8 Best MMOs With Fun Grinding - Investment Policy

As a gaming enthusiast, I can’t stress enough the importance of grinding in virtually every game, particularly MMOs. However, it’s crucial to note that not all grinding experiences are enjoyable or engaging. Some can feel like monotonous chores that drain the fun out of playing. If you share my disdain for repetitive tasks and yearn for a more dynamic gaming experience, then I’m thrilled to have you here!

A top-notch Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) game strikes a perfect equilibrium, offering an engaging ‘grinding’ process that equips players with essential equipment and abilities to conquer the final stages of the gameplay.

Should you be searching for an MMO that provides consistent advancement or one that boasts an outstanding blend of combat, crafting, player versus player (PvP) interactions, and additional features, you’ll undoubtedly discover a suitable option on this list. Here are some top-notch MMOs where leveling up through grinding is genuinely enjoyable.

8. Old School RuneScape

A Nostalgic Grind

In essence, what makes Old School RuneScape unique is that its pleasure lies in gradual advancement over time, as opposed to fast-paced action. If you find joy in devoting extended periods to activities like chopping trees for logs, then this game is likely to captivate you.

Me personally? I prefer flashy combat.

Beyond mere fighting, numerous activities provide opportunities for skill development – like chopping trees (woodcutting), sneaking around (thieving), making things (crafting), and fishing (which could come in handy someday).

However, what makes Old School RuneScape unique is that grinding isn’t merely a game mechanic or a stepping stone; it’s a lifestyle. In this game, improvement isn’t something you simply acquire, but rather something you accrue through dedication and persistent effort.

There’s plenty of fun stuff to dive into, ranging from battling formidable foes as bosses, engaging in various missions, participating in mini-games, and player versus player combat.

Combine this with how fulfilling the grinding process is and you have a solid experience.

Despite its heavy reliance on clicks for gameplay, slower combats, and somewhat outdated visuals, this game might be challenging for newcomers to get into. Yet, despite appearing antiquated, it can easily consume more of your time than many contemporary MMORPGs.

7. Albion Online

Open-Ended Grinding

One aspect that enhances the fun of playing Albion Online is how your appearance reflects your identity.

In this game, the process of acquiring better gear heavily relies on the player-created equipment system. Unlike enemies dropping gear (which is usually of low quality), you obtain gear primarily through the player-managed marketplace.

To put it simply, this game offers a wealth of PvE activities such as dungeons, world bosses, raids, and so on. Yet, the primary focus for leveling up and acquiring gear is through player versus player (PvP) combat, where you obtain equipment from vanquished opponents. Surprisingly, despite its adorable aesthetics, the gameplay can be quite intense and challenging.

In Albion Online, the game excels with guild battles, land control, and commerce. Yet, if player versus player (PvP) isn’t your preference, you might find the gameplay challenging, even grueling at times. There are players who generate income by preying on high-level opponents and selling their equipment.

I’m completely serious. They consistently show up with subpar equipment, aiming for matches against experienced players. Since they just need one or two victories to earn their profits, it doesn’t matter if they lose several times.

If you find satisfaction in engaging in battles against opponents, then this game would certainly suit your tastes.

6. Lost Ark

Loot-Driven Progression

Improving your equipment is crucial in the game ‘Lost Ark‘, and when you add its action-packed RPG-style gameplay to that, it becomes incredibly entertaining. Despite being quite a grind, it’s still enjoyable.

There are many ways to grind, both in PvE and PvP, making the grind more diverse.

In this MMO game, you have the opportunity to join dungeons, battle world bosses, take part in raids, and a variety of other activities that are typical for a Player vs Environment experience.

From a fan’s perspective, when it comes to Player versus Player (PvP) action, there are two main avenues: the Arena and Guild Wars. If you prefer a more free-roaming, resource-gathering experience, there’s also trading and island quests for you to explore!

On the downside, the game’s primary issue lies in its endgame play. It employs a random number generator for equipment upgrades, which can be problematic as you might lose resources without any assurance of improvement.

Occasionally, I find the powers to be overly powerful, leading me to either increase the number of opponents or make them tougher. This seems to be the intention of the game. However, it’s the reason I lean towards preferring the subsequent entry, as it offers a more realistic feel.

5. New World

Player-Driven Economy and Exploration

In contrast to many other games, “New World” can be quite challenging due to its grinding nature. However, what makes it engaging is the lack of traditional classes and a progression system that amplifies your efforts, directly boosting your character’s power as you grind.

Put simply, delving into dungeons, engaging in player versus player battles, discovering new lands, and completing quests will net you gear and crafting resources – either as rewards for your victories or loot that falls from defeated foes. Rest assured, no adventure leaves me empty-handed!

What makes this game so captivating is its ability to draw you in. You might start off intending to merely collect some resources, but before you know it, you’ve been engrossed for three hours, exploring quests and delving into dungeons (expeditions).

In this flexible system, you can effortlessly switch character builds because your skills are linked to your choice of weapons.

As a gamer, I’d say this game doesn’t just force you into a loop of killing enemies for experience or loot – it offers a variety of activities like gathering resources, trading goods, and taking part in faction-oriented PvE events. Plus, there’s a constant stream of new content being added, ensuring that there’s always something fresh to explore and conquer!

In certain zones, controlling territories can offer extra experience points or speed bonuses for resource collection during gameplay, providing significant assistance when leveling up through repeated play sessions (grinding).

4. Elder Scrolls Online

Open-World With Build-Centric Progression

In Elder Scrolls Online, there’s a wealth of activities to engage in, ranging from typical missions to dungeons, player versus player (PvP), crafting, and home ownership. This diversity in gameplay ensures that grinding remains enjoyable, as it offers more than just battle-focused experiences.

Regarding battle scenarios, it’s worth noting that your capabilities largely depend on the equipment you carry and the skill development paths you choose, enabling a wide range of customizable character setups for varied playstyles.

Speaking about its content, ESO (Elder Scrolls Online) stands out as one of the most extensive Massively Multiplayer Online games. Frequently, fresh expansions are introduced, enriching the game with captivating storylines, intriguing dungeons, and exciting new areas to discover.

A notable aspect that enhances enjoyment when grinding in ESO lies in its unique loot mechanism. While enemies may occasionally drop gear, it’s not primarily where the most valuable loot is acquired.

To obtain specialized gear sets, you’ll need to focus on processing particular types of content. This often involves completing quests instead of aimlessly battling every opponent you encounter, hoping for a rare and potent gear drop.

If you find that the gameplay doesn’t suit your taste, it might not be something you’d enjoy. However, I personally appreciate quest-based games, especially those with intricate questlines such as what The Elder Scrolls Online provides. Unlike traditional MMO quests which often involve fetch tasks, these detailed quests offer a more engaging experience for me.

To be clear, I’m enjoying the fights, but there are moments when they seem almost without substance. Occasionally, it’s as if I’m not striking a formidable foe with a heavy battleaxe, but more like a light, flexible toy.

3. Guild Wars 2

Dynamic Events and Horizontal Progression

In contrast to many other MMOs that make me grind for hours upon hours to get high-level equipment for end-game battles, Guild Wars 2 goes against the grain with its unique approach.

In simpler terms, it seems the game creators didn’t view repetitive tasks like grinding as an unfortunate necessity to access the great content I enjoy. It really frustrates me when Massively Multiplayer Online games force you to complete tedious tasks such as prologue quests, while the best parts of the game are only accessible at higher levels.

To put it simply, you can fully experience the main aspects of the game without having to go through the usual tedious process of grinding. This means there are no repetitive quests or battles against enemies for leveling up.

In Guild Wars 2, you have the freedom to engage with everything at your own pace – traverse the world, take part in ongoing events, accomplish tasks, create items, join intense player-versus-player battles, and much more.

Instead of focusing solely on earning cosmetics, there’s also an alternative progression track you might find interesting – working towards accomplishments and building up collections.

Put simply, instead of feeling like a typical employee at an MMO while playing “Guild Wars 2”, it’s more like I embody an adventurer, which is the ideal experience one should have when engaging with such games.

2. Black Desert Online

Addictive, Open-Ended Grind

In some games, grinding serves as a step towards achieving goals, but in Black Desert Online, it’s the primary focus.

Engaging battles make leveling up enjoyable – they’re swift and spectacular, leaving you feeling powerful and cool.

There’s an abundance of tasks to tackle, ranging from fighting world bosses to participating in player versus player battles, specialized grinding areas, and additional activities such as trading, crafting, and many others.

After a few introductory missions that help you get the hang of things, the game becomes more open-ended, offering you freedom to explore and choose your own path without being tightly guided by questlines.

One potential rephrase of the given text could be: “The main disadvantage lies in the random gear improvements, as failing to upgrade results in lost resources. However, this setback is offset by an engaging power system that rewards the time and effort you put into the game.

Although I found the gameplay of Black Desert Online pleasing, the visuals or art style somehow hindered my complete immersion. Additionally, I personally found the Black Spirit’s voice and character rather grating.

1. Final Fantasy XIV

Deep Story and Rewarding Progression

From my perspective, an exceptional Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) game should transform the grinding process into a fulfilling adventure rather than merely an artificial method to prolong content. Interestingly, “Final Fantasy XIV” shares this understanding too. The game was so highly sought-after at one point that Square Enix temporarily halted sales.

Despite the attempt to log in, there’s still a line of users waiting. This has been the case for 12 years following the launch of A Realm Reborn.

The combat system not only appears finely tuned and refined, but also provides a satisfying sense of achievement, much like the process of leveling up in the game.

In this game, it’s not only about farming monsters – you’ll find immersive story-based missions, resource collection, crafting, constructing your personal island, a moderately competitive Player vs Player (PvP), and numerous other features.

There’s never a lack of activities or challenges to engage in due to the ongoing updates, seasonal activities, and end-game content.

On a single character, not only can you master all classes, but you’ll find that upgrading your equipment is hassle-free, as it doesn’t rely on random chance.

To put it simply, Final Fantasy XIV values your time, and enhancing your character and equipment provides a satisfying sense of achievement.

2025-02-07 18:13