Games to download

After being in closed alpha for several years, Total War: Arena has finally opened up to the public. A collaboration between The Creative Assembly and Wargaming, Total War: Arena is based on the famed franchise of the same name but with a twist.

Instead of focusing on a single-player campaign, the game focuses entirely on player versus player combat, with massive 10 versus 10 battles taking place with thousands of units on the field at once.

The Total War series has always had issues with PVP game modes, specifically balance, or lack thereof, and although Total War: Arena is an entirely PVP game, these issues have not been fixed. Be prepared for lengthy queue times and bad matchmaking a lot in higher tiers in particular.

The game's cash shop is relatively mild. Players can have plenty of fun in the lower and mid tiers, however, in the higher tiers, players who spend money will have a significant advantage, and players who don't will be at a significant disadvantage. Balance wise, premium units aren't a big deal compared to non-premium units, but they do offer up increased XP and silver gains. The endgame is almost completely inaccessible to non-spending players, and it is nigh-impossible to reach and stay in the highest tiers unless you spend money in this game.

Total War: Arena is a flawed game with a pretty harsh ceiling for F2P players, but offers up a lot of fun for fans of the genre.

➔ Main points:

• Downloadable F2P MMO real-time tactics strategy game with MOBA elements inspired by the Total War series
• 10 versus 10 PVP battles with a 15-minute time limit
• 4 different factions each with several leaders and dozens of units
• Unbalanced matchmaking at higher tiers
• Very long endgame grind - hard ceiling for non-paying players

MapleStory 2 is a free to play hack and slash MMORPG featuring cute anime cartoon graphics and art style. The game offers an incredible amount of PvE and PvP content from questing to intuitive Mini Games and even a Battle Royale mode without a content paywall. While there is an in-game cash shop, it sells mostly cosmetics and convenience, although one great thing about it is you can sell your own custom designs on there as well using the User Generated Workshop.

➔ Main points:

• Free to play anime MMORPG
• Amazing amount of content that are actually fun and rewarding
• Players can create and sell their own designs with UGC Workshop
• Fluid ARPG hack and slash combat with three control options

Warface is a free to play MMOFPS that's developed by the same studio responsible for popular game franchises such as Far Cry and Crisis. In Warface, the gameplay revolves around the game's four unique classes, which introduces interesting gameplay mechanics including special movement and most importantly team work through dynamic class skills in order to dominate matches.

The game has a plethora of PvE Co-op missions and PvP modes and maps which is great for replayability. This also helps Warface's deep progression systems, as players require experience and currency gains in order to unlock classes, weapons and gear to perform better in matches.

Boosts and permanent weapon unlocks are available in the cash shop which may turn off players, but Warface still offers a ton of fun for casual FPS enthusiasts who enjoys modern day graphics and gameplay in their shooters.

➔ Main points:

• Four unique classes that caters to different playstyles
• Large variety of game modes and maps to play on
• Deep progression systems with XP ranks and currencies
• New player friendly which encourages learning and teamwork dynamics
• Very good graphics and customization options

Blood Rites is a free to play Asian fantasy MMORPG, first released in 2011. The game features a tab-target combat system, four classes and plenty of progression systems to sink your teeth into. These include weapon enchantments and the more popular Elf companion system, which lets you increase attributes with pets. In the content department, the game's PvE dungeons and raids is where you'll have the most fun, as opposed to the unbalanced PvP modes and a bland story and questing experience to level cap. Graphics and visuals doesn't do Blood Rites any favors, but players actively looking for a classic MMORPG won't mind that too much. Elswhere, the in-game cash shop can be obtrusive if you want to be a competitive player, but otherwise the game is completely playable as a free title.

➔ Main points:

• Fully free to play without any restrictions
• Only four classes but plenty of growth systems to make up for it
• Aging graphics and game engine
• Fun PvE group content to counter the bland questing

Shaiya holds a place in many people’s hearts as the first MMO they’ve ever played. And as such, people looking back on it today might be viewing it through those dark-tinted nostalgia glasses which may obscure their objectivity when talking about it.

Over 11 years since its’ release, does Shaiya hold up? In a way (Private servers), yes, but for the most part, Shaiya is as dead as an MMO can get. The way it works with old-school MMOs is they either need to have a large enough player base to keep them going, or they need to modernize with the times to draw in newer players.

Shaiya does neither. Few veterans of the game are left, and the changes that the developers have made to the game over the years have only pushed old-school players away even more. There’s nothing on offer here that the new generation of gamers won’t find somewhere else. Somewhere better. The uniqueness of Ultimate Mode, is little more than a novelty feature now, and the P2W aspects of the PVP just kill the game, despite its’ potential. Shaiya still has its’ high points, but the official game is long past its’ prime.

➔ Main points:

• Downloadable F2P traditional MMORPG
• Good versus Evil, Faction-based PVP battles
• Permadeath Ultimate Mode Difficulty
• Heavily P2W PVP
• Very low player base on official servers, dead community
• Fairly active community on private servers

Black Desert Online is an open world sandbox MMORPG that features Asian style graphics and some of the best action combat in any MMO game to-date. The graphics ranging from environment designs to the character creator is top notch.

There’s plenty of content for players to soak their teeth into for both PvE and PvP. Besides the decent amount of class choices, players can also dive into Life Skills, which is a refreshing take on crafting systems within the MMORPG genre. One great aspect of Black Desert Online is that it rewards you for simply playing the game and doing the activities you enjoy most, as players gain a multitude of XP and points to spend that progresses their characters further. The game does offer something for every playstyle.

Overall, Black Desert Online is the poster child and an excellent example of a Buy to Play Asian MMORPG that’s done right. It may have its issues such as the heavy grind and over reliance on RNG and luck, but the game deserves to be played nonetheless.

➔ Main points:

• Addictive fast paced action combat MMORPG
• Excellent character creator and graphics
• Huge open sandbox world with no loading screens between zones
• Free content updates and expansions
• Large population and active in-game community

Magic: The Gathering Arena is a free to play online digital card game that offers the same cards, authenticity and fun that the table top version does. With only one game mode available in the open beta, 1v1 matches are still good fun as finding matches are quick due to plenty of players. Progression is a key feature as players play more to unlock new cards and decks for deck-building, which is a staple of Magic:The Gathering. While it doesn't offer anything extra to stand out from other online card games, Magic is arguably the card game that started the genre, and in that regard it doesn't need to be unique or special other than to give players an authentic game experience to supplement the physical version, which it does.

➔ Main points:

• Authentic Magic: The Gathering game that uses real cards, rules and features from the tabletop version.
• Only one game mode available right now in open beta.
• Large player-base due to the franchise's popularity.
• Free to play with optional cash shop.

S4League is a unique looking third person anime style shooter that gives manga fans a platform to express their love for both Neo-Tokyo art syle and shooter games. S4League offers a variety of PvP game modes in addition to PvE Story and challenge modes, but the true superstar are the unorthodox match modes like Chaser and Touchdown, which offers some refreshing objectives that are uncommon in shooters.

From a graphics standpoint, the game is unfortunately dated in several areas, especially with animations and the clunky menu UI. Player populations aren't very high either, and that could be down to the game's age. On a more positive note, for loyal and long term players, there are many things to collect and achieve as progression goes way beyond gear and equipment with the addition of collectible cards, costumes and character avatars. Overall, S4League is a fun and stylish game in small doses if one can overlook its age.

➔ Main points:

• Neo-Tokyo inspired anime cartoon art style that manga fans will appreciate
• Long term gameplay is provided thanks to multiple collection systems
• Fun melee and ranged combat all blend into one
• Dedicated servers in many regions for better latency options

Dauntless is a free to play monster hunting MMO that lets players hunt solo or in groups to take down the world's most dangerous behemoths. The combat system is deep and tactical due to a good range of weapons and combos available, while fights are engaging as hunts take a long time to complete. The result is a rewarding experience overall. The game offers RPG elements like crafting systems and gear progression to chase, and the world is gorgeous thanks to its marriage of cartoon art-styles with gritty and realistic textures for its monsters, armor and environments. Dauntless is an incredibly polished and exciting alternative to paid monster hunting games out currently.

➔ Main points:

• Free to play MMO with gorgeous graphics and art-style
• Engaging combat system that blends action and tactical combos
• Cash shop is stocked with cosmetics and no pay to win
• Can be played solo or with groups to diversify your monster hunts

Beyond The Void is a free to play 1v1 MOBA that infuses RTS mechanics for a solid, fun and addictive gameplay. Matches are all about destroying the enemy's Mothership, while ensuring yours survives to upgrade, build and gather resources on an excellent evolving map that orbits around the sun.

The graphics are very attractive and the game run smoothly, but could use a better new player tutorial as the learning curve is high. The game also uses Ethereum blockchain to manage the in-game economy, allowing players to obtain cash shop cosmetics to be freely sold or traded with other players using the blockchain which creates a non pay to win environment.

➔ Main points:

• 1v1 free to play MOBA with RTS elements
• High replay value due to map placements constantly moving
• No pay to win cash store due to blockchain technology
• Excellent graphics and aesthetics