic melodies cannot compete with.

I have yet to play any other MMOG that holds a candle to AoC when it comes to it’s soundtrack. I don’t know who wrote the score for this game off the top of my head, but if I were a developer I’d be on them like snakes on a Stygian.

Best Community | Fallen Earth

There are many factors involved in having a great gaming experience. Sometimes finding one of these is as simple as taking a look at the people playing the game. MMOGs launched a whole new breed of gamer. We have gone from subscribing to Nintendo Power magazine to publishing our own e-zines, podcasts, livestreams, ustreams, mestream, and every other form of online and social media available.

Fallen Earth’s players have banded together in support of this independent diamond in the rough to create all types of fan-sites, guides, and other wasteland entertainment. But it’s not only the players that put this community on the list, Fallen Earth promotes face to face interaction between developer and player through it’s GM’s and in-game events. It’s not uncommon to have a GM magically appear in front of your avatar when you’re experiencing problems in-game.

FE also has a Hazmat team in place to ensure newcomers get the information and help they need to make their first experiences in the wasteland enjoyable. This has been a very valuable tool in converting new players into long-term subscribers.

Finally, don’t be surprised if you see one FE Lead Designer strolling across the Grand Canyon area on his character by the name of Monkey. He might even take a question or two if you’re nice. All of these things combined are what makes Fallen Earth’s community the best of 2009.

Best Graphics | Aion

With the Law of Accelerating Returns hard at work in the computer industry, video game graphics are becoming more detailed and vibrant than ever before. NCSoft’s latest gem is no exception. Aion may sport an art-style similar to some other popular MMORPG’s but has taken the level of detail to a whole new level.

With the limited amount of time I have spent in Aion, my description of the game is simply, “visually stunning”. Bloom and HDR are very apparent, displaying extremely bright and vibrant colors and shading across some very sharp textures. Bloom and HDR have become a popular method of delivering eye candy to players and Aion uses these features extremely well.

Surprisingly, it doesn’t take a super computer to play the game either. This was a huge factor in Aion making the best graphics of 2009.

Best PVE Content | Lord of the Rings Online

Based on one of the most influential fantasy stories of all time comes Lord of the Rings Online. LotRO has continued to grow since it’s release in 2007 and has shown no signs of slowing down with the continual release of new books for players to experience. Mines of Moria and Siege of Mirkwood, LotRO’s latest expansions, extended what was already a very content and story rich game.

Player-housing, 10 professions, 9 classes, and new major updates approximately every two months gives players hundreds of hours of PVE content to explore and conqueror.

While the content is primarily group-based, it is a massively multiplayer online game afterall, players can level up via Solo Quests if they prefer the lone path of adventuring. Or if chilling out with a pipe and playing guitar while the battle for Middle-Earth rages on are more your speed, then LotRO’s player-housing should be a refreshing and entertaining experience for your Tolkien-esque desires.

Best PVP Content | Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning

Warhammer Online delivers some of the most enjoyable player versus player battles I have ever experienced.

This game does one thing and it does it extremely well, and that’s provide top notch PVP action. Tiers 1, 2, and 3 PVP, or RVR, is a total blast and still dominates what any other mainstream MMOG has to offer in regards to PVP content in my opinion.

Even though Mythic still hasn’t quite gotten City Siege and Fortress functionality perfected (Fortresses have even been pulled from the game until further notice), the open-world RVR for Keeps, Battlefield Objectives, and Zone Control is absolutely amazing. There’s nothing like watching 200 players annihilate each other on the open battlefield for control of a zone. Or that burst of adrenaline you get when the Keep door goes down and your warband rushes in for the slaughter.

With the recent Underdog and Endless Free-Trial there’s never been a better time to give WAR a chance.

Social Tools | World of Warcraft

Leading all other P2P massively multiplayer online role playing games in regards to subscription numbers, it seems appropriate that World of Warcraft would have some of the best social tools for players to interact.

Not only does WoW have battleground queues spread across battlegroups made up of multiple servers to crack down on lengthy wait times but it also sports the new Dungeon Finder utility. This tool allows players within a battlegroup to queue up for PVE content via dungeons. Once the group is full, players enter the dungeon in search of glory, fortune, and epic loot. But in case your group is unsuccessful in their dungeon crawling venture, players are also rewarded with tokens they can turn in for alternate rewards like more epic loot.

It seems life just moves faster in WoW these days. For better or for worse, the fact is players can always have some method of social interaction available at all times. Blizzard has continued to streamline these processes to ensure large amounts of time are not spent idle. This enables the group action to continue almost non-stop if the player so chooses.

Besides battlegrounds and dungeons, WoW continues to remain on the cutting edge of social media with iPhone apps, The Armory, and various other tools players can indulge themselves with even when they are not in-game. It’s refreshing to see a game with so many options.

Subscription Model | Dungeons and Dragons Online: Eberron Unlimited

Dungeons and Dragons Online is an overlooked masterpiece is many ways. Based on one of the most influential tabletop RPG’s, Dungeons and Dragons, which is arguably the foundation for every MMORPG on the market today, DDO comes in on the Best MMOG Features of 2009 list under subscription model.

With it’s relaunch in September, Turbine introduced a new free to play subscription model and re-titled the game Dungeons and Dragons Online: Eberron Unlimited. The relaunch added a boatload of new quests, new cap-level quests, a level cap of 20, the Favored Soul class, and new raid content.

Players who wish to play for free can enjoy the majority of content that DDO has to offer although some features must be purchased with Turbine points. Turbine points can be purchased via credit card and Paypal but you can also earn them by completing certain achievements in the game.

This new subscription model has really breathed new life into DDO. The DDO player base has flourished since it’s relaunch and looks toward a big year in 2010.

If you’re looking for a free to play game that is pay to play quality, then look no further than DDO: Eberron Unlimited.

Conclusion
That does it for the Best MMOG Features of 2009 list. Hopefully 2010 will be another exciting and content filled year for the MMOG world. With the likes of Global Agenda, Huxley, and Jumpgate Evolution it looks like 2010 may be the year of a totally different breed of MMOG. May all acquaintance be forgot…

Let us know what your Best MMOG Features of 2009 are in the comments thread below.