It’s 2020 now and you’d expect that the MMO genre would be saturated with great new Triple A titles all competing against one another to be at the top of the pile. That doesn’t seem to be the case, though, and MMO players always find themselves going back to the same old games.
Is that such a bad thing, though? Read on for a countdown to the best MMO for the PS4 in 2020.
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5. Neverwinter
Is Neverwinter still a good MMO to play in 2020? Well, you could argue that it is better now than it has ever been. The staff at Cryptic Studios have improved the game tenfold since it was first released and there is now a rejuvenated fanbase and many new players joining continually.
The character creation system is solid, and you can choose from 14 different races (though 5 of which are behind a paywall), each of which has their own distinct abilities. There are 8 different classes and the customization of each character works with appearance presets and sliders that you can use to modify your appearance.
The game, which is based on the Dungeons & Dragons series, has an abundance of quests which are centred around a set of legacy campaigns – missions that must be completed to unlock new aspects of the game. Neverwinter also has a helpful and friendly online community that seem to be readily available to assist people in their quests.
The game is not without issues, however. Perhaps the biggest gripe with the game is the persistent push to purchase in-game content – at times it seems completely unavoidable. Yet, for a free-to-play game, you can kind of understand this tactic to help acquire funds to keep the game going. Many players have also reported framerate issues, too.
All in all, Neverwinter can still be considered a contender for the best PS4 MMO in 2020, and one that you should definitely try if you haven’t already done so.
4. Warframe
Warframe is often highlighted as an example of how to do an MMO the right way, and it’s easy to see why. The team at Digital Extremes seem to care greatly for the Warframe community and keep it fresh and smooth with regular new content and patches.
Indeed, the game has evolved immensely since it was first ported to the PS4 in 2013, and players who tried the game upon its initial release would almost certainly find the game unrecognizable now.
The combat in the game is one of its best features. It can take some time to get used to at first, but once you do, the slow-motion diving, melee attacks, and ninja-like gun-wielding becomes very satisfying. Another great feature is the amount of content there is. For a free game, the open world content is surprisingly enjoyable, and it is easy to sink hours into the game exploring or hunting.
There are a couple of common criticisms that Warframe is faced with, though. The game is heavily based on grinding and levelling up, so be prepared to put in a fair amount of time before you progress to the next stage. There is also some content that is behind a paywall, but this doesn’t really impact on the ability to play Warframe almost fully without ever having to open your wallet.
Warframe is a must-try for lovers of the genre, and is undoubtedly one of the best MMO games for the PS4 in 2020.
3. Elder Scrolls Online
If you have a Skyrim itch that you can’t quite scratch, ESO may just be able to satisfy your needs. Granted, it’s not quite the same game (but what ever will be?), but Tamriel Unlimited has that unique Bethesda RPG feel that has makes the developer a master in the roleplaying game genre.
ESO is a game that I played when it first came out, but I struggled to get fully immersed into the world – partly because I was expecting something else (namely, Skyrim 2.0). In fact, it was probably good thing to have left the game where it was then, as returning to it last year was like playing a whole new game, in the best possible way.
As with all Elder Scrolls games, there are a multitude of main and side quests to get through, and the lore in the game is unrivalled. If you allow yourself a few days to get reacquainted into the world, you’ll soon want to be nowhere else.
Combat is what you would expect from an Elder Scrolls game – it’s nothing special but it’s simple and can incentivises the player to level up and find better equipment.
Overall, after it had a rocky start when it was first released, but a number of expansions and DLCs have led to Elder Scrolls Online being a strong contender for the best MMO for the PS4 in 2020.
2. Star Trek Online
Now, this may seem crazy to some people, but the Trekkie makes Star Trek Online one of the best gaming experiences around and, for me, it is easily a contender for the best MMO for the PS4 in 2020.
There are 6 factions to choose from in Star Trek Online – Starfleet, Klingon Defense Force, Roulan Republic, TOS, Starfleet, Dominion, and DSC Starfleet – and once you’ve chosen your allegiance, you must select one of the many species in the franchise. Three career paths are also available to play as – an engineering officer, a science officer, and a tactical officer.
When it comes to gameplay, STO is split between ground missions and space missions. In the ground missions, the combat utilises a tab target system and allows you to explore planets on foot. The space missions are slightly more complex and rewarding. The world is vast and takes a long time to explore thoroughly, and you must be weary of encountering enemies on the way.
Aboard you ship, you control a group of crew members who you must assign various tasks to – they can even join you on ground missions to make your quest easier.
The game is free-to-play, but there is really no need to spend money to enjoy the game fully. Indeed, most of shops contents are utility items and equipment to change the game’s aesthetics.
1. Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn
There’s a reason that FFXIV frequently comes out top of any ‘best of’ lists in the MMO world. It’s simply the best MMO game for the PS4 available right now, and that’s despite being first released on the platform in 2014.
If you had to choose only one aspect of the game that makes it so much better than other MMOs, it has to be the story. FFXIV’s story is immersive, engaging, and enjoyable, and there is plentiful content found within the game.
Character customization is varied and sufficiently detailed to allow you to create a truly unique character. The graphics, while not the best, are incredibly smooth, and the cutscenes become noticeably crisper as you progress throughout the game as FFXIV adapted to its release on new consoles. The soundtrack is diverse, with some traditional Final Fantasy music and some more heavy rock numbers, each of which seem to perfectly suit the scenario of the game.
The combat is not as heavy as in most MMOs, and a focus is mainly placed on the story and skill progression. When you do have to fight, you have a wide array of abilities and weapons in your arsenal. You can choose to specialize in one particular skill, too, in order to tailor your character to how you best like to play the game.
The only draw back to the game is that it requires a monthly subscription to play after the free trial. This was something that put me off for a long time, but once I played FFXIV, I realized why it was justified. The game certainly warrants the title of the best MMO for the PS4 in 2020.
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Did you enjoy our article? Let us know what your favorite MMO is in the comment section below. You may also like our review of Star Trek Online.
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