I Hate MMOs, But One Has Fixed All Of My Issues With The Genre

I have always had a great affinity for MMOs, something that may come as a surprise to some. There’s a rather endearing quality about both the simplicity and vastness of the genre’s typical gameplay loop, coupled with gorgeous and varied worlds and a delightful sense of community. However, while, as a child, I reveled in the rare opportunities I got to play an MMO (largely it was Runescape), nowadays I find myself at odds with the genre. On the one hand, I really want to like it, desperate to find one that I can completely immerse myself in. On the other hand, I find many of the genre’s conventions and tropes frustrating, tedious, and unlikable.

Still, I am determined to find the very best MMO available for me, one that somehow manages to meet my rather lofty requirements, of which being playable completely solo is rather paramount. Unfortunately, I am cursed with rather serious social anxiety and depression, causing me to be unable to truly commit myself to the rather ridiculous number of hours an MMO requires from you, as well as to the social element that makes the genre so unique and enjoyable. Luckily, I have found an MMO that not only addresses this very specific issue, but also my many other concerns with the genre. That MMO is the always offline, single-player focused title, Erenshor, and it is incredible.

Erenshor Is The Perfect MMO For Solo Players

There are plenty of amazing free MMOs that cater to the single-player crowd that I have tried in an attempt to avoid the communication that raids and the like require. It isn’t that I dislike talking to people, or that I’m incapable of it. Indeed, I like the sense of community and togetherness unique to MMOs and their virtual worlds. Rather, I fear being humiliated due to a lack of skill, or needing to properly communicate tactics with strangers, and choking at the last minute due to my social anxiety. Even the most solo-friendly MMORPGs like Black Desert require a little bit of interaction with other players, and it’s always been something that’s prevented me from truly embracing the genre.

The amount of time required to enjoy every facet of an MMO is also something that has put me off. MMOs are notorious for being grindy experiences, and those that are free-to-start more often than not have hidden microtransactions, subscription services, or other monetization methods that block off meaningful progression, new areas, content, and more. Even if I were to invest financially, I don’t necessarily have the time in my life to commit to an MMO without sacrificing everything else. As a child, I could log onto Runescape all the time and grind away hours upon hours of my life completing quests (or more likely, fishing). Now, as a married adult with a job and more responsibilities than I care for, an MMO just isn’t in the cards for me.

Erenshor fixes both of these issues while tickling that need for nostalgia so baked into my very being. It is an entirely offline solo experience with simulated players that you can talk to, who will join your party, befriend you, help with raids, level up, and play the game even when outside of your party, and so much more. They’re surprisingly complex already, despite the game still being in Early Access, and, while never a true substitute for the real thing, offer a similar sense of community one gets from immersing oneself in an MMO. Additionally, the fact that it is offline means you needn’t worry about logging in all the time, grinding, or paying for microtransactions.

There are still all the typical MMO tropes to be found in Erenshor in addition to plenty of modern conveniences. Visually, it feels very akin to Runescape with its blocky, bright, and vivid landscapes, and mechanically, it plays like it too. Combat is far more strategic, though, although as it is a single-player game, you never have to feel shoehorned into playing a specific class merely because your friends need you to. There are vast areas to explore, with more being added all the time, towns, dungeons, cities packed with NPCs and quests, and more than enough items to keep you busy for a few hundred hours. Its status as an Early Access game also further helps to sell its MMO-like status, as new updates are introducing classes and regions like the MMO expansions of old.

More People Need To Play Erenshor

Weirdly, for Erenshor to survive, it technically doesn’t need the enormous player bases that traditional MMOs require. However, I still believe more people should play it and invest in its Early Access period. Not only are they in for a truly incredible time, especially if they’re already fond of MMOs, but they’re, at least hopefully, pushing for more experiences like this to exist in the future. While many may understandably be a tad confused at the appeal of a solo MMO, even beyond the difficulties surrounding the social aspect for some, there’s a lot of value to be had in combining the best aspects of an MMO with the less restrictive nature of a single-player game.

True MMOs must deal with rising server costs and expensive expansion development, both of which have resulted in the closure of many genuinely excellent MMOs long before their time. They also need to implement a ridiculous amount of balancing to ensure their economies remain intact, to better promote microtransactions, and so that players don’t feel like they’re being cheated out of a good experience. Single-player MMOs don’t have these issues, and instead can actually benefit from breaking the game a little to promote more enjoyable experiences for all, rather than simply those with big enough wallets.

Of course, the greatest barrier to creating single-player MMOs was simulating the community and social aspect. Erenshor’s developer, Burgee Media, has managed to simulate hundreds of players without even utilizing AI, and is continually improving them the further into the Early Access process it goes. Of course, there’s also the possibility of implementing co-op, so you and your friends can still enjoy the MMO experience together without having to worry about dealing with other players outside of your circle.

I’m not advocating for the complete removal of true MMOs, nor for single-player MMO-likes to become the majority. Not only is that utterly unlikely to ever happen, but I do love the beauty and often wholesome nature of certain MMO communities, as well as the many benefits of playing with real players. However, I am extremely appreciative that there are options like Erenshor for people like me who would prefer to play completely alone, but also love every other aspect of the MMO experience. Hopefully, other people out there in my very niche circumstances can now feel emboldened to enjoy an MMO experience, and those looking to maybe wind down their MMO playtime can use it as a form of retirement from the genre.

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