Multiplayer Sub-Genres I’d Like to Like (But Can’t Yet)

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i wish i may i wish i might perhaps ill play these games awright, MMO, mmorpg, multiplayer, multiplayer strategy, new genre, pvp, pvp mmo, pvp mmorpg, sandbox, sandbox mmo, sandbox mmorpg, strategy, strategy game, survival, survival sandbox

A couple of years ago or so, I kind of made a promise to myself that I would investigate more sandbox MMORPGs in an effort to appreciate just what the hell it was made them perceptibly better than themepark MMORPGs. After some time achieving a bit of this by way of the Choose My Adventure column, I can kind of say that there are sandbox games that I genuinely enjoy even if I pretty much grew up in this genre with themeparks (I don’t think EQOA or FFXI count as “true” sandboxes here).

So with that idea in mind, it has me thinking… maybe there are other MMO and multiplayer sub-genres that I can dig in to? So that’s today’s topic: What other kinds of game types could I try to dive in to and find enjoyment in?

The Thrival Sandbox or How I Learned to Love the Grind

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elite dangerous, MMO, mmos, multiplayer, multiplayer gaming, no man's sky, sandbox, sandbox mmo, survival, survival sandbox, survival sandbox mmo

I’ve made no attempts to hide my distaste for survival sandbox MMOs and games. They’re one of the laziest forms of game design and I still hold to that opinion for the most part. That said, I have slowly begun to find a few exceptions to the rule that have endeared me to at least a couple of aspects to the sub-genre and, perhaps in some small way, helped me to build a bit of empathy and appreciation for those who love these kinds of games.

Critically Considering No Man’s Sky

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exploration, gaming, myst, no man's sky, ps4, space flight, space game, spore, survival

So this game has been a curiosity for me that didn’t seem like it was possible. It sounded like one of those much-maligned Kickstarter vaporware schemes. But lo and behold, it formed from vapor to solid. Not only that, it’s a thing that’s becoming reality to my PS4, which gives it a strange sense of permanence to me somehow.

Probably because I like to have the physical copy in my hands.

It’s easy for people to think it’s not possible – a videogame where the point is to dart seamlessly from planet to planet and map out the wider galaxy? Sounds like the ramblings of Peter Molyneux after looking directly at the Elder Scrolls. But now that we’re coming to a release, there’s still grumblings about whether it’s “an actual game” or not. Which got me thinking…