Welcome back to another quick roundup of MMOs and MMO-adjacent multiplayer titles you’ve (probably) never heard of! This time around, we’re pretty much going into space, but first there’s another 2-D sprite MMO to cover. Yes, another one. Please don’t flee; we’re going to space soon.
Flatty: Many of this one’s bullet points are similar to games cut from the precise same cloth – two-dimensional sprites, a solo developer, and a focus on social gaming – though as its name suggests, Flatty’s focus is on decorating a flat (or apartment to us here in the States). The game offers over 150 pieces of furniture for players to decorate their ideal hangout box, while flats can be visited and items can be traded. The game is currently in testing; players who are interested are invited to the Discord [Update: We’ve updated the link to the permanent invite one now! -Bree] to be alerted about more tests.
Starbreak: This “side-scrolling metroidvania style MMORPG” from publisher/developer Crunchy Games is less like a new game and more like a long-lost relic that still remains in maintenance mode: The game first released in 2016 but hasn’t seen an update in years, yet according to a Reddit post its last remaining dev says it’s feature complete. Steam reviews point out its permadeath hardcore mechanics as well as an eerily silent playerbase, but if those aren’t deterrents then this is still an ongoing thing.
Discovery Freelancer: Finally we end up in outer space proper with this mod for the 2003 PC classic Freelancer. This mod rebalances the sci-fi trading and combat simulator for a 200-player population with an expansion of the original campaign, over 100 new ships, 69 distinct factions (nice), PvE and PvP gameplay, and player-owned space stations, among many other features. Better yet, the game and this mod are completely free-to-play.
