While the world is awesome in a lot of respects, the day to day grind can get to anyone. We are humans after all, and even the most enlightened and wise people still have to deal with real world problems. This is why sometimes, the idea of escaping the world altogether is an awesome prospect. Whether you want to roam a vast and unexplored place on your own, or maybe with a bunch of friends, it’s undeniable that great virtual life games can offer some awesome respite. Of course, some world are much better than others and offer different experiences for users, so with that, here are some of the best.
10. Skyrim
Okay, so while this game is a solid two year old game, the way that Skyrim was crafted is breath taking. Even when you take away the titanic world ending dragon from the game, you still end up with some of the most beautiful vistas ever made in a game. In fact, if you play your cards right, you won’t ever even need to raise your sword against another creature in the game. Even roaming the valleys and mountains in Skyrim alone provides some pretty bad-ass moments.
9. World of Warcraft
Love it or hate it, WoW is here to stay and the staggering amount of players that log on each day proves that. Of course, it didn’t get popular out of sheer luck, and most of the time, it was the world that drew people in. You see, in addition to some pretty world changing updates that the developers made for the game, the main reason why the game landscapes changed was because of the gamers that inhabited WoW. This is the primary reason why World of Warcraft is on this list.
8. IMVU
Not all virtual worlds have to be about war and this title is probably proof of that. Sometimes you just want to kick off your shoes and have a conversation with a stranger thousands of miles away. IMVU creates instances wherein your objective is to meet and chat with other users who have the same idea. While it isn’t world changing those small rooms where people mingle are a great place just to talk about stuff.
7. Any title from the Sims Franchise
Okay, so while the initial release of the new Sims City wasn’t stellar, it doesn’t mean that the rest of the game in the series sucked. A lot of people still play some of the older titles for fun, and some of the newer games add on the online element just to let people share their own little worlds. Truly, this game series can cater to both those that want to mold a personal space and those that are truly social creatures.
6. 5Street
Yet another game that emphasizes social interaction as opposed to violence, 5Street is about dancing. In fact, the game does this so well that hundreds of thousands of people still play the title even years after the release. Beyond just the dancing element, players can also choose to interact with the world through fashion and chatting up the different players as well.
5. Blue Mars
You have to love Crytek at some point. They keep making newer and newer games, which utilize their own engines, but at the same time, they give those engines away for free. Blue Mars is possibly one of the prettiest MMOs out today as it uses the Cry Engines 2. Beyond that, the game also boasts a world full of new people with whom you can interact through chat and different activities in the game.
4. 2nd Life
Oh boy is there a lot to do in this title, and the best part is that there are so many users online at any one time. In this game, the world is basically almost completely emulated through different in game activities, and they’re done pretty well. The freedom is also stunning in this game because if you’re willing to spend a bit of money, then you’re free to do basically anything you want.
3. Guild Wars 2
A great game that really immerses a person has to have a few things going for it. Firstly it needs to have impressive visuals, or can at least make you imagine awesome worlds. Secondly, it has to be populated by entertaining people. Guild Wars kills both off the checklist because of the massive fan base occupying a massive world. The people are kind, and the system in play really enforces a supportive kind of gamer, which is awesome in its own right.
2. Bioshock
Sometimes you want to get away from it all, but at the same time, you don’t want to turn to other people for that escape. Sometimes, a world with it’s own lore, but has been abandoned would be a great place to occupy for a while. If this is your thing, you might want to check out Bioshock, just for the sheer loneliness of the world.
1. The Best World is really up to You
When it comes to choosing a world where you can set up a virtual life, there is no one great place to set up shop. It’s true, some worlds are better than others, and this list tries to tackle most of them, but in the end, the experience you want might be a different one what others have. So instead of thinking of this list as a ranking system, use it as a starting point from which you can find a whole new life to try out.
September 26, 2014 5:28 pm
WHERE IS ANIMAL JAM YOU IDIOTS?!