Low spec MMORPGs may not look as visually stunning, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t just as fun! Let’s face facts, ladies and gentlemen: Not everyone has a high-end gaming rig capable of rendering super-realistic graphics, down to the teensy dimples and tiny blemishes on eerily lifelike looking skin, or the crisp, botanically-specific leaves on a swaying, ancient, old oak tree.
You see, some of us have to pay these things that are called “bills.” And after we play the responsible, grown-up adult for a bit and pay all of these so-called “bills,” unfortunately there’s just not a ton of extra loot to spend on ourselves. So what we do buy usually has to be an extremely smart, value-laden purchase. When it comes to games, we usually read approximately 473 reviews (note: number approximate), on average, before even deciding whether or not a game is worth a purchase or not.
So it’s understandably just really hard out there for a pimp responsible — yet still broke — gamer.
But fear not my young, bargain-conscious friend! Fore we are here to help you by shining a light on the best, most enjoyable and — most importantly — fun low spec MMO options. And help you we shall, starting straightaway just down below!
NOTE: The list that follows is less of a ranked list and more of a grouping of three great, low spec MMO options — so don’t mistake the order the games are listed in for having any weighted value of any kind. Because it doesn’t — I swear this on my mother’s eyes! Anyway, get it? Got it? Good. Let’s get this frugality fiesta started, shall we?
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Low Spec MMORPGs – RUNESCAPE
GENRE:
Fantasy MMORPG
DISTRIBUTION:
Downloadable
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One of the oldest, most well-known MMORPG’s in the space, there’s a reason that RuneScape is still around after first exploding on the scene all the way back in 2001. And people are still playing it.
In case you’ve forgotten or you’ve just arrived via a time traveling machine from the future, it’s currently the year 2015. Go ahead and do the math yourself — that’s quite a long time for a game — any game — to stay relevant, much less an MMORPG!
RuneScape takes place in the world of Gielinor (which is your stereotypical medieval fantasy realm), which is divided into various kingdoms, regions and cities. Using your customizable avatar, characters are free to make their own story and choose their own goals and objectives, as there is no set, linear storyline. Those with absolutely no imagination to help enrich the experience a bit simply need not apply.
The game is currently running under its third iteration (technically RuneScape 3, but the game as a whole is still referred to straight-up as RuneScape) and boasts over 200 million created accounts making it the clear leader in the world of low spec MMORPGs.
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Low Spec MMO – RISING GENERALS
GENRE:
Real Time Strategy (RTS) MMO
DISTRIBUTION:
Browser-based
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Whoever said real-time strategy games wouldn’t make a good massively multiplayer online game? Actually, to be fair, the concept hadn’t really taken off until just a few years ago, but there’s really no need to worry about that now now is there?
Rising Generals is an RTS war MMO set in a fictional, futuristic version of the real-life Cold War era that so thoroughly gripped the nation and spread fear of nuclear war far and wide back in the 1980’s.
Attack and defeat your enemies with pure brute force or by utilizing surprise stealth tactics; the choice is yours. No matter what you choose, you can take great comfort in knowing that your rig will be able to play Rising General’s code for you like a fiddle. And I mean, hey, that’s all we truly ask of our PC’s, isn’t it? Who needs ridiculously high-end games who’s minimum specs require practical military-grade hardware anyway! (Yeah! Who needs em!)
Featuring realistic landscapes (or as realistic as you can get considering it’s from a top-down perspective), seamless, zoom-enhanced camera controls and a novel, strategic, infrastructure-transportation gameplay mechanic, and there’s really nothing quite like the unique MMO experience you’re going to get with Rising Generals. This is definitely a top game in the low spec MMO world!
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Low Spec MMOFPS – REALM OF THE MAD GOD
GENRE:
Shooter MMOFPS
DISTRIBUTION:
Downloadable
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Forget just being one of the most refreshingly-unique low spec MMO options, Realm of the Mad God is easily one of the most refreshingly unique games in general. The fact that it can run super-fast and smooth on practically any machine — big or small, fast or slow, old or new — is just icing on the cake!
First and foremost, don’t let the fact that the game is designed entirely in 8-bit pixelated art put you off. Because this game spins its primitive-looking graphics on their head and hurls you into a super fast and frantic MMORPG centering around — get this — projectile shooting weapons.
Controlling your character — who’s one of a group of characters who’s been transported into the realm of Oryx by the titular Mad God referenced in the game’s title, you’re immediately tagged to become delicious num-nums for all manner of minions and abominations that reside there.
Even better, you can shoot your way to survival alongside a friend or three via the co-op mechanic. And trust us, while playing the game by yourself is a totally viable option, it’s HIGHLY recommended that you team up with as many other humans as you can, because this game is hard. Like, really hard. It’s, essentially, the modern-8-bit little brother of Dark Souls — the one who’s on Ritalin and can’t stop running around kicking everyone in the shins (except a whole lot more fun).
You see in Realm of the Mad God, if you die — even just once — well, that’s just tough noogies for you, fella, because death in this game is permanent. A la, not only will you have to start completely over at the beginning of the game should you die, but you’ll also lose all of the weapons, items and equipment you’d managed to accumulate during your previous play-through.
While this sounds about as fun as a root canal, it really is fun. Playing with another person really goes a long way in helping to ease the pain of dying and losing everything you’d worked so hard for, namely because you tend to just look at each other, shrug, and then dive headlong right back into the fray for another go in Oryx.
Just try not to break too many things while playing the game. It’s sure to be a thrilling, and at times infuriating, ride in the low spec MMOFPS world
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That about does it for today, boys and girls. Surely there’s plenty more low spec MMORPGs and low spec MMOFPS games that we didn’t have the time to list here, so if you happen to have a favorite of your own, please don’t hesitate to let us know all about it in the comments.
Seriously, we don’t bite… (as far as you know…)
Forever frugal, friends!