Action games

After making several games exclusively for the Korean market, Gameforge has finally released Elsword to the rest of the world, breaking it out from 4 long years of exclusivity for our Asian counterparts.

The game follows a fairly linear plot, with lightweight gameplay that’s just entertaining enough for beginners without the demands of complex gameplay or narrative. Starting up, you choose from six characters who must immediately go off in search of fragments of the El stone, a powerful crystal that brings life and prosperity to the land.

The gameplay itself is a mix of action and side-scrolling platforms where, within various dungeons, you’ll punch up monsters with a flick of your fingers across the keys.

Graphically, the game puts up a cheery disposition but really lacks in detail, appearing more like a badly animated comic strip than an actual 3D game up to the standard of modern titles.

Elsword is a game that’s lightly fun but far from excellent, catering mainly to those who are happy to make do for free and spam punches at any beast or human within reach. You know what they say - without infamy and without praise.

Prepare to team up with friends and take on the world of Tyria in Guild Wars 2, a fantastically unique MMORPG.

With its first major expansion, Heart of Thorns, release in late 2015, ArenaNet’s highly acclaimed Guild Wars 2 has finally implemented a free to play option.
Making it easier than ever to experience the game’s gripping player driven story and visceral action based combat.

So strap in and prepare to experience one of the great MMOs of the last ten years, Guild Wars 2.

➔ Main points:

• One of the most succesful commercial MMORPG recently converted to free to play.
• Dynamic random events during PvE sessions.
• Different PvP modes, including an original World vs World.
• No PvE raids.

Heavy Metal Machines is a 4v4 vehicle PVP game that's set in a post-apocalyptic world. Players compete in team matches using one of three car classes, and the objective is for one car on either team to pick up and deliver the bomb to destroy the opponent's base, while the other cars get to work on stopping each other. Matches are fast-paced and incredibly fun to play thanks to the game's one of a kind mechanics.

There are two game modes currently which is a little low, but more will be added in time. The game also uses progression mechanics for players to earn currency to gain ranks and purchase better performing cars from the in-game store without spending real money. When it comes to presentation, Heavy Metal Machines scores very high points for graphics, setting and atmosphere. Overall, it's a fantastic free to play MMO that is likely to keep players hooked for a long time to come.

➔ Main points:

• Unique concept that's very original and fun to play
• Great visuals and audio for a free to play game
• Wide selection of vehicles
• Unobtrusive cash shop without pay to win elements

Heroes Evolved by R2 Games is unmistakably a MOBA that takes its inspiration from fan-favorites DOTA 2 and League of Legends. Don’t write off its resemblance as just a copy though, as the game tries to be different and succeeds by introducing interesting gameplay mechanics such as a Glyph system, which allows players to alter the stats of their heroes like an RPG game.

Players will also have access to a large pool of heroes at release, and all 58 heroes are uniquely themed, well designed and come fully voiced. The MOBA gameplay feels both fresh and familiar and there are two types of match modes available alongside two maps. While it isn’t the best looking game out there graphically, it does hold its own style with a mix of LoL’s comic and cartoon design with a bit of anime.

Overall, Heroes Evolved is a worthy alternative in the MOBA universe. The game’s easy accessibility thanks to its quick client download and free to play fee makes it hassle-free to jump in and start a few games. Heroes Evolved does have a few issues ranging from balance to match-making, but as with any other game it will only get better in time.

➔ Main points:

• Familiar MOBA gameplay with new mechanics
• Over 50 unique and fully voiced heroes to pick from
• Light and fast client download
• Daily rewards for just logging in

Hunter X Hunter began its life as a modest manga that soon exploded in popularity. Its first anime series premiered in 1999 (and then another in 2011). The manga was also adapted into quite a few video games. Now it’s a free-to-play, browser-based MMORPG. Fans of the manga and anime will surely find a lot to like here, and if it’s their first MMORPG of this nature, it will feel fresh, but this is definitely not a fresh formula. Almost everything in Hunter X Hunter Online has been seen elsewhere. Fortunately, though, HXH Online (as it will henceforth be called) does it all well.

➔ Main points:

• Browser-based RPG
• Lots of customization
• Based on the popular manga/anime property
• Flash-based graphics and low system requirements

Magerealm: Rise of Chaos, developed by GTArcade and Youzu Games, is a 2.5D fantasy and action MMORPG based on the classical "Good VS Evil" story, just like many other titles of the same genre.

Magerealm allows to choose between three classes (Truthkeeper, Spellmaster, and Realmguard) besides basic character customization, and the progressive improvement of gear by embedding crystals that can potentiate your character's abilities.

Additionally, your characters will also have the possibility to summon their own Angels and Heroes, who have skills of their own that can be improved as well. Other classical MMORPG elements featured in Magerealm are clan, siege, and craft systems.

➔ Main points:

• You can embed crystals to your equipment to potentiate it.
• Three classes to choose from: Realmguard, Truthkeeper, and Spellmaster.
• You can have a guardian Angel and a personal Hero.
• Clan system.
• PvP coliseum.
• Siege system and dungeons to explore in party.

Nosgoth is a spinoff of the popular Legacy of Cain series. Long time fans will likely be disappointed that Psyonix and Square Enix have chosen to follow the free to play model, creating a game that's very accessible if not very intelligent. There's little reference to the much loved series, other than a couple of scattered names and design motifs. But if you can forget the brilliant Cain games that came before it, there's still fun to be had in Nosgoth.

Play as vampire or vampire hunter, with several classes on each side to choose from. The main draw is Team Deathmatch, which sees teams of four pit against each other, human versus vampire. Here, you'll hurl across Nosgoth's beautifully detailed maps in two rounds, playing one species and then the other. This is a much needed swap, as the vampires - who can fly, climb walls and make joyous, deadly leaps - are both more enjoyable and more powerful to play.

As a free-to-play game, Nosgoth gives a fair amount without requiring you to pay up, and most rewards for sale can also be earned by the patient. Haters of the model can choose instead to pay a one time fee and get all the purchasable content at once. Overall, it's a fun, easy title, though it doesn't live up to the epic Legacy of Cain universe it inherited.

Orcs Must Die! Unchained is one of the latest Tower Defense Games in which your aim is to repel a hoard of orcs trying to breach your defenses and reach the innermost area of your base.
A number of paths are accessible to your orc enemies which they can use to point their offense in an effective way.
On the contrary, you have mines and other repelling items to stop them and, in turn, try to breach their base.

Orcs Must Die! Unchained allows you to team up with your friends or go solo with a number of tactics available for either option.
Just like other similar games, a number of classes are available for character selection with each class having a unique set of abilities.
In-game purchases can also be made to upgrade your characters and pose an even more serious threat to your opponents.

➔ Main points:

• 2015 MOBA with an amazing humoristic and entertaining style.
• Set-up deadly traps and kill all the orcs trying to destroy your base, and breach theirs in turn!
• Five available classes of characters.
• Can be played solo or co-op.

Pirate Storm is an excellent excuse for getting involved in the pirate world through a fun online browser game.
It was developed by BigPoint, a company famous for being the developer of many other popular browser MMOs like Drakensang Online or Dark Orbit.

This time, BigPoint will bring on our monitors some pretty cool tropical landscapes in a world completely shaped in the pirate theme.
You'll be able to control your own ship as you level up completing missions for gold and diamonds that you'll use to improve the ship itself and hire crew members.

Pirate Storm offers diverse missions, ship improvement and guild systems, crew recruiting, and treasure hunts. It also features PVP and PVE battles, so you can loot items and gain experience through combat against sea monsters or other players' ships.

➔ Main points:

• Sail through different maps exploring a variety of islands.
• Engage in PVP sea battles against other players.
• PVE missions to gain experience and rewards.
• Join or create your own League and participate in events.
• Side missions, bonus maps, and a mobile app that complements the game.

Revelation Online has been one of the most anticipated MMORPGs of 2017 in the Western World. Despite being available for a year or so in the Asian market, it made its debut in Europe & North America only in March 2017, in the form of Open-Beta.

The game makes itself conspicuous especially through its extra fast playstyle. Additionally you get an action-oriented fighting system whereby the player can fight actively instead of just clicking on skills.

The world is huge and has a ton of quests available. Besides the normal PvE modes and the several quests, you can fight against other players in PvP, enter dungeons or buy your own house.
The devs put a great emphasis on flight: the entire open-world can be explored by flying with several kinds of wings and mounts.

Leveling is as fast as the playstyle. After the tutorial you are already level 15 and you can use a variety of skills and other functions in the game.

Furthermore, you get a Mentor and Demon-slayer system in order to make the game even more diversified and always keep you busy.

The in-game-shop mainly consists of cosmetic items, but also offers various sorts of boosters which give the feeling of "pay2win".

The quests offer variety, thanks to coming after one another quickly and never lasting too long.

If you like MMOs like TERA you should definitely check out this game, because it is similar but also brings its own ideas to the table.

➔ Main points:

• 2017 fantasy MMORPG with fast playstyle and adrenalinic combat system.
• Rapid succeeding quests that make sure you don't have to look around for them.
• Wings and mounts to freely explore the world by flying.
• Leveling is fast and it doesn't take long until you reach higher levels.
• The in-game-shop mainly consists of items of cosmetic nature, however you can also buy booster.