20 Games Like DC Universe Online
Our assembled list of games like DC Universe Online features other action based MMOs that rely on engaging combat to separate themselves from similar titles in a range of fictional worlds.
DC Universe Online draws upon the fictional universe of DC Comics to create a super hero themed MMORPG with a focus on action orientated combat. Originally launched in 2011 for Windows and PlayStation the game has since expanded to other console platforms while similarly expanding its episodic content that explore different hero stories. The inclusion of these big name hero and villain characters in the DC franchise has made it particularly appealing to DC fans with the likes of The Flash, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Bane, Joker and countless others.
Supporting this star cast of DC Universe Online is a high quality skill system, plenty of MMO endgame content, dynamically generated challenges, equipment and other staple MMO features. Exploring this world as your own customised hero or villain players have a wealth of options to design a notable character to craft their own story with their own personality, movement type and power.
The alternatives to DC Universe Online found on this page focus on similar titles that go beyond the traditional fantasy setting while pairing it with an action orientated combat system.
Planet Calypso
Planet Calypso leverages the framework of Entropia Universe to create a science fiction MMO with a wealth of content, mechanics and sizeable community waiting to be explored. Most notably is the adoption of a game currency that is closely tied with real money that provides the potential for players to profit from their activities within the virtual game world. Starting in 2003 as the first planet of Entropia Universe (which now has more than half a dozen planets that offer different gameplay) Pl...[Read Review]
ArcheAge
In terms of fleshed out MMO experiences ArcheAge is near the top of the list with an impressive game world filled with adventures, secrets and features around every corner of the fantasy world. While ArcheAge innovates in a few areas of MMO gameplay much of the focus is put towards delivering vast content, quality and player choice over attempting to reinvent the historical MMO mechanics. Set in a fantasy game world the focus of ArcheAge is on being able to change the game world around you while...[Read Review]
Drakensang Online
Drakensang Online started as a free to play browser based game that offers similar gameplay to the classic action role playing games of days long past. With the retirement of Flash and Java support within modern browsers though Drakensang Online is now entirely available through the small game client for Windows. Opting for 4 playable classes players can tackle the Drakensang Online game world as a Dragonknight, Spellweaver, Ranger or Steam Mechanicus with further customisation for gender, ethn...[Read Review]
Neverwinter
Neverwinter is a free to play MMORPG released in 2013 for Windows with subsequent releases on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 gaming consoles. Set in and around the fictional city of the same name players will engage in quests, action orientated combat and social interactions with familiar MMO and Dungeons & Dragons mechanics. The framework for your adventure is the vast city of Neverwinter where chaos has taken hold after the disappearance of the city leader. With Neverwinter city and the su...[Read Review]
Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn
Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn (also known as Final Fantasy XIV Online) is the relaunched version of the 2010 Final Fantasy MMORPG adventure that addresses the key issues of the original. With vast enhancements players are finally able to experience the MMO and Final Fantasy universe that you’ve always craved. Set on the continent of Eorzea players have a wealth of ancient lore and locations to explore with the map split into various city states that have their own biomes and specialiti...[Read Review]
Star Trek Online
Star Trek Online (STO) is a free to play MMORPG that takes place within the Star Trek universe, bringing the decades of lore, characters, settings and alien races into a single large scale MMO world and populating it with science fiction fans. At launch Star Trek Online required a game purchase and monthly fee for access which provided the game a solid foundation of funding to develop a high quality adventure. Star Trek Online has been free to play since 2012. Star Trek Online takes place in the...[Read Review]
Rift
Offering vast fantasy MMO gameplay that stands up against the titans of the genre Rift is a MMO with subscription based history but has been free to play since June 2013. Important to note though Rift still offers a premium subscription called a Patron which offers currency bonuses, extra content, daily login rewards, boosts and convenience benefits. Free and paid players alike though will be treated to Rifts gameplay pillars which focuses on a massive world, large scale dynamic battles and dive...[Read Review]
Skyforge
Blurring the lines between fantasy and science fiction is Skyforge, a third person MMORPG that focuses on action, customisation, class swapping, region based servers and the ability to reach a whole new league of hero, a god. Launched in 2015 for Windows Skyforge has since expanded to the console market that feature the same content and regular content cycle. Venturing around planet Aelion where both ancient secrets and cutting edge technology live side by side players will perform the usual arr...[Read Review]
Perfect World
Perfect World offers a 3D fantasy MMORPG that original launched on the Asian market in 2005 and eventually found its way to an international setting in 2008 under the name, Perfect World International (later rebranded to simply PWI). With over a decade of experience in the MMO market PWI has a wealth of player content which has continued to expand with nearly expansions that build further on the world, classes and race options for players to select from. While the core of the MMO game is your us...[Read Review]
Star Wars: The Old Republic
Star Wars: The Old Republic (SWTOR) is a free to play MMORPG developed by BioWare that aims to bring the story and lore of the Star Wars franchise to the MMO realm. Designed to offer a focus on the story of your character players will craft their own adventure through their character choices and actions which can be further expanded with a paid subscription to access additional content, increase your level cap, improve your levelling speed and other benefits. Star Wars: The Old Republic of cours...[Read Review]
Dungeons and Dragons Online
Attempting to capture the D&D 3.5 rule set and import it into the MMO environment Dungeons and Dragons Online (DDO) launched back in 2006 as a paid title. Eventually going free to play since 2009 the game has continued to maintain an audience of dedicated players, predominately made up of fans who enjoy the original D&D mechanics. While free to play there are a number of restrictions on free to play players both in terms of races and classes which will eventually push the dedicated the p...[Read Review]
The Secret World
The Secret World is a unique MMO set in a modern day game world with a focus on myth and conspiracy theory that draws inspiration from a range of popular media to create an interesting game world and associated game content. Originally launched in 2012 the game was relaunched as The Secret World Legends in 2017 that changed a number of core mechanics and also transitioned the MMO from its previous paid and subscription models into a free to play core. For those looking for a fresh adventure in t...[Read Review]
Vindictus
Vindictus is a MMORPG is set in the same universe as the popular Korean MMO of Mabinogi although dramatically shifts the focus towards action combat. While the anime themes and associated character outfits are there players will find a deeper MMO adventure that drives engagement through combat, quests and community. Set hundreds of years prior to Mabinogi Vindictus explores a darker place with players focused on clearing the way through the world for the fun and free Mabinogi world to thrive in ...[Read Review]
Aion
Aion is one of the growing number of subscription based MMO games that have gone free to play in recent years to ensure it can secure an ongoing player base. Despite the age of Aion (released in 2008) the free to play transition has mostly been successful with a consistent hundreds of players on the Steam client and thousands online outside of the Steam version. Accordingly if you originally considered getting into Aion but the price turned you away now is a great time to get into this highly po...[Read Review]
Royal Quest
Royal Quest is a fantasy MMO that brings a unique blend of mechanics to the genre along with a wealth of game content. Available for free for Windows the game offers a vast array of locations, dungeons, monsters, quests and other challenges across PvE and PvP content for MMO fans. Set within the world of Aura which is in a state of constant war for the rare Elenium mineral players step up to the king’s call for a hero to push back the recent wave of dark alchemist invaders to the shadows. ...[Read Review]
Age of Conan: Unchained
Age of Conan: Unchained (originally Hyborian Adventures) seeks to stand out in the massively multiplayer online genre with a mature game in the same universe of Conan the Barbarian. Being thrown into a brutal and savage game world requires players to maintain their wits while engaging with the usual array of MMO mechanics. Originally a paid title Age of Conan: Unchained is now a free to play adventure for all players to enjoy with a freemium monetisation model. Loosely based on the Conan univers...[Read Review]
EverQuest II
EverQuest II is a 3D MMORPG that builds on the EverQuest series and originally released in 2004 as a paid MMO title before later transitioning to a free to play adventure in 2011. Continuing to develop itself throughout the decades the EverQuest universe is well known and respected in the multiplayer genre and still competes against the modern MMO variants available today. For gamers who played the original EverQuest adventure this game takes place in the same fictional world of Norrath although...[Read Review]
Champions Online
Champions Online is a super hero focused MMO that prides itself on offering the player base a large amount of customisation in designing their own hero. Create the hero that you’ve always wanted to be in this well designed MMORPG that explores a genre outside of the typical fantasy adventure. Released in 2009 as a subscription based MMO experience the game altered to a free to play base with paid content in 2011. Set within a world known as the Champions universe players will find a trove of oth...[Read Review]
The Elder Scrolls Online
The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) brings the popular role playing series to the MMO environment with an adventure that sets out to create the ultimate Elder Scrolls adventure and fills it with other online adventurers like yourself. The greatest appeal to the Elder Scrolls Online is without a doubt to the long time fans of the franchise who will appreciate the expanded world before them although in order to break through into the competitive MMO market a number of decisions have been made that ensu...[Read Review]
Albion Online
Albion Online centres itself heavily on the guild and sandbox mechanics that often form secondary features in other MMOs. Originally released in 2017 as a paid MMO Albion Online’s free to play shift in 2019 and large 2020 update (Queen) has seen a resurgence of interest in the unique sandbox MMO pushing its daily active accounts into the six figure mark and nearly half a million monthly active. With a single server housing these players you can expect an overwhelming number of players in f...[Read Review]