The Video Game Literate

Dragon Age is a franchise of role-playing video games (RPGs). The first Dragon Age video game, Dragon Age: Origins (2009), was developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts. Dragon Age video games are known for depicting high fantasy worlds, as well as warriors, magic, and magical creatures. Players who have played MMO and MMORPG video games, such as World of Warcraft (2004), may notice similarities between these video games, including the high fantasy elements and the RPG elements, and wonder whether the Dragon Age video games are technically MMOs and whether they can be considered an MMO or MMORPG video game. Most Dragon Age video games are not MMOs or MMORPGs, they are single player games. While Dragon Age: Inquistion features multiplayer co-op gameplay, it is not an MMO as it lacks a persistent, shared server connecting hundreds of players. Why Dragon Age Video Games Are Not MMOs Over the course of development of technology of the video games industry, the differences betwe...

MMOs and MMORPGs have been played by PC players for decades. An important part of the video games industry, MMOs provide unique experiences, storylines and gameplay, presenting various styles of gameplay. Players with low-end PCs (personal computers) may search for low-end MMOs and MMORPGs to play. In this article, a variety of low-end MMOs and MMORPGs will be presented, including 2D and 3D video games to suit the needs of players with low-end computers. Moreover, there will be low-end solo MMORPGs of all themes, including medieval, sci-fi, horror and historical. Conquer Online Conquer Online (2004) is a 2D MMORPG inspired by martial arts and Chinese mythology. Conquer Online is mostly a PvP-oriented MMORPG, but it also features a vast amount of locations, quests and monsters to fight. Conquer Online features a unique jumping system that greatly differentiates it from other PvP-oriented MMORPGs. Due to its 2D graphics, Conquer Online (2004) runs in many low-end PCs with high framerates...

RPG is one of the largest genres of the video games industry. As such, it's incredibly popular, with many titles that were played by thousands and millions of players. At the same time, players used to playing story-driven RPG video games may eventually have the desire to experience different and unique RPG video games. These players may search for new and different RPG video games than what they have experienced before. In this article, it is supposed that you have already played mainstream AAA RPG video games such as Divinity, Dragon Age, Fallout, Final Fantasy, Mass Effect, Tales, The Elder Scrolls and The Witcher. It is also supposed that you have played AAA action RPGs such as Dark Souls and Diablo. Darkest Dungeon Darkest Dungeon (2016) is a roguelike RPG with strategy and horror elements. Inspired by H. P. Lovecraft's cthulhu mythos, Darkest Dungeon is a punishing video game which features permadeath.  Darkest Dungeon is different from traditional mainstream AAA RPG vide...

MMOs and MMORPGs have been an important element of the video games industry. These video games often feature hundreds and thousands of players in the same game world, either cooperating or competing. Even though many MMOs are social video games, with complex social networks such as groups, clans, and friend systems, many players prefer to play these games solo. In this article, you will find not simply MMOs that can be played solo, but MMOs that are fun to be played solo, with an enjoyable solo gameplay experience. Age of Conan Age of Conan (2008) is an MMORPG inspired by the Conan universe. This MMO is a great solo experience because it features detailed dialogue cutscenes, deep dialogues, storylines and immersive environments. While typical "group-based" MMOs require players to form groups and parties to enjoy a large part of the content, Age of Conan features enough story-driven content to provide enjoyment for solo players as a single player RPG would be capable of. Moreo...

Diablo is a franchise of action RPGs (role-playing games), or ARPGs, known for their dungeon crawling elements and immersive atmosphere. The first Diablo video game, Diablo (1997), was developed by Blizzard North and published by Blizzard Entertainment. Diablo video games have been praised for their atmosphere, replayability, variation in builds and overall unique action RPG experience. Considering that there are a number of Diablo video games, players may wonder whether Diablo is an MMO video game, or an MMORPG. Most Diablo video games are not MMOs, because they lack the distinctive characteristics of MMOs. However, Diablo Immortal is an MMO, and an MMORPG. Why Most Diablo Games Are Not MMOs Most Diablo video games, and especially the early Diablo video games, including Diablo (1997), Diablo II (2000) and Diablo III (2012), are single player video games. These video games provide a single player video game experience, with a storyline and single player gameplay. While these video game...

Bastion is a video game well-known for its narrations, gameplay and atmosphere. Bastion (2011) was developed by Supergiant Games and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment in 2011. Bastion has been praised for its unique storyline, immersive narration, action gameplay and unique experience. Considering that the developers of Bastion (2011), Superpergiant Games, also developed an action roguelike video game, Hades, players and roguelike fans may wonder whether Bastion is a roguelike video game. Bastion is not a roguelike, but a story-driven action RPG, lacking most of the traditional roguelike elements. Why Bastion Isn't a Roguelike While the exact definition of roguelike has often caused debate among players, over the time a more general definition was established, which is often referred to as the Berlin interpretation. This interpretation established that, in order to be considered a roguelike, a video game must present many of the factors listed in this definition, ...

Darkest Dungeon is a series of roguelike RPG video games, well-known for their characteristic atmosphere, story elements, and replayability. The first Darkest Dungeon video game, Darkest Dungeon (2016), was developed and published by Red Hook Studios. Darkest Dungeon has been praised for its innovative gameplay, as well as its characteristical narrator feature. Considering that Darkest Dungeon video games are quite unique, and that these video games present different game mechanics from most of the other RPG video games, players may wonder whether Darkest Dungeon is hard or difficult. Darkest Dungeon is hard and difficult, and will challenge most players, being harder than most story-driven RPG video games. However, Darkest Dungeon offers adequate tutorials and also different difficulty levels, including an easier one. Why Is Darkest Dungeon Difficult and Hard? Darkest Dungeon is a roguelike video game, featuring many characteristics of the Berlin interpretation of roguelikes. In this ...

Diablo is a franchise of action RPGs, well-known for their characteristic atmosphere, environments, and real-time gameplay. The first Diablo video game, Diablo (1997), was developed by Blizzard North and published by Blizzard Entertainment. Diablo video games have been praised for their real-time action RPG gameplay, storyline, atmosphere, and overall innovative gameplay with inventory management and character progression. Considering the popularity of Diablo video games, as well as the surge of action roguelike video games, as well as the many similarities between Diablo video games and action roguelikes, players may wonder whether Diablo video games are roguelikes, and whether Diablo is a roguelike video game. Diablo is not a traditional roguelike, but an action RPG. Most Diablo video games are isometric action RPGs, featuring classic RPG elements, not traditional roguelike elements. Diablo - The Action RPG Subgenre While much is written about the original Diablo video game, Diablo (...

Dragon Age is a franchise of RPGs (role-playing games), known for their high fantasy elements and branching dialogues. Dragon Age video games have been praised for their atmosphere, immersion, lore, branching dialogues and gameplay. The first Dragon Age video game, Dragon Age: Origins (2009), was developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts. Considering that many AAA video games feature open world design, and also considering the popularity of the Dragon Age video games, players and RPG fans may wonder whether the Dragon Age video games are considered open world in their design and gameplay. In general, most Dragon Age video games are not open world. Instead, they are RPGs with large environments, separated by loading screens and transitions. The Environments of Dragon Age Video Games Dragon Age video games are known to feature several distinct environments. In these video games, the main characters are able to adventure in multiple locations, including forests, mountains, cit...

Mass Effect is a franchise of science fiction RPGs (role playing games). Mass Effect video games allow the player to assume the role of characters and role-play their choices and consequences in a futuristic universe. Mass Effect video games have been praised for their third-person shooter gameplay, RPG combat, character progression, dialogues, choices and consequences, atmosphere and storyline. The first Mass Effect video game, Mass Effect (2007), was developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts for PC and PlayStation 3 and by Microsoft Game Studios for Xbox 360. Considering that Mass Effect video games are classic RPGs, and often favorites among RPG players, and also considering the size of the universe of Mass Effect video games, players often wonder and debate whether the Mass Effect video games can be considered open world video games, and how their game worlds compare to the game worlds of traditionl open world video games. Most Mass Effect video games are technically op...