by Ben Sailors

Created on: June 18, 2008

THE ROLE PLAYING Game (RPG) has captured the hearts and imagination of millions of players over the course of the last few decades. Allowing ordinary people to step outside of the boring and mundane world they live in, RPGs have created a wonderful escape for those yearning for adventure and excitement. For the most part, however, people were limited to their tabletops for such adventure. Fortunately, the growth and accessibility of the Internet changed all that, allowing players from around the world to step into a fantasy world no matter where they were from.

Today, there are dozens of Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPGs) that provide thrill hunting and glory to players that want the chance to experience a world beyond their own. Though the vast majority of the MMORPG market is held by pay to play games, like World of Warcraft, Age of Conan, and Everquest I and II, there are still many games out there for the thrifty gamer.

The free MMORPG world is very diverse, ranging from a life of futuristic warfare to medieval combat. The wonderful thing about the free MMORPG market is that they are often the first to pioneer or try new ideas out to see how they work. This has lead to the development of many MMORPGs differing greatly from one another. With a RPG, the goal is to be as immersed as possible, with gameplay, graphics, sound, and playability. With those aspects in mind, these are the best free MMORPGs in my opinion.

IN TERMS OF GRAPHICS, it's hard to beat Sword of the New World: Granado Espada by IMC Games. Stylistically the graphics are a mix of Final Fantasy XI and Everquest giving Granado above average graphics in characters, itemization and environments. The game is based in what feels like a 17th century world. The sound and music for Granado is a nice mix of piano and strings mixed with some contemporary beats really meshing the new with the old in a nice blend. Some of the music is quite impressive. Boasting a three party group, the game allows an interesting level of complexity to the MMORPG, thought the combat system is relatively simple. The game also offers an item marketplace if you feel like spending a bit of cash to stylize or buff up your characters a bit. The game is available for download at http://www.swordofthenewworld.com

For an excellent, really fun MMORPG, CABAL Online by Estsoft may be right up your alley. Boasting amazing graphics, and a nice amount of flair and polish, CABAL Online really delivers. The games sound

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