21 Games Like RuneScape
Our collection of games like RuneScape has many great free and online (browser) fantasy alternatives for fans of the MMORPG scene.
While originally a browser based experience RuneScape has transitioned to a client based game alongside mobile offerings for iOS and Android. Gameplay in RuneScape has players exploring the large world of Gielinor, a fantasy world in a medieval stage of development while completing quests, collecting resources, fighting other players, training themselves in a variety of skills or taking part in the active game economy.
Like most other MMORPGs players can set their own goals and objectives in the RuneScape universe with some players opting to devote themselves entirely to PvP while others focus on reaching the maximum level for the various game skills or make a new for themselves on the trading market.
The games like RuneScape found here aim to deliver a similar level of polish while offering large amounts of variety and content for free. While this list does focus on online games (no download MMORPG) as this was a core part of RuneScape’s initial success it also includes mobile based games for Android or iOS (iPhone/iPad) and downloadable client options.
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]
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]
AdventureQuest Worlds
AdventureQuest Worlds (or AQWorlds) offers a simple but popular MMORPG adventure with its origins as a browser based title. Now available through the Artix Games Launcher on Windows, Mac and Linux the game lives on despite the retirement of Adobe Flash that resulted in the browser version to cease. Similar to the original AdventureQuest which was solely a single player game this addition to the franchise expands into a persistent game world which allows you to meet and play with other characters...[Read Review]
Wurm Online
Wurm Online is a sandbox style MMORPG that has a creative focus allowing you to create your own adventure in a medieval themed world. Players can play Wurm Online with a basic account for free but to remove some restrictions you will have to commit to a subscription based premium account. Following the initial 2012 release a stand alone paid version was launched in 2015 known as Wurm Unlimited gives players the toolkit they need to have their own single player adventure or host a multiplayer ser...[Read Review]
Villagers and Heroes
Villagers and Heroes (previously known as A Mystical Land) is a free to play MMORPG with cross platform functionality across Windows, iOS and Android. Featuring a 3D fantasy world that has familiar elements of similar titles you’ll be able to progress your account across platforms with full cross-play support. Offering a simple and accessible title on the surface as you advance you’ll uncover the underlying depth across a range of activities and mechanics that provide you with MMO lo...[Read Review]
Therian Saga
Therian Saga offers players an intriguing mixture of MMORPG and sandbox gameplay as players create their unique hero while exploring, fighting, crafting, farming, hunting and other activities in the vast medieval era world. Those seeking something different from their gaming adventure will no doubt be hooked on this turn based like RPG that almost feels like a Dungeons & Dragons quest. While originally available through the browser on release the game has since transitioned to a downloadable...[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]
Sherwood Dungeon
Sherwood Dungeon offers a classic fantasy experience across computer and Android devices with basic core fundamentals that each offer a wealth of depth for players to explore. Often compared to the highly popular MMORPG RuneScape given both titles started as browser based MMOs you’ll find a new fantasy adventure that quickly sets players off on their adventure and allows cross platform gameplay between the two platforms. Offering players a world of over a dozen key island teleport location...[Read Review]
The Lord of the Rings Online
The Lord of the Rings Online (LOTRO) is a story driven MMO experience that takes place in the fantasy Lord of the Rings universe. Featuring familiar locations, characters and plot elements the game is particularly satisfying for fans of the Tolkien universe although is still a high quality MMO offering for those unfamiliar with the franchise. Originally a paid MMO for Windows and Mac the MMO game has since transitioned to a free to play title with paid add-ons. LOTRO follows a standard MMO desig...[Read Review]
Runes of Magic
Runes of Magic offers players a free to play alternative to World of Warcraft and draws obvious inspiration from the MMORPG giant in the genre. Released in 2009 Runes of Magic continues to deliver one of the largest amounts of content and quest opportunities which has been built up slowly over the games time online. While this does mean it can be difficult for new players to come to terms with all of the possible mechanics it ensures there is a wealth of depth to invest your time into. Set in th...[Read Review]
Stendhal
Stendhal is a free to play open source project that seeks to build a vast world of quests, PvE and PvP content similar to other online popular adventures. With many methods to contribute to the game or simply enjoy what the creation community is designing as solely a player Stendhal has a depth of development history that has turned it into the expansive world it has in the present day. While there are still many elements left on the roadmap to complete it is already a functional and enjoyable M...[Read Review]
Last Chaos
Last Chaos has been online since 2006 making it one of the longest running free to play role playing games in a competitive genre. With a solid array of class options paired with the usual array of MMO features the game continues to attract a regular community of players with its traditional style. Last Chaos offers this gameplay with a fairly typical fantasy world where the God of Darkness Eres and the God of Light Apollon created the world of the mortals with humans and elves made to inhabit t...[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]
Eldevin
Aiming to bring the MMO genre back towards story driven gameplay is Eldevin a free to play title that is packed full of game content. Offering a familiar MMO framework that sees you meeting other players, exploring the vast realm with hundreds of locations, unique creatures, distinct factions and countless quests along the way. The story behind the kingdom of Eldevin is one of a peaceful land that over the past decade has slowly fallen into chaos upon the discovery of powerful Elemental Spheres....[Read Review]
Tibia
Tibia is one of the oldest games in the MMORPG genre and has been online since 1997 and has continually evolved itself with the times to ensure it still commands a healthy MMO community. In Tibia players explore a diverse 2D fantasy world from a top down perspective with a tile based game design that allows movement and combat across the land. This diverse fantasy world offers features for MMORPG fans across the spectrum of casual and hardcore that are regularly updated and both leverage the pea...[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]
Black Desert Online
Hailing from Korea and focused on sandbox orientated mechanics is Black Desert Online (BDO) a buy to play MMO adventure with a wealth of content for gamers to experience alongside millions of other players. Players will find all the traditional and expected MMO features across gameplay in BDO with an array of action based combat orientated quests, large scale world bosses, solo and co-operative gameplay, PvP challenges and the usual spread of professional choices. Following the success of BDO on...[Read Review]
Mortal Online
Offering a hardcore sandbox experience Mortal Online is not a game for the faint-hearted player where your death can lead to losing a significant amount of equipment due to the full loot on death mechanic. Set in a deep medieval fantasy realm with medieval themes the struggle for life in Mortal Online is a real challenge for even MMO veterans with their customised character avatar. Released in 2010 a sequel with similar mechanics and setting (Mortal Online 2) was released in 2021. The world for ...[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]